Tuesday Bird Droppings: Where the Orioles are chasing their dreams

Hello, friends.

Another day has dawned with the Orioles in fourth place in the American League East. They sit 6.5 games behind the division-leading Yankees. After last night’s win, the Orioles are now 4.5 games out of the second wild card spot with just three teams to pass. If they keep winning, the picture is going to get interesting.

The Orioles are going to need to win some games like last night’s if something good is going to happen by season’s end. If you missed it, make sure to check out Chris Booze’s recap of the game, and don’t forget to vote in the Most Birdland Player poll.

There was one other cool thing about last night’s win: Buck Showalter picked up the 1,480th win of his career, tying him for 24th place on the all-time list with Earl Weaver. What a cool achievement. I wonder how high he will end up on the list by the time he retires.

The other big news from yesterday is that the Orioles decided to trade for shortstop Tim Beckham on the Rays. If that move works out, he could be the O’s shortstop for the next three seasons after this. Huh. My immediate reaction to the trade was to scratch my head, but you know, that’s a little interesting too.

Around the blogO’sphere

Duquette: "There's still hope for 2017" - School of Roch
You’ve gotta have hope! Mustn’t sit around and mope. Nothing’s half as bad as it may appear. Wait’ll next year... wait, no! That song doesn’t work at all in this situation!

Trade deadline winners and losers: Dodgers, Yankees stock up; Orioles miss out - SweetSpot- ESPN
At least one part of ESPN is unimpressed with the Orioles dodging trades for Zach Britton or Brad Brach.

Sadly, Orioles continue to avoid investing in the future (Baltimore Sun)
Peter Schmuck is also unimpressed with the trade deadline choices.

Connolly’s take on the Orioles as the trade deadline passed: Didn’t seize moment in either direction (Baltimore Baseball)
...and Schmuck isn’t the only one who is unimpressed.

Zach Britton on trade deadline passing and other clubhouse quotes - Steve Melewski
Zach is happy to still be here, though. That part makes me happy.

New Orioles pitcher Jeremy Hellickson sees chance to help rally toward playoff spot (Baltimore Sun)
You really don’t have to do a whole lot to be better than what they’ve had already had in the rotation this season.

Birthdays and anniversaries

On this day in 1994, Cal Ripken Jr. played in his 2,000th consecutive game, becoming the second player to ever reach that plateau. In 2003, they traded Sidney Ponson to the Giants. And in 2005, Rafael Palmeiro’s positive steroid test was announced.

One current Oriole has a birthday today. It’s Adam Jones. Happy 32nd birthday to him! There are also a few former Orioles with birthdays today: 2002-03 pitcher Travis Driskill, 1975-77 first baseman/outfielder Tony Muser, and a 1959 three-gamer, the late George Bamberger.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Along with Jones, your birthday buddies for today include: Roman emperor Claudius (10 BC), Lewis and Clark’s William Clark (1770 AD), anthem-writer Francis Scott Key (1779), Moby Dick author Herman Melville (1819), designer Yves Saint Laurent (1936), and rapper Coolio (1963).

On this day in history...

In 1498, Christopher Columbus became the first European to land in what is now Venezuela.

In 1714, George, the Elector of Hanover, became King George I of Great Britain, beginning the Georgian era.

In 1798, as part of the French Revolutionary Wars, a British fleet led by Admiral Horatio Nelson engaged a numerically equal French force and defeated them decisively, destroying four ships and capturing nine while losing none.

In 1893, Mr. Henry Perky patented shredded wheat.

In 1981, MTV began to broadcast in the United States. Its first video was a song by The Buggles: “Video Killed The Radio Star.”

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And that’s the way it is in Birdland on August 1 - or at least, unless something happens later, which it surely will, since the Orioles are playing the Royals again tonight. Maybe it will even good. Have a safe Tuesday. Go Orioles!