Hello, friends.
Did you go to bed like a responsible adult last night, assuming that the Orioles, facing a big deficit, were headed for a sure loss? That was certainly the responsible thing to do, as that game looked bleak indeed. You get to start today in the best way possible, though, waking up to the news that the Orioles got a Manny Machado walkoff home run to win that darn thing after all.
If you missed the comeback and the crazy conclusion, check out my recap of the game. Don't forget to vote in the Most Birdland Player poll!
Another day has dawned with the Orioles in third place in the American League East. They remain seven games behind the division-leading Red Sox, about whom there will be more to say in this post.
More importantly, following a Twins loss and an Angels win in Tuesday's games, the Orioles now trail the Angels by one solitary game for the second wild card spot in the American League. They must also slip by the Twins, who are only a half game closer than the O's, in order to get into a playoff spot. There is more winning to be done, but the chance is there for the O's, if they can take it.
If the O's are going to go somewhere over the next week and a half, they're really going to have to earn it. Along with finishing off the Yankees series in Baltimore, they're about to hit the road for three games in Cleveland, three games in Toronto, and four games in New York.
The Orioles, as you surely know, have been bad on the road so far this year. If they are bad on this road trip, that will be it. Hope will be lost and they will slouch towards eventual mathematical elimination. Let's hope that they can find a way to win the last game of this homestand before they head out into unfriendly territory. Maybe they can get a little bit better starting pitching tonight.
Around the blogO'sphere
Orioles' Hays, first 2016 draftee to reach majors, 'couldn't have imagined being in a better spot' (Baltimore Sun)
There were 90 players drafted before Austin Hays last year. He beat all of them to MLB, and although he didn't play in the game, he got a walkoff celebration for his first day in the show. Not bad.
Duquette: Orioles 'very vigilant' in competitive AL East amid Yankees-Red Sox sign-stealing controversy (Baltimore Sun)
As shocking as it is that a New England-based professional sports team would use video-based technology to cheat, a story came out last night that the Red Sox have been using Apple Watches to cheat. Will they actually pay some kind of price for this? I'm not holding my breath.
Orioles DFA Aquino, Showalter talks about Hardy - School of Roch
It's been clear for quite some time that the only person who is excited about J.J. Hardy coming off the disabled list is Buck Showalter. That may not happen until Friday.
Chris Davis on nomination for the Roberto Clemente Award - Steve Melewski
One player from each team gets nominated for this award each year. Chris Davis gets that nod from the O's this time around.
Struggling Jimenez bumped to bullpen as O's go to five-man rotation (Baltimore Sun)
I really wonder how the Orioles decided to bump Jimenez out there, rather than, say, Chris Tillman or even Hellickson.
Stewart reaches 20-20; Sisco debuts; Wells gets big prize; Keys and Baysox get ready (Baltimore Baseball)
It's the minor league-season ending look at the O's top prospects, as judged by Baltimore Baseball. Did you know D.J. Stewart finished the season with 20+ home runs and 20+ stolen bases?
Orioles birthdays and anniversaries
On this day in 1974, Dave McNally and Mike Cuellar each logged complete game shutouts in a doubleheader against the Indians. In the process, the Orioles set an American League record with 54 consecutive scoreless innings.
In 1995, Cal Ripken Jr. played in consecutive game 2,131.
One current Oriole has a birthday today. It's Donnie Hart's 27th. Also, three former Orioles have birthdays today: 2011 non-slugger Derrek Lee, 1991 rotation member Roy Smith, and the late Jim Fridley of the inaugural 1954 Orioles.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Your birthday buddies for today include: Honorary American Gilbert du Motier, the Marquis de Lafeyette (1757), sociologist Jane Addams (1860), Twister co-creator Charles Foley (1930), Pink Floyd's Roger Waters (1943), funny man Jeff Foxworthy (1958), and actor Idris Elba (1972).
On this day in history...
In 1522, the Victoria, which was the only surviving ship out of Ferdinand Magellan's expedition, returned to Spain, thus completing the first circumnavigation of the globe.
In 1620, the Pilgrims left from Plymouth, England aboard the Mayflower. Eight years after that, a bunch of Puritans founded the Salem settlement. Another fourteen years after THAT, Puritans remaining in the English Parliament banned all stage plays from theaters.
In 1847, Henry David Thoreau left Walden Pond to go live with Ralph Waldo Emerson and family.
In 1901, President William McKinley was shot and fatally wounded by Leon Czolgosz.
In 1972, nine Israeli athletes who were being held hostage by the Black September terrorist group were killed, along with a German policeman, by the hostage-takers during a failed rescue attempt.
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And that's the way it is in Birdland on September 6 - or at least, until something happens later, though depending on how much it rains in the evening, maybe nothing will actually happen as far as O's baseball is concerned. Have a safe Wednesday. Go Orioles!