Happy Tuesday, Camden Chatters! Did you watch the game last night? It was not great. There were a few good things, like Shane Baz’s seven-inning, two-run start. Colton Cowser played good defense in center field and walked twice. Birthday boy Gunnar Henderson had two hits and a walk.
Other than that, it was another bad night. The run scoring was limited to two Adley Rutschman sac flies, and the team went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left six runners on base. Pete Alonso struck out three
times. The bullpen fell apart, giving up six runs over the final two innings. And they got an assist from another Blaze Alexander error that allowed two runs to score when the inning should have ended. If you yearn for more details of last night’s 8-2 loss, check out Tyler Young’s game recap.
Honestly, what is there to even say about these guys anymore? They are now eight games under .500, which ties their season low. They were also eight games under back on May 20th. This is just a bad baseball team.
Now, I’m no stranger to bad baseball teams. In my 47 years on this earth, the Orioles have had winning seasons in just 21 of them. And seven of those were the first seven years I was alive, so they don’t really count from a baseball consciousness perspective. As far as my baseball fan lifespan goes, there have been three stretches of good baseball: 1995-1997 (they were a touch under .500 in ’95, but 2131 made up for it), 2012-2016, and 2022-2024. That’s it. Other than that, a whole lot of losing.
The early aughts were rough, but then it got easy to settle in as fan of a terrible baseball team that everyone knew would be terrible. We got a little bit of hope with your Miguel Tejadas and your Javy Lopezes and the like, but we never got too far into the excitement. 2005 was fun until it crashed, and I was reminded of what it’s like, for a minute, to like a good baseball team. But then the real losing started. Jay Payton. Kevin Millwood. Jeff Fiorentino. César Izturis.
There was so much bad baseball that I can’t account for it all. Those players were bad, but that’s all they were ever going to be. No one expected otherwise. So put the Orioles game on in the background, hon, while we have crabs.
Then, they got good again. And it was incredible. 2012 was amazing. 2014, even better. After 2018, we were told we had to embrace the losing for just a few years in order to build a team that would become a powerhouse. That powerhouse? It lasted two seasons. And now here we are again. And it’s so much worse than 2010. The process failed, the hyped talent isn’t performing. The Orioles are bad again, but this time it’s worse. This time, we were told it would be different. A terrible team that is forced to play Félix Pié every day? Eh, what are you gonna do? A terrible team with Gunnar Henderson looking lost? Unbearable.
We’ve been saying around these parts for a while that they just need to go on a hot streak. And we believed they could do it because these players are supposed to be good enough for that. But maybe it turns out that they’re not. And that we watched them lose on purpose five years ago for nothing. And that’s a tough pill to swallow.
Links
Orioles GM Mike Elias wants to hold on to Adley Rutschman. He’s actually right – The Baltimore Banner
Kyle Goon lays out the argument to not trade Rutschman. I don’t want him traded either.
Akin to Injured List – MASN Sports
If you missed the news, Keegan Akin has been placed on the IL with left elbow discomfort. He was replaced the Josh Walker, who would have had a decent night last night if not for an error by Blaze Alexander. Welcome to the team, Josh! This is what they do.
Déjà vu? Cowser robsDéjà vu? Cowser robs 2nd HR in as many days with spectacular grab 2nd HR in as many days with spectacular grab – MLB.com
Might as well enjoy this homerun robbery from Colton Cowser, there wasn’t much else to like about the game.
Birthdays and History
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have just one Orioles birthday buddy. Jesús Aguilar turns 36 years old today. Aguilar played in 16 games for the Orioles in 2022, a blip in his 10-year career.
On this day in 1997, Mike Mussina won his 100th career game. He pitched eight innings with one run and nine strikeouts. He got some run support from teammate Cal Ripken, who hit a grand slam in the 8-1 win over the Phillies. On the same day, Ripken was elected to his 15th All-Star game with the second-most votes of the year, after only Ken Griffey Jr.
In 2009, the Orioles completed the biggest comeback in team history. Down 10-1, they scored five runs in the seventh and five runs in the eighth, with Jonathan Papelbon giving up the go-ahead double by Nick Markakis. Pitcher Jeremy Guthrie, pinch running for Matt Wieters, scored the tying run. It was a fun one.
In 2012, the Phillies traded future Hall of Famer Jim Thome to the Orioles for a few minor leaguers who never panned out. I had long wanted Thome to be on the Orioles, and he was a little past his prime. But it was exciting all the same as the Orioles went to the playoffs for the first time since 1997.
And on this day last year, the Orioles defeated the Texas Rangers 10-6 on the road. The game was tied 3-3 at the end of the ninth. The Orioles scored three runs in the top of the 10th on homers from Gunnar Henderson and Colton Cowser, but Keegan Akin blew it in the bottom of the 10th. The Orioles scored four more in the top of the 11th and Andrew Kittredge pitched a 1-2-3 11th to lock it down.
