Happy Tuesday, Camden Chatters!
After an off-day yesterday, the Orioles will be back in action tonight. They kick off a nine-game, three-city road trip against three teams a playoff team should be able to beat: the St. Louis Cardinals, Sacramento Athletics, and Colorado Rockies. The Cardinals have a .500 record, while the A’s and Rockies are the two-worst teams in baseball. The problem is, the Orioles aren’t really a playoff team.
It’s kind of a joke around these parts that every series is declared
pivotal. And really, they have been. When you’re a team on the fringes of a playoff spot, every series is pivotal. Theoretically, this could be a pivotal road trip. But in reality, I have to admit I just don’t see it.
On July 8th, the Orioles lost to the Cubs, falling to a season-worst eight games below .500. Since then, they have gone 21-17. Today, they are five games under .500. At this point in the season, they have established themselves as, at best, a .500-caliber team. It seems silly to imagine anything more than that.
The only saving grace is that there are five other teams whose fan bases are saying something similar about their favorite team. And the Orioles are setting off to play three teams who are a combined 59 games under .500. So I can see how people might say this is their big shot.
The problem? The Orioles are exactly .500 against teams with losing records this year. And that won’t cut it in the pathetic race for the third AL Wild Card.
Now, will I be rooting for the Orioles to win the battle for mediocrity? Of course I will. I root for them all the time, and I’ll be thrilled to cheer them on in the postseason if they manage to get there. Every single night when I sit down to watch the Orioles, I am hopeful they’ll win. But I also know that time is running out and they have already shown us who they are.
Links
After struggling, Dylan Beavers is back to hitting fastballs for the Orioles. Here’s how. – The Baltimore Banner
Jon Meoli looks at how Beavers started hitting again, and while it’s a good story it kind of has me wondering about the hitting coaches. Thank goodness for Matt Holliday, I guess.
These 10 farm systems have the best outfield prospects – MLB.com
MLB Pipeline ranks the Orioles as having the third-best outfield prospects in baseball, thanks to names like Eric Booth, Jr, Ike Irish, Nate George, Ty Head, Enddy Azocar, and Enrique Bradfield, Jr.
Albert Suárez Elects Free Agency – MLB Trade Rumors
The Orioles have DFA’d Suárez three times this season. He has cleared waivers and elected free agency rather than going to Triple-A. If you like Big Al, I predict he’ll be back. He always comes back.
Birthdays and History
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have four Orioles birthday buddies, including Albert Belle (60). Belle was signed to a five-year contract in the winter of 1998, but only played two of those seasons. After 2000, Belle was diagnosed with degenerative hip disease and was forced to retire.
Other former Orioles born on this day in history are pitcher Chandler Shepherd (34), outfielder Gary Matthews (52), and catcher Darrell Johnson (b. 1928, d. 2004).
Today is also the birthday of both Max Muncys. Muncies? The older Muncy, who plays third base for the Dodgers, is 36. And the younger Muncy, who plays third base for the Athletics, is 24.
On this day in 1961, the Orioles defeated the Twins 5-2. Pinch hitter Dave Philley singled, giving him 23 pinch hits on the season, which set a Major League record.
In 1968, the Orioles and Red Sox played an 18-inning game, which the Orioles won. Starting pitcher Tom Phoebus pitched seven innings and winning pitcher Roger Nelson pitched seven innings. The Orioles tied the game in the bottom of the eighth. In the bottom of the 18th, Boog Powell doubled, then scored, on a single from Brooks Robinson. The game lasted five hours, 27-minutes.
In 2014, the Orioles beat the Rays 9-1. in the third inning, Nick Markakis and Steve Pearce hit back-to-back home runs. In the fifth inning, Delmon Young, J.J. Hardy, and Chris Davis hit back-to-back-to-back home runs.
And on this day last year, the Orioles lost to the Red Sox 4-3. Tomoyuki Sugano pitched six innings and allowed all four runs. Colton Cowser had a three-hit game and knocked in all three runs.
