Good morning, Camden Chatters.
So much for the Orioles building any momentum from their emphatic 11-1 win on Saturday. It took less than 24 hours for them to revert back to their usual incompetence, getting crushed 13-2 by the Giants in yesterday’s rubber game to take another series loss.
It’s hard to say which was worse, the Orioles’ pitching — which was torched for 13 runs, 16 hits, and seven walks — or their offense, which somehow turned 16 baserunners into just two runs, thanks to a 2-for-12 performance
with runners in scoring position. Oh, and don’t forget the daily dose of shoddy O’s defense. Let’s just agree that the Orioles are wretched in all aspects of the game and be done with it. Check out Tyler Young’s recap of the latest O’s disaster.
With the loss, the Orioles finished the month of August with an 11-17 mark, falling off the table after they posted winning records in June and July. They’re also back to 15 games under .500 with 25 games to play. Personally, I’m not looking forward to those 25 games. There’s just so little about this O’s team that’s pleasant to watch these days. In theory, it should be fun to track the progress of newcomers like Samuel Basallo, Dylan Beavers, and Jeremiah Jackson, but that’s perpetually overshadowed by the general sense of malaise and misery that is the 2025 Orioles. If you could click a button and instantly end this season, I would do it. I think the Orioles would, too, not that they’d admit it.
For now, the Orioles’ west coast road trip rolls on with a trip to San Diego, where the O’s will face old friends Ryan O’Hearn and Ramón Laureano, whom they packaged to the Padres at the trade deadline for six prospects of varying quality. O’Hearn has been solid for the Padres while Laureano has been an absolute beast, batting .305/.354/.581 with seven home runs in 28 games. I remain annoyed that the O’s traded Laureano, who had a cheap team option for 2026 and is putting up better numbers than anyone in the Baltimore lineup. Seems like the kind of player you’d keep around if you’re intending to compete next season, but I don’t know, maybe one of those six minor leaguers will amount to something.
In any case, the calendar has finally flipped to September, which means this is the final month that we’ll need to endure Orioles baseball. We’re in the home stretch, everyone. We can get through this together.
Links
Errors and other mishaps mar series finale in Orioles’ 13-2 loss – School of Roch
Look, I know Justin Verlander is a future Hall of Famer. But a guy who is practically as old as me should not be striking out 10 batters. Not a great effort, Orioles.
The Orioles are about to get some new blood for the rotation (and add their 67th different player of the season) when Tyler Wells makes his season debut. I’m skeptical that he’s a starting pitcher long term, but the O’s have nothing to lose by trying it out for a while longer.
The enduring popularity of Bill Ripken’s ultimate error card: Sports Card of the Week – The Athletic
If you’ve never heard of the legendary Billy Ripken “F***face” card, you’ve been missing out. The Athletic’s Tyler Holzhammer’s got you covered.
Orioles giving Colton Cowser look as center fielder: ‘Proving me wrong’ – The Baltimore Sun
I think Cowser certainly has the defensive chops to be an everyday center fielder. But that’s not going to matter if he doesn’t start hitting.
Is Jackson Holliday tiring a bit in later stages of the long season? – Steve Melewski
Jackson and me both. I’m exhausted just watching this team.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Two former Orioles were born on Sept. 1: right-hander Eduard Bazardo (30) and the late lefty Dean Stone (b. 1930, d. 2018).
On this date in 2000, the Orioles turned a bizarre triple play in Cleveland. On a Sandy Alomar pop-up to short with runners at first and second and nobody out, the umpires didn’t call the infield fly rule, leading to chaos. Shortstop Melvin Mora intentionally let the ball drop, then threw to second baseman Jerry Hairston, who tagged out both baserunners. Meanwhile, Alomar, who assumed he’d been called out on an infield fly, started running back to the dugout and was called out for leaving the basepath. The O’s had themselves a triple play and everyone was left confused and frustrated. And this is exactly why the infield fly rule exists, people.
And on this day in 2007, the Orioles were on the wrong end of a no-hitter thrown by Boston’s Clay Buchholz in his second major league start. Three walks were Buchholz’s only blemishes as the 22-year-old threw his masterpiece at Fenway. He was the first pitcher to throw a no-hitter in his first or second MLB start since Wilson Alvarez in 1991…and you’ll never guess which team Alvarez did it against. (Yes, you will. It was also the Orioles.)
Random Orioles game of the day
On Sept. 1, 1991, the Orioles were clobbered by the Twins at the Metrodome, 14-3. While Hall of Famer Jack Morris shut down the O’s bats, Orioles rookie Arthur Rhodes, making his third career start, coughed up seven runs in three innings. I’d say things got better from there for Rhodes, who ended up pitching 900 major league games over a 20-year career. Between Morris and Rhodes, this matchup pitted a guy who started his career in 1977 against a guy who pitched until 2011.
