Good morning, Camden Chatters.
This year’s MLB postseason has been a lot of fun, huh? Last night the Dodgers held on for a nail-biting win over the Phillies, 4-3, with the Phils sabotaging their own ninth-inning rally with a failed bunt attempt. Never bunt! The Dodgers now have a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series as they head to Los Angeles to try to complete the sweep. Meanwhile, in an NL Central battle in Milwaukee, the normally dinger-shy Brewers powered three home runs to take a 2-0 series lead over the Cubs.
As the NL teams have a travel day, the two AL Division Series are back in action tonight, and with any luck it will spell the end of the line for the Yankees. The Blue Jays embarrassed the Yanks in the first two games in Toronto and could ice the series with a win tonight in the Bronx. The more competitive Tigers/Mariners series heads to Detroit, knotted up at one win apiece. The action begins today at 4:08 ET.
Meanwhile, the Orioles have business to attend to, even if they can’t begin making roster moves in earnest until after the World Series. For now, they can delve into their search for a new manager. The O’s aren’t the only team needing a new skipper — six other clubs are also looking, not including the Rangers, who just hired Skip Schumaker over the weekend — so it could be a bit of a competitive market.
We’ve heard a few names bandied about in connection with some of the managerial openings, including those with previous experience (such as David Ross) and some up-and-coming coaches looking for their first manager gig (such as former Oriole Ryan Flaherty). It is not known whether the O’s, who notoriously keep their front-office maneuverings close to the vest, have begun conducting interviews. They wouldn’t yet be able to do so for candidates whose teams are currently playing in the postseason, like Flaherty, the Cubs’ bench coach. So if the O’s have any such candidates on their list, it might be a few more weeks before they can fully complete their manager search.
For me, I don’t have any particular name in mind as my top choice, but I think the O’s would be well-served to bring in someone from outside the organization. I want a manager who can offer a fresh perspective and help energize some of the young Orioles players who seemed to fall into a mental rut when things went south this season. And I hope Mike Elias and the front office give their next manager, whoever it is, the chance to bring some different ideas to the table.
What say you, Camden Chatters? Who would you like to see as the next manager of the Orioles?
Links
MLB analyst Ben McDonald says controversial ESPN NHL comments were ‘a joke’ – The Athletic
The O’s analyst is in hot water after saying there was “zero chance” he’s going to watch NHL Opening Night. As far as media scandals go, I’d put this at approximately a 0.0000001 out of 10.
Do you think Mullins or O’Hearn will be back with Orioles in 2026? | MAILBAG – BaltimoreBaseball.com
As much as I liked those players, I think that ship has sailed, my friend.
Rickie Weeks is an intriguing option, even though he doesn’t have any experience. I don’t hate the idea of bringing some of that Milwaukee Brewers energy to the Orioles.
Orioles will be busy rebuilding their bullpen – School of Roch
Oh. Right. The O’s also need like eight new relievers for their bullpen. Elias has hit work cut out for him this offseason.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You share your day with four ex-Orioles: one-game outfielder Yusniel Díaz (29), right-hander Alex Cobb (38), lefty John O’Donoghue (86), and the late infielder Grady Hatton (b. 1922, d. 2013).
The Orioles have played four postseason games on Oct. 7, and lost three of them. Bleh. In 1973, they lost Game 2 of the ALCS to the Oakland Athletics, 6-3, at Memorial Stadium. Starting pitcher Dave McNally was ambushed for four home runs, including two by Sal Bando, while the Hall of Fame duo of Catfish Hunter and Rollie Fingers combined to stifle the Orioles’ offense. That tied the best-of-five series at 1-1, which the O’s would eventually lose.
On this date in 2012, the O’s lost Game 1 of the Division Series, falling 7-2 to the Yankees. It was a packed house at Camden Yards for the Orioles’ first postseason game in 15 years, but the sellout crowd of 47,841 first had to wait through a 2.5-hour rain delay, then watched the Yankees score five runs off Jim Johnson in the ninth to break a two-all tie. I was there, just one section over from where Russell Martin’s go-ahead HR landed. It was not fun.
And in 2023, the O’s dropped Game 1 of the Division Series to the Rangers, the Orioles’ first home playoff game in nine years. The Rangers scored two runs against Kyle Bradish and another off Jacob Webb, while the O’s offense couldn’t manage much production against a cobbled-together bullpen game for Texas, aside from an Anthony Santander home run.
The Orioles’ lone win on this date came in 1983, when they trounced the White Sox, 11-1, in Game 3 of the ALCS in Chicago. Eddie Murray’s three-run homer in the first gave the Orioles an early lead that they never surrendered, with the O’s taking advantage of nine walks and eight hits to continue padding the score. Starter Mike Flanagan worked five innings for the Birds and reliever Sammy Stewart handled the final four. The win put the Orioles one victory away from clinching the series, which they did the next day.
