Author Archives: Domenic Vadala

Welcome to Birdland Crush! Yes folks, for the record it's a spin off of the popular summer beverage native to the Mid-Atlantic Region - "orange crush." Nevertheless, I've been covering Orioles' baseball since 2009 in some capacity, and it's basically the greatest gig of all time so far as I'm concerned! But for those who aren't familiar with my work or bio, I'm familiar with pretty much every sport out there. But baseball is king - we all know that. So my hope is that you come back and check in after every Orioles' game, and throughout the off-season. I'm always on duty!

Baltimore Orioles 2022 season recap

The Baltimore Orioles and the rest of Major League Baseball began the 2022 season late, due of course to the lockout over the winter. It was what it was. The Birds unceremoniously began the season getting swept by the Tampa Rays before their home opener against Milwaukee. But that series sweep was far from a harbinger of how the season was about to go.

Opening Day at Camden Yards dawned bright and full of sunshine. And the finally homestanding Orioles didn’t disappoint, defeating the Milwaukee Brewers, 2-0. However April wasn’t easy for the Birds. Several close losses, and an offense that wasn’t clicking. They also lost ace John Means for the season to Tommy John’s surgery. But one month a season doesn’t make.

But once things started clicking, they really clicked. And they clicked incredibly well. This was a team that was predicted to lose 100 games. Suddenly they were getting seven inning outings from no-name starters such as Dean Kremer. Stellar bullpen outings, and contributions at the plate from the likes of Autin Hays, Anthony Santander, and many more. At a certain point, we had a season on our hands.

And I’m not sure when that point was. Just before the All-Star Break they went on a 10-game winning streak. That’s probably what this season will be remembered for. It was during that winning streak that they somehow transformed from a would-be 100 loss team, to a nice story, to a contender. Various national outlets called the O’s the best sports story of the year. The players, and manager Brandon Hyde, ate it up as best as they could. But the fact is that they just kept winning.

At the beginning of August, they traded Trey Mancini, which was a tough moment. It wasn’t as if Mancini wasn’t already cemented into the hearts and minds of Birdland forever. But the fact that he smacked an inside-the-park home run in his final at-bat as an Oriole at Camden Yards didn’t hurt. And it’ll be remembered forever.

There was a brief moment in August where the Orioles were in the final Wild Card spot. For a team that was supposed to lose 100 games, that was an amazing feat. However as the season wound down it was evident that they just didn’t have the horses. And that’s okay. The Orioles finished the season 83-79, and in fourth place in the AL East.

Critics will highlight the fourth place finish. But you have to look at the expectations before passing judgement. They were supposed to lose 100 games. they finished with a winning record for the first time since 2016. THAT’S why Brandon Hyde’s a serious contender to be Manager of the Year. And in my view he should win the honor hands-down.

You also have to look at the division. The top four teams (including the Orioles) in the AL East had records above .500. The lone exception is the Boston Red Sox. In the face of swift competition, the Orioles thrived. I suspect they knocked off 1.5-2 years of their rebuild. And as a result, they’re currently in the hunt for a postseason spot in 2023.

Baltimore Orioles: Stay on course and do things right

We made it through the 2022 regular season, Baltimore Orioles fans! Yes folks, take a step back and pat yourselves on the back! This season was NOTHING like any of us thought it would be. That goes without saying.

And that’s obviously a good thing. Speaking for myself, I always feel like a groundhog peeking his head out of a hole in the ground once the season ends. It’s almost as if I’ve been blind to all of the other things going on in the world since the beginning of Spring Training. And that grind begins again in just a few short months!

But for now, we sit back and take a breath. In the interim, if something newsworthy happens with the O’s, it will be reported here. But again…let’s catch our breaths just a bit! Sometime presumably early next week I’ll provide a formal season recap. And then we’ll go on from there. But the fact is that there’s NOBODY in Birdland who should be complaining today. None of this well they would have made the postseason had they not traded Mancini, or they would have made the postseason had Brandon Hyde done this or that. Let’s not go down that road, folks.

This season was a rousing success. If you want to point at things in games, why are you looking only at things late in the season? The games in April counted just as much as the ones in August and September. Point being, it’s never just one game or one managerial decision in a game. It’s the sum of the parts.

People should also be advised that down the line they’ll thank the likes of Hyde and Mike Elias for sticking to the plan this year. The O’s could have seen that they had a real shot at going somewhere, and traded a litter of prospects to strengthen their lineup. Sure, that would have given them a better shot at the playoffs – this year. But what happens down the line?

I tend to agree with many of the moves made by the Oriole teams of 2012-2016. They were aimed at winning now and competing now. But what none of us understood was that the championship window was very short-lived. The Washington Nationals are in the same boat, only difference being that they actually won a title in the tail end of their window. Once things started busting up (2017-2018), they didn’t have the necessary prospects to bring up and continue the party. Heck, they didn’t even have the prospects to trade for other players to continue the party.

So the roster sort of rotted from within. That’s nobody’s fault per se, but that’s what happened. The philosophy now is different; the current regime has never been about winning now. It’s been about stockpiling prospects and holding onto them. Sure they could have used some of them to get a heavy hitter or a pitcher this year. But for what? To back into the postseason and bow out after one round? I think they can do better. And starting in 2023, they will.

Baltimore Orioles fall in game 162 despite a lifetime of memories

Spencer Watkins got the start for the Baltimore Orioles in game 162 this afternoon, the final game of the season. It was also the second game of a twin bill against Toronto, in which the Orioles won the first game. Watkins’ line: 3.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 3 K.

Toronto took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when Jansen grounded into a force out with the bases loaded. But the Birds tied things up in the sixth on back-to-back doubles, with Kyle Stowers’ RBI-double. Once again reminding the fans of this team’s penchant to come back.

But Toronto wanted to leave their mark on this season finale also. Lopez’s two-run single in the seventh gave Toronto a 3-1 lead. Dinner would add a two-RBI single in the ninth. And the Birds fell, 5-1 in the series finale.

The O’s finished the season with 83 wins. It’s their first winning season since 2016. 31 wins more than last year. After the game ended the fans in attendance gave the team a standing ovation as they spilled out of the dugout. It was a sight to see for sure, as we enter the off season.

On that note, the O’s return to action on Saturday, February 25th vs. Minnesota at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota for the first game of Grapefruit League play. The Orioles have yet to announce a starter, but whomever he is will be opposed by Minnesota’s starter, who’s also yet to be announced. Game time is TBA.

Baltimore Orioles: Terrin Vavra brings the Birds back from behind

The Baltimore Orioles entered today with two games left in the regular season, and a doubleheader to top it off. Kind of fitting in a way, given that games had to be squeezed in and rescheduled all year due to the lockout. But yet here we are. Mike Baumann got the start for the O’s in game one this afternoon, the penultimate game of the season (Game 161). Baumann’s line: 5.1 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 4 K.

Baumann pitched a good game, in short, staying in for one pitch too many. Toronto took a 1-0 lead in the second on an RBI-single by Lopez. However Baumann mowed down Toronto hitters after that, albeit pitching out of a couple of jams. With reliever Keegan Akin warming in the bullpen, Baumann put two runners on in the sixth. Unfortunately, that almost cost the O’s.

Moreno smacked a three-run home run with one down, extending Toronto’s lead to 4-0. Baumann was pulled immediately afterwards, but it was a shame to see him have the game blown open on him after such a good outing. And after a strong showing in the majors for part of this season.

But the game wasn’t “blown open” for long. Austin Hays smacked a two-RBI double to left in the last of the sixth, cutting the Toronto lead to 4-2. However that was only an appetizer. There was still some Orioles Magic left in Game 161.

The O’s put two runners on in the last of the eighth, bringing Terrin Vavra to the plate. And Vavra delivered big time. His first major league home run was a three-run homer, and it gave the Orioles the lead. And ultimately the win.

Someone’s first major league home run is always a big deal. But Vavra’s came at a key moment in the game, and it literally lifted the Birds onto victory. Does that make it more memorable? In my view it does.

It also reminded the fans, perhaps for the last time, what these 2022 Orioles were about. They always did their best work after the seventh inning. Game one this afternoon was no exception. That will be the mark of this year’s team, and it’ll be a great thing to remember.

The series and the season conclude in just a few moments at Camden Yards as we enter the final game of the regular season. Spenser Watkins gets the start for the O’s, and Toronto is yet to announce a starter. Game time is set for just a few moments from now, but the official time has not yet been announced as this is being written.

Baltimore Orioles fall to Toronto

The Baltimore Orioles entered last night’s final series of the season against Toronto with nothing more than pride on the line. They can’t make the postseason, but they have nothing for which to be ashamed in this season. NOTHING. Dean Kremer made his final start of 2022, and pitched okay against one of the best lineups in the league. Kremer’s line: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 4 K.

Kremer gave up an RBI-single to Merrifield in the top of the second, giving Toronto a 1-0 lead. One inning later that extended to a 3-0 lead when Guerrero smacked a two-run homer. The Birds netted their lone run in the last of that same third inning when Anthony Santander sent a deep shot to right, which was caught by Hernandez. However with a runner on third, it went as a sac fly-RBI.

Kremer would uncork a wild pitch in the fifth with a runner on third, running the lead to 4-1. The teams sat through a rain delay late in the game of just under an hour, and Toronto added one more run on Chapman’s eighth inning RBI-single once play resumed. And the O’s fell, 5-1.

The series continues tonight at Camden Yards. Mike Baumann gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Toronto’s Mitch White. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: DL Hall notches first career save in Birds’ win

The Baltimore Orioles opened a three-game set at Yankee Stadium this evening, their playoff chances hanging by a thread. The Birds’ elimination number was five, with six games to go. Talk about a must win, and in a tough spot (against New York) at that. Jordan Lyles got the start, and was outstanding. Lyles’ line: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 9 K.

Lyles was dealing early, and in turn the Orioles got on the board early. Ryan Mountcastle’s RBI-single in the first inning gave the O’s a 1-0 lead. This before Lyles even took the field.

But when he did take the field, he didn’t disappoint. NY’s Aaron Judge of course was looking to hit his 62nd homer of the season – an American League record. It wasn’t going to happen on this night. Oriole pitching held Judge to a base hit.

New York’s Cabrera however would even there score at one in the fifth. His solo homer got New York on the board, and evened the score. However Lyles pitched out of it, limiting the damage to one run.

And one inning later, the Orioles got the lead back. Adley Rutschman would score on a wild pitch (by former Oriole Zach Britton, no less), and they suddenly had the lead back at 2-1. The O’s turned to Felix Bautista for a six-out save. However Bautista seemed to injure his leg in the last of the eighth…

…promoting Brandon Hyde to turn to DL Hall to close out the ninth inning. And close New York out here did, sending them down 1-2-3. And snapping a modest losing streak in the process.

The series continues tomorrow at Yankee Stadium. Austin Voth gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by New York’s Nestor Cortes. Game time is set for just after 7 PM,

Baltimore Orioles: Post season hopes slipping away

The Baltimore Orioles realistically needed to at least win three-of-four in Boston to have better than an outside shot to make the postseason. Unfortunately with today’s loss at Fenway Park, they dropped three-of-four, and now stand five games out of the final wild card spot. Mike Baumann got the start this afternoon, and was non-decisioned. Baumann’s line: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 2 K.

To be clear, the Birds are mathematically still alive. So they aren’t quite at the point of guys such as Baumann auditioning for roles next season as of yet. This isn’t quite Spring Training, 2023. But things are trending in the wrong direction, needless to say.

The O’s took the lead in the third inning with Adley Rutschman’s RBI-groundout. Anthony Santander would later reach on a fielding error by Boston first baseman, Casas. And things were looking upwards for the Birds.

But keep in mind that even though they’ve already been eliminated from postseason contention, Fenway Park is Boston’s home yard. Casas redeemed himself in the last of the third with an RBI-double, cutting the Orioles’ lead to 2-1. Hernandez would add an RBI-single, and the game was suddenly tied at two.

Boston would take the lead in the sixth with an RBI-groundout, but the O’s did still have a faint heartbeat. Kyle Stowers would tie the game at three with a solo home run in the seventh. However Boston kept the pressure on, and one inning later they took a 5-3 lead on a two-run homer by Hernandez. And that 5-3 tally ended up being the final.

As I said, the O’s now stand five games back. That could go down to 4.5 games, or up to 5.5, depending on what Seattle does this evening. They play at Texas this evening.

The O’s now head to Yankee Stadium for the final road series of the year, against New York tomorrow night. Jordan Lyles gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by New York’s Domingo German. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Birds fall in Bean Town

Dean Kremer started for the Baltimore Orioles this evening at Boston’s Fenway Park. He pitched well, falling one inning short of a quality start. Kremer’s line: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 4 BB, 3 K.

After two consecutive games with big offense, Oriole bats found it tough to get anything going tonight. And sometimes that happens. It did so at an inopportune time for the team given the playoff scenarios, but it does happen.

Boston took a 1-0 lead in the last of the first on an RBI-single by Verdugo, Almonte added a solo homer in the third. Verdugo would come back up again in the last of the sixth, snacking a solo homer of his own. And Boston took a 3-0 lead into the later innings.

The O’s did net a run in the eighth. This off a solo homer by Robinson Chirinos. However the fell at “the Fens,” 3-1. At the time this article is being written, they’re four games out of the wild card spot. That could bounce up to 4.5, or go back to 3.5 games – depending on what Seattle does later. This with seven games to play in the regular season.

The series concludes tomorrow afternoon at Fenway Park. Mike Baumann gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Boston’s Nathan Eovaldi. Game time is set for just after 1:30 PM.

Baltimore Orioles outlast the rain and Boston

A rain delay in the third inning simply delayed the inevitable for the Baltimore Orioles last night at Fenway Park. Jordan Lyles got the start, but only lasted two innings. Understandable given the rain delay. Lyles’ line: 2.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 0 K.

This game and this series of course was expected to be meaningful. However most people saw it as being meaningful from Boston’s perspective. Boston was eliminated from postseason contention on Sunday. However the game was meaningful. It was just the Orioles who had a shot at the playoffs.

And the Birds didn’t disappoint. Cedric Mullins’ solo homer in the first gave them a 1-0 lead. Jorge Mateo’s RBI-double extended that to 2-0 in the second. Mullins came back to the plate later in the inning, and smacked a two-RBI triple. Mullins would later score on a throwing error, and the Birds led 5-0.

Prior to the rain delay Boston would narrow that lead to 5-2. But once play resumed the O’s kept the pressure on. Kyle Stowers’ RBI-triple in the third ran the lead to 6-2, although Boston would put two on the board and narrow it to 6-5. A Roughned Odor RBI-single would extend the lead to 7-5 in the fifth.

When the smoked cleared in this game, the Orioles has outlasted the BoSox, 14-8. They kept putting the pressure on, and kept putting runs home. They now sit 3.5 games behind Seattle for the final playoff spot.

The series continues tonight at Fenway Park. Kyle Bradish gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Boston’s Michael Wacha. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles fall late to Houston

The Baltimore Orioles sent Mike Baumann to the mound this evening against Houston in an attempt to win the series. Baumann didn’t stick around long enough to qualify for the win, but he definitely set the tone. Set the tone for a bit of a wild game, that is. Baumann’s line: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 K.

Baumann gave up a two-run homer to Altuve in the third inning. However one inning later the O’s had tied things up with Rougned Odor’s two-RBI single. But they weren’t done. Jorge Mateo gave the Orioles the lead on a run-scoring groundout. Cedric Mullins proceeded to smack a two-run homer, giving the O’s a 5-2 lead.

However Houston would put four runs on the board in the fifth to take the lead back at 6-5. Keep in mind folks, they’re one of the best and most complete teams in the American League. Them fighting back was to be expected.

But the O’s have made a career out of fighting back this season. Anthony Santander’s solo homer in the last of the fifth tied the game back up at six. One inning later they had the lead back at 7-6 on an RBI-single by Ryan Mountcastle. However that lead was short-lived also.

Gurriel’s RBI-double in the seventh tied the game back up. This time at seven. Neither team seemed to want to go away. The O’s put a runner on in the last of the eighth, with Anthony Santander coming back to the plate. And Santander sent a shot DEEP into the Baltimore night, landing on the flag court in right field.

That gave the Birds a 9-7 lead. But they had brought closer Felix Bautista in to pitch the eighth, hoping to get a six-out close of the game. (I’d say a six-out save, but Bautista was in line to get the win.) Bautista unfortunately loaded the bases in the ninth, and Bregman grounded into a fielder’s choice-RBI. But the O’s still led 9-8.

Houston would later tie it on Tucker’s RBI-double. The sad thing? Tucker was down to his final Rougned Odor would smack a solo homer in the last of the ninth, but it was too little too late

The series concludes tomorrow at Camden Yards. Austin Voth gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Houston’s Christian Javier. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.