Category Archives: Baltimore Orioles News

Baltimore Orioles: The people’s champions

The Baltimore Orioles are no stranger to meaningless games in September. However that’s somewhat misleading in the context of what I’m talking about. In the past, ALL of September (and heck, much of August) was meaningless. This year it’s only the final three games…

…and they’re meaningless due to the obvious fact that the O’s have clinched everything. The division pennant, and thus home field advantage throughout the postseason. The road to the World Series in the American League comes squarely through Baltimore, MD.

The Orioles are a story that people nationwide can get behind. A team from a blue collar city with a proud tradition of baseball, that fell on hard times. And one that roared back to life in a grandiose fashion. A team with relatable players, coaches, and even fans.

In a world that’s become so jaded and so much about “show me something before I’m going to trust you,” these Orioles have shown us something. If you look at social media postings regarding “who’s winning the World Series” and so forth, a lot of people are saying the Orioles. Now to be clear, predictions are simply that: PREDICTIONS. None of that matters unless they show up in the postseason and do it on the field.

But people believe in this team. And the fact is that the Orioles are a great story. When Brandon Hyde was signed as the new manager, most people said, “uh, who again?” But he not only was the right choice for the organization, but he was the right choice for the city. He’s relatable and humble; and baseball fans across the nation are seeing that.

Winning season or losing, the Orioles have always mirrored Baltimore itself. It’s similar to a club of which only select people are aware, and even fewer appreciate. And with their recent (and possible future) success, more and more people are looking in on what most of us have known for some time.

Make no mistake, the Orioles don’t want “mercenary fans” or front runners – who’ll abandon them and latch onto some other team’s bandwagon down the road. But in the immediacy of the here and now, I would submit that they’re a story that people will get behind. It’s a story of a group of players and coaches, and a city, that have overcome the odds.

And on a side note, they did it in the best division in sports. Nothing else compares; consider the fact that they had to go to 100 wins to discard the last team in their rear view mirror. Regardless of what happens in the future, the Orioles are true champions. THE PEOPLE’S CHAMPIONS.

Baltimore Orioles: #RIPFlanny

I always said that so long as I was writing a column about Baltimore Orioles’ baseball, I’d always mark the death of former pitcher, broadcaster, and executive Mike Flanagan. As most fans remember, Flanny was found dead on his Baltimore County property on August 24, 2011. He’ll forever be thought of as an integral part of the Orioles and the history of the franchise.

Both the organization, and fans took the news hard. And that might be partly because Flanagan became such an integral part of the Baltimore community. He loved it here, despite never forgetting his New England roots. He raised his family here, and quickly became entrenched as a Baltimorean.

Flanagan of course will always be a lot of things, one of which is the last Oriole ever to pitch on the mound at Memorial Stadium. When asked about his long walk in from the bullpen that day, Flanny famously said that if he had gone any faster, he would have simply fallen over. That was only one of many poignant moments that day, of course.

Death is always tougher for those left behind. Certainly his family and friends bear the brunt of his absence. However he’s missed and always well-remembered in the Baltimore community and amongst the Orioles fans. Rest easy Flanny, and know that the team you loved so much is in a good place.

Baltimore Orioles: BUCKle up!

The Baltimore Orioles are competing for the best record in the American League, and Buck Showalter’s in the dugout. You read that correctly. However he’s in the visitors’ third base dugout at Camden Yards this weekend, managing the opposing New York Mets.

Needless to say however, it’ll probably be a weekend of mixed emotions for Orioles fans. Buck Showalter has the second most wins as the Orioles’ manager in franchise history (behind Earl Weaver). His beleaguered New York Mets come to town tonight, where they’ll be taxed with beating Brandon Hyde’s Orioles.

For starters, there’s no classier act in sports than Buck Showalter. He teaches baseball and guides his teams the right way. It’s my hope that the Camden Yards faithful gives him a standing ovation tonight, and this weekend.

Showalter came to the Orioles at a down moment in franchise history. Manager Dave Trembly had been fired earlier in that season (2010), and the Birds had played under interim manager Juan Samuel. Buck joined the team in early August – and the rest was history.

Showalter restored pride to the Orioles, and restored them to their former glory. Regardless of how things ended in 2018, Orioles fans should NEVER forget that. He made them stand up to Boston And New York. And they did.

He also restored pride to the city itself. By way of the fan base. I think a lot of people had forgotten what this franchise meant to the city and the region. Being a historian of the game, Buck came to town already knowing that. And he restored that mentality to the fans. Again, people should NEVER forget that.

So again, my hope is that Buck’s welcomed back this weekend with open arms. He’ll always have a “place at the table” in Baltimore. He’s a part of this franchise’s rich past, in that he oversaw a return to glory. He breathed life into the team and the town. Do the current Orioles have the chance to eclipse what Buck’s teams did? Absolutely. And I suspect that nobody is happier about that than Buck Showalter.

Needless to say, Orioles fans want it to be a happy “homecoming” of sorts for Buck. But obviously not too happy. These games don’t mean anything more than pride for Buck and his New York Mets. They could mean the world for the Orioles in 2023. So that said…BUCKle Up!

Baltimore Orioles: Big game under the bright lights

Usually right around now we’re settling in for Baltimore Orioles’ baseball. But no, not this week – the Birds of course will complete their series with New York in Prime Time, on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball. The bright lights of national television come to Camden Yards.

I mentioned this briefly in my game recap of last night’s 8-3 loss. But the season series between the O’s and NYY is now tied at six wins each. Tonight settles that matter, win or lose.

It goes without saying that you want to win every game. And every series. But this is a game to which you could end up pointing back. New York may be in last place, but they’re in the playoff hunt.

In a world where nothing’s guaranteed and where everything seems to matter, you want to cross your T’s and dot your I’s. If the Birds drop the season series, how does it look if somehow they wind up the season tied with New York in some capacity? Be it for the division, or even flat out getting into the post season?

That would be a travesty on numerous fronts. And it would be fair to point at any of the other six losses to New York and say those played a role. Because they will have. But this game – at home, series finale, on Sunday Night Baseball…it has a cataclysmic feel to it. You get the point.

Now mind you, I’m not chalking this game up as a loss here this afternoon. I’m just saying that it would be a travesty to lose this game and somehow have it bite you later. On the flip side, a win would give the Orioles that tie breaker. So needless to say, tonight’s game is big. Before you factor in the bright lights of national television. Meaning that there’s only one option: WIN.

Baltimore Orioles open second half, prime time in two weeks

Hold onto your hats, Baltimore Orioles fans! Tonight begins the second half of the season. The O’s are 54-35, in the thick of the pennant race, and the Miami Marlins come to town tonight for the first of three this weekend.

It was also announced yesterday that the July 30th game against the NY Yankees (at Camden Yards) has been moved to a 7:10 PM start. It was previously a 1:35 first pitch on that Sunday afternoon. It’s now been moved into ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball.

This is a move that signifies the league is recognizing that something magic’s happening in Baltimore. Many will point to the opponent and question if the Orioles are going to in essence be billed as “the other team,” or “the opponent” given that it’s New York. First off, it’s a national telecast, and the main league event of the week at that. It should be a neutral call.

However also keep in mind that the Orioles are in a pennant race – as I said above. New York may be on the fringes of that race, but they’re an outsider compared to the O’s. This is national exposure for the Orioles, and it’ll mean a lot to the city and the fans.

The series with Miami opens tonight at Camden Yards. Dean Kremer gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Miami’s Sandy Alcantara. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Special connection between Baltimore and Cincinnati

The Baltimore Orioles have a “signature feature” in their ballpark, as most teams do. I don’t need to tell you what it is, as you’ve seen it a million times at the park, in downtown Baltimore, and on television. The B & O Warehouse was almost demolished when the ballpark was built. Instead, it’s a symbol of the Orioles and of Baltimore.

People of my generation equate it with Cal Ripken Jr, and the numbers counting up to 2132 during “the streak.” But the fact is that it has a rich history. The longest building on the east coast, it was completed in 1905. A classic railroad warehouse, it was the eastern terminus of the famed B & O Railroad.

What most people don’t know is that the warehouse gives Baltimore a unique connection with the city of Cincinnati, whose Reds come into Oriole Park at Camden Yards tonight. Because in Cincinnati sits Longworth Hall, which is the Ohio terminus of the same B & O Railroad. (It was originally named the B & O Freight Terminal.) You can click on the link in the text, or Google the building; either way, you’ll see that it’s almost identical to Baltimore’s B & O Warehouse.

To be clear, there are subtle differences. Longworth Hall is apparently a little bit longer. It also only has five stories, while the B & O Warehouse has eight. However to the naked eye, they definitely look very similar. They’re considered “sister buildings,” and in a sense they bound Baltimore and Cincinnati together.

While Baltimore made the B & O Warehouse the backdrop for it’s baseball park, Longworth Hall is mainly commercial real estate, housing companies and offices. So both cities have incorporated it’s version of the building into the contemporary version of itself. And for the record, there’s one other connection between the two buildings, that being baseball. The Orioles’ side of that connection is obvious. But who would have thought that Longworth Hall sits on “Pete Rose Way?!”

The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad of course was a major route between the east coast and the Midwest in the “guilted age” of trains. Baltimore specifically was considered a massive hub for train travel – both passenger trains and freight. Camden Station is very historic, and it’s still in use in front of the warehouse (as an MTA Station).

What many people don’t know is that it’s also synonymous with one of America’s greatest leaders. While the Warehouse wasn’t built until the early 20th century, President Lincoln spoke at Camden Station in 1861 (as President-Elect) while on his way to Washington, DC for his inaugural. (He also was forced to quickly get out of town in disguise as there were rumors of an attempt being made on his life.)

He also traveled through Camden Station on his way to Gettysburg for the historic Gettysburg Address, and his funeral train traveled through following his assassination as his body was brought back to Illinois. Whether or not Lincoln (or his body) passed by the site of what’s now Longworth Hall in Cincinnati is unknown. It would stand to reason that in some manner he did, because as I said the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad was a massive route at that time.

If you’re attending any of the games in the series this week, keep all of this in mind when you see the Warehouse. These two cities actually have a unique bond, that’s largely unknown, save for the fact that the Warehouse is such an important landmark in Baltimore. As a sportswriter and a history buff, I can’t properly drive home how cool I think it is that there’s so much history on that site (Camden Yards). And that on Pete Rose Way in Cincinnati, they have their own warehouse. The sister building to Baltimore’s.

Baltimore Orioles: Jordan Westburg getting the call

The Baltimore Orioles find themselves in the odd position of being one of baseball’s best teams, yet still actively growing from the bottom up. The Birds are apparently calling up Jordan Westburg for tomorrow’s series opener against Cincinnati. Westburg is the number three prospect in the Orioles’ organization, and the number 46 prospect in all of MLB.

While predominantly a shortstop, Westburg can play multiple infield positions. He’s hitting .295 on the year with triple-A Norfolk. According to many fans, it’s a move that’s been a long time coming.

What the corresponding roster move is remains to be seen. However the Orioles appear unafraid to contend AND promote top prospects at the same time. And that’s a rare thing to see. Then again, it’s also rare for a team to be in such a unique position where they’re contending, and there’s still lots of help on the way.

Baltimore Orioles begin a huge home stand

Seattle comes to town this evening to open up a three-game set with the Baltimore Orioles. Following Seattle the Birds will see Cincinnati and then Minnesota (both for three, with a day off in between). Records-wise, these teams aren’t on par with the O’s. But make no mistake about the fact that they’re all very much in contention.

So this home stand for the Orioles is huge. Ironically the series that probably means “not as much” as the others is the Cincinnati series, given that they’re in the National League. But Cincinnati’s the hottest team in the league right now. So make no mistake that none of these teams is a cakewalk.

And one would hope that none of these teams is coming into Camden Yards (starting with Seattle tonight) thinking that playing the Orioles will cube a cakewalk. This is all a part of competing. You have to take things one game at a time, with perhaps a slight bit of emphasis on winning series’. For the most part, the Orioles do that. Mind you, they haven’t been swept in over a year.

When all’s said and done, whether we point back to this stretch as a key moment in the season remains to be seen. Also mind you, following the home stand the O’s head out to New York (a series that includes the 4th of July) and Minnesota before pausing for the all-star break. So starting now it’s full speed ahead to close out the first half of the season.

The Seattle series begins this evening at Camden Yards. Kyle Gibson takes to the bump for the Birds, and he’ll be opposed by Seattle’s Logan Gilbert. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Don’t be made into the villains

The Baltimore Orioles won perhaps the biggest game of the season to date yesterday in Toronto. It had everything – high drama, disagreements, etc. And by disagreements, I mean controversy.

Toronto starter Alex Manoah barked at the Orioles’ Adam Frazier following a strikeout S he walked back to the dugout. There was seemingly no basis for the rift, and it left a lot of people wondering what happened. I would say this: don’t even ask the question.

The situation from earlier last week with Toronto and the NY Yankees is well documented. And there are plenty of other cases of Toronto players getting in the faces of opponents. Remember the 2015 postseason – Jose Bautista with the bat flip? They’ve had their share of run-in’s with the Orioles over the years also. If you remember, Toronto seemed intent on throwing at Oriole hitters on the night the Birds were trying to clinch the 2014 AL East title. Determined to insert themselves into the story.

That’s no different than Manoah and Frazier yesterday. Or the entire Toronto team against Aaron Judge last week. For years, that team has basically tried to play the heel. They want you to hate them. And they don’t mind fighting if it comes to that. They’re aggressive, and that’s purposely done.

So this is a word of caution to the Orioles, if anything. You know how the saying goes; never get into a fight with a pig, because he’ll beat you with experience and you’ll get dirty. Make no mistake, these are concerted efforts by the Toronto Blue Jays to get under people’s skin.

At a certain point, you have to defend yourself. However Toronto’s always been a team that tries to get under people’s skin. Chirping on the field and in the media about New York stealing signs is a perfect example. But how many bench-clearing brawls are they involved in?! And if they are, is it not convenient that it comes across as they’re the ones defending themselves?

Jose Bautista flips his bat at the Texas Rangers in the post season. The next year he gets slugged in the face. Believe me, both Bautista and his superiors were THRILLED with that result. The other guy gets the perception of causing the problem, and they got under their skin. That’s their modus operandi.

Make no mistake, Manoah was planting a seed yesterday. Their goal is to chirp and scream so much that eventually someone has to do something. And then they get to go into victim mode.

So the O’s should beware of this. Don’t be shocked if someone tries something or says something in today’s game. Toronto’s the schoolyard bully who levies insults at you and when you retaliate, says you threw the first punch. And the sad thing is they’re good at it. THEY caused the bad blood with the Yankees earlier this week. THEY caused the situation with Adam Frazier yesterday. Their hope is that it boils over, potentially causing suspensions to the other guy.

So the Orioles need to remain focused. Unless Toronto does something outlandish, don’t take the bait. Because it’s all part of a plan on their part.