Baltimore Orioles: The night Boston found out John Means business

It’s tough to pitch better than John Means once again did this evening. This time it came against Boston, of course the defending World Series Champion. If you’re going to play games against the defending champs, you may as well win them. Means put them in a spot to do that this evening. Means’ line: 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 4 K.

Means kept Boston hitters guessing all game long. And that began in the first inning, when he sent them down 1-2-3. But they were never quite able to figure Means out, and it showed in the result.

Jonathan Villar hit what appeared to be a lead off homer in the first inning. However upon review it was ruled that a fan had impeded the Boston outfielder from getting to the ball. Villar was called out. One almost thought this was the Kentucky Derby!

However Villar wasn’t going to be kept off the board tonight. The Birds loaded the bases with nobody down in the second inning, and Villar came to bat with two down. He smacked a grand slam to center, giving the O’s a 4-0 lead. You can’t score more than four runs at a time, but the Orioles managed to do just that.

Boston would get one across in the fifth on a sac fly-RBI. But that was as close as they got. As I said, John Means was dominant tonight. So was the Orioles’ bullpen. Combined, they held a potent lineup to three hits.

Means is showing a lot of promise. It goes without saying that he’ll hit a bump in the road at some point. But he shut down one of the best lineups in baseball last night. Despite still being young, he may be the best starter that the Orioles have right now.

The series continues tomorrow at Camden Yards. David Hess gets the start for the Birds, and he’ll be opposed by Hector Velazquez. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles fans called to arms

Baltimore Orioles’ majority owner Peter Angelos took the nearly unprecedented step in standing with the players during the 1994 Major League Baseball strike. That ruffled a lot of feathers in the league office, starting with commissioner Bud Selig. And the reverberations of that are still being felt today.

For the record, my personal opinion is that Angelos was right to stand with the players. Either way, you have to admire bucking the hand that feeds him to stand up for what he believed. That aside, he’s been unpopular in the league offices since then. The fact that he was able to in essence hoodwink the league into owning the television rights to the Washington Nationals didn’t help.

Last week the Nationals were allegedly awarded in excess of $100 million in back pay for the rights to their games on MASN from 2012-2016. While that’s more than MASN and the Orioles wanted to pay, it’s also significantly less than the $288 million that the Nationals initially wanted. MASN of course may or may not appeal the decision.

Peter Angelos of course is in ailing health, and his sons John and Lou have been running the team for well over a year. MLB has asked the Orioles to clarify who’s in charge of the team. In essence however, if John and Lou are being gifted the team or if they inherit it when their father dies, 2/3rds of the owners still have to approve them as the new owners. (As an example, Washington Nationals owner Ted Lerner in essence gifted the team to his son Mark last year. The other owners approved it, and on they went.) Votes like that are normally formalities, because no owner wants to set a precedent that his family could be voted out of owning his team/company. However the potential is there for the league to not approve the Angelos sons, at which point the team would have to be sold.

Why is this all important now? Over the weekend, Attorney Ben Neil was a guest on Bruce Cunningham’s show on the Orioles’ flagship radio station, 105.7 “the fan” WJZ-FM. He mentioned that he’s heard on good authority that the league wants the Orioles to move, preferably to Las Vegas. Neil didn’t say how he had heard this information, or who his source was. He simply said that these were MLB’s wishes. He also said that a $3 million dollar offer either was or had been on the table to move the team to Vegas when the current lease at Camden Yards expires after 2021.

To be frank, this is heresy at this point. The Program Director of WJZ, Chuck Sapienza, tweeted a disclaimer of sorts yesterday in that these were unsubstantiated rumors and should be taken as such. But…should Orioles fans take this with a grain of salt?

Baltimore fans remember all too well that teams can move – often in the dead of the night. It’s easy to say the team will never move, or that MLB would never want to leave Camden Yards vacant. But certainly after the Colts left, you can forgive people for being skeptical.

Furthermore connect the dots of what I said above. The league office has multiple axes to grind with Peter Angelos and thus by extension the Angelos family – justified or not. Would taking the team away from him or his family and then moving them out of the city that they all love not grind that ax?

The league itself can’t just up and move a team. However if Mr. Neil’s comments are in fact true, it sounds like they’re trying to make that happen – again, IF Mr. Neil’s comments are true. The league could either be trying to pay their way out of Baltimore, or force a sale. And the league could then very easily make a condition of the sale being that the team has to move to Vegas.

How likely is any of this to happen? Probably not very likely, even given the political stuff I mentioned above. However Orioles fans should know that regardless of what they think of the current ownership, the Angelos family is the biggest proponent that they have in terms of the team staying in Baltimore long term.

My personal opinion is that while relocation is probably unlikely, I doubt Mr. Neil made up that story. It was intended as a call to arms to Orioles fans. On a civic level, it’s up to you to do your part to ensure that the team stays here. I can’t tell you what “doing your part” means, because I’m trying to figure that out myself. But ultimately fan empathy, or simply dismissing the idea as ridiculous plays right into the hands of forces who might seek to move the team.

What I can tell you is that while I have a small voice in the grand scheme of people who cover the Orioles, I do have a voice with this column. And I’m going to put the full force of that voice behind keeping the Orioles in Baltimore forevermore.

Baltimore Orioles washed away for today

The Baltimore Orioles looked unstoppable last night against Tampa. That wasn’t the case this afternoon, as something did stop them: the weather. The series finale against Tampa at Camden Yards was rained out.

The game will be made up as part of a split admission day/night doubleheader on July 13th. Fans with tickets to today’s game can use them for the first game of the doubleheader, at 1 PM. Otherwise they can be exchanged on a dollar-for-dollar basis for any other game this season. The exchange must be done before July 13th.

The Orioles tomorrow will open a three-game set with Boston at Camden Yards. John Means (who was set to start today) gets the start for the Birds, and Boston is yet to name a starter. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles, Dylan Bundy turn the tables on Tampa

Dylan Bundy pitched the Baltimore Orioles to a quality start this evening at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. More importantly however, he pitched the O’s to a victory, in one of the best outings by an Orioles’ starter this season. Bundy’s line: 7.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 4 K.

The Orioles and Bundy literally turned the tables on the Tampa Rays tonight. All of the bounces and breaks went the Orioles’ way. Jonathan Villar set that tone in the Birds’ opening at-bat when he split the outfielders and sent a double all the way to the wall in the left field power alley. Tampa’s supposed to have the angle on hitting ’em where they ain’t – but not tonight.

That lead off double in the first inning led to a 1-0 lead. Following a Mancini single which left Villar at third, Dwight Smith Jr grounded into a double-play, scoring Villar. It’s perhaps the most unexciting way to score in baseball. But all of the runs count.

And again, the Birds really played Tampa’s game all night. Tampa’s the type of team who’s attitude is that if we score one run, that means you have to score two to beat us. And it’s true, however as I said that style can be anti-climactic at times. But all the runs count.

In the third Jonathan Villar would ground into a force out, allowing a second run to score. And again, that was fairly anti-climactic. It it counted, and it meant that Tampa needed to score three to beat the O’s.

However Dwight Smith Jr. would also provide the Orioles’ faithful with a third run. However this one came in more of a traditional Oriole method. Smith’s solo home run in the fourth extended the Oriole lead to 3-0.

Tampa tried to battle back into it in their typical fashion, however. In the eighth inning Adames grounded back to the pitcher, who’s errant throw to Davis at first allowed a run to score. There it was; Tampa was tired of losing at their own game and they were skipping their way back to victory. But there was one problem…

…Adames ran down the first base line WAY inside the line. As in it wasn’t even close. Home plate umpire Lance Barrett correctly called Adames out, as his positioning inside the line impeded the Orioles’ pitcher’s ability to throw him out. The runner was sent back to second, and Adames was called out. Again, those are breaks that usually go Tampa’s way. For at least one game, it was the Orioles who got those breaks.

The series concludes tomorrow afternoon at Camden Yards. John Means gets the start for the Birds, and Tampa is yet to make a starter. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.

Baltimore Orioles bested by Tampa pitching

The Baltimore Orioles were lucky that they mustered five hits off of Tampa’s starter Glasnow this evening. He turned in a dominant performance, keeping the Birds off the base paths. Dan Straily started for the O’s, and Tampa was quick to pounce. Straily’s line: 4.1 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 3 BB, 2 K.

Straily surrendered a double to lead off the game, and then Pham’s RBI-single subsequently, which came on a check swing. Tampa’s good, but they’re also lucky. A check-swing base hit which ended up in the right field corner. Imagine that for just a moment – I suppose better lucky than good.

Straily settles down – for a short period. In the third he surrendered a three-run homer to Zunino, giving Tampa a 4-0 lead. Zunino came into the game hitting .195, and smacked a three-run homer.

Tampa would also muster two additional runs in the latter innings, which gave them some insurance in a sense. But Glasnow and later the Tampa bullpen dominated the Orioles’ lineup. The good news I suppose is that Glasnow won’t be pitching in either of the remaining two games in the series.

As I’ve said ad hoc, Tampa plays a lot of different oddities as part of their game. If there was an analytical stat which said they’d play better if they wore spandex they’d try it. You have to be prepared for their antics. Often they change defenses square in the middle of at-bats. Before you know what’s going on, you’ve hit the ball right to them.

The series continues tomorrow night at Camden Yards. Dylan Bundy gets the start for the O’s, and as this is being written Tampa is yet to announce a starter. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Opponents get fat on your negligence

The Baltimore Orioles dropped the nightcap of a twin bill last night in Chicago in walk off fashion. Andrew Cashner got the start, and became only the most recent Orioles’ starter to not go deep in a game. Cashner’s line: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R (earned), 2 BB, 8 K.

The O’s had the lead at various points in this game, including early on. Dwight Smith Jr’s RBI-single in the first gave the Birds a 1-0 lead. One inning later however, Chicago would tie the game thanks in part to Oriole negligence. Catcher Austin Wynns threw to second base after a strikeout with two outs (when all he had to do was make the play at first base), allowing a base runner to go to third. Wynns apparently forgot how many outs there were. That led to an RBI-single by Engel, tying the game at two.

Abreu’s solo homer one inning later gave Chicago a 2-1 lead. However the O’s would take the lead right back in the fourth inning on Stevie Wilkerson‘s three-run homer. That should have been kind of a big blow in the game, however the O’s gave the lead right back in the bottom of the inning. Chicago loaded the bases with two outs following a triple and two walks. That brought Chicago’s heavy hitter (Abreu) to the plate, and he sent a bases-clearing single into center.

In reality, the game only should have been tied. However Joey Rickard seemingly took his time in getting the ball back in from center field. In fact, Stevie Wilkerson did the same in getting the ball over to first base on Engel’s second inning infield RBI-single. He took his time getting the ball to first base, and Engel best the throw out. Keep that in mind.

A sixth inning homer by Anthony Santander and a seventh inning fielder’s choice-RBI by Chris Davis however gave the Orioles the lead back at 6-5. However one-run leads are tough to protect in the ninth inning. Especially in the last of the ninth, when you lead off the inning with a walk. Alonso’s two-RBI single with the bases loaded lifted Chicago to victory.

It’s always easy to point to one or two things and say “all things being the same, things would have been different if not for this.” But that’s an unfair thing to say given that you can’t simply assume that all things would be the same. Furthermore it’s always a team effort – win or lose.

That aside, we saw Stevie Wilkerson taking his time getting the ball to first base in the second, resulting in a run. Later in the game we saw Joey Rickard doing the same in getting the ball back in from centerfield. That allowed a third run to score (from first), giving Chicago the lead.

In both instances the O’s overcame the Chicago lead. However the defense needs to tighten up in those situations. Chicago was literally gifted two runs on those two plays. Other teams aren’t letting the Orioles off the hook – they just aren’t. In fact, they’re getting fat on the Orioles’ negligence at times.

The Birds now come home after an off day today to open up a three-game set with Tampa starting tomorrow at Camden Yards. Dan Straily gets the fall for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Tampa’s Tyler Glasnow. Game time is set for 7 PM tomorrow night.

Baltimore Orioles, Richie Martin Livin’ La Vida Loca

On the south side of Chicago, the baddest part of town, the Baltimore Orioles used every manner possible to pull out the stops and win the first half of a twin bill. Rookie Richie Martin atoned for himself very well, as it was his triple that helped to propel the Birds to victory. Things started out rough for starter David Hess however, through very little fault however of his own. Hess’ line: 4.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R (1 earned), 2 BB, 4 K.

Abreu’s run-scoring double in the first inning gave the ChiSox a 1-0 lead. That run came on the heels of an E4 on Alberto, so it was unearned. Due to various errors committed by the Oriole infield, the Birds were trailing 4-0 after three innings. When a young team’s lost four straight and they have that happen in the first game of a doubleheader, it all but makes sense to pack it in and start looking towards the next game. That didn’t happen.

Dwight Smith Jr. scored on a wild pitch in the fourth to get the O’s on the board. Later in the inning Stevie Wilkerson would ground into a fielder’s choice-RBI. And the O’s has started to chip away. Incidentally, Smith was on third base earlier because he stole third – all part of the aggressiveness that the Orioles are trying to show on the base paths.

Richie Martin would later plate Wilkerson with an RBI-double. That put the Birds right back in the game, as they trailed 4-3. They had several opportunities to tie or take the lead, but those were squandered. They went 3-for-17 in the game with RISP, including leaving the bases loaded in the sixth inning.

Dwight Smith however would smack an RBI-double in the seventh following a lead off walk, and the game was tied at four. Richie Martin would lead off the next inning with a triple. Keep in mind that the Rule 5 pick has played great defense to date, but he really excelled at the plate in this afternoon’s ballgame. He set the table to put the Birds in a spot to win.

With Martin on third and nobody out in the top of the eighth, Jonathan Villar would get him home with a sac fly-RBI. Make no mistake that while the RBI goes to Villar, it was Martin’s prowess at the plate and then his speed which manufactured that run. Not only was it the go-ahead run, but it was the winning run as the O’s broke a four-game skid with a 5-4 victory in game one of a twin bill.

The nightcap of the doubleheader and the series finale at Guaranteed Rate Field is coming up this evening. Andrew Cashner gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Chicago’s Ivan Nova. Game time is…in just a few moments from when this is being written!

Baltimore Orioles: Chicagoland weather washes out the Birds

The Baltimore Orioles now have an impromptu night off in Chicago. This evening’s game against the ChiSox has been rained out. This, due to very poor weather in the greater Chicagoland area.

The game will be made up tomorrow as part of a straight (traditional) doubleheader. Not that it matters to fans in Baltimore, but that’s one admission, two games. For the record, this means that both teams will get the benefit of a 26th roster spot for the second game.

Game one will begin at 4:10 PM (EST) at Guaranteed Rate Field, with game two beginning 25-30 minutes after the completion of the first game. David Hess gets the start for the O’s in game one, and he’ll be opposed by Chicago’s Ivan Nova.

Baltimore Orioles: Long ball bombs Birds away again

John Means pitches a halfway decent game last night for the Baltimore Orioles. He didn’t pitch a quality start, but he put the O’s in a position to win. However it was once again the long ball which doomed the Orioles. Although not necessarily in abundance last night, the Birds surrendered homers once again. Means’ line: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 2 K.

The ChiSox took a 2-0 lead in the second inning on a two-run homer by Alonso. However Pedro Severino cut that lead in half one inning later with a solo shot. But the big blow came in the bottom of that third inning, when Anderson smacked Chicago another two-run homer, giving them a 4-1 lead.

The Birds got to within 4-2 on Chris Davis‘ RBI-single. However Davis was thrown out on the base paths, which made it tough to start a real rally. The O’s would walk in a run in the seventh, and Davis would add an additional RBI-single in the eighth. And the O’s never made it closer than that, and they dropped a 5-3 decision on the south side of Chicago.

Obviously the homers continue to be a problem. Heck, Anderson’s two-run homer was literally the difference. But the Orioles also left a decent number of runners in scoring position as well. They were 2-for-9 in the game when hitting with runners in scoring position. They also left the bases loaded in the fourth inning.

You can’t do those types of things if you consistently want to win games at the big league level. You have to take advantage of the opportunities with which you are presented , and limit the opportunities that you give to the other team. The Orioles are doing neither.

In effect, the O’s are letting other teams off the hook by leaving the bases loaded so often. And as we saw last year, opposing teams aren’t returning the favor per se. And why would they? When opportunities as such arise, you have to take advantage.

The series continues tonight at Guaranteed Rate Field. Andrew Cashner gets the call for the Birds, and he’ll be opposed by Chicago’s Ivan Nova. Game time is set for just after 8 PM.

Baltimore Orioles swept in Minnesota

The Baltimore Orioles found themselves not only swept in Minnesota this weekend, but they were swept by Minnesota in the season series. It’s interesting how it seems that no matter what the O’s did, Minnesota wasn’t going to be stopped. Dylan Bundy got the start for the Orioles, and while he gave up all four of the Birds’ runs he also in theory put the O’s in a spot to win. Bundy’s line: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 BB, 8 K.

Bundy gave up a solo homer to Kepler in the first – because of course he did. The Orioles continue to give up homers, especially to Minnesota. He gave up another one to Buxton’s in the third, and the Orioles trailed 2-0.

Later in that third inning Gonzalez blooped a single into shallow center. That scored an additional two runs, giving Minnesota a 4-0 lead. In that case it’s either a homer of a softly hit ball that drops. Either way the Orioles lose out.

Chris Davis smacked a solo homer in the seventh for the Orioles, cutting the lead and the final score to 4-1. Again however, the issue continues to be the number of home runs Oriole pitching is giving up. I’m not sure what to say, as opposing teams are just feasting on Oriole pitching. How that stops is beyond me.

The Oriole bullpen did pitch four scoreless innings yesterday, which was a big bright spot. Again, the O’s were swept in the season series with Minnesota, 6-0. So they aren’t upset that they won’t see Minnesota again until spring training next year.

The Orioles now head to Chicago to open a three-game set with the ChiSox at Guaranteed Rate Field. John Means gets the start for the Birds, and he’ll be opposed by Chicago’s Manny Banuelos. Game time is set for just after 8 PM.