How About them O's?

 

It has been a while since I wrote about the Orioles. With the NFL season on the horizon, I thought I'd like to get in a few sentences about the baseball team from Baltimore. And I also needed a break and diversion from the political scene anyway.

How 'bout them O's?

It is September, there are 19 games left in the regular season and for the first time since 2016 the Orioles are vying for a play-off spot rather than securing a last-place finish in the cellar of the American League East Division. 

The Orioles are 20-21, .488, and on a four game win streak that finds them one-half game behind the Yankees and also one-half game out of the second Wild Card spot. It is September! In past seasons the Orioles collapse would have been complete by this point and they would been already eliminated from Wild Card contention. 

But not this team!

They have been overcoming injuries and adversity all season and after suffering a mid-season slump a few weeks ago they have been steadily churning out wins. The team took 3 of 4 games from the Yankees over the weekend and trounced the Mets 11-2 last night to get back into the playoff picture. 

I am still happy to have been one of the fans who actually saw some live baseball this season, albeit Spring Training I did get to experience ballparks, baseball, and the sights and smells of the game during my Spring Training trip to Florida. I miss going to the ball park to watch games. I just do not seem to carve out enough time at home to watch a complete baseball game.

Yes, baseball is out there! And the Orioles are in the hunt!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Covid Timeout: Baseball

It is back!

Baseball--America's pastime, has returned. There were two games last evening and the Orioles take the field tonight in Boston to begin their 60 game Covid-19 shortened season. 

The Lightening Bolt that Effectively Ended the Game
Yankees vs Nationals
July 23, 2020

Last evening I watched the Yankees defeat the Nationals 4-1. I did not realize it when I went to bed during the 6th inning rain delay, but I watched the entire game. It was weird watching the game with the stands empty. 

In the other Opening Day game the Dodgers defeated the Giants 8-1. 

I am excited that the Orioles have returned, but a few of the rising stars are sidelined for tonight's game, one of them, Trey Mancini, will likely be out for the season although the Orioles placed him on the 60 day Injured Reserve. 

Here is my prediction for the young 2020 Orioles. 

I believe they will surprise people, but they are playing the toughest schedule in baseball against their own American League East Division with the Yankees and the Rays and against the National League East which has the defending World Series Champions and the Braves (who won the division last year) as marquee teams. I was impressed with the Baby Birds during Spring Training--but that was February, they went 3-0-1 during my trip to Florida. I believe the Orioles will finish 21-39, .350. That would be an improvement over the 54-108, .333 finish they posted last season. 

Let's Go O's!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Opening Day 2020, Not!

Yesterday was the originally planned opening day for Major League Baseball's (MLB) Baltimore Orioles and most of the league. 

Why do I get so excited about Spring and baseball?

Rogers Hornsby, a baseball star from a century ago said it best when it comes to the return of baseball.

“People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball,” Hornsby once said. “I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.”  
-- From the New York Times article It’s Opening Day. Baseball Is Closed.

People who know me know that I, similar to Rogers Hornsby, look out the window during the winter and wait for spring. Why? Because spring is when baseball begins again, and in truth it begins before spring in Florida and Arizona with Spring Training games. I am more fortunate than many MLB fans because I was lucky enough to attend four Spring Training games in Florida during February before the season stopped and then delayed. 

Orioles Game on TV to Celebrate Opening Day
Game from June 7, 2017
March 26, 2020

Of course, the real MLB opening day will now likely be in June, but I decided to enjoy yesterday as if it were Opening Day. I wore my Orioles jersey to work along with the cap I bought at Spring Training and my Orioles jacket. I was not the only person who similarly attempted to infuse some springtime cheer into those around me. During the day I imagined when I would be going to Camden Yards and reveling with the crowd--yes, a real baseball crowd not adhering to social distancing, and then enjoying my first beer of the baseball season. Chris also got into the spirit of the day. When I got home she had a ballpark dinner planned and we enjoyed sitting on the back deck in the full sun talking about Opening Days past and reveling in the warmth dressed in our best ballpark clothes. Oh yes, and there were adult beverages served as well. 

Trey Mancini

Once we came inside, we joined the broadcast of an Orioles game classic on MASN, from June 7, 2017. The game went 11 innings and the Orioles scored 4 runs in the bottom of the 9th to tie the game--the two that tied the game were powered by a homer from Trey Mancini. The Orioles went on to win the game in the bottom of the 11th on a walk-off homer from Trey Mancini. It was good to see all of my favorite old Orioles who are no longer with the team while watching my favorite new Orioles player. Sadly, only four players from that team remain: Trey Mancini, Richard Bleier, Mychal Givens and Chris Davis. All four of these players appeared in this game. 

But hey, it was Opening Day, in my mind, and the Orioles won! What could be better?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Who Are Those Guys?

After returning from Spring Training, it dawned upon me that I have not provided an assessment of the Orioles based upon my observations of the team.

I saw the Orioles play three games, in person, while I was in Florida and I have to admit that I was impressed with the team. They won all of the games and they displayed some real grit and played solid baseball. The hitting was impressive and the pitching was solid. 

Yes, I was impressed with Chris Davis--who has knocked in three homers, struck out only once, walked six times and is batting .556. Wow! But others on the team are equally as impressive at the plate. Ruiz (.611) and Santander (.412) are equally as impressive at the plate.

As a team, the Orioles are among the leaders in all of baseball at this juncture--I never saw this coming. Here are some of the team stats:

Batting Average - 2nd (.288)
Stolen Bases - 2nd (14)
Slugging - 3rd (.468)
Doubles - 2nd (26)
Homeruns - 6th (14)
Extra Base Hits - 1st (44)
Runs - 3rd (73)

There is some good hitting on display right now! It was fun to watch. 

From a pitching perspective, they are much more middle of the road--but still effective. They have given up a lot on tuns in two games, which have raised the Earned Run Average, but overall they are in the top half of the league and hear the top in most pitching statistics. 

Yes, it is only Spring Training, but I am excited about the upcoming season and I have tickets to Opening Day on March 26th when the Orioles will face the team from the North whose name shall remain unwritten!

Let's Go O's!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Another Thursday Orioles Update

The 2019 MLB season is thankfully drawing to a close for the hapless Orioles. They have had moments of excitement, but mostly have performed dismally. 

The Orioles still are the 29th best team in baseball with a record of 46-93 .331. They are on track to lose 108 games at this point. I had predicted they would lose 105 at the beginning of the season. 

For the month of August the Orioles were 9-19 including both a 6 and a 7 game losing streak. It was dismal. The only bright  spot was a three game winning streak. The fortunes of baseball have not changed with the new month as the team has started 1-3, while showing some incredible ineptitude on the base paths. 

The Orioles are doing some very creative marketing to get people into the stadium. I saw one ad which offered $30 for access to all of September's games! Wow. 

Well, I still don't want to go. This is not the Orioles team that I wanted to see. It is the nadir of the franchise. 

Well, and I love this classic baseball phrase, there is always next season.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sixteen in a Row - and Counting

Thankfully, the Orioles do not face the Yankees again during this season. The Yankees are probably unhappy about that since they have owned the Orioles since the first series of the season that the Orioles won 2-1. 

Since then it has been all Yankees--sixteen straight wins. The season series between the teams ended 17-2. The Orioles only wins being during the first series of the season. 

The Yankees set a new all-time season record for homers against one team. The old record was 48 held by the 1956 Yankees against the Kansas City Royals. The new record is 61 held by the 2019 New York Yankees against the Baltimore Orioles. Ugh.

But at least the Orioles have no more games against the Yankees during 2019. Unfortunately, the 2020 Orioles season opener is against Yankees on March 26th in Baltimore! Hopefully they will not make it 17 in a row.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Frustration at the Yards

Sixteen in a row.

That is how many home games in a row the Orioles have lost to the Yankees. 

Camden Yards could be called Yankee Stadium south. The Orioles have now lost sixteen home games in a row to the Yankees. 

That is terrible. It is unfathomable, well unless the team is one of the worst teams in the history of baseball--which the Orioles are. 

The Orioles are now 2-5 for the month of August. After coming off a 12-12 July with the hopes of the franchise lookin up--the Yankees came to town and demonstrated with big bats why they are one of the best teams in all of baseball. The Orioles were outscored  32-12.  Last event's 14-2 blowout was embarrassing and demoralizing. 

Well, at least pre-season football returns tonight. Maybe I can get my mind off the train wreck that is the Orioles.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Orioles Update - July

What an amazing month! 

Did I just say that about the Orioles? Perhaps. It was the first non-losing month since 2017. The Orioles finished July with a 12-12 record. Notice I carefully did not say a winning month, but they at least stopped the string of losing months. 


The Orioles, as of this morning, stand at 36-71 .336. An amazing turn around. They are no longer the worst team in baseball. At this rate, the Orioles could end the season at 55-107 .339.  A great improvement and back to near the 105 losses that I predicted at the beginning of the season. Of course the bottom could drop out of the season. 

Since the All Star Break the Orioles have managed to win or split four of six series!

This is not the Orioles team that began the season. They are beginning to play interesting baseball. On Tuesday, for instance, they managed to come from behind, scoring 5 runs in the 7th and 8th innings to win the game. 

Maybe they could salvage a winning month during August!

As they say in baseball, there is always next year.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Mid-Season Break

Baseball is taking a time-out for the All Star game which was again won by the American League!

Bottom Five Teams in Baseball
July 10, 2019

The Orioles are the worst team in baseball. They were the first team to amass over 60 losses and are on track to lose 113 games. The Orioles are 31.5 games out of first place in their division and 23.5 games out of the Wild Card spot in the league. With some luck, perhaps the Orioles can improve and become the 29th best team in all of baseball!

No Orioles player actually played in the All Star game on Tuesday night--the only Orioles player, John Means a starting pitcher, was held in reserve. 

Well, now that the mid-season break is over, we can resume watching the wheels come of the Orioles. Maybe I will go to a game later in the season. I have attended only one game thus far--and it, predictably, was a loss. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Orioles Depressing Week

The Orioles have completed another week of baseball. They have played 80 games and are one game shy of the mid point of the season.

The Highs of the Week:

During the week, the Orioles managed to end a 10 game losing streak, but they now have a 3-game streak underway. 

Chris Davis has increased his batting average to .170.

Trey Mancini is arguably the best player on the team and is sitting in the top 10 among hitters in some categories. He survived a potentially serious injury this week and is still playing baseball.

The Lows of the Week:

Sitting at 22-58 .275, there is not a doubt that the Orioles are the most frustrating team in baseball. They have increased their projected losses for the season to 118 during the week. They are 30 games out of first place and 22 games out of the wild card race. 

The modern day loss records of the 2003 Tigers (119) and 1962 Mets (120) are definitely in danger of being broken. The Mets hold the record for most losses in a baseball season of all time!

But, they are my Orioles and I continue to care. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Orioles Train Wreck

Catastrophe. That is how the Orioles season is going right now. Some might call it a train wreck.

It is, believe it or not, worse than last year. Sporting a 21-54 .284 worst record in baseball, they are even worse than last year's edition which lost 115 games. Given their current record they are on pace to lose 117 games this year. And it could get worse!

Their most recent series in Oakland was another sweep--0-3 to start a road trip. Chris Davis' batting average has dropped to .159. The best player on the team, Trey Mancini, was hit on the elbow during the last game and is out for an unspecified period of time. 

The Orioles have used 27 different pitchers this year en route to a MLB worst team ERA of 5.72. They have given up a MLB leading 148 homers. They are currently in 30th place in all of baseball. Did I mention that there are only 30 teams in MLB?

Last night in Seattle they managed managed to lose again 5-2. They now 0-4 for the current West Coast road trip.

And so the season continues to be even more dismal than I expected.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Orioles Update for June

I have not written much about the Orioles this season. There, frankly, is not much to write. The team is rebuilding and has settled comfortably at the bottom of the standings for the league. It seems that they can win one game of most series, but fall miserably short of being respectable. 

Sporting a record of 21-45, the Orioles are 20 games out of first in the division and 15 games out of Wild Card contention. The team is tied for last place in MLB with the Kansas City Royals, or put another way, they are tied for 29th place in the standings. 

Last evening, to begin their homestead, they defeated the Toronto Bluejays 4-2. The line score shows the tale of the game.

From MLB.com

It was a win, but even-so  the team is now 9-23 at home! 

Chris Davis has taken sole possession of the formerly called "Mendoza-line" which has always been considered a batting average below .200. The line has been redefined as something below that point as Chris Davis is currently batting .164 and still on the team. He finished the 2018 season with a .168 batting average. Unofficially, the Mendoza-line is "often thought of as the offensive threshold below which a player's presence on a Major League Baseball team cannot be justified, regardless of his defensive abilities. The term is used in other contexts when one is so incompetent in one key skill that other skills cannot compensate for that deficiency." (from Wikipedia) Because he is getting $23M per year, he is still suiting up every night when players with lesser salaries would have been long gone. 

I have attended one game so far this season in person and I do not regularly watch the games on television, opting for some movie that I have already seen on Netflix. Usually, I know how both the game and the movie will end.

There are bright sport on the team. John Means, the pitcher last night, has a 6-4 record and as solid 2.60 ERA; but it took him 103 pitches to get out of the 5th inning to qualify for the win last night. 

Jonathan Villar, the shortstop, is exciting and sporting a solid .262 batting average, but he was caught stealing and suffered a put-out (meaning he was on base two times and both opportunities were lost). He has 12 stolen bases for the season may be on track to exceed the 21 he had during 2018. 

The star or the team is, arguably, Trey Mancini, who has 13 home runs and a solid .298 batting average. 

And so, nearing the mid-way point of the season, the team is on track for a 52-110 season, which is marginally better Thant the 47-115 they sported last year. Before the season started I predicted a 105 loss season and since they have almost completed the season meetings with the Yankees (2-10 with 7 games remaining) and completed play against the Twins (0-6 with no games remaining), my prediction may still be in play. That means they are 19-29 .395 against the rest of the league!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Orioles Baseball and Rain

Entering OPACY
May 23, 2019

I made my first sojourn to OPACY yesterday. What is OPACY? Orioles Park At Camden Yards. 

View form the Seats
OPACY
May 23, 2019

It was my first trip to see the O's in person. I was remarking that normally by this time of the season I have attended at least five or six games. But, not so this season. The Orioles remain on track to post at least my predicted 105 losses and watching them if more exasperating than fun. The math is showing 113 losses are definitely possible. Last year's edition of the team made it to 15th on the Worst Baseball Teams of there Modern Era list with 115 losses. 

Yesterday ended in frustration as the Yankees took a 5-1 lead by the 7th inning and then the Baby Birds (as they are called) managed to tie the game, but ultimately lost 6-5. They lack the Orioles Magic which just a few years ago saw them wim many more now run games than they lost. I attended the game with 30,000 of my new best friends. Sadly, the Orioles continued to disappoint. I ma not sure when, or if, I will again visit OPACY, but I continue to be an Orioles faithful fan.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Orioles Friday

It is time to look in on the progress of the Orioles season and see what the team is up to this week.

I have not actually been to an Orioles game in person this season yet, although I am planning on attending a game on May 23rd. It is an afternoon game against the Yankees--a team whose name I usually do not mention, but this season it does not matter, I am not expecting more than a whimper from what they are calling the Baby Orioles.

They have been spanked pretty soundly lately. 

The Orioles are 3-4 for the month of May--which is respectable. They started the month by splitting a double header against the White Sox, then they split a rain shortened series against the Rays, 1-1, and lost a series again the Rex Sox 1-2. 


The Orioles are the 28th best team in baseball at 13-24, .351. If they remain on this pace they will end the season at 57-105, which is better than last year's finish, but still with 105 losses which, by the way, is the number of losses I predicted before the season began. I should be a baseball writer.

Chris Davis has raised his batting average from .000 to .176. He had a hot streak but has significantly cooled in recent days. He has been hitting .294 since ending his hitless streak and had managed 3 homers.

The week ahead should be tough. The Angels (17-20) are coming to town for the weekend and then the Orioles go on the road to the Yankees (22-15) for three games, followed by four games in Cleveland against the Indians (20-16). 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Checking in on the Orioles

It has been a while since I checked in on the Orioles. 

The Orioles are not the worst team in baseball right now. They are close, but not at the bottom of the league. Their 10-16 .385 record makes them the 13th best team in the American League (of 15) and the 27th best team in all of baseball (of 30). They are a dismal 3-10 at home but a hopeful 7-6 on the road. 

What are the highlights? 

Well, they just won a series from the Chicago White Sox. 

Chris Davis has plumped his batting average to .155, which means he is hitting .375 since his record setting 0-34 start. He did not play last night. By the way, he is still .045 below the infamous Mendoza Line.

The team is working to build an identity and here is Baltimore they are referred to as the "Baby Birds." I'm not sure if that is a term of endearment or and outright slam against the team.

The team gets a day off tonight and then heads off onto the road to Minnesota to hopefully get revenge for being swept in a three-game series here in Baltimore beginning on Friday night.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Who Are These Guys?

It is amazing how the MLB season has begun. 

The Orioles are 4-1 and a half game out of first place in what may be the toughest division in the major leagues. 

My prediction that the Orioles would arrive in town for their Thursday home opener with a record of no better 2-4 was clearly wrong, thankfully. The can arrive with a record of 5-1 or 4-2!

Who are these guys?

I watched my first Orioles game last evening and I was impressed at how the team fabricated two runs with timely hitting. That was something they were unable to accomplish last year. And they are winning one-run games. Another welcome change from last year. 

As i watched the game last evening, the announcers noted that the Orioles had not had a four-game road win streak since 2014. They now have tied that event. 

On the down side? Chris Davis remains hitless in 12 at bats posting 3 walks and 7 strike-outs with only 1 RBI. 

Yes, I am still watching! 

Let's Go O's!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Spring Training Update

I freely admit that my excitement level for the upcoming Orioles season is far below usual for this time of year. I am one of those people who enjoy the start of the MLB season because anything can happen and there is always a World Series in the possibility as the umpires call "play ball" for the first time.

The Orioles have done well this Spring Training season. They are currently in the middle of the pack with wins and losses at  12-13. I've long since lost track of the ties, I know there were at least two. But their record is very respectable for a Spring Training campaign. The team has shown moments of excitement--but there are still some glaring problems, also known as elephants in the room. 

Chris Davis has picked up where he left off the regular season last year by posting a .148 Spring Training batting average and Mark Trombo is not far behind with a .200 average. Davis is the most egregious with 27 at bats while posting 4 hits, 6 walks, and 15 strike outs! Ouch!!

On the pitching side, Dylan Bundy has posted a 7.98 ERA in 17 innings pitched.

The highest paid players are definitely the bottom feeders of the club right now. It must be nice to have guaranteed contracts so high that the club can neither trade nor cut the lowest performers. 

The one encouraging statistic is stealing. The Orioles have 35 attempts for better than one attempt per game. They had 103 stolen base attempts during all of the 2018 campaign for less than one attempt per game.

Well, opening day is next Thursday in New York City. As I predicted, the Orioles will either arrive on Baltimore for the home opener on April 4th at 0-6 or the best could be 2-4.

Let the season begin!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Orioles Spring Training

The Orioles stand at 3-2-1 in the Grapefruit League Standings. Spring Training games are in full swing as the teams begin to work towards Opening Day at the end of the Month. They actually posted a tie yesterday 5-5. Yes, there are ties in Spring Training.

I was originally going be writing this weekend from Florida and after attending Spring Training games, but life happens and I am heading to Ithaca later today rather than enjoying the 81 degree forecast for Sarasota. No, I won't be playing golf in the expected 12 inches of snow that Ithaca is preparing to receive this weekend.

Chance Sisco

Chris Davis

Turning to the Orioles, they have fielded a team and are playing baseball, which is what we expected.  They are managing to win some games, but it is Spring Training. 

The highlight of Spring Training so far is Chance Sisco. He has 4 runs, 3 homers, and the 8 RBIs to start the Spring Training. He is angling to be the starting catcher and apparently, right now, has the inside track. In the it was good to see it department, Chris Davis actually has a hit--a 2 run homer, however his batting average remains a dismal .143. It is early yet, however, and there is time for the batting average to sink lower.

Well--that's it for today. More next week as we get deeper into March and begin approaching the start of MLB's Regular Season. The big question for the Orioles this year is the loss over under. I currently have it pegged at 105, meaning they will finish 57-105, an improvement from last year. Vegas has it pegged at 103 losses for a 59-103 finish.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Ice on the Orioles Season

We have been enjoying some really difficult weather lately. It was what they call a wintry-mix. In reality it was freezing rain.

The freezing rain was interesting. It covered the bare branches of the trees creating a surreal scene, but it also created some dangerous driving conditions.

I would have liked to get some pictures of the ice covered trees, however, since I was driving in some really heavy traffic it would have been far too dangerous. 

February, all-in-all has been relatively mild and as we roll into mid-month, I note that MLB Spring Training is underway. Orioles pitchers and catchers report to Sarasota today! While the arrival of Spring Training is usually exciting, my enthusiasm is tempered with the knowledge that the Orioles do not look any better than the last year's team which secured 15th place on the all-time list of the worst major league teams during the modern era. The ice that we have been experiencing has extended apparently to Sarasota and the team which begins training there.

Last year's Orioles lost 115 games. I believe it is possible that this year's team could lose more! 120 losses is a definite possibility. The team has, so far, done nothing in the off season to improve the overall quality of the team. I am so underwhelmed at the Orioles that I have decided not to renew my season tickets for this year. It will be the first time in about 15 years that I will not have season tickets to see the Orioles.

I may not go attend Opening Day on April 4th. Fans vote with their feet and my feet are planning to stay away until the team decides to get serious about improving. Mediocrity is not a reason to go to the ballpark.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Orioles Thursday - The Lost Season

List of Worst Major League Baseball Records
Modern Era (Since 1900)

The Orioles set a record the other day. The 2018 version of the team has accumulated the most losses of any Orioles team in history.

An inglorious record.

Futility.

Last night the Orioles, (44-108, .289) amazingly won a game against the Blue Jays. The team is 59 games out of first place and 47 games out of qualifying for a wild card post-season position. With the win last night, the Orioles have assured themselves of not tying the 2003 Detroit Tigers for 119 losses! The Orioles have almost assured themselves of not reaching the 50 wins plateau this season. They are 3-7 for their last 10 games and with 10 games remaining they would have to win 6 to achieve 50 wins. My prediction of 115 losses seems very possible and possibly a bit conservative. 

The Orioles are already listed in the List of worst Major League Baseball season records.

The Orioles are a team which defines futility. I have seen them lose in almost every imaginable way this season. The real losers, however, are the fans of this once proud baseball team. We will still be here long after the players and the coaches who contributed to the debacle that is the 2018 season have moved on. We will remember this season for a long time.

The off season cannot arrive soon enough.

 I have to admit--I did not see this coming.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD