Young Oriole All-Stars

If the past is any indication of future performance, the American League should put up 13 runs and a "W" with an O's young gun in the lineup.

O's fans looking for a little good news following a dispiriting string of games can find it in the forms of Adam Jones and Nolan Riemold. Jones, acquired in the Bedard trade, was named to the All-Star team just two days after Reimold, whom the O's drafted in 2005, was named "Rookie of the Month" for June. In other words, there's hope for the future.

At 23, Jones is the Birds' youngest All-Star since Mike Mussina in 1992. Jones is the team's youngest All-Star position player since some guy named Ripken, who made his first appearance in the Midseason Classic at the age of 22 in 1983.

In honor of Jones' All-Star berth, Roar from 34 revisits the 1992 and 1983 contests to see how our young Birds - and other players with O's connections - performed in those games. If the past is any indication of future performance, the American League should put up 13 runs and a "W" with an O's young gun in the lineup. After all, they've done it twice before.



1992

AL 13 - NL 6

Mike Mussina pitched one inning, retiring National League All-Stars Darren Daulton, Gary Sheffield, and Ozzie Smith in order. No runs, hits, or errors. In a strange twist made possible by the peculiarities of an All-Star Game, Mussina technically replaced Cal Ripken Jr. on the scorecard in the fifth inning.


Other Key Details:

-Winning pitcher: Kevin Brown, who spent one season as an Oriole in 1995.

-Losing pitcher: Tom Glavine who surrendered five earned runs on nine hits in just 1.2 innings pitched, enabling Brown to get the win after just one inning pitched.

-MVP: One year after Ripken won the award, Ken Griffey Jr. took home the MVP after going 3-for-3 with a home run (off Greg Maddux) and a double, two RBIs, and two runs.


Other Orioles in Action:

-Ripken: 1-for-3 with an RBI to go with a putout and an assist in the field.

-Brady Anderson: 0-for-3 at the dish; one putout in the field.


Other O's Connections:

Future Orioles

-Roberto Alomar went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases and a run scored.

-Joe Carter, who spent one season as an Oriole in 1998, went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI.

-Will Clark, an Oriole in 1999 and part of 2000, went 1-for-2 with a three-run home run.

-Juan Guzman, an Oriole in 1998 and part of 1999, allowed two hits, walked one, and struck out two in a scoreless inning of work.

-Lee Smith, who spent one season with the Orioles in 1994, was on the All-Star roster but did not appear in the game.


Former Orioles

-Dennis Martinez, an Oriole from 1976 to part of 1986, tossed a scoreless inning with one strikeout and one walk. Martinez pitched a perfect game a season earlier.


1983

AL 13 - NL 3

In the first of his 19 consecutive All-Star appearances, Cal Ripken Jr. entered as a sixth-inning replacement for the Brewers' Robin Yount and went 0-for-0 with a walk. He recorded one putout in the field.


Other Key Details:

-Winning pitcher: Dave Stieb, three innings pitched, one run, four strikeouts, one walk.

-Losing pitcher: Mario Soto, two innings pitched, two runs, two hits, two strikeouts, two walks.

-MVP: Fred Lynn, who would sign with the Orioles following the 1984 season, went 1-for-3 with a grand slam. It is the only grand slam in All-Star Game history.


Other Orioles in Action:

-Eddie Murray: 0 for 2, with four putouts in a reserve role.

-Tippy Martinez: Named to the All-Star roster but did not appear in the game. It was Martinez's lone trip to the All-Star game. Later in the 1983 season he would pick off three Blue Jays in the 10th inning of a 7-4 Orioles victory.


Other O's Connections:

Future Orioles

-Ron Kittle, who appeared in 22 games as an Oriole in 1990, finished 1-for-2 with a run scored representing the White Sox. Kittle would go on to win the 1983 Rookie of the Year award over Julio Franco and Mike Boddicker.


Former Orioles

-Doug DeCinces, who played with the Orioles from 1978 through 1981 before being traded to the Angels for Dan Ford, went 0-for-1 representing his new team. DeCinces finished third in the 1982 MVP voting behind Robin Yount and Eddie Murray.