The good news: The Orioles appeared toward the top of this morning's SportsCenter lineup, giving Nick Markakis some needed exposure for his latest defensive gem.The bad news: The Orioles appeared toward the top of this morning's SportsCenter lineup, exposing the team's latest drubbing at the hands of an opponent that put up 18 runs.
The ESPN broadcast incorrectly noted that the Orioles have surrendered 18 runs or more five times in the past 50 years.
Sunday's game was actually the sixth occasion - each since 2000 - when an opponent managed to score at least 18 (Can we just call it "Hang a Felix Pie" in honor of Pie's uniform number?) on the Birds.
Here's the list (spoiler alert: The Orioles haven't won any of the games when they gave up 18 or more runs):
Aug 2, 2009, Red Sox 18 - Orioles 10
April 15, 2009, Rangers 19 - Orioles 6
Sept. 12, 2007, Angels 18 - Orioles 6
Aug 22, 2007, Rangers 30 - Orioles 3
May 27, 2004, Yankees 18 - Orioles 5
July 25, 2000, Yankees 19 - Orioles 1
Dave Trembley has been at the helm for four of the Orioles' six losses to an opponent that has hung a Pie or better on the Orioles. But looking on the bright side, Sunday was the closest of those six games, and it doesn't hold a candle to 30-3.
We'll always have 30-3 for perspective.
Missing Melvin
Does anyone else miss the cuddlier version of Melvin Mora? You know, the guy who went all Hillary Clinton and played international peacekeeper between the Orioles and his buddy Miguel Tejada when Tejada wanted to be traded ... no, wait, wanted the best for the team ... um, okay, really meant what he first said?
Seems Mora is unhappy with Dave Trembley, but he's not getting much sympathy for his cause. Here's Steve Melewski's take:
Two things I know for certain related to this situation:Melvin has done a lot of good things over all these years in an Orioles uniform and he's done plenty of good things in the Baltimore community.
But he was wrong and out of line on Sunday. He owes Dave Trembley an apology.
1. Melvin won't reach the 130 RBIs he projected for himself during the November ceremony to unveil the new "Baltimore" road unis.
2. Melvin won't reach his amended projection of 100-plus RBIs either.
And to think that David Ortiz might have helped fuel this whole fire by asking Mora why he was batting seventh.
I suppose Ortiz wasn't happy enough kicking the O's butts and having legions of blindly loyal followers of the Second Evil Empire in town to celebrate their tainted legend.
I'm not sure what they call it in the DR, but here in the States we call it "salt in the wound."
Image source: Here.
I'll give you blindly loyal, but Second Evil Empire? That hurts. The Red Sox do things the classy way, never--Wait--what's that? 2003 list?
ReplyDeleteOK, nevermind. Carry on.
But still...I'd be OK with mini Evil Empire or The Almost as Bad Empire. But we've got a ways to go to catch the Yankees in sheer evilness.
Fair enough, Papi RYSC. Believe it or not, I actually re-thought that word choice after posting and considered "Evil Empire Jr." instead. But then I thought, who's going to notice?
ReplyDeleteI know you're a reasonable Red Sox fan, but if you've been to Camden Yards in recent years you understand the resentment.
Thanks for the 18-10 butt kicking.
We're always watching, Matt. Always.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who grew up enduring a Fenway full of obnoxious New Yorkness when the Yankees were in town, I can understand the resentment. There's some syndrome there--outnumbered away fans are twice as aggressive. Outnumbered away fans that realize they're close to the majority are even worse.