Unlucky versus the Orioles, Okajima will now try to stem the Tides

The Orioles have reassigned a handful of relievers to the team's minor league camp, including veteran lefty reliever Mark Hendrickson. However, the bigger bullpen pitching news related to the Orioles comes out of Red Sox camp where former Birds reliever Matt Albers (11-12, 4.60 ERA, 1.529 WHIP, 5.8 SO/9, 4.3 BB/9 in three seasons with the O's) won a spot in the Boston pen while Hideki Okajima was sent to the minors.

The Orioles have fared well - very well - against the otherwise steady Okajima (16-8, 3.06 career ERA, 1.239 WHIP,  7.9 SO/9, 3.1 BB/9). Against Baltimore, Okajima is 0-4 with a 5.76 career ERA in 29.2 innings pitched.

Some of Okajima's memorable meltdowns against the Orioles include the following:

May 14, 2008
Orioles 6 - Red Sox 3
Jay Payton hits a grand slam on Okajima's second pitch after the reliever entered the game in the seventh inning with the Red Sox leading 3-2.
Okajima: BS, 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 HR

June 2, 2008
Orioles 6 - Red Sox 3
Okajima enters with a 3-2 lead in the eighth inning and leaves with a 6-3 deficit.
Okajima: 0.2 IP, 4 H, 4 ER

June 10, 2008
Orioles 10 - Red Sox 6
Okajima relieved Josh Beckett after six innings and turned a 6-4 lead into a 7-6 deficit. Said Dave Trembley: "You have to wait him out."
Okajima: BS, 0.1 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 2 BB


June 30, 2009
Orioles 11 - Red Sox 10
What would an Orioles slugfest be without Okajima? Most of the damage on this day comes when Takashi Saito and Jonathan Papelbon fail to clean up Okajima's mess in the eighth inning.
Okajima: 0.1 IP, 5 H, 4 ER

April 25, 2010
Orioles 7 - Red Sox 6
Tim Wakefield hands Okajima a 4-1 lead with one runner on base in the seventh inning. The Orioles quickly even up the game with a run-scoring double by Nick Markakis and a two-run homer by Miguel Tejada.
Okajima: BS, 1.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 HR

June 6, 2010
Orioles 4 - Red Sox 3
Nick Markakis' walk-off single off Okajima in the bottom of the 11th inning wins it for the O's.
Okajima: L, 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 BB

Albers appeared for the Orioles in at least half of the aforementioned games.

And speaking of the Red Sox, here are three photos from the Orioles' 4-3 win against Boston on Sunday. 

copyright: Schimmel

copyright: Schimmel

copyright: Schimmel

Related Reading:

Okajima pitches like he belongs in the Baltimore bullpen (Roar from 34)

Hideki Okajima to minors (Boston Herald)

Classy Hendrickson ponders options, returns to clubhouse to say goodbyes (The Sun)


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Will the Orioles have a 20-20 player for the first time in more than a decade?

The Orioles should have a 30 home run season from a player this year for the first time since Aubrey Huff stroked 32 homers in 2008. They may even match or - dare to dream - exceed the club record for number of players with 30 or more homers in the same season, which sits at two (Brady Anderson and Rafael Palmeiro, '96; Larry Sheets and Eddie Murray, '87; Boog Powell and Frank Robinson '66 and '69).

It's unlikely, however, that the O's will have their first member of the 30-30 club, or even the 20-20 club for that matter in 2011.

Baltimore is one of three teams in the American League East - Boston and Tampa are the others - to never have had a player in their lineup hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in the same season. Toronto's had two (Shawn Green '98, Jose Cruz Jr. '01) and New York's had three (Bobby Bonds '75 and Alfonso Soriano '02, '03). It's a much more common accomplishment in the National League where it has happened 38 times, compared to 15 times in the American League.

The Birds' best - albeit still unlikely - candidate for a 30-30 season may be Mark Reynolds, who hit 44 homers and stole 24 bases in 2009. While those numbers would fall short of the 30-30 club, they would give the Orioles their first 20-20 player in more than a decade.

20-20 vision?

Brady Anderson was the last Oriole to post a 20-20 season when he hit 24 home runs and stole 36 bases in 1999. Brian Roberts (16 home runs, 30 stolen bases in 2009), Nick Markakis (23 home runs, 18 stolen bases in 2007), and Corey Patterson (16 home runs, 45 stolen bases in 2006) have come closest to 20-20 since then.

Anderson sits alongside Barry Bonds as the only players to record a 50-homer season as well as a 50-steal season during their careers. Anderson had 53 steals in 1992 and 50 home runs in 1996. Bonds had 52 steals in 1990 and hit 73 homers in 2001.

On the face of it Anderson would seem to have been the O's most likely candidate in recent memory for a 30-30 season; however, he was never closer than that 24-36 season in '99. Anderson stole more than 30 bases only  three times in his career (53 in '92, 31 in '94, 36 in '99); he hit more than 30 home runs just once (50 in '96).

Nevertheless, he is still the last Orioles player to post a 20-20 season. Chances are things will stay that way through 2011.

Of Note

-There are four members of the 40-40 Club: Jose Canseco (1988), Barry Bonds (1996), Alex Rodriguez (1998), and Alfonso Soriano (2006).

-Former Oriole Albert Belle is the only player in major league history to have 50 homers and 50 doubles in the same season. He did so in 1995.

-Brian Roberts had four consecutive seasons (2006-2009) with 30 doubles and 30 stolen bases. The 50 stolen bases-50 doubles club has two members: Tris Speaker (1912) and Craig Biggio (1998).

Orioles Stolen Bases Leaders since 2000

2010: Corey Patterson 21
2009: Brian Roberts 30
2008: Brian Roberts 40
2007: Brian Roberts 50, Corey Patterson 37
2006: Corey Patterson 45, Brian Roberts 36
2005: Brian Roberts 27
2004: Brian Roberts 29
2003: Brian Roberts 23
2002: Jerry Hairston 21, Chris Singleton 20
2001: Jerry Hairston 29
2000: Delino DeShields 37

Related Reading:

Powerball in Baltimore (Roar from 34)

Thirty homers used to mean something. It still should. (Roar from 34)

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The Macho Man, the Hatchet Man, and classic Orioles baseball

A-Ha! (image:Where's Randy Savage?)

Imagine having the Macho Man at catcher and the Hatchet Man behind him calling balls and strikes. It's the stuff made for either pay-per-view television or a minor league promotion, but it could just as easily have happened at a major league ballpark.

Before "Where's Randy Savage?", "Snap into it," or even "Oh yeah," legendary professional wrestler Randy "Macho Man" Savage played minor league ball in the Cardinals organization. Mel Proctor and John Lowenstein discussed Savage's brief baseball career during the July 15, 1989, Orioles broadcast, which MASN showed on Wednesday as part of its "Orioles Classics" series.

After the Macho Man's name emerged, Proctor and Lowenstein moved on to discuss umpire Ken Kaiser, who covered first-base duties for the July 15 game. Kaiser, a former bouncer, once wrestled under the name "The Hatchet Man."

During his wrestling days, Kaiser wore a black hood and carried an ax. Some (many?) would say he had an ax to grind with Earl Weaver and Eddie Murray as he feuded regularly with both Orioles.


Weaver feuds with "The Hatchet Man." (image: The Sun)

Back to Savage. Second only to Hulk Hogan among '80s wrestlers, Savage (real name Randy Poffo) had 16 home runs in four minor league seasons spent between the Rookie and A levels. He had a .254/.292./.391 overall slash line. In other words, wrestling was a wise choice.

Here's a photo of a retired Macho Man attending a Braves-Mets game. (Notice he's checking his cell phone - He would've fit perfectly at Camden Yards in the late '90s and early '00s).

The baseball-wrestling connection goes beyond the Macho Man and Hatchet Man. Consider:

-Babe Ruth was once asked to serve as a guest referee for a pro wrestling watch.

-Current Independent Wrestler "Always Trending" Tyson Tyler played minor league baseball in short-season A ball. Tyler's real name is Brian Barnett. Baseball Reference has his minor league stats.

-"Mr. Baseball" Bob Uecker and all-time hits leader Pete Rose are members of the celebrity wing of the WWE Hall of Fame.

-White Sox conditioning coach Dale Torborg, son of former player and manager Jeff Torborg, used to be a professional wrestler. His dad, meanwhile, holds the distinction of having caught Sandy Koufax's perfect game as well as two no-hitters, the second of which was Nolan Ryan's first no-no.

Image sources: "Where's Randy Savage?" and The Baltimore Sun.

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Off Topic: Sarasota Journalism

With Sarasota on most Orioles fans' minds, here's an excerpt from a quirky Sarasota Herald-Tribune job listing for an investigative reporter (original post on A Few Tasteful Snaps):

But if you’re the type of sicko who likes holing up in a tiny, closed office with reporters of questionable hygiene to build databases from scratch by hand-entering thousands of pages of documents to take on powerful people and institutions that wish you were dead, all for the glorious reward of having readers pick up the paper and glance at your potential prize-winning epic as they flip their way to the Jumble… well, if that sounds like journalism Heaven, then you’re our kind of sicko.

For those unaware of Florida’s reputation, it’s arguably the best news state in the country and not just because of the great public records laws. We have all kinds of corruption, violence and scumbaggery. The 9/11 terrorists trained here. Bush read My Pet Goat here. Our elections are colossal clusterfucks. Our new governor once ran a health care company that got hit with a record fine because of rampant Medicare fraud. We have hurricanes, wildfires, tar balls, bedbugs, diseased citrus trees and an entire town overrun by giant roaches (only one of those things is made up). And we have Disney World and beaches, so bring the whole family.

(H/T Jeremy Ashton)

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Sarasota Update: Brian Matusz, Nick Markakis, Cliff Lee & More

Ever planned a trip specifically to visit a ballpark or other athletic facility? If so, you might enjoy Stadium Journey, where writers review and rate their experiences at venues nationwide based on factors including atmosphere, food and beverage, fans, and ease of access to the location.

Here's a portion of Stadium Journey's favorable take on the refurbished Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota.

It's all-but-brand-new, so what do you expect? The seats are immaculate (fun fact: every seat in the house was brought in from Camden Yards, refurbished, and installed), every detail is gleaming, and the landscaping both inside and out is well-maintained. The stadium itself is a little out of the way for those wanting to go to downtown Sarasota and the beach areas, but otherwise, it's pretty close to perfect.

The scoreboard in right-center is large, easy to read, and even includes oriole-shaped weather veins on-top. The audio system is definitely audible; loud enough to hear over the crowds, but not enough to cause your ear drums to implode.

...

Even though it was built in 1989, a renovation was badly needed to keep Ed Smith Stadium a viable option for Major League teams. Thankfully, the Orioles organization were open enough to make their own, custom upgrades to this park. They obviously put a lot of care and thoughtfulness into the redesign, and it shows in every minute detail.

Sarasota now has a stadium they can be proud of again; since the team isn't going anywhere for a while, you'll definitely have a chance to see this new jewel in the crown of the Grapefruit League. Come on down and see the new Ed Smith; it shines brightest in March.

 And here are some recent action photos from inside Ed Smith -

The Present, The Future
(copyright: Norm Schimmel)

Markakis with chew (?) in the back pocket.
(copyright: Norm Schimmel)



Luke Scott - From DH to left field to first base.
(copyright: Norm Schimmel)

(copyright: Norm Schimmel)



(copyright: Norm Schimmel)

Postseason Performer
(copyright: Norm Schimmel)

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Who will the Orioles players be following in the Big Dance?

I've chosen a March Madness-themed post over a St. Patrick's Day-themed post for today. Feel free to chime in on your favorite Irish Oriole in the comments section. In the meantime, check out the college hoops loyalties of some members of the Orioles roster based on where they attended college.

Matt Angle has to be feeling good about March Madness as his Ohio State Buckeyes are the tournament's number one overall seed.

Brian Roberts split time between UNC and South Carolina, but the Durham, N.C., native maintains his Tar Heel loyalties and tends to attend a game or two in Chapel Hill during the off-season.

Joe Mahoney had a solid spring in Orioles camp. Now the former Richmond student will get to see if his college can make good as a popular 5-12 upset pick.

Jake Fox is focused on winning a roster spot behind Matt Wieters, and based on his numbers, he's clearly locked in. Hopefully he can take a break to watch his Michigan Wolverines end an extended tournament drought. Or to cheer against those Uncle Toms at Duke.

Jason Berken's college made the "First Four," but is unlikely to appear in the "Final Four." Berken's a Clemson guy.

Other Orioles with college affiliations:

Mark Reynolds - Virginia. Here's hoping Reynolds didn't watch the ACC tournament, or at least not the final 42 seconds of regulation.

Luke Scott - Oklahoma State. I wonder if Luke had any thoughts about Oklahoma State's win over Harvard in the opening round of the NIT?

Matt Wieters - Georgia Tech. Tourney talk is fun, but so too is guessing who the next coach will be.

Craig Tatum - Mississippi State. Tatum's school fell short of the tournament but still had plenty of fight in 'em.

Brian Matusz - San Diego. Not much to talk about for the Toreros on the hardwood this year other than a victory over one of last year's Sweet Sixteen darlings, St. Mary's.

Jeremy Guthrie - Stanford. Guthrie always has the Cardinal women's team to brag on.

Jake Arrieta - TCU. Basketball? The undefeated Horned Frogs won the Rose Bowl. And you expect them to care about basketball?

Jeremy Accardo - Illinois State. Accardo's ready to party like it's 1998.Unfortunately, his Redbirds are not.


Mark Hendrickson - Washington State. Sure, his Cougars aren't in the NCAA tournament, but he's the only guy in the clubhouse who can watch March Madness and say "Been there, done that."


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Look for Roar from 34 on MASNSports.com

I'm pleased to report that I'll be serving as a guest blogger on MASNSports.com during the first half of the 2011 baseball season. Look for the Roar from 34 perspective on MASN during the weeks of April 11, May 9, June 6, and July 4.

MASN announced the guest blogger arrangement this afternoon:

Beginning April 4, Orioles Buzz will feature guest bloggers every weekday. MASNsports.com recognizes that the blogosphere contains all sorts of opinions on the O's, and bloggers following the orange and black are a particularly hearty breed of fan. What they say is increasingly relevant and how their present their perspective has become more and more savvy.

Since the Orioles now credential selected bloggers on a game-by-game basis, we thought you'd be interested in reading what some of the most rabid Internet-based O's faithful has to say. And Orioles Buzz is a perfect platform for sharing their thoughts, ideas and reminiscences.

The list of Orioles guest bloggers includes some of my favorites: Dempsey's Army (Heath), Camden Chat (Stacey), and Orioles Post (Anthony). It should be a fun project. Thanks to Pete Kerzel and MASN for the opportunity.

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What difference can one letter make? A big one for these former Orioles.

Turns out we've all been saying and spelling Angels first baseman Kendry Morales' name wrong. It's actually Kendrys - with an "s" - Morales. Think one letter in a first name doesn't make a difference? Just consider what it would do for these former Orioles.

 

Bully Ripken - Bully Ripken thinks you're a F*** Face, and he's not afraid to tell you. That's what bullies do.

Early Weaver - A man before his time, Early Weaver was using stats to inform his decision-making before anyone had even heard of Moneyball.

Meltin Mora - Benching this guy was a sure recipe for a meltdown. Just ask Dave Trembley.

Job Orsulak - Talk about suffering, he played for the '88 Orioles as well as the Pirates, Marlins, and Expos.

Done Aase - He saved 23 games in the first half of the '86 season, induced an All Star Game-ending double play with runners on the corners, and once held the record for most Orioles saves with 34, which also were the most ever for a last place team. For a time, the game was Done once Aase entered from the bullpen.

Learry Bigbie - Players would've done well to be a bit more leary of Bigbie, whose name appeared 93 times in the Mitchell Report and who accused Brian Roberts of steroid use.

Stove Finley - He was part of what in hindsight was perhaps the worst Hot Stove move in Orioles history, the Jan. 10, 1991, trade that sent him, Pete Harnisch, and Curt Schilling to the Astros in exchange for Glenn Davis.

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Who was the last Orioles player to have a pinch-hit walk-off home run?

Earlier this week my trusty Orioles calendar included the following trivia question: "In an Aug. 24, 1988, game against the Mariners, he became the last Orioles player to hit a pinch-hit walk-off home run. Who is he?"

Answer: Larry Sheets

Here's some more information about Sheets' pinch-hit heroics during the worst season in Orioles history.

Sheets, pinch hitting for third baseman Rene Gonzalez, entered the game with one on and two out in the bottom of the ninth inning. The Orioles trailed the Mariners 3-2. 

Outfielder Fred Lynn started the inning with a line-drive single to right and was replaced by rookie Brady Anderson. Anderson was acquired less than a month earlier in a trade that also brought Curt Schilling to Baltimore and sent Mike Boddicker to Boston.

After a Jim Dwyer fly out, Anderson stole second and advanced to third on a Jim Traber ground out. It was Anderson's third of six stolen bases in the month of August. Sheets then took a 2-2 offering from Mike Schooler deep for his eighth home run of the season. 

Mark Williamson picked up the win for the Orioles with two perfect innings in relief of starter Jeff Ballard.

The Orioles won the nightcap of the doubleheader, also by a score of 4-3, on a 12th-inning sac fly by Joe Orsulak that plated Ken Gerhart. Sheets led off the inning with a walk. 

The Mariners were the only team the 107-loss Birds beat in a 1988 season series. The O's went 14-15 in August, which was the team's best month of the season.

Related Roar from 34 posts:

The Nets, the Orioles, and the Larry Sheets Amusement Center

Powerball in Baltimore 

"O"dds and Ends: Current Events Produce O's Nostalgia

Flashback Friday: A Rainy Game Day - July 20, 1987

Flashback Friday: Sweeping the Yankees in the Bronx has never been easy

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Hope Springs Eternal - Jim Palmer's comeback attempt (1991)

There are plenty of good Spring Training updates out there along with projections for player and team performance headed into 2011. For something different, I figure it's interesting to revisit stories of seasons past when, as seems to happen nearly every year, "Hope Springs Eternal" for players and teams. Last time I focused on Sammy Sosa's arrival in Baltimore. This time it's Jim Palmer's attempted comeback in 1991.


If nothing else, Jim Palmer's attempted comeback with the Orioles during Spring Training in 1991 gave us one of the all-time great newspaper ledes: "Jim Palmer can still pitch underwear but he can no longer pitch baseballs."

Already in the Hall of Fame, Palmer, the noted Jockey spokesman, attempted to defy age in the pre-HGH days by returning to O's camp at age 45, one year older than Roger Clemens when he retired and one year younger than Nolan Ryan was at the time of his retirement.

Palmer's fastball topped out at 75 MPH during his lone Spring Training game, some seven miles per hour faster than Ryan's first pitch in Arlington during the 2010 World Series. Palmer allowed two runs on five hits, a walk, and a balk in two winnings of work against the Red Sox with Boston batters missing contact only once in 15 swings.

Despite stating after his lone exhibition outing that it would be "premature to quit now," Palmer's comeback attempt indeed ended due to a hamstring injury he suffered while running wind sprints prior to facing the Red Sox. He likened the sound he heard to a Rice Krispie pop. In an earlier intrasquad game, Palmer tossed two innings and allowed two runs on four hits, one of which was a wind-assisted home run by catcher Chris Hoiles. 

Sports Illustrated chronicled Palmer's efforts - along with those of other aging pitchers like Goose Gossage, Steve Howe, and fellow Orioles camper Mike Flanagan, age 39 - in the March 11, 1991, article "Hope Flings Eternal."

Here are a couple of excerpts from that piece:

Because Palmer remains a legend in Baltimore, the Orioles felt obliged to find out. They sent scouts to see him three times, including minor league pitching instructor Dick Bosman, who beat Palmer for the American League ERA title in 1969. Although none of the observers required surgery to have their eyes put back into their sockets, the Orioles invited Palmer to their camp in Sarasota. There he has failed to excite either ridicule or astonishment. He's in fabulous condition, no question. But no matter whom he lines up with on the row of practice mounds, there is more pop in the gloves of catchers other than his.

... 

At a locker near Palmer's, Flanagan struggles with that dilemma of whether to leave gracefully or leave at all. Flanagan, the 1979 American League Cy Young winner as an Oriole, appeared to have erred on the side of leaving ugly when the Toronto Blue Jays unceremoniously cut him last May. But Flanagan faulted the strike-shortened spring training for his performance and decided to work his arm back into shape and try again. "And by September I felt like I was throwing too good to stop," he says. A chance meeting with Hemond at the Hall of Fame ceremonies in August encouraged Flanagan to visit with the Orioles. "Some guys get to the point where enough is enough," says Flanagan. "And some guys just love the game." And some guys are lefthanded pitchers, which gives Flanagan more than a sentimentalist's chance to make it.

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Related Reading:


Hope Springs Eternal: When Sammy Sosa came to Baltimore

The Ed Smith Stadium opener in words & (mostly) pictures

A sellout crowd, an orange bird of paradise flower for each female fan in attendance, local construction workers honored on the field, and many rave reviews. The Birds opened their renovated Spring Training home on Tuesday but couldn't wait to leave the sparkling new yard in a 12-6 victory over the Rays that featured five home runs in the first two innings.

Here's a look at the new Ed Smith Stadium in words and pictures.

Big League Stew - "Renovations turn O's home from pit to palace."

Though the taxpayer-funded repairs sparked a good amount of dissent in the area and the initial facelift was completed in only eight months, there was no arguing with the results. Ed Smith Stadium now has amenities that are equal to other spring homes. In many cases, they're even better. While I would have told you to skip Sarasota as a stop in previous years, it's now something you should circle if you're doing a tour of the Gulf Coast parks.
...

Opening day began with local construction workers taking the field to a round of applause — though it did rain while they did so ... figures — and ended with a 12-6 O's victory as everyone walked around and checked out the stadium's new features.

Big League Stew includes a brief photo essay as part of its story. You can also see some great photos of the game and the stadium at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune website. Meanwhile, The Sun has added new photos from Tuesday's opener to its overall Spring Training gallery.

[Edit: Another photo link from a commenter, this one to ABC7 in Florida.]

Finally, here's my contribution, some on-the-scene pictures from Sarasota Friend of the Blog Norm Schimmel.

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O's Quotables

 This may be my favorite Orioles quote for the 2011 season:

“Stealing bags isn't part of my repertoire. We may mix in a few surprises here and there, but I prefer to trot around the bases."

-Luke Scott

The quote comes courtesy of Franklin Sports, which provided Roar from 34 with Spring Training interviews of Scott and J.J. Hardy.

I'm still forming my impressions of new Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy. One thing's for sure,  from now on I'll associate him with these words: "I take a lot of pride in my Ping Pong." 

Here's the full quote:

"My dad was a professional tennis player, and he still teaches for a living, and we grew up around it and I have a brother who is about 17 months older than I am, we played Ping Pong growing up and it was a sport that we kind of clicked at, and having someone as good as I was at it, and me as good as he was, kind of kept us getting better. I take a lot of pride in my Ping Pong."

-J.J. Hardy

-34-

Fun baseball photos

There are some great baseball finds, including the gem below, on the Baseball Images Flickr page.

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Sneak Peek at Ed Smith Stadium

The Sarasota Herald-Tribune provides a preview of the Orioles' renovated Spring Training home in the article "Ed Smith Stadium poised to be a jewel." The latest batch of photos from Sarasota Friend of the Blog Norm Schimmel certainly supports that notion.  My personal favorite is the directional sign with distances to all the affiliates.


(Note: Norm Schimmel retains copyright for all of the images below. Please do not use them in any form without his express permission.)

Here are previous Roar from 34 posts that include Sarasota photos from Norm: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. 

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How have the Orioles fared during your lifetime?

If you're in your 30s, or even younger, and you're still a fan of the Baltimore Orioles, you qualify as a dedicated fan. A diehard even. Words like bandwagon and front runner do not apply. That's because any Orioles fan born in 1974 or later has seen more losing than winning on the baseball diamond.

You have to go back to 1973 before the Orioles' cumulative record through 2010 reaches .500. Since 1973, when Baltimore posted a 97-65 mark - the O's have gone 3,013-3,005 overall.

Obviously, this cumulative misery has been weighed down greatly by the team's current stretch of losing seasons. For example, the Orioles won 90 games the year I was born and didn't experience a losing season until I was 11. During that span the Orioles won 90 or more games seven times and 100 games twice. Things looked so promising. But it's just like a bird to go South. The Orioles' cumulative record during my lifetime is 2,825-2,869 (.496).

Perhaps (hopefully) current teenagers will have the exact opposite luck that I've had as an Orioles fan. Bird backers born in 1998 - they either have turned or will turn 13 this year - have never seen a winning baseball season. The O's are 921-1183 (.437) in that span.

So while dads can tell their sons about having to walk several miles in the snow to school - uphill no less - they can't exaggerate their agony as baseball fans. Those tall tales belong to the young. But take heart, the Orioles are still a winning franchise overall: 4,617-4,405 (.511). And if you're in your late 50's, you can honestly say you've seen it all.

How have the Orioles done during your lifetime? Check the spreadsheet to find out.


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Hope Springs Eternal: When Sammy Sosa came to Baltimore

There are plenty of good Spring Training updates out there along with projections for player and team performance headed into 2011. For something different, I figure it's interesting to revisit stories of seasons past when, as seems to happen nearly every year, "Hope Springs Eternal" for players and teams.

Thirty-six-year-old Sammy Sosa arrived in Baltimore in 2005 looking for a fresh start after a tumultuous end to his 13 seasons at Wrigley Field. As the Orioles incorporate fresh faces into the 2011 lineup, including a couple of aging sluggers at or around Sosa's age at the time, here's a look back on what was being said about Sosa at the time.

If anything, this story reveals how difficult it is to get an accurate read on those things we're most likely to read about prior to the season -- intangibles like a player's attitude and drive.

The following excerpts are taken from a June 13, 2005, Sports Illustrated article by Tom Verducci.

First, a word from then-Cubs President Andy MacPhail on Sosa following his departure from Chicago.

Says MacPhail, "I do like Sammy. I appreciate all he accomplished for the franchise. To some degree I am sympathetic to him because he doesn't quite understand the depth of the negativity that he incurred."

Next, a Spring Training anecdote that suggests Sosa had lightened up and perhaps changed his early season ways.

On his first morning in an Orioles uniform, an on-time Sosa, the guy who made a habit with the Cubs of showing up--he thought--fashionably late for spring training, busted out of the batter's box and sprinted full-bore for second base, the first in line for what he thought was a team baserunning drill. When he looked back, however, he saw his new teammates standing idly or walking back to the dugout. He'd been set up. But he laughed and lit up one of those smiles that for many people will always take them back to the sweet summer of '98 and the great Home Run Race.

And finally, some words on how Sosa's fall from baseball grace perhaps introduced some humility to his persona.

What is remarkable about Sosa this season, though, is what he is not. In Baltimore he is not the captain, he is not the best player in the room, he is not the diva with club officials and personal valets at his side, he is not the clubhouse deejay oblivious to the annoyance of his infamous boom box, he is not--by a long shot, given the boos he hears wherever he plays on the road--the most popular player in baseball. Sosa can't sell Orville Redenbacher's popcorn like he used to.

...

His teammates and manager Lee Mazzilli marvel at Sosa's boyish enthusiasm and comportment. Pitching coach Ray Miller appreciates the counsel Sosa gives the club's young Latin pitchers, including Daniel CabreraJorge Julio. Second baseman Brian Roberts praises Sosa for having "the greatest attitude every single day. It's energizing. He doesn't get mad and doesn't get down no matter what. I've been amazed at that."

"It's perfect," Sosa says of his fit in Baltimore. "It's like when you move into a new house. You just want to enjoy it."

As a counterpoint, consider this recent piece by The Sun's Kevin Van Valkenburg that looks back on Sosa's brief Baltimore tenure.

Sosa wanted out of Chicago so he could have a fresh start, because the fans had soured on him for a dozen different reasons, and he said all the right things in news conferences about how much he loved the people of Baltimore and couldn't wait to be the old, beisbol-loving Sammy Sosa again. 

...  

Approximately 99 percent of sports writers don't search for scandal, they're just interested in telling the truth, not some rosy version of it. And at that point, the truth was that Sammy Sosa was an aging, selfish, injury-prone slugger. Except I didn't even really view him that way at the time. I just wanted to write an Orioles notebook about his foot injury because I thought the fans might want to know when his awful bat might return to the lineup.

...

There are plenty of Orioles, like Brian Roberts and Adam Jones and Jeremy Guthrie, just to name a few, who I think are good people who understand the media is the best way for them to communicate how they go about their profession to the fans, in good times and bad. And there are plenty of Ravens I'd throw on that list as well, like Trevor Pryce and Kelly Gregg and Haloti Ngata, among others. 

But mull that the next time you see a clip of a professional athlete treating someone like dirt. Sammy Sosa isn't a jerk because he most likely took steroids, and then failed to tell the truth about it. And he isn't a jerk because he feuded with the media, both in Chicago and Baltimore. He's a jerk because in the second half of his career, he treated people poorly, media and teammates included.

When it comes to knowing a player's attitude and demeanor, the truth is out there, but so is plenty of well-spun fiction. The latter is readily available now; the former often emerges over time.

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Where to get your Orioles Spring Training fix

The Orioles are advertising for their first Spring Training game at Ed Smith Stadium. If, like me, you can't, "Be there as we make history," you can still catch the Birds on TV and radio.

Here's the MASN broadcast schedule for Spring Training:

Monday, March 7 at 7 p.m., New York Yankees vs. Orioles

Monday, March 14 at 1 p.m., Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Orioles

Tuesday, March 15 at 1 p.m., Houston Astros vs. Orioles

Saturday, March 19 at 1 p.m., Philadelphia Phillies vs. Orioles

Sunday, March 27 at 1 p.m., Boston Red Sox vs. Orioles

And here's the WBAL radio schedule:

Monday, February 28 Pittsburgh Pirates 1:05 p.m.

Tuesday, March 1 Tampa Bay Rays 1:05 p.m.

Saturday, March 5 Boston Red Sox 1:05 p.m.

Sunday, March 6 Minnesota Twins 1:05 p.m.

Monday, March 7 New York Yankees 7:05 p.m.

Thursday, March 10 Pittsburgh Pirates 7:05 p.m.

Saturday, March 12 Houston Astros 1:05 p.m.

Sunday, March 13 Detroit Tigers 1:05 p.m.

Wednesday, March 16 New York Yankees 7:05 p.m.

Friday, March 18 Minnesota Twins 7:05 p.m.

Saturday, March 19 Philadelphia Phillies 1:05 p.m.

Sunday, March 20 Tampa Bay Rays 1:05 p.m.

Thursday, March 24 Pittsburgh Pirates 7:05 p.m.

Saturday, March 26 Tampa Bay Rays 1:05 p.m.

Sunday, March 27 Boston Red Sox 1:05 p.m.

Tuesday, March 29 Toronto Blue Jays 1:05 p.m.

And here's Fred Manfra sharing some fun memories of listening to Hoyt Wilhelm's no-hitter, using baseball cards to help him visualize the game during radio broadcasts, and watching the Orioles Kiddie Corps "kicking ass in big league baseball."



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The Spring Training story you'll never see written

Spring Training is an extended exercise in the slow news day. I may envy those reporters who get to travel to Sarasota each spring to watch baseball, but I don't envy the task with which they're charged - trying to coax non-cliched anecdotes and information from players, coaches, the manager, front office personnel, etc. Has anybody talked to the groundskeeper yet?

With that in mind, I offer my version of what an honest Spring Training story might look like, featuring many of your favorite Orioles media personalities.

Nondescript Player Reports to Camp in Nondescript Fashion

"Nothing's changed ... Really."

Beat reporters and feature writers at the Orioles' Spring Training complex in Sarasota struggled to find an appropriate story angle on the team's everyday outfielder after he arrived to camp on time this week, showing no discernible differences in his physical appearance, and displaying the same consistent attitude and determination that got him to the majors in the first place.

"He appears to have neither gained nor lost weight during the off-season, his attitude and focus are pretty much what they've always been, and his hair color and facial hair situation have not changed in the slightest. What the Hell?" said The Sun's Peter Schmuck. "I've got a few Hawaiian shirts I could loan him. That would at least be interesting."

Team officials indicate they anticipate the usual steady performance from the outfielder this season that he's demonstrated throughout his career and expect neither more, nor less leadership from him.

"The guy showed up exactly on time -  not a second early, not a second late. Apparently he got one of those atomic clocks in the off-season. Even Buck was speechless," said MASN's Roch Kubatko. "It's one thing to screw up my storyline; he ruined my headline as well. I wanted to use 'Outfielder Arrives in the Nick of Time' but then everybody would think I was talking about Nick Markakis. Now I'm stuck trying to make something out of UPS and on-time delivery. UPS ... OPS ... hmmm. Excuse me while I get back to my laptop."

The Orioles young outfielder compounded matters when he stepped into the cage for his initial Spring Training batting practice session and hit baseballs over the outfield wall at precisely the rate and distance one would expect from a major league player hitting against a minor league instructor on his first day of camp.

"The least this guy could've done for us during the off-season was commit a crime or something," said Orioles Insider Jeff Zrebiec. "I'm not talking felony stuff. Just some sort of misdemeanor that would give us a bit of a redemption angle to work with. Sometimes I wish I covered the Ravens."

"You know I used to cover the Rays, don't you?" added Britt Ghiroli of MLB.com. "The Rays have Manny Ramirez in camp this season. Manny Freakin' Ramirez.

"Those stories practically write themselves," she added, before stepping away to research non-roster invitees and see if any of them ever caught a baseball in the stands from Derrek Lee.

Other reporters expressed a desire not so much for a different team as they did different players.

"This kind of crap makes me long for my days playing Hide 'N Seek with Sammy Sosa. At least that filled my time - lots of it in fact - and gave me something to write about, if only years later" said The Sun's Kevin Van Valkenburg. "I'd even take Albert Belle. Chasing trick-or-treaters on Halloween - that's rich. Oh well, at least this guy's contract is up in a couple of years; although, knowing him, he'll go ahead and sign a fair-market deal with the team. No hold outs, no hometown discounts, nothing."

A distracted Buck Showalter offered little help to the determined scribes.

"What more do you guys want from me? I gave you the term 'nuggets' right out of the gate. That's golden. Ha, see there, I did it again," said the manager as he traced individual steps down the left field line to double-check the ballpark dimensions at the Orioles' upgraded facilities. "It's too bad the guy doesn't have blonde hair. You could go for some kind of Goldilocks and the Three Bears theme and allude to the fact that he's doing everything 'Juuust Right.'"

Peter Angelos was unavailable for comment and directed inquires to general manager Andy MacPhail.

"He gives us exactly the same chance of competing in the American League East that he always has," said MacPhail, before adding, "We've gotta grow the arms and buy the bats."

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Great Moments in Orioles Facial Hair History

Vladimir Guerrero reported to O's camp on Wednesday. So did his goatee.

Per Orioles Insider:

"He appeared to be in good shape and was sporting a goatee, which may have to come off under the Orioles restrictive facial hair policy."

If Vlad plays his cards right, he could add his name to the list of

Great Moments in Orioles Facial Hair History

Kevin Millar, The Hirsute Hitter (2006-2008)

Kevin Millar was one of Boston's beloved idiots. He tried to bring the same attitude to Baltimore. His efforts failed.

Here's some of the wisdom of Millar from Spring Training 2007, as reported then by Peter Schmuck.

"It's time to end that," Millar said of the facial hair policy. "Nine straight years of losing. It's time to show some hair." 

"Doesn't hair show personality? You want a team with personality. I think if you asked everyone in the clubhouse, they'd be in favor of growing facial hair."

Apparently Millar overstated his case. Not everyone cared. Said Chris Gomez: "I think this is Kevin's battle. I don't think anyone else really gives a crap."

Known to grow a beard to bust a slump, Millar instead shaved his head a year later. He promptly hit two home runs against the Angels. "Worth it to get the stroke back," Millar said in The Washington Post. "Hit .380 the next couple of months and 10 homers, I'll shave my eyebrows next year, look like Mona Lisa in spring training."

After signing with Toronto in 2009, Millar showed up to the Blue Jays' camp with long hair, a thick beard, and some zingers.

"It's nice to see they're still clean-shaven over there," Millar said of the Orioles. "The one plus over here is I don't have to shave, so I grow my beard out just for Aubrey [Huff]. It's a show beard. I have show hair and show beard and now I look like a ballplayer."


Orioles Bullpen, The Unity Stache (2007)

For some reason, athletes seem to use facial hair as bonding. Banned from having bears, the 2007 Orioles bullpen resorted to "the unity stache."

John Parrish summed it up thusly: "You like it? It looks kind of trashy."


Jay Gibbons & Co., Hairy Streakers (2005)

The 2005 Orioles were one win away from eliminating the facial hair ban under new manager Sam Perlozzo. They lost.

Here are the details, as provided by Jorge Arangure Jr. on Aug. 11, 2005, in the Washington Post.

Baltimore appears revived under Perlozzo, who is 4-2 since being given the job last Thursday. After the game rap music played loudly. Former manager Lee Mazzilli had banned postgame music. Several players have begun to show the makings of a beard. Mazzilli had banned facial hair.

"The more stuff we win, he said the more stuff we get," Gibbons said of his new manager. "The fourth win in a row we get facial hair. We're trying hard. We got that incentive."

The 2005 Orioles won four straight from Sept 10. through Sept. 13.

Lee Smith, Exception to the Rule? (1994)

By many accounts, Orioles owner Peter Angelos, who led a group of investors in a 1993 purchase of the team, is the source of the O's strict facial hair policy. If that's the case, there are multiple exceptions to the rule, including former closer Lee Smith. 

Consider this 1994 story by John Marshall of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, "New brood of tough guys decides fierce, mean goatee can't  be beat"

Pro athletes, particularly baseball players, such as Orioles closer Lee Smith, seem to be in the forefront of the goatee explosion, with at least a few on almost every major league team joining in. But musicians and film stars are not far behind.

Mike Mussina, Rebel Without a Contract (1993)

Mike Mussina's rebellious stage emerged later than it does for most. Mussina grew a goatee prior to signing a new contract in 1993, as reported by the Associated Press.

Now that he's got a new contract, Mike Mussina can shave that scraggly goatee off his face. Mussina had been referring to the goatee as his "Rebel Without a Contract" look. But after agreeing to terms with the Baltimore Orioles on a one-year pact Wednesday, the facial hair is history.

"Yeah, I'm gonna shave it," he said. "I would have shaved it today, but I didn't have a chance."

Ending the Beard Ban, Rick Sutcliffe (1992)

The Orioles' beard ban pre-dated Peter Angelos. Perhaps he reinstated the rule after noted rebel Johnny Oates (that's sarcasm, folks) let the Orioles run around looking like a bunch of hippies.

Per The Sun's Peter Schmuck in '92 -

Of course, it all started with [Rick Sutcliffe], whose trademark red beard was not allowed to become an issue when he was negotiating a contract with the Orioles last winter. Manager Johnny Oates, who owns a conservative mustache (and even wears it on special occasions), decided to end the beard ban rather than make an unfair exception for Sutcliffe.

"Before I even knew the Orioles had a hair rule, Johnny told me that it wasn't a problem," said Sutcliffe, who insists that it wouldn't have been a problem anyway. "There will come a time when I shave it, because I look younger without it. When I start looking as old as Mike Flanagan, then I'll definitely shave it."

[Todd Frohwirth], who overpowers hitters with his unorthodox submarine delivery, hasn't needed anything else to make him a successful relief pitcher, but he still would like to fit in with the other members of the Orioles bullpen. Mike Flanagan has a mustache. Storm Davis has a perpetual 5 o'clock shadow. Even Alan Mills, the newest Orioles reliever, has a Fu Manchu.

Hall of Fame Hair, Eddie Murray (1977-1988, 1996)

No discussion of Orioles facial hair would be complete without mention of Eddie Murray. Brady Anderson had some chops, but Murray sported a chops-into-mustache look that was so legendary it ended up on a Hall of Fame T-shirt.

Finally, though it's not the Orioles, there's this classic Simpsons clip:



Have a favorite Orioles facial hair memory of your own? Add it in the comments section below.

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