Orioles - Red Sox

[gw67]

I have been an Oriole fan since the days of Brooks, Boog, Belanger and the gang. The last 20 years have been very difficult for an Oriole fan. The team generally swoons by mid-June and the farm system has been so poor that help is never on the way. While this year's team is in last place there are several pleasant signs for the future - three young outfielders who are solid ballplayers; a young catcher with loads of potential; and a farm system that apparently is loaded with pitching prospects along with some good position players.

Last night, I decided to watch the Birds host the Sox while we were packing for the beach. It did not look good from the start. Boston jumped to an immediate lead in the first inning. The lead was increased in the second inning and after the O's scored the Sox increased their lead to 9-1 in the 4th. All the while, the Red Sox fans had a great time whooping it up (game was at Baltimore but it sounded like Red Sox fans easily outnumbered the O's fans).

The rains then came and play was suspended. Since it wasn't raining in Alexandria and Camden Yards has a great drainage system, I figured that they would re-start the game; however, it was a humiliating game and I decided not to re-join the massacre. Instead my wife and I watched a show on the Food Channel about the favorite foods of TV chefs that included bacon. I never had any idea bacon was used in so many foods. I didn't even check the score before we went to bed.

I picked up the Post this morning and was amazed to find that the O's came back and defeated Boston 11-10. Apparently, this is the largest comeback by a last place team over a first place team in major league history and I am left doubting my fandom. However, it could have been worse. I could have attended the game and left early in the 7th when they increased their lead to 10-1.

gw67

[BlueDevilBaby]

I checked in on the game when the Nats went into a rain delay. Os were down by 4 or so at the time. So I watched a dvred show, turned back, and low and behold! Os were ahead! Tremendous win. Thanks, Os.

Sincerely,
Yankees Fan

[HaveFunExpectToWin]

I passed on box tickets to the game since I didn't feel like making the drive up 95. Guess that was a mistake.

Most of my coworkers left in the 7th and missed the comeback.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I was listening to the Yankee game on mlb.com game day audio ($14.95 for the YEAR and you can listen to every radio broadcast for every game all YEAR, both home and away broadcasts - by far the best deal on the internet! http://mlb.com/mediacenter/ ). John Sterling, the Yankee broadcaster, commented that the Red Sox are doing a number on the O's, beating them 10-1. No help for the Yankees this night. A few minutes later he said "well, the O's are mounting a charge, it's now 10-6". Then he told us it was 10-8 with 2 runners on and 1 out in the 8th. And finally, he told us it was an Oriole victory, 11-10!

Congratulations and my thanks to the Orioles for a great comeback win!

Oh, the Yanks won 8-5 over the Mariners, ARod hit a 2 run homerun, and Mo got save #501.

[weezie]

Heck of a game. O's closer G. Sherrill was a nice pick up for a certain Duke fan's fantasy team :D.

Helps to keep my mind off the Tiger's recent slide into the dumper. Just in time for a Twins stand, ugh.

[AtlBluRew]

I agree with you that the last 20 years have been painful. I've named two of my pets after Orioles ... Boog and (Eddie) Murray. Even though I haven't lived in Baltimore since college, I really would love to see a return to competence, if not glory.

The Red Sox were here in Atlanta last week. I went to see them beat the Braves 1-0. I was amazed at how many Boston fans were in attendance. There were many more Boston fans than there had been Mets fans for that series a few weeks ago.

[YourLandlord]

The Red Sox were here in Atlanta last week. I went to see them beat the Braves 1-0. I was amazed at how many Boston fans were in attendance. There were many more Boston fans than there had been Mets fans for that series a few weeks ago.

http://mlb.mlb.com/images/2009/03/14/kmUMvIlF.gif

http://transnation.mlblogs.com/RedSoxNation.jpg

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51-LvJrOAEL._AA280_.jpg

and for good measure...

http://blog.al.com/juniormiss/large_red%20sox%20yankees%20fight.jpg

[BlueDevilBaby]

^Thanks for making me ill while I'm eating lunch. I am actually venturing into enemy territory on Sunday.

I have a friend who has had dogs named Oriole and Camden. Her loyalties are elsewhere now. Her current dog is named Zim after Ryan Zimmerman.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

and for good measure...

http://blog.al.com/juniormiss/large_red%20sox%20yankees%20fight.jpg


^Thanks for making me ill while I'm eating lunch. I am actually venturing into enemy territory on Sunday.

I have a friend who has had dogs named Oriole and Camden. Her loyalties are elsewhere now. Her current dog is named Zim after Ryan Zimmerman.
Are you sure the dog isn't named for the old man (Don Zimmer) that Pedro decked in the picture above? :p

[BlueDevilBaby]

Are you sure the dog isn't named for the old man (Don Zimmer) that Pedro decked in the picture above? :p

Most certainly - we are Nats season ticket holders and she is not a Yankees fan.:D

[Bostondevil]

Personally I preferred the 6-5 11 inning game. :D

[UrinalCake]

I grew up in Baltimore and have supported the team since the late 80's when I started following sports. I wholeheartedly believe in sticking with your team even when they're not doing well, but it's become almost impossible to do that with the O's. Not just because of poor performance but because of the manner in which they run their organization. They still have one of the best stadiums in the league and have (or had) an amazing fan base, but they don't develop players and instead continue to buy old veterans who are five years past their prime. It's like they've never recovered from the Glenn Davis trade. Being in the same division as the Sox and Yankees is tough, but there's no reason why they should be behind the Jays and Rays in the standings.

[YmoBeThere]

^Thanks for making me ill while I'm eating lunch. I am actually venturing into enemy territory on Sunday.

I have a friend who has had dogs named Oriole and Camden. Her loyalties are elsewhere now. Her current dog is named Zim after Ryan Zimmerman.

Poor dogs!

[Oriole Way]

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/schmuck/oriole%20bird.gif

http://12pointtype.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/650-298x300.gif

http://tomseasoltz.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/orioles.gif

http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/0901/mlb.hall.of.fame.top.vote.getters/images/cal-ripken-iacono.jpg

Sorry, just saw this thread and had to counteract the evil effects of the Sox images.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Sorry, just saw this thread and had to counteract the evil effects of the Sox images.
July 20, 1969. I spent the afternoon at Fenway Park, watching the Sox lose to the O's. :cool::D:D This factoid has been posted several times before. Guess I'm hijacking the thread - where were you 40 years ago on that date, if you are old enough to have been alive way back then?

[JStuart]

As an old Oriole fan myself, it was a treat to read this week's Sports Illustrated article on Earl Weaver. A must read, and I've had a smile on my face ever since reading it.

[YmoBeThere]

As an old Oriole fan myself, it was a treat to read this week's Sports Illustrated article on Earl Weaver. A must read, and I've had a smile on my face ever since reading it.

Hmmm...Earl Weaver was a long time ago.

[YmoBeThere]

Is Weaver the Bobby Cox of his era? Lots of great teams, but only 1 title?

[BlueDevilBaby]

Poor dogs!

At least Zimmerman is an all-star.

[hurleyfor3]

Is Weaver the Bobby Cox of his era? Lots of great teams, but only 1 title?

Ooooh... interesting comparison. I've always thought Cox over-managed during the regular season, only to run out of options when the post-season comes around. You could argue this was the case with Weaver too, although I don't remember Weaver being as "activist" as Cox is in terms of platooning and substitutions.

Both argued with umpires and got thrown out of games a lot, Weaver more so than Cox. I think Weaver was more outspoken a personality. Both relied heavily on starting pitching -- as in pitching over hitting, but also meaning starters over relievers. Did Weaver have an equivalent to Leo Mazzoni?

The 1970s AL East was probably better than the 1990s/2000s NL East, but without checking the standings would bet Weaver would have won a lot of wild cards.

[jma4life]

There have been some bad moves by Cox in some playoff games but he gets too much blame for only winning one in fourteen years. A lot of people are really bad at understanding statistics and take successes and failures as the be all end all.


The Orioles future looks pretty bright. Nice catcher, good outfielders, and some good pitching prospects.

[rasputin]

Ooooh... interesting comparison. I've always thought Cox over-managed during the regular season, only to run out of options when the post-season comes around. You could argue this was the case with Weaver too, although I don't remember Weaver being as "activist" as Cox is in terms of platooning and substitutions.

Both argued with umpires and got thrown out of games a lot, Weaver more so than Cox. I think Weaver was more outspoken a personality. Both relied heavily on starting pitching -- as in pitching over hitting, but also meaning starters over relievers. Did Weaver have an equivalent to Leo Mazzoni?

The 1970s AL East was probably better than the 1990s/2000s NL East, but without checking the standings would bet Weaver would have won a lot of wild cards.

Actually, it is Bobby Cox who holds the major league record for getting thrown out of the game. (He passed the previous leader, John McGraw, a year or two ago). Weaver was certainly colorful when he argued.

Weaver did like to platoon. His most successful and famous platoon was in left field, with John Lowenstein and Gary Roenicke, but he mixed and matched with a lot of players.

I think Weaver would have been a champion more often had he managed in the recent eras of smaller divisions and wild cards, so that it's easier to make the playoffs.

[Oriole Way]

July 20, 1969. I spent the afternoon at Fenway Park, watching the Sox lose to the O's. :cool::D:D This factoid has been posted several times before. Guess I'm hijacking the thread - where were you 40 years ago on that date, if you are old enough to have been alive way back then?

That was a 10 years and a few months before I was even an embryo.

Must have been a great time to be an Orioles fan. A's and Orioles had some dominant teams for a 10 year stretch around then.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

That was a 10 years and a few months before I was even an embryo.

Must have been a great time to be an Orioles fan. A's and Orioles had some dominant teams for a 10 year stretch around then.
As a Yankee fan, I was rooting (quietly) for the O's. :D