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Orioles

For all of the disgruntled fans and 14 years of waiting, this Orioles moment of joy is for you

Nestor Aparicio

It has been a most unlikely weekend, this strong orange wind of Orioles Magic blowing into downtown Baltimore on Monday with a gaudy 3-0 start after a trio of master pitching performances from Jeremy Guthrie, Chris Tillman and the Major League debut of Zach Britton in Tampa on Sunday. But, you can pinch yourselves, Orioles fans. When you come downtown or turn your attention to your television sets on this 75-degree, balmy spring afternoon for Opening Day in Baltimore, it might finally be a chance to take all of that purple passion and turn it into some long-awaited, lost-long and very much deserved orange pride. It might be time to dust off your cartoon bird gear and climb about the orange chariot for a spring rite of passage that we all hope won’t be another faux orange smokescreen. Yes, the Orioles have announced their arrival with a weekend of strong pitching, good defense and timely hitting. Like the song says, “Every day it’s a different star, that’s the magic of Orioles baseball…” Jake Arrieta will take the hill at 3:05 on Monday at Camden Yards to face the Detroit Tigers with heightened expectations from an all-too-rare full house of Orioles

Top 20 moments in Camden Yards history: No. 3

Luke Jones

As the Orioles begin their 20th season at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, I take a look back at the top 20 moments in the history of the ballpark. Selected moments had to relate directly to the action on the field at the time. No orchestrated events such as World Series anniversary celebrations or Orioles Hall of Fame inductions were eligible. Previous selections: 20. Wieters’ debut 19. Nomo tosses only no-hitter in Oriole Park history 18. Orioles rally from nine-run deficit against Boston 17. 30-3 16. Showalter takes the helm 15. Palmeiro homers in Oriole debut 14. Griffey’s Warehouse shot 13. Sparring with Seattle 12. Davis defies the odds 11. Hoiles’ slam stuns Mariners 10. Game 6 of 1997 ALCS 9. 1993 All-Star Game 8. Moose misses perfection 7. Eddie comes home 6. Bonilla’s slam in first playoff win 5. The first Opening Day 4. Birds shrink Big Unit to win 1997 ALDS 3. Steady Eddie hits No. 500 – Sept. 6, 1996 Leave it to Eddie Murray to find the perfect timing to reach a monumental achievement that still left him flying under the radar the same way he did throughout his brilliant Hall of Fame career. After making

Orioles place Matusz on 15-day DL; Britton will start Sunday in Tampa

Nestor Aparicio

Just two hours prior to Friday night’s opener in Tampa, the warning signs came when it was announced that Orioles pitcher Brian Matusz would not be making today’s start vs. the Rays at Tropicana Field and would be getting an MRI . And by the time Jeremy Guthrie was leaving the hill after eight scoreless innings on Opening Night, it was apparent that it would be another young gun from the emerging staff who would beginning the season with the Orioles. Just after the O’s 4-1 win, Orioles manager Buck Showalter announced that young Zach Britton would be recalled from the minors to make his major-league debut Sunday afternoon in Tampa. Matusz officially has an strain near the left side of his back will miss the first month of the season on the disabled list. He told reporters in Tampa that he can’t throw the ball 10 feet right now, which is never a good sign. Britton has been dubbed as the “next big thing” by many media observers and baseball insiders. The Orioles had been keeping him in the minors as to not activate his service time, forcing the team to make him arbitration eligible earlier and thereby potentially

Top 20 moments in Camden Yards history: No. 4

Luke Jones

As we begin the 20th season at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, I take a look back at the top 20 moments in the history of the ballpark. Selected moments had to relate directly to the action on the field at the time. No orchestrated events such as World Series anniversary celebrations or Orioles Hall of Fame inductions were eligible. Previous selections: 20. Wieters’ debut 19. Nomo tosses only no-hitter in Oriole Park history 18. Orioles rally from nine-run deficit against Boston 17. 30-3 16. Showalter takes the helm 15. Palmeiro homers in Oriole debut 14. Griffey’s Warehouse shot 13. Sparring with Seattle 12. Davis defies the odds 11. Hoiles’ slam stuns Mariners 10. Game 6 of 1997 ALCS 9. 1993 All-Star Game 8. Moose misses perfection 7. Eddie comes home 6. Bonilla’s slam in first playoff win 5. The first Opening Day 4. Postseason downsizing of the Big Unit – Oct. 5, 1997 If he wasn’t the best pitcher in the game at the time, the Big Unit was certainly the most intimidating. After drawing 20-game winner Randy Johnson and the Seattle Mariners in the best-of-five American League Division Series, the Orioles were thought by many to be the

Superb opening win for Guthrie, Orioles marred by Matusz injury

Luke Jones

Even with an excellent on-field start to the 2011 season, the Orioles couldn’t escape a swift kick to the gut on Opening Night for the second straight year. Jeremy Guthrie pitched eight shutout innings in a 4-1 win over star pitcher David Price and the Rays on Friday night, but the positive vibes dissipated quickly with the news of Brian Matusz being placed on the disabled list. A strained intercostal muscle will reportedly sideline the young lefty for three to six weeks, leaving a huge hole in the starting rotation. Last year, it was Mike Gonzalez blowing a ninth-inning lead in a 4-3 loss to the Rays, but this year’s buzzkill may prove to be more costly. Chris Tillman will start in Matusz’s place Saturday while top pitching prospect Zach Britton will be called up to make his major league debut Sunday afternoon in the series finale. The news ruined a perfect start to the season for the Orioles as Guthrie turned in one of the finest pitching performances of his career. Effectively using his off-speed pitches to keep Tampa Bay hitters guessing all night, the Orioles’ lone veteran starter allowed just four baserunners while striking out six before being

Top 20 moments in Camden Yards history: No. 5

Luke Jones

As we move closer to the start of the 20th season at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, I take a look back at the top 20 moments in the history of the ballpark. Selected moments had to relate directly to the action on the field at the time. No orchestrated events such as World Series anniversary celebrations or Orioles Hall of Fame inductions were eligible. Previous selections: 20. Wieters’ debut 19. Nomo tosses only no-hitter in Oriole Park history 18. Orioles rally from nine-run deficit against Boston 17. 30-3 16. Showalter takes the helm 15. Palmeiro homers in Oriole debut 14. Griffey’s Warehouse shot 13. Sparring with Seattle 12. Davis defies the odds 11. Hoiles’ slam stuns Mariners 10. Game 6 of 1997 ALCS 9. 1993 All-Star Game 8. Moose misses perfection 7. Eddie comes home 6. Bonilla’s slam in first playoff win 5. A beautiful place for a ballgame – April 6, 1992 It was both unusual and perfectly natural. The Orioles had never played a home opener away from 33rd Street, but, still, it felt very much like home at 333 West Camden Street with the historic B&O Warehouse, the Bromo Seltzer tower, and the city skyline providing

Top 20 moments in Camden Yards history: No. 6

Luke Jones

With only days remaining until the start of the 20th season at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, I take a look back at the top 20 moments in the history of the ballpark. Selected moments had to relate directly to the action on the field at the time. No orchestrated events such as World Series anniversary celebrations or Orioles Hall of Fame inductions were eligible. Previous selections: 20. Wieters’ debut 19. Nomo tosses only no-hitter in Oriole Park history 18. Orioles rally from nine-run deficit against Boston 17. 30-3 16. Showalter takes the helm 15. Palmeiro homers in Oriole debut 14. Griffey’s Warehouse shot 13. Sparring with Seattle 12. Davis defies the odds 11. Hoiles’ slam stuns Mariners 10. Game 6 of 1997 ALCS 9. 1993 All-Star Game 8. Moose misses perfection 7. Eddie comes home 6. Bonilla’s slam leads to first playoff win at Camden Yards – Oct. 1, 1996 The scenario seemed impossible only two months earlier, but the Orioles found themselves playing in their first postseason game in 13 years and first ever playoff contest at Camden Yards. Floundering at the .500 mark in late July, rumors were flying that general manager Pat Gillick was about to

Top 20 moments in Camden Yards history: No. 7

Luke Jones

With less than a week until the start of the 20th season at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, I take a look back at the top 20 moments in the history of the ballpark. Selected moments had to relate directly to the action on the field at the time. No orchestrated events such as World Series anniversary celebrations or Orioles Hall of Fame inductions were eligible. Previous selections: 20. Wieters’ debut 19. Nomo tosses only no-hitter in Oriole Park history 18. Orioles rally from nine-run deficit against Boston 17. 30-3 16. Showalter takes the helm 15. Palmeiro homers in Oriole debut 14. Griffey’s Warehouse shot 13. Sparring with Seattle 12. Davis defies the odds 11. Hoiles’ slam stuns Mariners 10. Game 6 of 1997 ALCS 9. 1993 All-Star Game 8. Moose misses perfection 7. Eddie comes home – July 22, 1996 He was supposed to be a lifer in Baltimore. You just don’t picture your best player for over a decade going someplace else. But as a result of a disintegrating relationship with owner Edward Bennett Williams and the local media when the Orioles hit hard times in the late 1980s, Eddie Murray had requested and been granted a trade

Top 20 moments in Camden Yards history: No. 8

Luke Jones

As we’re a week away from the start of the 20th season at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, I take a look back at the top 20 moments in the history of the ballpark. Selected moments had to relate directly to the action on the field at the time. No orchestrated events such as World Series anniversary celebrations or Orioles Hall of Fame inductions were eligible. Previous selections: 20. Wieters’ debut 19. Nomo tosses only no-hitter in Oriole Park history 18. Orioles rally from nine-run deficit against Boston 17. 30-3 16. Showalter takes the helm 15. Palmeiro homers in Oriole debut 14. Griffey’s Warehouse shot 13. Sparring with Seattle 12. Davis defies the odds 11. Hoiles’ slam stuns Mariners 10. Game 6 of 1997 ALCS 9. 1993 All-Star Game 8. Moose just misses perfection – May 30, 1997 Excruciatingly close. It felt destined to happen. But it wasn’t quite meant to be. On a Friday night in late May 1997, Mike Mussina had faced 25 Cleveland hitters and retired all 25. The Camden Yards faithful could taste perfection as the 28-year-old ace was two outs away from pitching the first perfect game in franchise history. It was an electric scene

Top 20 moments in Camden Yards history: No. 9

Luke Jones

As we’re only days away from the start of the 20th season at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, I take a look back at the top 20 moments in the history of the ballpark. Selected moments had to relate directly to the action on the field at the time. No orchestrated events such as World Series anniversary celebrations or Orioles Hall of Fame inductions were eligible. Previous selections: 20. Wieters’ debut 19. Nomo tosses only no-hitter in Oriole Park history 18. Orioles rally from nine-run deficit against Boston 17. 30-3 16. Showalter takes the helm 15. Palmeiro homers in Oriole debut 14. Griffey’s Warehouse shot 13. Sparring with Seattle 12. Davis defies the odds 11. Hoiles’ slam stuns Mariners 10. Game 6 of 1997 ALCS 9. Baltimore hosts the Midsummer Classic – July 13, 1993 After the Orioles won their third World Series in October 1983, the next 10 years would be a largely forgettable period in Baltimore sports history. Just a few months after that championship, Robert Irsay and the Colts would skip town in the middle of the night, leaving Baltimore without an NFL team for the next 12 years. The Orioles would fall on hard times as

Orioles in 2011: cautious optimism battles old “in-between” feeling

Luke Jones

It’s been so long I can barely remember. Any Baltimorean with a vested interest in the Orioles over the years can easily talk about 13 straight losing seasons and the misery accompanying his or her fandom for the better part of the last quarter-century. We all know about the disappointment and, even worse, the numbness it’s created in a city with a rich baseball heritage. But really try to think back to the last time the Orioles were a legitimate, formidable threat in the American League East. Imagine yourself sitting in the next-to-last row in section 384 — because it was the only seat available in a sold-out Camden Yards — as you watched the first-place home team take on the Toronto Blue Jays or the Detroit Tigers or the Kansas City Royals in a midweek game in July. There were no promotional giveaways, no pomp and circumstance of a World Series team reunion, and no throwback uniforms. There was nothing special about the game other than expecting the Orioles to win because they were better than the team they were facing. It was beautiful. And it feels like a lifetime ago, or even a scene from an alternative universe,

Top 20 moments in Camden Yards history: No. 10

Luke Jones

With the start of the 20th season at Oriole Park at Camden Yards just over a week away, I take a look back at the top 20 moments in the history of the ballpark. Selected moments had to relate directly to the action on the field at the time. No orchestrated events such as World Series anniversary celebrations or Orioles Hall of Fame inductions were eligible. Previous selections: 20. Wieters’ debut 19. Nomo tosses only no-hitter in Oriole Park history 18. Orioles rally from nine-run deficit against Boston 17. 30-3 16. Showalter takes the helm 15. Palmeiro homers in Oriole debut 14. Griffey’s Warehouse shot 13. Sparring with Seattle 12. Davis defies the odds 11. Hoiles’ slam stuns Mariners 10. A season ends too soon – Oct. 15, 1997 Even 14 years later, it’s still hard to accept a light-hitting infielder ending such a marvelous season with one potent swing of the bat. The Orioles had seized first place on Opening Day and never looked back for the entire 1997 season, winning their first division crown since 1983. Their 98-64 record topped the American League and was a mere three games behind the Atlanta Braves for the best in baseball.

Top 20 moments in Camden Yards history: No. 11

Luke Jones

As we move closer to the start of the 20th season at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, I take a look back at the top 20 moments in the history of the ballpark. Selected moments had to relate directly to the action on the field at the time. No orchestrated events such as World Series anniversary celebrations or Orioles Hall of Fame inductions were eligible. Previous selections: 20. Wieters’ debut 19. Nomo tosses only no-hitter in Oriole Park history 18. Orioles rally from nine-run deficit against Boston 17. 30-3 16. Showalter takes the helm 15. Palmeiro homers in Oriole debut 14. Griffey’s Warehouse shot 13. Sparring with Seattle 12. Davis defies the odds 11. Hoiles’ dreamlike slam stuns Mariners – May 17, 1996 A unique moment in sports is occasionally so memorable that it takes on a life of itself. An event where only several thousand were present gradually transforms into an occasion witnessed by hundreds of thousands, if only for its improbable nature and the euphoria its aftermath creates. There’s nothing more cliched in sports than the boyhood dream of stepping to the plate in the bottom of the ninth with your team trailing by three runs. Full count,

Adam Jones advice to Orioles fans: “Knock the s**t outta Yankees fans at Oriole Park”

Nestor Aparicio

Orange diarrhea of the mouth is apparently running rampant in Sarasota as Orioles outfielder Adam Jones has now served up a spicy “raw” video in an exclusive interview with The Baltimore Sun that should make any fan really think about the mindset of the modern-day athlete. Here are his words and “advice to Orioles fans in Baltimore” verbatim: “It’s annoying hearing ‘Let’s Go Yankees.’ (at Camden Yards in Baltimore). All our fans do is (mockingly and politely) ‘Boooooooooo…’ We should knock the s**t of of them! If you’re against them, then knock the s**t out of them! And if it’s really that important to you that you want them to leave, then knock the s**t out of them! Then at the same time it comes to our part again, if we beat the hell out of them on the field more of our fans would come. “I’ve seen a lot of people, in Baltimore, don Orioles gear, wait like normal Orioles fans after the game, try to get Orioles autographs. But as soon as Yankees and Red Sox come in, they put on Yankees and Red Sox gear. I have seen that with my own two eyes. One thing about

Top 20 moments in Camden Yards history: No. 12

Luke Jones

Winding down to the start of the 20th season at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, I take a look back at the top 20 moments in the history of the ballpark. Selected moments had to relate directly to the action on the field at the time. No orchestrated events such as World Series anniversary celebrations or Orioles Hall of Fame inductions were eligible. Previous selections: 20. Wieters’ debut 19. Nomo tosses only no-hitter in Oriole Park history 18. Orioles rally from nine-run deficit against Boston 17. 30-3 16. Showalter takes the helm 15. Palmeiro homers in Oriole debut 14. Griffey’s Warehouse shot 13. Sparring with Seattle 12. Eric Davis defies the odds – Sept. 15, 1997 It wouldn’t have mattered if Eric Davis never stepped foot on a baseball field again. This was worlds more important than pennant races, home runs, or winning a game played by children. But the sight of Davis trotting out to right field three months after being diagnosed with cancer and undergoing what was assumed to be season-ending surgery was a moment unlike any other in the history of Camden Yards. The man who had had a baseball-sized tumor removed from his colon in the

Memo to bucked up Showalter: Please just shut up!

Nestor Aparicio

While many of the few hearty souls left in the exuberant Orioles Nation will find great joy in Buck Showalter’s verbal tirade in Men’s Journal against the Derek Jeter and the Yankees and Theo Epstein and the Red Sox, I’m going to take an alternative approach today to a war of words with franchises that have been kicking our civic asses and taking over our city for the past 14 years. Buck, shut up! Please, just shut up! You’re embarrassing yourself and this fan base! In case you missed it, here’s his gem regarding No. 2: “The first time we went to Yankee Stadium, I screamed at Derek Jeter from the dugout,” Showalter told the magazine. “Our guys are thinking, ‘Wow, he’s screaming at Derek Jeter.’ Well, he’s always jumping back from balls just off the plate. I know how many calls that team gets – and yes, he [ticks] me off.” And this is what he had to say about a general manager who has won two more World Championships than he has: “I’d like to see how smart Theo Epstein is with the Tampa Bay payroll,” he said. “You got Carl Crawford ’cause you paid more than anyone

Top 20 moments in Camden Yards history: No. 13

Luke Jones

As we count down to the start of the 20th season at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, I take a look back at the top 20 moments in the history of the ballpark. Selected moments had to relate directly to the action on the field at the time. No orchestrated events such as World Series anniversary celebrations or Orioles Hall of Fame inductions were eligible. Previous selections: 20. Wieters’ debut 19. Nomo tosses the only no-hitter in Oriole Park history 18. Orioles rally from nine-run deficit against Boston 17. 30-3 16. Showalter takes the helm 15. Palmeiro homers in Oriole debut 14. Griffey’s Warehouse shot 13. Sparring with Seattle – June 6, 1993 The next choice on the list would easily top a list of the ugliest moments in Camden Yards history, but it’s a scene those in attendance will never forget. After sleepwalking through the first two months of the season, the Orioles found themselves in sixth place and nine games out in the seven-team AL East when the Seattle Mariners came to town in early June. Baltimore took the first two games of the series and was thinking sweep with ace Mike Mussina taking the hill on a

Top 20 moments in Camden Yards history: No. 14

Luke Jones

As we move closer to the start of the 20th season at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, I take a look back at the top 20 moments in the history of the ballpark. Selected moments had to relate directly to the action on the field at the time. No orchestrated events such as World Series anniversary celebrations or Orioles Hall of Fame inductions were eligible. Previous selections: 20. Wieters’ debut 19. Nomo tosses the only no-hitter in Oriole Park history 18. Orioles rally from nine-run deficit against Boston 17. 30-3 16. Showalter takes the helm 15. Palmeiro homers in Oriole debut 14. Griffey hits the B&O Warehouse – July 12, 1993 Since the opening of Oriole Park at Camden Yards, left-handed hitters have taken aim at the historic B&O Warehouse. The hard-swinging — and hard-missing — Sam Horn was the first slugger fans speculated might be able to reach it in the inaugural season. But in the 1,511 games played at Camden Yards (including 10 postseason games), no one has reached the 1,116-foot long, eight-story building on the fly. Few have even gotten close. Only 52 home runs have landed on Eutaw Street as entire seasons occasionally pass without a

Top 20 moments in Camden Yards history: No. 15

Luke Jones

With the start of the 20th season at Oriole Park at Camden Yards only two weeks away, I take a look back at the top 20 moments in the history of the ballpark. Selected moments had to relate directly to the action on the field at the time. No orchestrated events such as World Series anniversary celebrations or Orioles Hall of Fame inductions were eligible. Previous selections: 20. Matt Wieters’ debut 19. Hideo Nomo tosses the only no-hitter in Oriole Park history 18. Orioles rally from nine-run deficit against Boston 17. 30-3 16. Buck Showalter takes the helm 15. Raffy goes deep in first game with Orioles – April 4, 1994 His disgraced name will forever be linked to steroids and the infamous pointing of a finger while testifying at a congressional hearing on performance-enhancing drugs months before failing a drug test in the final year of his career — as a member of the Orioles. He’ll likely never earn a spot in the National Baseball Hall of Fame or even induction to the Orioles Hall of Fame after serving a 10-day suspension for testing positive for the anabolic steroid stanozolol only days after accumulating his 3,000th hit in 2005.

Top 20 moments in Camden Yards history: No. 16

Luke Jones

As we approach the start of the 20th season at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, I take a look back at the top 20 moments in the history of the ballpark. Selected moments had to relate directly to the action on the field at the time. No orchestrated events such as World Series anniversary celebrations or Orioles Hall of Fame inductions were eligible. Previous selections: 20. Matt Wieters’ debut 19. Hideo Nomo tosses the only no-hitter in Oriole Park history 18. Orioles rally from nine-run deficit against Boston 17. 30-3 16. Baltimore Buck – Aug. 3, 2010 It was a four-month long nightmare that extended far beyond the misery experienced over the course of 13 consecutive losing seasons. The 2010 season crashed with a 2-16 start and claimed manager Dave Trembley’s job in early June with the Orioles holding an embarrassing 15-39 mark. Fortunes didn’t improve much under interim manager Juan Samuel over the next two months as the Orioles appeared destined to top the 1988 club’s record for futility (54-107). Meanwhile, president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail dragged out the search for a permanent field general, leaving players and fans to ponder a plethora of candidates. As the calendar

Point: I love Mike Bordick…just not in Orioles Hall of Fame

Nestor Aparicio

I guess this is what happens when your franchise has atrophied to the point of having few fans, few glaring All Stars and no hope of playing baseball in October for 14 consecutive years. When it comes to time to find Orioles “Hall of Famers” you begin to stretch and reach and embarrass the honor itself by attempting to find the next candidate to appear at your annual rubber chicken luncheon in August for the Oriole Advocates. I like Mike Bordick. I like Mike Bordick more than I like most people who have ever put on an Orioles jersey. Great baseball man, great family guy and a guy teacher of the game. But, if we’re considering numbers and contributions and Orioles “Hall of Fame” worthiness, then Mike Bordick can’t be taken seriously as a candidate or an honoree. Bordick played parts of six mostly-forgettable seasons of Orioles baseball and was once dealt away in the heart of the pennant race to play in the 2001 World Series with the New York Mets. He hit .236, .260, .277, .285, .249 and .232 in those five seasons. He was a wonderful role player and served as the man who replaced Cal Ripken

Top 20 moments in Camden Yards history: No. 17

Luke Jones

Counting down to the start of the 20th season at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, I take a look back at the top 20 moments in the history of the ballpark. Selected moments had to relate directly to the action on the field at the time. No orchestrated events such as World Series anniversary celebrations or Orioles Hall of Fame inductions were eligible. Previous selections: 20. Matt Wieters’ debut 19. Hideo Nomo tosses the only no-hitter in Oriole Park history 18. Orioles rally from nine-run deficit against Boston 17. 30-3 – Aug. 22, 2007 Sometimes a picture tells you everything you need to know. It was a historic moment in baseball history, even if it came at the expense of the hometown team. Perhaps the most remarkable part of the Texas Rangers’ absurd 30-3 victory in the first game of a doubleheader was the fact that the Orioles led 3-0 heading into the fourth inning. If only they could have quit right there. With a score that looked more like a Cowboys-Ravens’ result — if not for the Ravens holding a 3-0 all-time record against Dallas — the Rangers became the first team in 110 years to plate 30 runs

Bordick elected to Orioles Hall of Fame

Luke Jones

The man who drew the unenviable task of permanently replacing Cal Ripken at shortstop will now join the Baltimore legend in the Orioles Hall of Fame. Former shortstop and current minor league instructor Mike Bordick has been elected to the team’s Hall of Fame, the Orioles announced in a press release Saturday. Head athletic trainer Richie Bancells was named this year’s Herb Armstrong Award winner. Signed prior to the 1997 season to take over the shortstop position with Ripken sliding over to third base, Bordick spent six years with the Orioles and was named to the 2000 All-Star team before being traded to the New York Mets at the trade deadline that season. He re-signed with Baltimore that offseason, playing two more years with the Orioles. Bordick owns the third-highest fielding percentage (.982) among shortstops with at least 1,000 games played in major league history, trailing only Omar Vizquel and Jimmy Roberts. His defense was never better than 2002 when the veteran set big league records in fielding percentage (.998), fewest errors (one), consecutive games without an error (110), and consecutive errorless chances (543). His record-setting year, however, did not net him a Gold Glove award. Known primarily for his

Top 20 moments in Camden Yards history: No. 18

Luke Jones

Leading up to the start of the 20th season at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, I take a look back at the top 20 moments in the history of the ballpark. Selected moments had to relate directly to the action on the field at the time. No orchestrated events such as World Series anniversary celebrations or Orioles Hall of Fame inductions were eligible. Previous selections: 20. Matt Wieters’ debut 19. Hideo Nomo tosses the only no-hitter in Oriole Park history 18. Orioles stage greatest comeback in team history – June 30, 2009 Another merciless pounding at the hands of Boston, or so it seemed. The Orioles had lost eight straight to the Red Sox, and their unruly traveling fans were basking in the glory of a 10-1 lead in the seventh inning. Most fans watching at home had given up on the massacre and flipped to reruns — hey, it’s hard to resist The Office — on a midsummer night of television. Nobody knew it, but the Orioles were about to thrill the few hometown fans remaining in the ballpark and stun the Sox supporters taunting those making their way to the exits. By the time the Orioles went to

Top 20 moments in Camden Yards history: No. 19

Luke Jones

To count down to the start of the 20th season at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, I take a look back at the top 20 moments in the history of the ballpark. Selected moments had to relate directly to the action on the field at the time. No orchestrated events such as World Series anniversary celebrations or Orioles Hall of Fame inductions were eligible. Previous selections: 20. Matt Wieters’ debut 19. Nomo’s no-no – April 4, 2001 Most top moments on the list fall in the Orioles’ favor, but it’s impossible to overlook something that had never happened before and hasn’t taken place since at Camden Yards. Nomomania had once gripped Chavez Ravine in the mid-1990s, but former Dodgers pitcher Hideo Nomo had seen the shine wear off the apple as he pitched for four teams in three years prior to his arrival in Boston in 2001. After being lit up in the Grapefruit League to the tune of an 11.37 ERA, no one knew what to expect as he took the hill in his first start for the Red Sox. After the Orioles had defeated the Red Sox in an 11-inning thriller on Opening Day, history would be made

Top 20 Moments in Camden Yards history: No. 20

Luke Jones

With the home opener of the 2011 season less than three weeks away, it’s nearly impossible to believe Oriole Park at Camden Yards will open its 20th season on April 4th. Since opening in 1992, the retro-classic ballpark continues to be the standard by which new parks are judged. Nineteen baseball stadiums have opened since Camden Yards first became the new “old” place to enjoy a ballgame in the shadow of the B&O Warehouse in downtown Baltimore. Even with a few minor facelifts and the well-chronicled struggles on the field, the jewel that is Oriole Park still sparkles nearly 20 years after its birth at 333 West Camden Street. To count down to the start of the 20th season at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, I take a look back at the top 20 moments in the history of the ballpark. Pleasant memories have been few and far between since — potential spoiler alert — Cal Ripken’s retirement a decade ago, but numerous snapshots have been engraved in our collective baseball memories, good and bad. In an effort to create parameters for selection, moments had to relate directly to the action on the field at the time. Therefore, no orchestrated events

Do you really care about this NFL money brawl?

Nestor Aparicio

I saw all of this coming three years ago in Palm Beach, Fla. at the NFL’s annual winter meetings amongst owners, NFL front office leaders and coaches. The owner’s voted to terminate the collective bargaining agreement, the words “uncapped year” become all the rage and here we are now at the fringe of a full-scale work stoppage, meltdown and the end of the world as we know it. I’ve spent a LOT of time over the past three years talking to virtually everyone I know in the NFL community about every facet of this negotiation in the hopes that I’d somehow be “expert” on what’s happening down in D.C. this week. I really thought that fans would be thirsty for what’s really happening behind the scenes and that somehow, there could be a happy ending behind the red, white and blue shield for 2011 football. Now that the witching hour has arrived it’s become very clear to me that the issues that are making the fight — percentages, salaries, trust, open books, medical insurance and a myriad of other arguments that have made 66 rounds of negotiating feel worthless — none of these are of any interest to most NFL

Back in Peter’s arms: When corporate media does business with Orioles the fans lose the truth

Nestor Aparicio

On Tuesday night we learned what we’ve known for months – Peter G. Angelos and WBAL Radio are going back into business together once again for the 2011 Orioles season and beyond. The old man finally gets his eternal wish – to be the king of the AM band on summer nights on a dying radio station that no one listens to anymore but cadavers and people in his age demographic who still think a “smart phone” is one with an answering machine. Funny, this is the same WBAL-AM 1090 that was also wrongfully denied media credentials the past few seasons and was considered persona non grata the nanosecond that John Angelos cut the CBS Radio deal four years ago with 105.7 FM and only after Bob Phillips squandered the longtime rights to the Ravens and allowed Ed Kiernan and the boys on TV Hill to swoop in for the purple roadkill for 98 Rock after the brand was built on the FM dial. It’s like jumping in and out of sleeping bags for both franchises and these two corporate monoliths as a formerly lucrative revenue stream – local radio rights – continues to dry up as sports fans go

Is Vlad simply Sammy Sosa version 2.0 for Orioles?

Luke Jones

It may have come seven years too late, but the Orioles finally persuaded Vlad the Impaler to bring his free-swinging talents to Baltimore. And before you shout charges of negativity and raining on a feel-good parade — fans in this town deserve a celebration as much as any city in baseball after 13 years of hell — I’ll admit to sharing enthusiastic visions of Vladimir Guerrero raking baseballs into the left field seats at Camden Yards. Guerrero brings an imposing presence to the heart of the lineup and should — along with veteran first baseman Derrek Lee — offer the legitimate protection that Nick Markakis, Matt Wieters, and Adam Jones painfully lacked a season ago. He should make the team better in 2011, though how much is up for debate. My hesitation isn’t even about the $8 million price tag that so many statheads will whine about with accusations of the Orioles bidding against themselves and blocking Nolan Reimold and Felix Pie for the possible luxury of another two wins (in terms of WAR or “wins above replacement” for the sabermetrically-challenged). The reality is sabermetrics and responsible spending habits don’t exist in a vacuum when you’re playing the free-agent market

Orioles agree to 1-year deal with Duchscherer

Luke Jones

President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail reiterated his desire at FanFest Saturday to add a veteran starter to the rotation mix with spring training just two weeks away. Just over 24 hours later, the Orioles appear to have found their man, agreeing to a one-year major league contract with veteran right-hander Justin Duchscherer — with all of 32 career starts — late Sunday night, according to multiple media outlets. The 33-year-old has a 33-25 career record in eight seasons with the Athletics and Rangers, spending most of his career as a reliever while making two All-Star teams (2005 and 2008). However, Duchscherer has battled health problems the last two seasons, pitching just 28 innings last season before undergoing hip surgery and missing the 2009 campaign with shoulder and back issues as well as a bout with clinical depression. His best season came in 2008 when he went 10-8 with a 2.54 ERA in 22 starts for Oakland. Duchscherer threw in a workout for the Orioles on Friday and had reportedly narrowed his options to the Nationals and Baltimore before agreeing on the one-year deal. Given his health issues in recent seasons, any deal with the veteran was expected to be

Orioles FanFest brings optimism, but questions remain for 2011

Luke Jones

Thousands of Orioles fans flocked to the Baltimore Convention Center on Saturday to mentally thaw out from the recent snow and shift their attention to spring and another baseball season. As is the case every year at this time, the optimistic superlatives were flying from every direction. Buck Showalter received a standing ovation when introduced to the crowd, proving he’s still the toast of the town — at least in the baseball sense — after leading the Orioles to an uplifting 34-23 record in the final two months of 2010, avoiding the 100-loss mark for a team that appeared destined at the end of July to finish as the worst team in franchise history. Second baseman Brian Roberts declared himself as healthy as he’s been in two years after missing over 100 games with an injured back and dealing with concussion symptoms that lasted until Christmas. And numerous players and coaches spoke about the marked improvements in the lineup — and defensively — with the additions of veteran first baseman Derrek Lee, third baseman Mark Reynolds, and shortstop J.J. Hardy. Some even reminded everyone the Orioles had the best record in the American League East over the season’s final two

Here’s what I think about Derrek Lee

Nestor Aparicio

The signing today of Derrek Lee is a classic Orioles move. End of the year. Low dollars. Low risk. It gives the team an aging, qualified first baseman, who will be a nice fit on a potential 4th-place, 75-win team. He’s another Kevin Millar at this point in his career. Lee will hit .254 with 18 HR and 65 RBI. Big freaking deal. Peter Angelos just put $10 million back in his pocket that he didn’t give to Adam Dunn. Once again: Angelos wins in the pocket and the fans have a lousy baseball team and the city sits empty all summer. I’ve seen it for too long. Happy New Year, Orioles fans. Buck Showalter now once again has the worst first basemen in the AL East to try to win with.

Reports: Orioles agree to 1-year deal with 1B Derrek Lee

Luke Jones

Determined not to start the new year without a first baseman, the Orioles have reached a one-year agreement with veteran Derrek Lee, according to several sources. The 35-year-old had been in talks with the Orioles and several other teams throughout the offseason after playing for the Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves last season. Lee hit .260 with 19 home runs and 80 runs batted in in 2010 before undergoing thumb surgery last month. Lee is a career .282 hitter with 312 home runs in his 14-year career with the Padres, Marlins, Cubs, and Braves. He is a two-time All Star and has won three Gold Gloves. Speculation persisted for several weeks that the Orioles were targeting Adam LaRoche after Lee had originally spurned the Orioles’ initial interest, but a diminishing number of starting first-base jobs likely persuaded the veteran to accept Baltimore’s offer. Lee becomes the third new member of the projected starting infield in 2011, joining third baseman Mark Reynolds and shortstop J.J. Hardy who were acquired in separate trades earlier this offseason.

As purple Festivus season is upon us, alas the real Grinch continues to be Peter G. Angelos

Nestor Aparicio

It’s been 51 months now since the initial “Free The Birds” campaign that we launched at WNST.net in “Year Nine of The Black Cat” and motivated more than 2,000 other brave souls who said “enough is enough” to Peter Angelos and the losing and nasty ways of the Baltimore Orioles. The holiday results are in yet again for another sad orange offseason and I’m feeling pretty confident — as is Las Vegas — that the Baltimore Orioles will not be a playoff team in 2011. And the real reason the team won’t win this year is the same as last year and the year before that: they won’t (or can’t) spend all of the millions of dollars they have managed to extract from this community via their incredibly wealthy and lean “regional sports network” called MASN. We’re talking about hundreds of millions of dollars in direct profit that was allegedly to be spent on improving the baseball team for the community to enjoy. But instead of the $150 million payrolls that were promised to “compete with the likes of the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox,” that previously earmarked U.S. money donated by Middle Atlantic cable subscribers is in

My Sarasota report: Falling in love with the Orioles and spring training all over again…

Nestor Aparicio

I made a fatal yet beautiful mistake this weekend. My mother in law has a place near Sarasota area and my wife and I used the mini-bye weekend to “visit Sarasota” just like all of the ads I saw on MASN all summer said. And you know what? I fell in love with the concept of the Orioles and spring training and Sarasota once again. A proud franchise, steeped in tradition and local lore with the likes of Brooks Robinson, Jim Palmer, Frank Robinson, Eddie Murray and Cal Ripken never saw a training facility like the one that is quickly getting erected off 12th Street in Sarasota. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-bldNihn68[/youtube] I walked around. I checked it out and I dreamed the dream of the orange Kool Aid. No doubt it’s a personal source of pride for the lovely Janet Marie Smith as she once watched Oriole Park at Camden Yards rise above the ashes of a dusty industrial wasteland six blocks west of the shining Inner Harbor 20 years ago. She is now overseeing this long-overdue re-working of the Orioles ways of spring and much like her predecessors, she’s abruptly stopped returning phone calls and emails from WNST.net. Work for a thug,

A gut-wrenching flashback for Orioles fans during ALCS

Luke Jones

The second inning of Game 4 of the American League Championship Series between the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees brought back an excruciating memory for Orioles fans tuning in on Tuesday night. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmEH7r85yrU[/youtube] Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano’s drive into the right field bleachers was ruled a home run by umpire Jim Reynolds despite the protests of Rangers right fielder Nelson Cruz and manager Ron Washington. It was eerily similar to one of the worst memories in Baltimore sports history — also taking place in the Bronx — with Tony Tarasco as the right fielder and Davey Johnson as skipper. You might want to scroll down if you have a heart condition or other stress-related conditions. [myspace]http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=15623423[/myspace] Unlike the blown interference call by umpire Richie Garcia in Game 1 of the 1996 ALCS, umpires are now afforded the luxury to review a home run in which there is possible interference. Despite a fan clearly making contact with Cruz’s glove in the field of play, the umpires made no attempt to use instant replay to see what really happened, if even to confirm Reynolds got the call right. Was it a clear case of fan interference? Maybe not, but it

Live from Camden Yards: Game 1 of Showalter Era, Orange Crush Chat at 7 PM!

Luke Jones

BALTIMORE — After weeks of speculation and a 40-minute press conference on Monday, we’ll witness the start of the Buck Showalter era in Baltimore as the Orioles (32-73) host the Los Angeles Angels (54-53) at 7:05 this evening. Showalter spoke to the media immediately after holding his first team meeting. You can hear Showalter’s first pre-game press conference with the media as well as reaction from Nick Markakis and Ty Wigginton in the BuyAToyota.com Audio Vault. It was a quiet clubhouse as Showalter met with his new team for the first time, but the new manager wasn’t surprised at the response given the way the season has gone and the changes the team has undergone since early June. “I tried to get a little feedback, but a little quiet right now,” Showalter said after meeting with his players. “We’ll do that one-on-one, but it was good. It was fun for me. I try to keep in mind [this] is the third time they’ve been through this, so I’m sensitive of that.” Showalter will spend the coming days trying to get a feel for the players on a different level from what he’s watched on television over the last few weeks.

Showalter impresses, but MacPhail’s actions will tell real story

Luke Jones

New Orioles manager Buck Showalter said all the right things when he was introduced to the Baltimore media on Monday afternoon. Showalter spoke with conviction and respect for the organization’s storied past, citing a desire to involve former players with the present organization. He stressed the goal to win as many games as possible—for the rest of this season and beyond. He talked about the only way to get people to return to the ballpark—a winning product. Showalter even plans on making Baltimore his permanent residence, embracing the fabric of the local community. As for playing in the top-heavy American League East? He insists it cannot, and will not, be an excuse for failing. He reminisced about his first trip to Memorial Stadium and his affection for late Orioles manager Johnny Oates—a friend and mentor of his—and how he’ll wear No. 26 in his memory. And despite the stoic, hard-nosed reputation that precedes him, Showalter showed a warm sense of humor in his first appearance as Orioles manager. However, through all of the rhetoric, one statement struck a chord more than any other throughout the 40-minute press conference. “One common denominator of all great organizations that are able to sustain

Here’s Buck…so where’s Peter?

Nestor Aparicio

As we watch the next press conference welcoming yet another Orioles manager to Baltimore amidst more rhetoric about the farm system, young players and how “tough” things are in the AL East, I’ll be wondering where the owner of the team is to take accountability for this 2010 meltdown. Now in their 13th year of nonstop losing one thing has remained constant — the man who is responsible for all of this civic tragedy, Peter Angelos, will be absent once again. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STRgnJzuHxc[/youtube] And once again, Angelos’ many employees in the media will be front and center to ask their newest co-worker, Buck Showalter, softball questions and lay-ups while the team flounders, the downtown business community decays and the team is 32-73. Today will once again illuminate the difference between the baseball team and the football team. When the Ravens hire, fire or take on water, owner Steve Bisciotti shows up for the press conference and sometimes painfully has to accept responsibility for failures at season’s end. Today, with the Orioles 13 years into a black hole, their owner Peter Angelos and his family will act the roles of cowards and  scarecrows — fingers pointed in every direction except the mirror

Orioles deal Tejada to San Diego, get a Wynn in return

Luke Jones

The Orioles may have only two wins since the All-Star Break, but they’ll be getting a Wynn on Thursday night. Multiple outlets are reporting third baseman Miguel Tejada has been dealt to the San Diego Padres in exchange for minor league pitcher Wynn Pelzer. The 24-year-old is 6-9 with a 4.20 ERA in 22 games for Double-A San Antonio. Tejada signed a one-year, $6 million deal to return to Baltimore in January but will now compete in a pennant race for the first-place Padres. The 36-year-old hit .269 with seven home runs and 39 RBI in 97 games for the Orioles. The deal is pending league approval, indicating the Orioles will likely pay a portion of Tejada’s remaining salary to acquire the right-handed Pelzer from the Padres system. With Tejada being dealt, third baseman Josh Bell will be recalled from Triple-A Norfolk to presumably become the everyday starter at third base. Bell is hitting .263 in 19 at-bats for the Orioles this season in two brief stints in Baltimore.

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