Other than the O’s crashing and burning, it has objectively been a pretty entertaining MLB postseason, as all four Division Series are currently in a 1-1 tie.
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
For many Orioles fans, the end of the O’s season last week marked the last time they’d watch any baseball in 2024. That’s perfectly understandable. We’ve been watching this team for more than six months with only the most pitiful payoff, a two-game sweep in the postseason. I don’t blame anyone who is all baseballed out with no team left to root for and who wants to find something else to do with their time.
But October baseball has continued without the Orioles, and every remaining team has been fighting tooth and nail to advance. Yesterday in the two AL Division Series, the Tigers pulled off a shocking win over the Guardians on Kerry Carpenter’s three-run homer off the most dominant closer in the game, Emmanuel Clase, to break a scoreless tie in the ninth. Clase, it should be noted, had allowed only five earned runs the entire regular season. That result pulled the Tigers into a 1-1 tie as the best-of-five series shifts to what will be a raucous Comerica Park crowd for Detroit’s first home playoff game in a decade.
The Royals, too, are about to host postseason baseball for the first time in a long while — nine years — and are deadlocked with the Yankees after gritting out a 4-2 victory in Game 2 in the Bronx. Cole Ragans wasn’t as dominant as he’d been a week ago against the Orioles, lasting only four innings this time, but the K.C. relief crew held the line. All four Division Series are now in a 1-1 tie, as the two NLDS resume tonight with the Phillies–Mets and Dodgers-Padres both squared up.
As I watch teams pull off these thrilling, improbable postseason wins — especially young clubs like the Tigers who are brand new to October baseball — it makes me all the more frustrated that the Orioles put up such a lifeless performance. They seemed to lack any kind of energy or spark or cohesiveness that has characterized so many of their fellow playoff teams. On paper, the O’s were a more talented group than, say, the Tigers or Royals, yet those teams are still playing and winning while the Birds went home almost instantly.
It sure feels as if those teams are playing like more than the sum of their parts. And the O’s played like less.
Links
Baltimore Orioles owner David Rubenstein’s thoughtfulness has him off to strong start – Sports Business Journal
Every interview with David Rubenstein that I read makes me more and more excited that he’s the one calling the shots for the Orioles. Of course, I could see myself doing a complete 180 on that opinion if he doesn’t shell out some dough for free agents this offseason.
Boom-or-bust Orioles hope to rely less on the home run next season – The Baltimore Banner
Dingers are fun! But I see the Orioles’ point here. Not every situation calls for swinging for the fences, and it would be useful if they knew some other ways to score runs.
Should Orioles change their hitting coaches? | MAILBAG – BaltimoreBaseball.com
Now that Brandon Hyde’s job has been declared safe, the O’s hitting coaches are the next target of ire among Orioles fans on social media. Rich Dubroff, for what it’s worth, thinks the Orioles will make some staff changes, though not necessarily the hitting coaches.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! And happy 35th birthday to the best, out-of-nowhere surprise story of the Orioles’ 2024 season, Albert Suárez. The Venezuelan righty, signed to a minor league deal after six years pitching overseas, proved to be a godsend for an injury-riddled O’s rotation, gobbling up 133.2 valuable innings and posting a 3.70 ERA in his first MLB action since 2017. Perhaps Albert will spend part of his birthday watching his brother, Robert, close out a game for the Padres in the NLDS.
Five former Orioles have Oct. 8 birthdays, including outfielder Keith Reed (46), infielder Enos Cabell (75), and right-handers Manny Barreda (36), Mike Morgan (65), and the late Bob Mabe (b. 1929, d. 2005).
The Orioles have played six postseason games on this date in history, going 4-2:
- In 1966, the O’s took a commanding 3-0 lead in the World Series against the Dodgers, as 21-year-old Wally Bunker followed Jim Palmer’s example in Game 2 by throwing a complete game shutout (and Dave McNally would do the same in the clincher the next day). A Paul Blair fifth-inning solo homer off Claude Osteen provided the game’s only run as a crowd of 54,445 took in the festivities at Memorial Stadium.
- In 1974, the Orioles lost Game 3 of the ALCS to the Athletics, putting them into a 2-1 deficit in the best-of-five series. This time the O’s were on the wrong end of a 1-0 score, as Jim Palmer threw a complete game but made just one mistake — a Sal Bando solo HR — while former AL MVP and Cy Young winner Vida Blue threw a shutout for the A’s.
- In 1983, the Orioles defeated the White Sox in the ALCS with an extra-innings win in the decisive Game 4. O’s starter Storm Davis and reliever Tippy Martinez combined for 10 scoreless innings, and after Chicago starter Britt Burns threw nine shutout frames, the Birds broke the scoreless tie in the top of the 10th. Tito Landrum tagged Burns for a go-ahead dinger and a Gary Roenicke RBI single and Benny Ayala sac fly provided insurance, sending the Orioles to the World Series.
- In 1997, the O’s opened the ALCS with a shutout win at Camden Yards, 3-0, over Cleveland. Scott Erickson fired eight shutout innings, Brady Anderson and Roberto Alomar homered, and closer Randy Myers struck out two in a perfect ninth to seal the victory.
- In 2012, the Orioles defeated the Yankees in Baltimore, 3-2, for their first home playoff victory in 15 years. The Birds got the best of Yanks postseason legend Andy Pettitte, tallying three runs on RBI singles by Chris Davis and Mark Reynolds. Wei-Yin Chen delivered a quality start for the O’s and was backed by flawless relief from Darren O’Day, Brian Matusz, and closer Jim Johnson. The O’s tied the best-of-five series at one win apiece.
- And on this day last year, the Orioles lost to the Rangers in Game 2 of the ALDS, 11-8. There is no reason to discuss that game any further.