Good morning, Camden Chatters.
Although there clearly are nonetheless plenty of obstacles that may very well be thrown in its means, the 2021 MLB season is nearly beginning to really feel…actual.
Pitchers and catchers are set to report in 4 days. Spring coaching video games start on the finish of this month. And yesterday, MLB introduced the common season recreation instances for all 30 groups. So, it appears like we’re doing this factor! 162 video games or bust!
Notably, the Orioles’ schedule options 6:35 begin instances for all weeknight video games in April, Could, and September, a shift the membership had initially deliberate for the 2020 season earlier than the pandemic struck. The comparatively early begin time was designed to permit households with kids to attend extra video games on faculty nights. So the truth that the O’s try it once more this 12 months signifies that they anticipate to permit followers into the ballpark, although the membership hasn’t made an official announcement about what number of might be permitted to attend.
The O’s even have plenty of weekday afternoon video games on their slate — eight of ‘em in all, together with Memorial Day and Labor Day, in addition to the house opener April 8. There’s additionally a Sept. 16 recreation that begins at 5 pm, for causes I can’t discern.
Granted, with COVID-19 nonetheless ravaging the nation, this schedule might nonetheless change at any time. Final 12 months’s initially deliberate 162-game slate was in fact shortened to 60, and even that authentic 60-gamer was upended inside the season’s first week, as a coronavirus outbreak on the Marlins turned an Orioles scheduled collection in Miami into a house collection towards the Yankees.
Time will inform how a lot of this 2021 schedule will really play out as deliberate. However for now, it appears good to see all of it in print.
Hyperlinks
Orioles 2021 prospect rankings: Keith Law on Baltimore’s top 20 – The Athletic
Keith Regulation ranks the Birds’ prime 20 prospects, and he’s positively the excessive man on Adam Corridor, whom he ranks sixth (in comparison with MLB Pipeline’s sixteenth), forward of even Gunnar Henderson. Right here’s hoping his optimism on Corridor proves to be nicely based.
Norfolk Tides to remain Orioles’ affiliate for another decade – The Virginian-Pilot
Excellent news: the Orioles’ Triple-A affiliate is formally locked in for 10 extra years. That’ll hold the O’s from having to relegate their minor leaguers to, like, Ottawa. (Bear in mind these lean years?)
Orioles look for leadoff hitter, DH; Núñez signs minor league contract with Tigers – BaltimoreBaseball.com
Wealthy Dubroff counsel Cedric Mullins because the Orioles’ most definitely leadoff hitter, which might shock me as a result of I don’t foresee him even being an on a regular basis participant. My selection could be Austin Hays, however no one requested me.
Why does Camden Yards have a Ruth statue? – Orioles.com
I might’ve merely answered this, “As a result of he was born in Baltimore, duh,” and stopped writing. However Joe Trezza, being extra skilled, goes into rather more element concerning the Bambino’s early connections with the town.
Orioles birthdays and historical past
Is at present your birthday? Blissful birthday! Three All-Star Orioles pitchers have been born on this present day: right-hander Jerry Walker (82), stress-inducing nearer Don “Full Pack” Stanhouse (70), and the late Pat Dobson (b. 1942, d. 2006). Dobson’s two-year stint in Baltimore was a referendum on the uselessness of win-loss stats for pitchers; in 1971, he went 20-8 — one of many Birds’ 4 20-game winners that 12 months — but in 1972, he had a league-worst 16 losses regardless of making the All-Star workforce and having an an identical ERA+ because the earlier 12 months.
At this time can also be the birthday of two guys who mixed for simply 11 video games with the Orioles: catcher Chris Snyder and outfielder Adam Stern, who flip 40 and 41, respectively.
On this present day in 1987, the Orioles signed two-time All-Star Ray Knight, contemporary off successful World Series MVP honors with the Mets, to be their new third baseman. It didn’t work out. Knight posted a mediocre .683 OPS for an O’s membership that misplaced 95 video games, then was traded to the Tigers after the season.
