Ben McDonald, 1994 Fleer Ultra #3

22 years ago today, Ben McDonald scattered seven hits and four walks in six innings, allowing three runs in a 15-6 O's beatdown of the White Sox. Why is that noteworthy? As I discussed in great detail in an early post on this blog, it was the first game I ever saw in person at Oriole Park at Camden Yards...the first of many, to be sure. Just short of 11 years old, I had only recently caught baseball fever, and I couldn't have asked for anything else in that game. Brady Anderson threw out Bo Jackson at home plate to end Chicago's three-run first inning, and the Birds erased a 3-1 deficit with a monster 12-batter, seven-run rally in the bottom of the sixth. Chris Hoiles reached base in all five of his trips to the plate and provided the go-ahead hit with a three-run homer, which probably helps explain why he's still one of my all-time favorites. (Of course, David Segui added a two-run blast the following inning, and I was never that crazy about him. Go figure.) For variety's sake, Mark McLemore even chipped in with a bases-loaded walk. I'd love to track down a video of that game for nostalgia's sake.

Ben McDonald, 1994 Pinnacle #184

I remain stubbornly optimistic about the Orioles' chances to win in Kansas City tonight, and I'm not the only one. Courtesy of Twitter:

The O is 4 Orioles. Let's go O's! #OriolesMagic #OriolesvsRoyals #ALCS #kansas #bowhunt #realtreeoutdoors #whynot pic.twitter.com/3vbg7YM8ut
— Ben McDonald (@realbenmcdonald) October 14, 2014

Just to recap, Ben McDonald went out hunting today and painted an "O" into the camouflage pattern on his face. I don't see Kevin Appier in the brush with a "KC" painted on his cheek. Do work, boys.

Ben McDonald, 1990 Score Rising Stars #93

I've been talking up the O's hitters lately, so let's give a little love to Chris Tillman. He's been excellent ever since a disastrous one-inning, five-run start in Texas on June 5 that pushed his ERA to a season-worst 5.20. Last night the righty shut down the White Sox over eight innings, allowing one run (a first-inning home run by Jose Abreu) on three hits and striking out nine. He improved to 10-5 with a 3.55 ERA, and now has a streak of 14 straight starts with no more than three earned runs allowed. The last time an Orioles starting pitcher pulled that off, it was Ben McDonald in 1993. That was Ben's best full season in the majors, as his 13-14 record was offset by a 3.39 ERA (132 ERA+), seven complete games, and 171 strikeouts. But unlike McDonald, Tillman might be pitching in the postseason this year.

Ben McDonald, 1993 Bowman #437

Legend has it that Ben McDonald used to wrestle alligators down in Louisiana. I won't be seeing any alligator wrestling today, but there will be wrestling ants, frogs, snow trolls, and more. I'm getting ready to drive up to Easton, PA to see the latest Chikara Pro Wrestling show, entitled You Only Live Twice. Chikara is a small independent promotion run out of Pennsylvania that combines exciting, high-flying ring action with family-friendly bizarre characters. So enjoy a beautiful Sunday, wherever you might be. I'll be back tomorrow.

Ben McDonald, 1996 Pinnacle #120

The last time the U. S. Government shut down was 1996. The idea of a government shutdown as a negotiating tactic has aged about as well as these gray Oriole hats.

This time, I am one of the scores of federal employees who has been furloughed. The House of Representatives can't get their act together, so they've sent me home to think about what they did. I don't know how long I'll be barred from working, but I hope to make the best of it by doing some of the organizing and cleaning that this house so desperately needs. If I should happen to catch up on my sleep as well...so be it.

Ben McDonald, 1991 SCD Baseball Card Price Guide Monthly #11

There's something about a poorly-staged portrait in the glare of the sunlight with Comiskey Park's big blue ostentatious scoreboard in the background that runs counter to my image of the reserved, washed-out nature of the 1957 Topps set. This card is modeled after those Golden-Age baseball cards, but the text on the back is much more cynical than the typical copy on its predecessor. To wit:

"The days of buying rookie cards for pennies are over. That's what makes investing in Ben McDonald cards such a gamble. Although he was a two-time All-American at LSU and the '89 College Player of the Year, McDonald is still an unproven talent in the big leagues. Based on his future potential, McDonald's 1990 rookie cards are already high-priced. Until he has established himself, our advice is to proceed with caution."

That's just gross. "Investing in" McDonald cards? It's a wonder that baseball cards survived the 1990's at all.

Ben McDonald, 1994 Fleer Extra Bases Game Breakers #18

This is a pretty well-designed card, taking advantage of the horizontal format to juxtapose an action shot of Ben McDonald in mid-delivery with a zoomed-in shot of the tall Cajun in the set position. This card is also a pain in the butt, because it's oversized. At 2.5" by 4.7", it's about 33% taller than the standard card when set on its end. I've got odd cards of varying dimensions scattered around my spare room. I should really just gather them up and stash them all in a trusty shoe box. They should fit easily; that's one of the benefits of having enormous clown feet.

Ben McDonald, 1990 Upper Deck #54

I'm sure Ben McDonald looked tall enough without having to shoot him from ground level. After all, the dude is 6'7". It's also a bit jarring to see him in number 50; for most of Ben's Orioles career, he wore #19. When he debuted in 1989, he wore #23, since Larry Sheets was the incumbent #19. But I'm guessing that this photo came from a shoot shortly after the O's made him the first overall pick in the 1989 draft. They would have just handed him a jersey at random, as long as it fit. I'd assume - and hope - that he's wearing pants as well. Who's to say, though?

Ben McDonald, 1995 Collector's Choice #339

What do you suppose that crooked grimace on Ben McDonald's face means? Is he tired of smiling for the cameras, or did he have some bad pasta salad from the clubhouse buffet? For his sake, I hope it's the  first one.

Ben McDonald, 1995 Pinnacle #120

Sunday night's blog entry about the Orioles' five straight shutouts to end the 1995 season made me think about another standout pitching performance from that year.

It was Monday, June 5, 1995, and school had either just ended for the summer or we were already sliding into the abbreviated days at the end of the term. My friend H.D. was going to the game with his mother, and offered me their extra ticket. It took about two seconds for me to say yes, so they picked me up at my house and we went on our way.

We had pretty decent seats, although it's hard to find fault with any location at Camden Yards. We were down the third-base line, and we settled in for a strong matchup between Ben McDonald, who had gone 14-7 in the strike-shortened 1994 season, and Mariners ace Randy Johnson. It was 81 degrees at first pitch (so Baseball Reference tells me) and it was a clear night with a bit of wind. A fine night for baseball.

Neither pitcher disappointed, as Seattle and the O's traded zeroes for five innings. Baltimore put a runner on base in each of their first four at-bats, but never seriously threatened. A single by Cal Ripken, Jr., a walk by Leo Gomez, a single by Manny Alexander (wonders never cease), and another single by Chris Hoiles were all wasted. None of the four even made it to second base. McDonald was only slightly more vulnerable. He pitched around an Edgar Martinez double in the first, got a Mike Blowers double play grounder to negate a Darren Bragg single in the second, followed a Felix Fermin walk with a Joey Cora DP liner in the third, and yielded a Jay Buhner double and an intentional walk to Martinez in the fourth before stranding both men by striking out Bragg to end the fourth.

However, the Mariners finally broke through in the sixth. Ben started out smoothly with a pair of groundouts, but surrendered another hit to Martinez to bring Buhner to the plate. The bald, goateed slugger belted McDonald's 1-0 offering deep down the left field line for a two-run home run. Though the lanky Oriole pitcher rallied, keeping Seattle hitless throughout the rest of the game, the damage was done.

The Big Unit, on the other hand, seemed to get stronger as the game moved along. After Hoiles' leadoff single in the fourth, Johnson didn't allow another base runner. He retired the last 17 men, and if you take into account Jeff Manto's double play that wiped out Hoiles, he got 18 consecutive outs. Overall, he yielded only one walk and three hits (all singles) and struck out a dozen. He whiffed all three batters in the fifth inning, and did it again in the ninth to cap his sixth win in as many decisions on the year. He finished with a pitch count of 141, something that would be a rarity today, and had an excellent Game Score of 92. By comparison, his 1990 no-hitter against Detroit (8 K, 6 BB) garnered a Game Score of just 89. In fact, using that statistic, this game ties for 12th-best among his 603 career starts.

Ben McDonald, of course, took a heartbreaking complete-game loss. He allowed only five hits and two walks while striking out six, but three of those hits went for extra bases. It would be the best game of the year for Ben, who suffered through a frustrating injury-shortened campaign and finished just 3-6 with a 4.15 ERA in 13 starts and a single relief outing.

It's always disappointing to see your team lose a close game, but even at a young age I was aware and appreciative of the fact that I had just watched a dominant performance by one of the best pitchers in the sport.

PS: Click the box score and get a load of that stinker of an Oriole lineup. Curtis Goodwin leading off? Washed-up Kevin Bass #2? Bret Barberie at DH? Bleagh. They might have had a hard time scoring runs against the batboy.

Ben McDonald, 1995 Score Summit #4

Ben McDonald...strong like bull.

Ben McDonald, 1995 Leaf #197

Finally, our long baby-faced nightmare is over. The Orioles have relaxed their pointless facial hair policy. Note that I said "relaxed", and not "abolished". Two of the team's prominent free-agent additions, Derrek Lee and Vladimir Guerrero, have been long-time goatee guys. Buck Showalter consulted with them and the rest of the club, took this into account, and both he and Andy MacPhail apparently got High Chief and Ruler Peter Angelos to agree that the players should be allowed to have "well-trimmed" beards. This is crucial because 1) the past 13 years have proven that there is no direct correlation between smooth cheeks and chins and winning ballgames and 2) everyone looks better with a beard. Plus, any Oriole who is desperate to change his appearance for whatever reason (superstition, boredom, etc.) won't feel compelled to grow an awful mustache.

In addition to Lee and Guerrero, early reports indicate that Luke Scott and Nick Markakis are reacting favorably to the new allowance. This is unsurprising, as both are known for their impressive offseason homages to Grizzly Adams. Sadly, the "well-trimmed" codicil probably precludes those two from going completely native. But something is better than nothing.

Meanwhile, I will continue to sport my own beard, as I have for the past year and change. I really should update my profile photo on the sidebar.

Ben McDonald, 1994 Collector's Choice Silver Signature #

On June 17, 1994, the O's were hosting the Minnesota Twins at Camden Yards. A jam-packed crowd of 47,475 fans saw the home team paste the Twins by a 9-2 score. Ben McDonald went the distance to pick up his tenth win of the season. Leo Gomez and Chris Sabo each had three hits and two RBI, and Mark McLemore and Rafael Palmeiro both drove in a pair of runs as well. The victory brought the Birds to within two games of the first-place Yankees, who were managed by Buck Showalter...the same Buck Showalter who now looks poised to become the Orioles' next manager, if Andy MacPhail ever gets around to hiring him.

Last night, while waiting for the 7:00 PM slate of baseball games to start, I surfed the OnDemand channel and found a few episodes of ESPN's excellent "30 for 30" documentary series. I decided to watch "June 17, 1994", directed by Brett Morgen. Using nothing more than audio and video clips from the fateful day in question, along with background music, Morgen tells the story of the day that the Los Angeles Police Department chased murder suspect and NFL Hall of Famer O. J. Simpson across Southern California before ultimately convincing him to surrender.

The film underscores the surreality of the situation by interspersing it with telecasts of other prominent sporting events that took place on that Friday: an aging Arnold Palmer's last-ever round of golf at the U. S. Open, the New York Rangers' Stanley Cup victory parade through downtown Manhattan, Game Five of the NBA Finals between the Knicks and the Rockets, and eventual American League Cy Young winner David Cone and the Royals hosting young superstar Ken Griffey, Jr. and the Mariners. As the day goes on, many of the broadcasters of these other events offer opinions and updates on the O. J. manhunt, often expressing disbelief and confusion in their voices. Bob Costas, covering the NBA game for NBC, seems beside himself over having to cover something as trifling as a basketball game while one of the most famous and (previously) beloved athletes in the country is fleeing from a warrant for double-murder and threatening to take his own life.

It was haunting to watch this all again 16 years later. I had nearly forgotten what a circus the whole thing had been...how inconceivable it was that anybody in the public eye - and this man in particular - could have possibly committed such a violent crime. Particularly uncomfortable is the press conference in which his friend Robert Kardashian (who today is much less of a household name than each of his entitled, fame-chasing daughters) recites what seems to be a suicide note that Simpson left behind when he went on the lam. Also chilling are audio clips of phone conversations between police and the frantic, distraught Simpson, who is in his ex-teammate Al Cowlings' white Ford Bronco with a gun that he continually threatens to turn on himself.

Naturally, I still remember where I was when the infamous Bronco chase took place. I was in the basement of my house with my friend Matt, who was sleeping over that night. He had brought his Super Nintendo and we were playing...something or other, I want to say Mario Paint. We turned the game off when we'd had our fill, and turned on the TV, probably to watch basketball. Instead, NBC News cut in with coverage of the ongoing pursuit of O. J. and A. C. by the LAPD. Unreal.

Ben McDonald, 1990 Donruss Baseball's Best #114

If you're near a television tonight and you're also in the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network viewing area, you might want to check out the Orioles' exhibition game against the Yankees. Not because you'll enjoy the results (as I type, the Birds are down 4-1 in the fourth inning), but because MASN is rolling out their new "third analysts" all in one night. Eddie Murray joined Gary Thorne and Jim Palmer in the bottom of the third inning and sounded a bit nervous but in good spirits. He and Palmer told stories about hazing newer Hall of Fame inductees, and Eddie offered a bit of a scouting report on New York starter Javier Vazquez, who Murray coached against after his playing days ended. Ultimately, I think he'll be fine. His voice is silky smooth, and he's a stone-cold killer.

Mike Boddicker will drop into the booth in the sixth inning, and the other two newbies will be interviewed by roving reporter Amber Theoharis: Ben McDonald in the fourth and Brady Anderson in the seventh.

That's right. I'd previously repeated the speculation that Eddie, Boddicker, and Brady would be adding their two cents to select O's games this year, but McDonald was an utter surprise when he was announced last week. His Cajun drawl should liven up a few telecasts, and it's good to know that he's on good terms with the Birds fifteen years after he threw his last pitch for the team. I'm also glad that I have an excuse to post another one of his cards; I have no less than 80 of them in my collection.

Yes, 80. Eight-zero. Do you think the hobby spiraled out of control in the early 1990s?

Ben McDonald, 1992 Upper Deck Hologram Insert #CP3

The honors just keep coming for Ben McDonald. The 6'7" ex-Oriole has already been inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame and had his jersey number retired by Louisiana State University. Over the weekend, he was also chosen as an inductee for the 2010 class of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. Though he ranks 20th in major league history in career wins by a Lousianan, I have a hunch that the Baton Rouge native was chosen largely on the merits of his outstanding amateur career. Here are the highlights:

-All-state baseball and basketball player at Denham Springs High School

-Won a Gold medal with the 1988 U.S. Olympic baseball team

-Was a forward on the 1986-1987 LSU Men's basketball squad that reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament

-29-14, 3.24 ERA in his LSU career

-1989 Golden Spikes Award winner (most outstanding amateur player), National Player of the Year (as chosen by The Sporting News, Baseball America, and Collegiate Baseball): 14-4, 3.49 ERA, 202 strikeouts

-Led LSU to two College World Series and was a two-time All-American

-Set Southeastern Conference record with 202 strikeouts in 1989. Also set SEC records for innings pitched (152.1) and consecutive scoreless innings (44.2)

-Set LSU record with 373 career strikeouts

So when you put it that way, you can see why McDonald was a slam-dunk #1 overall pick for the O's in 1989. Sure, he never put it all together and stayed healthy in the majors, but that's life. Congrats, Ben!

Ben McDonald, 1990 Bazooka Shining Star #10

I cannot believe that Ben McDonald is celebrating his 42nd birthday. I remember this tall, lanky Cajun as the "can't-miss" prospect who was still trying to put it all together five years after being drafted first overall out of Lousiana State University. He really did seem to turn a corner in his first full season - 1992 - when he went 13-13 with a 4.24 ERA and led the Orioles with 158 strikeouts. When I started tuning into O's games the following year, Ben seemed to be coming into his own. His 13 wins were one off of the team lead, and he posted team bests in ERA (3.39), complete games (seven), strikeouts (171), and WHIP (1.23).

O's fans could be forgiven for their giddiness when he started the 1994 season by winning his first seven starts and pitching into the seventh inning in each of them, compiling a 3.08 ERA in the process. However, he cooled off and went 7-7 with a 4.56 ERA for the duration of the season, and his faint chances of winning 20 games were blunted by the players' strike that wiped out the final seven weeks of the season.

Sadly, McDonald lasted only three more seasons, throwing his final pitch in 1997 with the Brewers at age 29. Rotator cuff surgery the following February proved unsuccessful, and he returned home to Louisiana with 78 career wins. Before you shed any tears for Ben, just remember that he's one of the precious few to have the honor of wrestling Cal Ripken, Jr. in stadium clubhouses around the country. He even lived to tell of it.

Ben McDonald, 1993 Upper Deck SP #158

I dug into my box of mid-90's Orioles cards tonight with something vague, yet oddly specific, in mind. I needed to go to my happy place. After the frustration and ranting and shiny unpleasantness of last night, I had to cleanse the palate. I wanted to find something silly and unusual.

So I got halfway through the box and suddenly I found Ben McDonald, informing me that I had a front row seat to the Gun Show. Thanks for the boost, you crazy Cajun.

Ben McDonald, 1990 Score #680

Earlier this evening, former Orioles #1 overall draft pick Ben McDonald represented the team as they chose high school pitcher Matt Hobgood fifth overall in the 2009 amateur draft. While many think of the lanky Cajun as a draft bust (after all, he went 78-70 with a 3.91 ERA in his career, hardly commensurate with the hype that surrounded him), he was one of the more successful #1 picks in O's history. A quick swing by Baseball Reference's draft database tells us that including supplemental picks, 27 of the club's 55 first-round picks have made it to the big leagues. That's a 49% success rate, though Brian Matusz (and perhaps Brandon Snyder) should push the club over the halfway point in the next year or two. Let's take a closer look at some of those picks, shall we?

-With Nick Markakis still in just his fourth major league season and Matt Wieters still learning on the fly, at this point I would declare Mike Mussina to be the best first-rounder selected thus far by Baltimore. The O's actually drafted Moose twice; in 1987, they'd tabbed him in the 11th round coming out of high school, but he didn't sign. Good things come to those who wait!

-A good runner-up is Bobby Grich, who the Birds selected in 1967 and coaxed away from UCLA, where he was slated to compete for the starting quarterback job. Grich was a six-time All-Star and the winner of four Gold Gloves at second base, and he's woefully underrated these days. Twenty picks later, the club selected Don Baylor with their second-round choice. Pats on the back all around!

-Brian Roberts was one of the supplemental picks, as he was taken with the 50th overall pick in 1999. That selection was awarded to the O's as compensation for losing Rafael Palmeiro to free agency. Thanks to the departures of Palmeiro, Roberto Alomar, and Eric Davis after the 1998 season, the team had 7 of the first 50 picks. In a perfect exhibition of both the uncertain nature of the draft and the shaky judgment of that particular front office, Roberts was the only one of those seven to have anything approaching a solid career. The others: Mike Paradis, Richard Stahl, Larry Bigbie, Keith Reed, Joshua Cenate, and Scott Rice. Eugh. For what it's worth, Erik Bedard was the team's sixth-round choice that year.

-Pitcher Pete Harnisch was also a supplemental pick, chosen 27th overall in 1987 as compensation for the loss of Rick Dempsey. He won 111 games in his career, though 95 of them came after the dag-blasted Glenn Davis trade.

-None of the team's 29 picks in 1983 made it to the major leagues. The #1 choice was high school pitcher Wayne Wilson. Whoops.

-Some notable players who were drafted in later rounds by the Orioles but did not sign: Bill Fahey, 1968 (Brandon's dad, made a career as a backup catcher); Dick Ruthven, 1969 (17-10, 3.55 for the 1980 World Champ Phillies); Rick Honeycutt, 1972 (LHRP lasted 21 years in the majors, mostly with the A's and Dodgers); Bob Melvin, 1979 (a decade later, finally joined the O's); Cecil Fielder, 1981 (future Tigers slugger turned down what must have been awesome bonus money as a 31st round pick); Walt Weiss, 1982 (1988 Rookie of the Year with A's); Dell Curry, 1985 (future NBA three-point specialist was also a RHP at Virginia Tech); Joey Hamilton, 1988 (won 74 games in 10 seasons); Mike Lansing, 1989 (.271 hitter with the Expos, Rockies, and Red Sox); Michael Young, 1994 (five-time All-Star SS for the Rangers); Mike MacDougal, 1996 and 1998 (O's attempted drafting the one-time Royals All-Star closer twice); Cliff Lee, 1998 (last year's AL Cy Young - what could have been!).

Ben McDonald, 1995 Emotion #5

Well, I didn't make it to the ballpark in time to get a Wild Bill Hagy shirt last night (since the folks at the gate apparently didn't abide by the 15 and up age restriction), but the Orioles won a thrilling 6-5 game with two runs in the bottom of the eighth for their twentieth comeback victory of the year. That is, of course, the greater good, particularly since the team is now 2-0 in 2008 when I'm in attendance. I like to keep track of those little things, so with my birthday coming up in less than two months (yes, I'm counting), I took the time to put together a little project the other day. I was curious to see just how the O's have fared throughout history on August 5.

As it happens, there's something about my birthday that suits the Birds. From their first season in Baltimore (1954) through 2007, they've played 49 games, with 29 wins and 20 losses, a .592 winning percentage. They've done even better since I came into the world in 1982: 16-8, winning two out of every three contests, including five straight between 1992 and 1996. Big Ben McDonald won two of those himself, back-to-back complete games in 1993 and 1994, both against the Milwaukee Brewers (totals: 18 IP, 9 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 13 K, 0.50 ERA, 0.72 WHIP). The latter game was a one-hit masterpiece in hostile territory; Brew Crew pitcher and future Oriole Ricky Bones also went the distance, incidentally. 1993 and 1994 just happened to be my first two years as a baseball fan, and I appreciate his considerable efforts to ensure that my eleventh and twelfth birthdays were especially happy ones.

Believe it or not, there was an O's pitcher whose August 5 feats topped even Ben's heroics. Less surprisingly, it was Jim Palmer, who won all three of his decisions while allowing just one run in twenty-seven innings and striking out twenty-two. So he's the official August Fifth Oriole, but I'll go into much more detail at a later date.

I should also mention before I go that the Orioles are currently riding a four-game win streak on my birthday, and they'll go for a tie of the 8/5 record on Tuesday, August 5, 2008 in Anaheim. Can they do the improbable? Stay tuned!

Ben McDonald, 1992 Upper Deck #163

Here we see Ben McDonald wearing the vintage threads of the 1966 Orioles, the city's first modern baseball champion. The 1991 team would have been commemorating the 25th anniversary of the club's rousing four-game World Series sweep of the Koufax and Drysdale Dodgers.

It's good to see Ben multitasking, signing autographs while consenting to an interview with an unseen reporter. It even seems like he's skillfully ignoring the overly needy shouts of the kid behind him in the too-large cap. The best thing about this photo is seeing both the pitcher (and the Orioles as a whole) getting the concept of a throwback uniform right. More recently, it seems like every player that takes the field wearing a design from bygone days is draped in yards of baggy fabric, which may be acceptable as a tribute to the early 1900's, but couldn't be more wrong when flashing back to the polyester knit era. Unfortunately, we can't see Ben's lower body, but based on other cards in the set, I have reason to believe he may have even gotten the leg wear correct.

This year marks another 25th anniversary. It has been a full quarter-century since the Orioles last won the World Series, an event that I was much too young to experience. The team has already announced plans for Turn Back the Clock nights, fan giveaways, and appearances by former players. The 1983 Orioles were a great team full of talented players, and there's nothing wrong with celebrating your past.

I just wish we had something to celebrate in the present, or at least the near future.