Brady Anderson, 1995 Fleer Flair #1

Okay, I gave Blogger a week off to think about what it did to my pictures, and now that it seems to be behaving I'll post the rest of my photo diary of FanFest.

Naturally, Finn LOVED the special Chris Davis-riffic MTA bus.

 The Bird swapped caps with Finn.

 This was the only picture we got where Finn was actually facing forward.

 I snapped a candid shot of Brady Anderson at one of the autograph stations. I think he drinks stem cell smoothies for breakfast each day. Seriously, he is 54! That's Miguel Castro partially visible on Brady's right, and on the end (not pictured) was Roger McDowell.

 Here we were strolling down the Eutaw Street concourse en route to the clubhouse tour.

 "You, there! Hit a home run!"

 I'm sure Earl Weaver made that same face in the dugout all of the time.

 Love this picture.

 I can't believe how great the field looked in January. I could probably get a good night's sleep on that grass.

 Walking past the warehouse on the way back to the car. See you in March, Birds!

Brady Anderson, 1997 Fleer Ultra #2

Countdown to Parenthood has reached nine days...or less. (Please take your time, kid.) Are we ready? Will we ever truly be ready? Probably not, but we have a pail full of clean cloth diapers and a freezer full of donated breast milk, so I guess the necessities are in place.

Huh...eight years ago, I never would have thought I'd be mentioning breast milk on this blog. It's a brave new world.

Brady Anderson, 1994 Fleer Flair #251

Baseball has a nearly limitless ability to surprise. Would you ever have suspected that Brady Anderson's resume would someday include both a 50-homer season and a position as a trusted executive in the Orioles' front office? The O's have been a competitive team for the past five seasons, and for much of that time they have kept me guessing. After last year's frustrating 81-81, third-place finish, I wasn't brimming with optimism for 2016. I didn't figure on the team retaining Chris Davis, Matt Wieters, and Darren O'Day. Even after they did so, I didn't think it would be enough to boost them back to the top of the division. I didn't expect Mark Trumbo, acquired from Seattle in a salary dump, to be closing in on 20 home runs in the first week of June. When the Orioles stumbled in recent weeks, losing seven of nine games (including dropping the first two of a four-game series vs. Boston), I didn't foresee them bouncing back to win five of the next six and counting. They're doing it in quite unusual ways:

-Last Wednesday, they outlasted the Red Sox in a bizarre 13-9 slog. I was there, and stuck around as it took 3:58 to play eight and a half innings. The Sawx outhomered the Birds 5-0, and it didn't matter.

-Thursday the O's clobbered Boston again, 12-7, and this time blasted seven home runs, one of them by rookie catcher Francisco Pena, who was recalled from AAA Norfolk earlier in the series after Caleb Joseph hit the DL. Ubaldo Jimenez blew a 4-0 sixth-inning lead in the blink of an eye, but the Baltimore offense was up to the task.

-Over the weekend the Orioles took two of three from the Yankees, earning comeback wins against dominant relievers Dellin Betances on Friday and Aroldis Chapman on Sunday. Yesterday's game was especially remarkable, with Chapman blowing a save following a 97-minute rain delay in the eighth inning; Matt Wieters erased a 1-0 New York lead by turning an 0-2, 101-mph fastball into a single up the middle to un-load the bases. Even in Saturday night's 8-6 loss, the O's nearly wiped out a 7-0 deficit with six runs in the seventh before running out of gas.

-Tonight the string of weird W's continued with a 4-1 victory over the scuffling defending World Series champs from Kansas City. Mike Wright was so putrid in a 2.2-inning start last Wednesday that he was immediately sent down to Norfolk, only to return to Charm City when Darren O'Day landed on the DL. Given a second chance, he held the Royals to a single unearned run on five hits and two walks over seven innings to earn his first win since May 14. Scoreless through six innings, the Baltimore bats woke up for three home runs and four runs total in the seventh and eighth innings to salt the game away.

Sure, the Red Sox are probably still the favorites to take the East, but it's the Orioles who are in the lead after a bit more than one-third of the season. They've had at least a share of first place for 48 days this year, after enjoying the top spot for just 11 days in 2015. What's not to like?

Brady Anderson, 2001 Donruss #66

Tonight the Orioles throttled the Phillies 19-3. They scored in all but one inning, and put up three or more runs in four separate innings. Oh, and I buried the lede - the O's set a new team record with eight home runs. The record-breaker was hit by Ryan Flaherty off of Philly outfielder Jeff Francoeur, who took one for the team by tossing 48 pitches over two innings. Manny Machado led off each of the first two innings with homers, Chris Parmelee added a pair as part of his four-hit Oriole debut, and Jimmy Paredes, David Lough, Chris Davis, and Flaherty had one apiece. It was the most runs scored by the Birds since a September 28, 2000 rout of Toronto that ended up at 23-1. That day, the O's also had a leadoff homer - from Brady Anderson. So it's been a minute.

Did I mention that I was at tonight's game? Well, I guess I did, just now. Thanks for the fireworks, guys.

Brady Anderson, 1993 Topps #355

I'm crossing the streams between this site and my ongoing 1993 Topps blog, where today's featured card is Brady Anderson. I never realized how much value Brady brought to the Orioles via his on-base skills. He peaked with a .404 on-base percentage in 1999, but his OBP was at least 93 points higher than his batting average each year of his career after his rookie season. It was .362 for his career (compared to a .256 AVG), thanks in large part to his ability to draw walks. He ranks second to Cal Ripken in career walks as an Oriole with 927. Of course, he was also willing to take one for the team. He was hit by a pitch 154 times in his career, 148 of those in a Baltimore uniform, a franchise record. Brady led the American League in times plunked in 1996 (22 HBP), 1997 (19), and 1999 (24). It hurts just thinking about that.

Brady Anderson, 2000 Pacific Omega #17

Is Brady Anderson in the middle of a headfirst slide into third base, or is he on an invisible hang glider? It's just another one of life's mysteries.

Brady Anderson, 1997 Pinnacle Inside #20

I'm posting this card tonight because it may feature the least flattering photograph I've ever seen of Brady Anderson. I don't make this claim lightly; I have 205 distinct Brady cards in my collection. I know there have been whispers and snide comments about the former O's outfielder ever since he seemed to pull a 50-homer season out of thin air in 1996, but even at the time I don't remember him ever looking so...bulky. The goatee isn't a great look either, but we've all been there at one time or another. Personally, I just find it encouraging to know that even Brady Anderson has days when he's not looking his best.

Brady Anderson, 1993 Topps Black Gold #24

Since I showed off the Mike Devereaux Black Gold card on Tuesday night, here's the other half of the team set. It looks like Brady Anderson's bat is coming right at you, doesn't it? Much like Devo, Brady had a career year in 1992...at least to that point in his career. Though he later reached new heights with an out-of-nowhere 50-homer season in 1996, the young outfielder from California established his big league bona fides in '92 with a .271/.373/.449 batting line and an OPS+ of 130. He scored 100 runs and notched 28 doubles, 10 triples, 21 home runs, 80 RBI, and 53 stolen bases. Brady had a lot to do with the Orioles improving from 67 wins in 1991 to 89 in 1992, and Topps gave him his due by including him in their insert set.

Brady Anderson, 1997 Circa #352

The last time the Orioles were in first place in the American League East at the All-Star Break, it was 1997. Baseball cards looked like this (but not all of them, thank the gods), Brady Anderson was leading off for the A.L. All-Stars, and the (Devil) Rays and the Diamondbacks still hadn't made their debut. Back then, the O's had a seven-game cushion over the Yankees en route to a wire-to-wire division title. This year, they might only be up four on the Blue Jays and five on New York, but it's always better to be the team being chased. Now it's time to see if I can get through Adam Jones' swings at the Home Run Derby without muting Chris Berman and John Kruk. It's a long shot.

Brady Anderson, 1992 Baseball Cards Magazine #70

For an oddball card that was cut out of a glossy cardboard magazine insert, this is a nice-looking card. The color choices in the photo complement the usually-blah 1970 Topps design that this card borrows. The picture itself is a somewhat unconventional choice, a zoomed chest-and-above shot of Brady Anderson in profile as he lifts a practice bat behind his head. The photographer was even savvy enough to shoot Brady from his left side, away from the ear flap. You wouldn't want those showcase sideburns to be covered up.

Brady Anderson, 1997 Donruss Preferred #193

Today marks an important arbitrary milestone for this blog. This is the 2,130th entry published. You might have expected a Cal Ripken card, but he only had one home run and two singles in his 2,130th consecutive game played back on September 5, 1995. Brady Anderson, on the other hand, had a pair of solo home runs and a double. So really, wasn't he the star of the game? You could also make a case for Scott Erickson, with his complete-game, three-hit, nine-strikeout shutout of the Angels.

That's what really keeps you coming back to this blog, right? My ability to keep you guessing?

Brady Anderson, 1997 Upper Deck Long Distance Connection #LD2

If you live on the East Coast, I hope you had the good sense not to travel long distances today. We got at least six inches of snow here in Baltimore, with more "wintry mix" on the way. I have my fingers crossed for a snow day tomorrow, but at the same time I'm not holding my breath. Anyhow, it's always nice to see a little white stuff, and it inspired my wife to do some holiday baking. No complaints from where I sit.

Brady Anderson, 1999 Skybox Thunder #78

I found a Skybox Thunder card that I hadn't posted yet. Do you know what that means? More terrible 90's faux-street verse!

"Goin' yard at Camden is all good for you, B, and you're one of the best at it...gettin' straight jiggy."

How did we ever survive that ridiculous decade?

Brady Anderson, 2001 Fleer Genuine #55

In this case, I'll assume that "Genuine" is shorthand for "Genuinely disturbing veins protruding from Brady Anderson's right forearm".

Brady Anderson, 2001 Playoff Absolute Memorabilia #66

Chris Davis is on pace for 58 home runs this season. Sure, "on pace for" is a load of hooey. It's a long season, and it's full of variables. But I've seen enough wondrous things from Crush over the past calendar year that I'm not going to discount the possibility. He's certainly well on his way to knocking Brady Anderson from the top of the Orioles' single-season leader board for home runs. It was a real bizarre thrill to watch the Birds' sideburns-sporting leadoff hitter blast 50 homers in 1996. Brady was on a team that featured Cal Ripken, Jr., Chris Hoiles, Bobby Bonilla, Roberto Alomar, and Eddie Murray...and HE was the headline-grabbing power hitter.

But Brady's had his fun. It never seemed quite right that he was the team's record holder, especially since he displaced Frank Robinson's legendary 1966 Triple Crown season from the top spot. So I'm unofficially starting the countdown. Chris Davis needs 25 home runs in the next 89 games to get the job done. I like his odds.

Brady Anderson, 1998 Stadium Club #188

Brady Anderson just keeps climbing the ladder in the Orioles organization. It was only 13 months ago that the former outfielder was named (deep breath) Special Assistant to the Executive Vice President for Baseball Operations. This past Tuesday, he was promoted to Vice President of Baseball Operations. In addition to having a much more concise job title, Brady will have a "new and expanded role" per front office honcho Dan Duquette. No specifics yet, but the expectation is that he will still be dealing primarily in player relations and development as well as physical training. When I was watching Brady Anderson do his thing in the O's outfield back in the 1990s, I don't think I ever imagined that he would have a significant role in the team's front office some day. At any rate, better him than Mike Pagliarulo.

Brady Anderson, 2001 Upper Deck Reserve #36

Here's the first selection from the Mystery Box O'Wonder that reader William/Zach (a man of many names) sent earlier this week. It's a well-known fact that Brady Anderson has kept himself in outstanding shape as he nears age 50. However, in this late-career photo, his age is showing a bit. There's something about the sharp angle of those sideburns, the lines on his face, and that sideways leer that makes him look like somebody's lecherous uncle. Sure, everybody wants a piece of you when you're in your twenties, hitting homers and stealing bases, and 90210 is still culturally relevant. The next thing you know, you're 37, your team is in the tank, and your OPS is in the low .600s. Baseball is a young man's game. It's cruel, but it's true.

Brady Anderson, 1992 Leaf #343

Oh, there's the agony of defeat. I'll start unpacking my memories of the Orioles' 2012 season tomorrow. Today, I'm just letting it breathe.

Brady Anderson, 1997 Pinnacle Xpress #38

Watch out, tiny Brady Anderson on the right! There's a much bigger Brady Anderson on the left side of the card. He's headed straight for you, and he looks pissed off. I'm not sure that your tiny (albeit proportional to your body) bat will be enough to defend you.

Brady Anderson, 1993 Donruss Spirit of the Game #SG17

This is one of a couple dozen Brady Anderson cards that I picked out from the nickel and dime boxes at the last card show I attended, and it's the rare card that I'll scan front and back. I always liked this insert set from Donruss, since it relies on action photography and often features a sequence of shots from one play. In this case, Brady is sliding head first into second base. The right field scoreboard at Camden Yards is visible in the background, and the old Champs Sports sign makes me a tinge nostalgic. Rangers infielder Jeff Frye is unable to dig out the low throw, so chances are good that Brady is safe. There aren't enough context clues for me to narrow it down further, but I can tell you that this photo was taken during a Rangers-Orioles four-game series in Baltimore from July 23-26, 1992. Frye started all four games at second base for the visitors, and Anderson batted leadoff and started in left field all weekend. Texas took three out of four games, and Brady went 4-for-15 with a pair of doubles, a couple walks, and 3 RBI. He also scored twice and stole two bases, and was picked off first base once.