B'More Boppers, 2017 Topps #36

I'm brushing off the dust for the first blog post of 2018, some ten years and two days since I began this little adventure. At the very least, I want to say I've had a more active offseason than the Orioles. Well, I actually don't want to say that at all, but I may as well clear the below-sea-level bar that Dan Duquette and Co. have set for me.

I'm trying to live a more purposeful life in some ways in this new year, prioritizing methods of self-care and day-to-day living that have gotten lost in the shuffle. That includes my writing, so here I am for as long as I can stick to it. Today's card came from my stocking, because my wife (and Santa Claus) knows what I like. So, how have you all been? As for me:

-First and foremost, I'm currently the father of a very active and curious 18-month-old. I can barely believe it myself. Finn is growing and learning every day, and he makes us laugh and melt and throw up our hands in frustration all at the same time. We brought him along to seven games at Camden Yards last year, and he ran up an impressive 6-0 mark before Dylan Bundy and a snoozy O's offense let him down in a 7-4 loss to the Yankees on September 4. But he seems to love the sights and sounds of the ballpark. When we rolled the dice and took Finn to his first night game on August 5 (my birthday, don'tcha know), he quite pointedly stayed awake and mostly alert throughout the club's 5-2 comeback win over Detroit. Staying up three-plus hours past bedtime and cheering for a three-homer outburst from Adam Jones, Tim Beckham, and Welington Castillo took its toll, of course...the kiddo was out cold in his car seat before we made it onto I-95 for the trip home.

I don't know if Finn will have a consistent love for baseball throughout childhood, but the early signs are good. One of his newest words is "hat", and he'll point to his bitty Oriole Bird cap on its perch by the kitchen door. When we take it down for him, he'll wear it around the house as he plays.

-My wife Janet has now officially been cancer-free since her surgery in September 2016. She finished radiation just before Christmas 2016, and wrapped up a clinical trial of an oral chemo drug last May. Her oncologist's preferred target is three years from the initial diagnosis - March 1, 2019 in this case. It seems so far away, but we will get there.

-As I alluded to above, it's as frustrating to be an Oriole fan right now as it has been in...five or more years, easily. The Birds just had their first losing season since 2011, and they truly earned it with some putrid starting pitching and a handful of lame offensive performances (paging Mark Trumbo). As the Yankees begin loading up on big names again, Baltimore...stands pat. They've already missed their window to trade Zach Britton for anything of value, and now he's out until at least July with an Achilles tear. They fielded offers for Manny Machado (who, to my frustration, they did not manage to extend at any point in the past six seasons, during which time it should have been priorities #1-10 on their list), unsurprisingly couldn't find anyone willing to part with two MLB-ready starting pitchers for a one-season rental, and backed off from declarations of Manny's availability. So, if you're not tearing down and rebuilding, what are you doing? Reloading for the season ahead? Forget that. Here's the list of pitchers that the Orioles have signed this offseason who project to join Bundy and Kevin Gausman in the rotation, addressing the screaming need for a team whose starters barfed up a 5.70 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, and .837 OPS allowed in 2017:


...Oops. C'mon, guys. Get creative, get aggressive, get...somebody. Mike Mussina isn't walking through that door, and if you don't wake up, even the likes of Lance Lynn, Alex Cobb, and Jaime Garcia will be off limits.

-I don't want to end on a down note. Otherwise, life is good. We are rolling with the punches and doing what we can to make our world a little bit better. I hope you are too. As always, thanks for reading. Welcome back.

Manny Machado, 2014 Stadium Club #52

I'm not one to condone violence, but on the other hand, what could be more violent than hurling a small, hard projectile directly at another person at 99 mph? I'm not thrilled that Manny Machado's retaliatory punches and takedown of Kansas City pitcher/petulant man-child Yordano Ventura will result in a suspension for the Orioles' best player, but I'm glad he defended himself and that he connected when he swung. Oh, and if living well is the best revenge, there is the fact that the O's beat the crap out of Ventura in a baseball sense, battering him for six runs in his abbreviated start. Immediately after Yordano was ejected for his beanball, Mark Trumbo (20 HR) and Chris Davis (12 HR) went back-to-back against reliever Chien-Ming Wang, who is apparently still active. Adam Jones added another longball the following inning, and the Birds romped to a 9-1 win to match their season-best mark of 11 games over .500. The scuffling Royals, meanwhile, are losers of six straight. Let's make it seven tomorrow.

Manny Machado, 2013 Panini Pinnacle #163

My reward for sticking out last night's 10-inning, three-hour and 22-minute slog of an Orioles game was that I got to see history. For the first time ever, the O's won on a walkoff passed ball. Caleb Joseph started the rally with a two-out double, and Joey Rickard's infield single (his third hit of the night) and Manny Machado's walk loaded the bases for Adam Jones. The center fielder took ball one from rookie reliever Joe Biagini, fouled off a pitch, and then took a second pitch. That one squirted away from Toronto catcher Josh Thole, and Caleb dashed home with the winning run. It's always fun to see somebody get doused with a celebratory cooler full of water for scoring on a catcher's mishap.

Machado continued his hot start with two hits and an RBI in addition to his two walks, as he's now kicked off the 2016 season with a 14-game hit streak and counting. At the end of last night's game, his batting line was a robust .407/.467/.796. Oh, and he's doing a fairly bangup job with the glove and arm at third base as well. Basically, I'm ready for the Birds to give Manny as much money as it takes to keep him in Baltimore for years to come.

Manny Machado, 2015 Topps #136

I'm almost ashamed to admit that I did not stick out the Orioles' 3-2 walkoff victory on Opening Day until the bitter end. My sister and I arrived at Camden Yards at about 12:30 Monday afternoon, and after wandering the stadium for two hours and witnessing the half-hour of pregame ceremonies, we were frustrated to see the tarp pulled onto the field despite a lack of rain. The O's ground crew tried to make the call based on the radar, and came up empty. We waited out a delay of an hour and 40 minutes in nothing stronger than a light drizzle, only to see the rain start in earnest almost as soon as the game actually started. Two innings in, the tarp came back out. It was 5:30, meaning that we'd already been in the ballpark for five hours, and with the intensity of the precipitation, we knew it'd be another hour at least before they would be ready to play again...if they resumed at all. So we threw in the towel. I rationalized it, as we also had tickets for Friday night's game against the Rays.

Naturally, Friday night's game was also challenging from a weather perspective. Clear skies, but it was windy with temperatures in the mid-40s. This time, we toughed it out. Janet came along with us, since extra tickets were readily available. We all bundled ourselves in our warmest orange and black finery and were treated to a fairly quick 6-1 victory, the Birds' fourth straight to start the year. Chris Tillman, T. J. McFarland, and Brad Brach limited Tampa Bay to five hits and three walks, and the O's clubbed four solo homers, including three in the span of 11 pitches in a wild fifth inning. Chris Davis kicked off the team's scoring with a towering blast to center field in the second inning, thereby earning everybody in attendance a coupon for a free Grand Slam breakfast from Denny's. The multi-homer outburst in the middle of the game came from the bats of Jonathan Schoop, Nolan Reimold, and Manny Machado. It was the second of three straight games (and counting) in which Manny has gone deep. Also of interest, Machado had a rare start at shortstop on Friday, as J. J. Hardy rested a tight calf muscle. He fielded his position without a hitch, of course. Moreover, Janet maintained her status as the team's good luck charm.

Today, the O's completed their weather-shortened two-game series sweep of the Rays with a 5-3 win. With a 5-0 record, they're the only undefeated team left in the big leagues. It matches the best start in team history, as the 1970 Orioles also won their first five games. I've heard something about that season ending in a particularly satisfying manner...

Manny Machado, 2014 Panini Donruss #125

When you're hot, you're hot. The O's win streak has reached six straight games, as they throttled the Yankees again tonight by a 9-4 score. Another 15 hits for the Baltimore bats, including home runs by Nolan Reimold, Manny Machado, and David Lough. Manny had three hits and four RBI, and is on a 14-for-30 pace over his last seven games. That's the kind of performance you like to see from a leadoff hitter. The top of the American League East is getting pretty cozy, with the Yanks dropping into a first-place tie with the Rays. The Blue Jays, who have used some sort of dark Canadian magic to rattle off ten consecutive wins of their own, are one game behind the leaders, and the Orioles are lurking a game back of Toronto. Meanwhile, Boston is firmly in the cellar with a 27-36 record, five games behind Baltimore and seven back of first place. The next 101 games should be interesting.

Manny Machado, 2014 Bowman #110

If the Orioles were bothered by having to play an afternoon game in a completely empty Oriole Park at Camden Yards, they sure didn't let it show. The Birds came out swinging today with a six-run outburst in the first inning, en route to an 8-2 win in a tidy two hours and three minutes. Chris Davis had the big blow with a three-run home run that landed on Eutaw Street. WGN announcer and resident White Sox homer Hawk Harrelson's subdued call created a unique moment, as MASN's Gary Thorne and his more enthusiastic call of the blast were audible on the Chicago station's broadcast. Thorne was on his game throughout the unusual proceedings, as evidenced by his seventh-inning impression of a golf announcer during an Adam Jones double. Manny Machado also had a good day, going 3-for-4 with a single, double, homer, and three runs scored.

Though Baltimore's baseball fans were not permitted to enter the ballpark today, a small group of diehards still made their presence felt. A smattering of folks watched from the balconies of the Hilton across the street, with an O's banner hung over the railing. Still more Birdbrains stood at the gate outside of the bullpen picnic area, gazing in at the action on the field and cheering loudly enough to be heard on TV and radio on a number of occasions. As I drove home from work and listened to Fred Manfra and Joe Angel describing a mostly uneventful ninth inning, the chants of "Let's Go O's!" came through loud and clear. When winning pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez was asked about the would-be Knothole Gang after the game, he broke out in a big smile. It would definitely not have occurred to me to eavesdrop on the empty-stadium game, but I'm glad that a few others did.

Manny Machado, 2013 Topps 1972 Mini #TM-65

Marked-down blasters of 2013 Topps Series 2? Don't mind if I do! I earned it by enduring an hourlong commute yesterday afternoon, yet still stopping at Target to pick up a few household items. Though I had no luck pulling Orioles from the few packs of 2015 Topps I got weeks ago, this Psychedelic Tombstone Mini-Manny was in the second pack of my newly purchased box. The text on the back informs me that he was the first position player under the age of 21 to debut for the O's since Eugene Kingsale in 1996. Now there's a name I didn't expect to see on a 21st century baseball card. If you were wondering, Manny has 296 big league games under his belt as of this writing, so he's already got more staying power than the Aruban-born Kingsale (211 games in parts of seven seasons, which in itself is surprising to me).

Now we'll see if my luck keeps going, as I head to Camden Yards in hopes that the Birds and Yankees can squeeze in nine innings despite the rain.

Manny Machado, 2014 Topps Tribute #69

Tonight baseball season seemed much closer than it has yet this year. At 7:05, I tuned in to MASN to see the Orioles field their regular starting lineup against the Blue Jays. Well, Ryan Lavarnway was catching, but Matt Wieters still pulled DH duty as he continues to work his way back from elbow surgery. But there were plenty of positive things to see, like Manny Machado playing a spring training game after late-season knee surgery and delivering a couple of hits from atop the batting order. Chris Davis blasted a three-run homer to center field, and later Jonathan Schoop added a two-run shot. Miguel Gonzalez started and tossed a pair of scoreless innings, and seven relievers each added a shutout inning of their own: Brian Matusz, Darren O'Day, Zach Britton, Tommy Hunter, Brad Brach, Chris Jones, and Mychal Givens. All but the last two figure to be regulars again in 2015, and they got in their work in a 5-0 victory. Cal Ripken was even there to throw out the first pitch. So we're one day closer to the games that matter.

Manny Machado, 2014 Topps Gypsy Queen Debut All-Stars #AS-MM

It's not been an ideal weekend for the Orioles. Two straight losses to the inhospitable Cubs, and the unwelcome news that Manny Machado is officially out for the rest of the season and the postseason with his second knee surgery. I guess it's better that it's the right knee this time, instead of a second operation on the left...but you wonder how many key players the O's can lose while maintaining their winning ways. Tomorrow is another day, I guess.

Manny Machado, 2014 Topps 1989 Mini #TM-31

Dear Manny (cc: Manny's Right Knee):

Please, please, PLEASE be okay. Pretty please.

Manny Machado, 2012 Bowman Platinum Prospects Refractor # BPP23

I never thought I'd be relieved to see the Orioles salvage a four-game series split in Houston, but the baseball season is long and trying. Manny Machado, still struggling to regain his pre-injury form, made the difference today with his first career grand slam in a 9-4 victory. It came on the heels of an intentional walk delivered to Nick Markakis, and it also provided some measure of retribution against Astros starter Scott Feldman. The ex-O's pitcher had previously knocked Nelson Cruz out of the game after plunking him on the hand with a fastball. Fortunately x-rays were negative, and the league's leading slugger is considered day-to-day, just like the rest of us.

Manny Machado, 2013 Topps Update 1971 Mini #TM-50

Mail call! I don't trade with Greg (a.k.a. Night Owl) very often, but it's always a pleasure. Yesterday afternoon there was a small padded envelope in the mailbox from Upstate New York with ten assorted Orioles tucked inside. Despite trading blind, Greg managed not to send me any duplicates! There were a few Manny Machado cards, including this sharp-looking insert from last year's update series. Topps Archives, throwback mini inserts in the flagship, Heritage...nobody flogs their own history quite like Topps! (Okay, maybe the Yankees.) My Manny collection can use the boost, since I'm hoping to have plenty of reasons to talk about him on the blog in 2014. There was also a Scott McGregor sticker, a shiny foily Roberto Alomar card from the days before Upper Deck got muscled out of their MLB license, a 2001 Topps Chrome "retrofractor" team card that was shiny on the front, thick cardboard stock on back, a 2008 UD Documentary Nick Markakis (eight down, 154 to go!), a 2009 Goodwin Champions preview card of Cal Ripken, 2013 Allen and Ginter minis of Adam Jones and Eddie Murray, a 2013 Topps Update Chrome Bud Norris, and a Kevin Gausman insert from 2014 Topps Series One. I thank Greg from the bottom of my heart, and I hope he finds next week's return package to be full of joy and want list fulfillment.

Manny Machado, 2013 Topps Allen and Ginter #120

Last night, Manny Machado became the second Oriole third baseman to ever win a Gold Glove. Of course, the other guy won 16 at the hot corner, so the O's are still well-represented in the annals. Machado, as always bears repeating, is only 21 years old. Brooks Robinson had to wait until he was 23 to receive his first award. Young Manny's incredible range, sure hands, and super-powered throwing arm helped him to beat out a bumper crop of skilled third basemen. Fellow finalists Evan Longoria and Adrian Beltre already had six Gold Gloves between them. Baltimore's emerging star was drafted and developed as a shortstop, and is still nimble enough to play at his natural position. One can't help but wonder how dazzling he might be at short.

Of course, Manny is playing at third because of the Birds' incumbent shortstop, J. J. Hardy. Hardy just won his second straight Gold Glove, joining the duo of Mark Belanger and Cal Ripken as the only Baltimore shortstops to win multiple Gold Gloves. Another returning Gold Glover is center fielder Adam Jones, who collected his third trophy in the past five years. Paul Blair is the other O's flychaser to earn consecutive Gold Gloves.

The Orioles took home three Gold Gloves, just as they did in 2012. This tied them with the Royals for the most in the major leagues. Two K.C. Gold Gloves came at the expense of Baltimore finalists, with Eric Hosmer beating out Chris Davis at first base and Salvador Perez besting Matt Wieters at catcher. But then, Hardy topped Alcides Escobar and Jones topped Lorenzo Cain, so THERE.

It's always nice to see the home team add a little hardware, especially when they're receiving notice for their record-setting defensive prowess.

Manny Machado, 2013 Panini Triple Play #8

It's pretty damned fun watching Manny Machado play every day. He won't be able to legally buy his own beer for another month, and yet he's batting .317, leading the league with 27 doubles, and playing highlight-reel defense at third base. Manny is even running second in American League All-Star voting at his position, although it looks like Miguel Cabrera will run away with the contest. No worries; soon enough Machado will be back in his natural position of shortstop, where the competition will be less stiff. There could be lots of Midsummer Classics in his future.

Manny Machado, 2011 Bowman's Brightest #BBR19

Well, at least there's one team in the Orioles farm system that knows what it's like to win. Last night the Single-A Frederick Keys topped the Kinston Indians 11-3 to win the Carolina League's Mills Cup Championship, taking the best-of-five series three games to one.

Led by shortstop Manny Machado and second baseman Jonathan Schoop, the two top offensive prospects in the organization, the club had the best record in the league in 2011, going 80-59. It was also the best mark in the 23-year-history of the Keys. In the first round of the playoffs they outlasted the Potomac Nationals, three games to two. Then they dropped the opener against Kinston before running off three straight victories. Last night's rout was an unusual game. After falling behind 2-0 in the first two innings, Frederick exploded for 11 runs in the top of the third to bury the Indians. They took advantage of three Kinston errors and the exclamation point was provided by Machado's three-run homer. The O's first-round pick in the 2010 draft had four RBI total in the inning and seven for the series, helping him capture MVP honors. He batted .344 in postseason play, and Schoop compiled a .314 average. The Keys waited out a pair of hour-plus rain delays on the evening to bring home the fourth championship in franchise history and the first for any O's affiliate since the 2007 Frederick squad won it all.