Scott McGregor, 1986 Donruss #291

There's something reassuring about picking up a stack of ugly-ass mid-eighties Donruss cards 35 years later and learning new things. From flipping this card over and reading the back, I discovered that Scott McGregor's middle name is "Houston". He grew up in California, so he wasn't named after his hometown. I've also learned that as of 1986, Scotty was living in Phoenix, MD - 14 miles away from my current domicile. Oddly enough, he was also a switch hitter. He never batted in the regular season, but did step to the plate 11 times in World Series play. He went 0-for-9, but did walk twice and score once. So that's a .182 on-base percentage...which is probably better than I managed in little league.

Scott McGregor, 2009 Grandstand IronBirds #16

I just pulled out a team set of Aberdeen IronBirds cards from 2009. It's been six years, so even though Cal and Billy Ripken's team is in the short-season low-A New York-Penn League (too many hyphens!), I figured that one of these guys might have broken through for at least a cup of coffee in the big leagues by now. A shot of espresso, maybe? Uh, nope. So instead, enjoy this Scott McGregor card. Scotty has been coaching in the Orioles organization since 2002, including multiple stints at Aberdeen and even a short turn as the O's major league bullpen coach two years ago. So at least somebody from the '09 IronBirds made it to Baltimore.

Scott McGregor, 1982 Fleer #172

On Twitter, on team blogs, in the local mainstream media, you can't avoid the Orioles' magic number. As of this writing, it's a Scott McGregor special: 16. Any combination of Oriole wins and Yankee losses adding up to 16, and Baltimore has its first American League East title since 1997. That's pre-Clinton impeachment, pre-Rays (hell, pre-Devil Rays), pre-Google. I have to confess that I've been keeping tabs on the Orioles' magic number for several weeks now. Ever since the team first opened up a sizable lead in the American League East with their early August surge, I've been mentally crossing games off of the schedule with impatience. They've finally reached the top, I thought. Just let them play keep-away from the Yanks, Jays, and Rays. Can't we fast-forward through these last 40-50 games?

I feel like I've been sounding some variation on this theme for much of the past three seasons, but this is alien territory for me. The O's did not play a single meaningful game in September for 14 years. The Orioles were overpaid, over-the-hill losers in 1998. They were anonymous, nosediving losers in 2002 (4-32 after August 23!). They were regressing-to-the-mean, malcontent losers in 2005. They were overmatched, laughingstock losers all through the Dave Trembley years of 2007, 2008, and 2009...he was gone by the summer of 2010, replaced by Buck Showalter (following the near-endless interim tenure of Juan Samuel) and leaving behind a gruesome 21-59 aggregate record in September.

Rooting for the Orioles seemed futile and hopeless more often than not in the first dozen years of this century, but never moreso than in September. Winter and spring brought pie-in-the-sky, best-case-scenario daydreams. The first half of the season was a small enough sample size for even the most wretched and raw clubs to scrape together a few good weeks here and there and maintain respectability. But by the season's final month, the grind of 130-plus games seemed to beat both fan and team into submission. Five months of constant travel, accumulated aches and pains, and the ascendancy of superior competitors took their toll. The lack of roster depth in the Birds' organization would be laid bare, night after ugly night. With school in session and football in season, crowds dwindled away to nothing. I'd turn on a game, or more rarely drag myself out to Camden Yards, and watch faceless scrubs get pounded by all comers. It just seemed inevitable.

Here is a non-comprehensive list of players who appeared in Baltimore's starting lineup in the team's season finales from 1998 through 2011: Lyle Mouton, Eugene Kingsale (twice!), Jesse Garcia, Mike Figga, Fernando Lunar, Rick Bauer (also twice!), John Stephens, Carlos Mendez, Jack Cust, Jose Morban, Eric DuBose, Bernie Castro, Walter Young, Sal Fasano, Fernando Tatis (this was 2006, not 1999), Chris Gomez, Brandon Fahey (God help us, also twice!), Raul Chavez, Tike Redman, Luis Hernandez, Scott Moore, J. R. House, Freddie Bynum, Brian Burres, Michael Aubrey, Lou Montanez, Jeff Fiorentino, Felix Pie, Josh Bell, Alfredo Simon.

If that was hard to read, imagine how hard those games must have been to watch. It might seem unfair to include 2011 (by way of starting pitcher Alfredo Simon), but the warm and fuzzy end results don't change the fact that the desiccated corpse of Vlad Guerrero batted cleanup that night.

2012 will always be the ultimate "is this really happening?" season for O's fans. That team wasn't expected to be adequate, much less a 93-win postseason entrant. But that team also needed every one of its 20 September and October wins to squeak by the Rays and the Angels...all of that just for the privilege of playing a sudden-death elimination game on the road against Yu Darvish and the powerful Rangers. There was no time to catch your breath, no chance to look ahead and count down and make plans.

So here we are. 81 wins (that number alone was unreachable for years). 57 losses. Nine and a half games up. 24 left to play. 16 away from clinching the division. Two back of the Angels for the league's best record, and with it home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. I'm as superstitious as the next baseball fan. I worry about jinxes and overconfidence and setting myself up for disappointment. But if you can't enjoy the tale that these standings tell, what hope is there for you? So I'll keep hoping, projecting, dreaming, and counting down.

16.

Scott McGregor, 1988 Topps #419

This may be my favorite of the five autographed cards I received from Alan this week. Scott McGregor's 1988 Topps card rekindles a lot of memories; I've owned a copy since childhood, long before I even followed baseball. It's such a unique photo. How often do you see a shot of the pitcher just standing atop the mound to receive the return throw from his catcher? That Scotty's eyes look to be closed makes it stand out all the more. The orange-and-brown color scheme that Topps used for the Orioles in this set complements the picture very well. I think the autograph just adds to the aesthetic: it's very distinct in its own unintelligible way.

In housekeeping news, I will likely be incommunicado blogwise until Monday. My wife and I are spending the weekend visiting her family. See you next week!

Scott McGregor, 1983 Fleer #66

It has been exactly 30 years since Scott McGregor pitched the game of his life, permitting seven Phillies baserunners (five hits, two walks) and striking out six in nine scoreless innings. Eddie Murray broke out of his Fall Classic slump with a pair of home runs, and Rick Dempsey sewed up MVP honors with a double and a homer. It took the Orioles just two hours and 21 minutes to complete a 5-0 victory, clinching the franchise's third World Series Championship...and to date, their last.

The O's haven't even been to the World Series since their 1983 triumph, though they finally seem to be moving in the right direction for the first time since the late 1990s. But it's a simple fact that there are 18 other franchises that have received that shiny trophy in the time that's passed since Cal Ripken caught the final out three decades ago. Of the 11 teams wandering the wilderness with the Birds, two others (Rays and Rockies) have come into existence in the interim. There are six pre-1983 expansion teams that have never won a Series: Colts/Astros, Pilots/Brewers, Mariners, Expos/Nationals, Padres, and Senators/Rangers. Then there are the truly unfortunate: the Pirates (last champs in 1979), Indians (1948), and of course the Cubs (1908). That's not exactly the company you want to keep.

I consider myself lucky to root for a team that has counted itself as a contender for the past two seasons.  But I've made it to 31 without being able to root for a World Series winner, and I'd love to knock that one off of my checklist sooner rather than later.

Scott McGregor, 1985 Topps #550

On this date in 1976, the Orioles and Yankees completed a massive ten-player trade that stocked the O's roster for the next decade. Going to New York: Grant Jackson, Doyle Alexander, Ken Holtzman, Jimmy Freeman, and Elrod Hendricks. Coming to Baltimore: Rick Dempsey, Scott McGregor, Tippy Martinez, Rudy May, and Dave Pagan. Dempsey claims that Ron Guidry was originally supposed to be sent to the Birds as well, but he's never let facts get in the way of a good story, so who knows? As it was, the O's came out on top in this swap, as Rick, Scotty, and Tippy combined to play parts of 36 seasons in Charm City. All were contributors to the 1979 American League Champions and the 1983 World Champions, and kept the Orioles competitive in most other seasons as well. Even Rudy May won 29 games in a year and a half in Baltimore. I don't say this often, but thank you, Yankees!

Scott McGregor, 1982 O-Pee-Chee #246

Let's try to forget that the Orioles failed to score a run for 22 consecutive innings heading into the All-Star Break. Most of the team will now have four days off, and when they resume play in Baltimore on Friday they will do so with a 45-40 record. The O's have cleared the first half as the second-place team in the monstrous American League East, and they're still fending off the Rays, Indians, Tigers, Red Sox, Blue Jays, and Athletics for the second wild card spot. All of this was achieved with only 17 games played by Brian Roberts and 16 by Nolan Reimold, to say nothing of the broken hamate bone that has cost Nick Markakis the last 35 games.

As long as we're here, we'll take note of the bilingual cover boy, Scott McGregor. The southpaw was named to his only All-Star team in 1981 by virtue of a 6-2 record with a 3.15 ERA in the strike-shortened first half. The abbreviated schedule cost Scotty a shot at his second straight 20-win season; he won 7 of his 10 decisions after play resumed in August to finish 13-5 with a 3.26 ERA overall. In a normal 162-game season, he would have likely made a dozen additional starts.

Vintage Fridays: Scott McGregor, 1980 Topps #237

This is the second weekend in a row that I've been derelict in my posting duties. With yesterday being Black Friday, the more masochistic among you might not have missed me anyhow. I was fortunate enough to spend the day not fighting the retail hordes, but sharing food and laughs with friends and family. I had a calorie-rich IHOP breakfast with my parents, sister, and brother-in-law, followed by our traditional holiday-themed afternoon at the movies. This year's selection was Arthur Christmas, a surprisingly hilarious and heartfelt animated story about the forgotten member of the North Pole's first family. I had just enough time to come home and feed the cats before driving up to Towson to enjoy some Thanksgiving leftovers at my friend Kerry's apartment. At 10:00 last night, about a dozen of us relocated from Kerry's place to the Hunt Valley movie theatre to see the new Muppets movie. If you're reading this, I suspect and sincerely hope that you grew up with Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, and the rest. You owe it to yourself to see this movie. It was fun and clever and absolutely in the spirit of the classic Jim Henson Muppets. So I didn't make it home until nearly two in the morning, which is why you're getting your fill of Vintage Friday on a Saturday.

There's no great rationale for going with Scott McGregor for this blog entry. I just wanted to call attention to the fact that Eddie Murray is lurking at his post at first base in the background. You could improve upon any Orioles card by slipping Steady Eddie into the mix.

Scott McGregor, 1984 Fleer #646

Now that the world has been spared a 41st World Series appearance by the Yankees, I'll turn my attention to the National League Championship Series, where the Giants have a chance tonight to clinch their first World Series appearance since 2002. They're trying to deny the Phillies their third straight N.L. pennant, and are also trying to win their first world championship since moving west from New York in 1956, as hard as that seems to believe. San Francisco is in this position because they have an excellent collection of starting pitchers, including Matt Cain. Cain combined with two relievers to shut out the Phillies on three hits in Game Three on Tuesday night, no easy feat when you consider that Philly's lineup boasts stars such as Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, and Jayson Werth.

It had been a while since the Phils had been blanked in the postseason...27 years to be exact. The last pitcher to whitewash them was none other than Scott McGregor on October 16, 1983. He performed the feat in the Orioles' Game Five World Series clincher, holding the Phillies to five hits and striking out six. It was the final postseason game for McGregor, who had an excellent track record in October: three wins, three very tough losses, and a 1.63 ERA. He also totaled 45 base runners in 49.2 innings, a superb 0.91 WHIP. All three of his losses were quality starts: in Game Seven of the 1979 World Series he allowed only two runs in eight innings, but the O's went on to lose 4-1. In 1983's ALCS opener, he permitted just two runs (one earned) in six and two-thirds innings, but Cy Young winner LaMarr Hoyt blanked the Birds until the ninth and prevailed 2-1. In that year's Fall Classic opener, he allowed a pair of runs in eight innings but again dropped a 2-1 final, this time to John Denny. On the flip side, all three of Scott's postseason wins were complete games: a six-hit shutout of the Angels in Game Four of the 1979 ALCS, an 8-4 win over the Pirates in Game Three of the 1979 World Series, and his aforementioned victory over Mike Schmidt, Joe Morgan, Pete Rose and the rest of the '83 Phillies. Eat your heart out, Jack Morris.

Scott McGregor, 1983 Topps #745

Scott McGregor is wearing long sleeves; judging from the green backdrop, I'd say he's likely pitching in Memorial Stadium on a chilly April afternoon. It's so unmercifully cold in Baltimore right now - and has been so for the past few weeks - that I would kill for some brisk early Spring weather. I'm sure I've discussed my intolerance for frigid temperatures and early sundowns before; simply put, I was born in August and I live for summer. The older I get, the less tolerant I am of winter's bitter indignities. Grasping for extra layers of clothing and blankets, commuting to and from work in the dark, shivering bitterly as I struggle to complete my thoughts, listening jealously as the school closings are reported on the radio, suffering from chapped lips and dry skin, eschewing any and all outdoor activity...these are a few of my least favorite things.

C'mon April...and make sure that June, July, and August follow closely behind.

Scott McGregor, 1985 Fleer #183

After much debate, I would like to award the 1984 Orioles MVHH (Most Valuable Hair Helmet) to Scott McGregor. Actually, there was stiff competition, chiefly from fellow pitcher Tippy Martinez. Ultimately, the combover factor and mustache quotient pushed Scotty over the top. Besides, take a look at that icy death glare from #16. Would you want to tell him that he was once again the runner up? That is not a man who easily accepts bridesmaid status. So congratulations and kudos are in order.

Suddenly I have the urge to rewatch Anchorman...

Scott McGregor, 2004 Maryland Lottery #20

On an absolutely frigid day in the mid-Atlantic, it's as good a time as any to reminisce about one of the all-time great Orioles teams. I just remembered a decrepit old photo album stuffed in a box in my closet. In that album are ten pictures of the 1979 Orioles, photos that my Aunt Denise snapped at a rally for the team that autumn in downtown Baltimore. In the process of scanning them, I discovered that they're a little worse for wear, but I still think they're worth sharing. Enjoy!


Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Jim Palmer.


Dave Skaggs and Rick Dempsey prepare to catch some tosses as Cal Ripken, Sr. and other team personnel observe.


El Presidente! Dennis Martinez is ready for his closeup.


Eddie Murray: The Man.


Elrod Hendricks flashes the smile that made him the goodwill ambassador of Orioles baseball. There's also a rear view of Jim Palmer...ahem.


Check out the banner behind Mike Flanagan: "Go to bat for the Birds."


It would be a shame for Don "Fullpack" Stanhouse to hide that outstanding hair underneath a cap. (ETA: A subsequent email from Ed brought it to my attention that this is probably Steve Stone.)


Do you suppose Ken Singleton is signing one of his baseball cards?


There's a lot of funny business going on for Scotty McGregor. His eyes are obscured by his cap. Speaking of the cap, that can't be an official Orioles uniform piece. The Bird looks grotesque and distorted. Then there's the WJZ Channel 13 jacket with yellow t-shirt underneath. Why was the young lefty out of uniform? Did his luggage get lost?


A great picture of Tippy Martinez, with Cal Senior in the background.


To close things out, who else but "Brother Lo", a.k.a. John Lowenstein?

Scott McGregor, 1986 Leaf #165

That's right, I'm on vacation again. Just a long weekend in Williamsburg; I'll be back on Tuesday! In the meantime, enjoy more of This Day in Orioles History.

This Day in Orioles History: September 27, 1986

Orioles 7, Brewers 0 at County Stadium

As the Orioles' first losing season in several years ground to a finish, veteran lefty Scott McGregor provided a brief respite by two-hitting the Brewers. After a leadoff bunt single by Paul Molitor, the O's pitcher retired the next twenty-four batters in order, a streak that ended with Rick Cerone's leadoff walk in the ninth inning. McGregor improved to 11-14 on the season, and tossed his twenty-second career shutout.

The O's provided their pitcher with a healthy margin of error before he even took the mound, chasing Milwaukee starter Juan Nieves with just one out in the top of the first inning. Six of the seven batters that he faced got base hits, with Eddie Murray's two-run double counting as the biggest blow. John Shelby provided more of a cushion with a two-run single in the third inning. Rookie outfielder Ken Gerhart chipped in with three hits and a pair of RBI himself.

Unfortunately, the Birds lost six of their final seven games after this big win in Milwaukee, perhaps hastening skipper Earl Weaver's decision to end his second managerial stint.

Scott McGregor, 1987 Fleer #475

Scott McGregor is peering in for the sign. But maybe he's looking for something else. The look on his face is one of confusion, uncertainty, perhaps even disgust. Maybe he's trying to recapture something he's lost.

Three years before this picture was taken, Scott McGregor experienced the greatest moment of his career, standing on the mound in Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia as Cal Ripken, Jr. caught the final out of the clinching game of the 1983 World Series. Catcher Rick Dempsey ran to the mound and embraced McGregor, who had shined on the biggest stage of them all, shutting out the Phillies on five hits and two walks with six strikeouts. He'd avenged a Game One loss in which he'd been almost as strong (four hits and two runs in eight innings), but was undone by an Oriole offense that mustered only a Jim Dwyer solo home run. You could have made a strong case for Scotty as Series MVP, but that honor went to Dempsey for his unlikely offensive surge (.385, 4 2B, 1 HR). But personal accolades didn't matter as the two were engulfed by their jubilant teammates.

But three years had passed in the blink of an eye. In 1986, the Orioles were suffering through their first losing season in two decades. McGregor was suffering as well, logging his first losing record since his rookie campaign in 1977 (11 wins, 15 losses). He's staring into the catcher's glove, and wondering where those three years went. He's wondering where he goes from here. The answer would be less than promising. After another subpar season in which he was relegated to the bullpen, he would get pummeled in his first four starts of the disastrous 1988 season. On May 2, 1988, he suffered the indignity of being released by the only major league team he'd ever played for, his career over at age 34.

Similarly, I'm sitting here today wondering where the last three years have gone. In Spring of 2005, I took a job that was supposed to be a stepping stone, something to pay the bills for a year or two while I found something that I really wanted to do (and could do) for a living. All of a sudden, I'm approaching my three-year mark in this job, and I'm no closer to moving on. I still don't know what to do, and I've got no leads.

Meanwhile, change is occurring all around me. Since October of last year, there have been four engagements in my circle of friends. Last night, my roommate Mike informed me that he'd be looking for his own place in June when our apartment lease ends. He and his girlfriend figure to be engagement number five before too long. I'm honestly not surprised; they've been together since college and she's almost done with graduate school. But Mike and I lived together for two years in college and have shared an apartment for the last - you guessed it - three years. It's going to be a tough change. I have three months to figure out where I'm going to be living, and who I'll be living with. This is of course complicated by my desire to find another job. If I don't know for sure where I'll be working and how much money I'll be making, that throws a major kink into my plans. I feel like I had three years to prepare for this moment, and I fell asleep at the switch.

Scott McGregor did land on his feet after the rocky conclusion of his playing career. He's led a life of faith, serving as a minister in the Baltimore area, and ultimately returned to the Orioles organization as a minor league pitching coach. This year, he returns to the Aberdeen IronBirds, for whom he coached in their inaugural season in 2002. Hopefully I'll find my own path before another three years have passed.