Nolan Reimold, 2006 Tristar Prospects Plus #75

It's good to see Nolan Reimold finally get some regular playing time, and it's even better to see him taking advantage of the opportunity. Finally free from the shadows of Felix Pie, Luke Scott, and Vlad Guerrero, the power-hitting left fielder is getting results as the team's new leadoff hitter. Last night against the Blue Jays, Nolan doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly in the first inning, singled, stole second base, and scored the tying run in the eighth inning, and added an important insurance run with his first homer of the season an inning later. Sure, he also made a costly error to give Toronto their second run in the fourth inning. And although his batting average is .308, he has yet to take a walk. So he's still got some work to do. But at least he's getting the chance to hone his skills in an everyday game situation without fear of being buried on the bench.

Vintage Fridays: Sam Mele, 1954 Topps #240

58 years ago today, it all began.

It was a dry, warm Tuesday afternoon in Detroit, Opening Day of the 1954 baseball season at Briggs Stadium, which most fans came to know as Tiger Stadium. The home team was hosting the Baltimore Orioles, who had spent the previous 52 seasons existing as the St. Louis Browns, second-class citizens in their own city and the bottom-feeders of the American League. Now they had traded in brown caps for black ones and moved to the East Coast, but the talent-deficient roster was essentially the same. Most O's fans today wouldn't recognize many of the names.

-Second baseman Bobby Young was the first batter in team history, wearing the uniform number 5 that would soon be claimed by a young third baseman who stayed around for more than 20 years. Young grounded out to first base to break the ice on Baltimore's return to the majors after a half-century absence.

-Center fielder Gil Coan, batting third, singled off of Tigers starter Steve Gromek for the Birds' first hit. The 32-year-old would be out of the league within a couple of years.

-Don Larsen (there's a familiar name) threw the first pitch for the club, and struck out the first batter he faced, Detroit second baseman Frank Bolling. He wasn't as fortunate in subsequent innings, permitting leadoff home runs to Ray Boone, Walt Dropo (who finished his career as an Oriole in 1961), and Bolling in innings 4, 6, and 7. Those three homers accounted for all the scoring in a 3-0 loss; both starters went the distance but Gromek kept Baltimore inside the park and off the scoreboard. The defeat was the first of a league-high 21 for Larsen and the first of 100 for the seventh-place Orioles. The equally woeful Athletics, playing out their final season in Philadelphia, lost 103 to keep the O's out of last place.

-Incidentally, Larsen also had the team's first extra-base hit, a double in the fifth inning.

Other notable firsts would have to wait for the next day's game. Left fielder Sam Mele drove in Bobby Young in the first inning of that contest with the Orioles' first run. The O's pushed across three runs in that frame and starter Duane Pillette made them hold up, earning the first win in team history by a 3-2 margin.

The Orioles had their home opener on Thursday April 15, topping the White Sox 3-1 in another squeaker, with Bob Turley turning in the third straight complete-game effort by a starter. Bespectacled catcher Clint "Scrap Iron" Courtney hit a home run in the fourth inning, the first ball to clear the fences at Memorial Stadium and one of just 38 career homers for him. Power was not a strong suit for those Orioles, who were dead last in the league with 52 total home runs in 1954. The Senators were next-to-last with 81, and the Pirates brought up the rear with 76 in the National League. Vern Stephens led the Birds with 8 home runs.

It wasn't always pretty, but the men, women, and children of Charm City finally had a big league team of their own.

Cal Ripken, Jr., 1994 Score Burger King #7

I finally organized the pile of cards that I bought last weekend. While I couldn't quite complete the 2004 Maryland Lottery set, I did compile a few Cal Ripken, Jr. oddball sets. One of them was the nine-card set that includes this card and was sold at Burger King in 1994. This is my favorite card in the set, as it offers a fantastic panoramic view of Oriole Park at Camden Yards. I'm thankful that my eyes are still sharp enough to read the scoreboard, which easily allows me to figure out which game is pictured. Harold Baines is at bat, and he's facing White Sox reliever Roberto Hernandez. It looks like Chicago has scored in double digits, unfortunately. I can also see from the out-of-town scoreboard in right field that Marquis Grissom has hit an RBI single for the Expos. To Baseball Reference!

Our featured game took place on Sunday, July 11, 1993. Incidentally, that was two days after I attended my first game in Camden Yards, which had a much more pleasant result for the O's. On this day, the Birds dropped an 11-5 decision to the Pale Hose. They reached that year's Cy Young Award winner Jack McDowell for 10 hits and 5 runs, including a couple of home runs by Baines and Ripken, but were undone by a subpar start by Jamie Moyer, who couldn't get through the fifth inning and allowed five runs of his own. Todd Frohwirth fanned the flames in relief, coughing up five more runs in just an inning and one-third. Frank Thomas had two home runs, and Ozzie Guillen (of all people) took Frohwirth deep as well. Bo Jackson also chipped in with three RBI. The Orioles fell to 47-41, but were still only one and a half games out of first place in an American League East that lacked a runaway leader.

This photo comes from the bottom of the ninth inning. In his second inning of work, Hernandez got Harold Reynolds to ground out, but a Mark McLemore double and an infield single by Mike Devereaux have kept the O's on life support. Baines will walk to load the bases for Cal, who unfortunately lines out to second baseman Craig Grebeck for a game-ending double play.

I'm always kind of bummed out when I pinpoint the game featured in a baseball card photo, and it turns out that the Orioles lost that game. Obviously that's a likely outcome in recent years. So it goes.

Harold Reynolds, 1994 Fleer #17

I strive for variety in this blog, sometimes to the point of distraction. In fishing for ideas today, I went through the tags to see if there were any important players that were under-represented. Some vintage subjects (Dons Baylor and Buford) have only gotten one post each, and that will have to be remedied. One of the more surprising members of the One-Post Club was Harold Reynolds. Sure, he was only an Oriole for one underwhelming season (.252/.343/.334 in 1993), but I've spent enough time waxing nostalgic about that 1993 season and my introduction to O's fandom that I would have assumed that H.R. would have had a greater presence on this blog. Besides, the timing of his stint in Baltimore means that there were about a hundred and eleventy different card sets featuring Harold in orange and black.

So here's another Harold Reynolds blog post, so the one from October 2008 doesn't get lonely. And just so this thing doesn't come across as complete filler, here's a fascinating tidbit about the Harold Reynolds Era in Charm City: Harold hit four home runs with the O's, the final four of his career. (He totaled a whopping 21 longballs in parts of 12 seasons.) All four were hit between July 15 and August 21. The last was a high-leverage shot in a wild game in Baltimore vs. the Rangers. 46-year-old Nolan Ryan was facing the Orioles for the final time in his career, and he didn't leave on a high note, surrendering a first-inning grand slam to Mike Pagliarulo and lasting just three innings. But the Birds were shut out in the following seven innings, and the Rangers chipped away and ultimately took a 5-4 lead in the eighth inning. Reynolds led off the ninth against Texas closer Tom Henke and tied the game with a solo home run! It stayed tied until the bottom of the 12th, when Mark McLemore singled off of former Oriole Craig Lefferts to score Jack Voigt, who had led off with a walk and advanced to second on a bunt. I guess if you're not going to hit many homers, you might as well make them count when you do.

Rex Barney, 2004 Maryland Lottery #33

It looks like I have a new set to chase.

This is part of a 50-card set produced by the Maryland Lottery to commemorate the Orioles' 50th anniversary in 2004. The cards were sold in packs at lottery stations, and if you collected all 50 you were eligible for a prize drawing. I had one or two of these that wandered into my collection through various trades, but I found a whole stack in a dime box at the Northpoint Flea Market last Saturday. It's a really neat set, as it features not only most of the O's legends (Frank, Brooks, Boog, Jim, Cal, Earl...no Eddie, though) and favorites (Tippy, Dempsey, McGregor, Bumbry), but also gives a little attention to beloved announcers/broadcasters Rex Barney and Chuck Thompson. There are cards featuring both Memorial Stadium and Oriole Park at Camden Yards, as well as cards for each of the team's three World Series winning seasons.

But of course there's a catch. I've got 43 of the 50 cards in my possession now, and of those I'm missing, cards #46-50 are the rarest. The Lottery had to make it a challenge for participants to collect the whole set if there were prizes involved. I've read that #50, featuring Babe Ruth with the International League Orioles, is in the shortest supply, with one estimate placing its quantity at 10,000. So if you see any of those floating around, let me know. The other two cards I need are #32 (Camden Yards) and #35 (Mike Flanagan).

Robert Andino, 2012 Topps Orioles Team Set #BALT12

Sorry to do a link dump, but Deadspin's Tom Scocca wrote a long, thoughtful, bittersweet, yet ultimately somewhat heartening article about what it means to be an Orioles fan. You can read it here, though you should be forewarned of salty language if that's one of your hang-ups. The framing device used is Robert Andino's game-winning hit last September 28, the one that ultimately cost the Red Sox a trip to the postseason. If you're a fan of some other major league team, you might have noticed that we O's fans are awfully proud of that one shining moment of spoilerdom at the end of our 15th straight losing season. That's kind of the point. We mattered. For one more night, everyone else's attention was focused on Baltimore, and our guys didn't embarrass themselves. I'd like to think it was a sign of things to come. But I won't dare allow myself to expect that.

Nick Markakis, 2011 Bowman Platinum #34

It's been a good couple of days for me personally and for the Orioles. The O's completed their first three-game home sweep of the Twins since 2002 thanks in large part to some outstanding starting pitching. Jake Arrieta, Tommy Hunter, and Jason Hammel combined to allow three runs (one earned) on 10 hits in 22 innings. Hammel capped it with seven no-hit innings in his team debut this afternoon before allowing a pair of doubles to start the eighth. The Birds' hitters provided some timely support, which included a four-hit game from unlikely designated hitter Ronny Paulino and a trio of good efforts by Nick Markakis. The O's stalwart right fielder batted .556 (5-for-9) with a pair of home runs and 4 RBI, and also walked three times. It certainly looks like Nick is healthy after undergoing offseason surgery for an abdominal muscle tear. Now the O's are 3-0 for the second straight April, the Yankees and Red Sox are 0-3, and there's nothing to do but hope that this year the home team can do a better job of maintaining momentum.

As for me, I've spent my Easter weekend with friends and family. Yesterday was the annual pre-holiday breakfast at IHOP (only the best health food for us) with my mother's side of the family, followed by a visit to my grandparents' gravesite. Afterward, I went across the street to the hobby shop to pick up some one-dollar 1950s commons, and just happened to run into Ed. We stopped by a nearby flea market and found some dime boxes of cards to our liking. After a few hours back home to recharge, I did dinner and Easter vigil mass with my parents and sister and then spent the night at my sister's place. Today we did the holiday gathering at my aunt and uncle's house, complete with our unique spin on egg-picking, a tradition from my grandmother's childhood in the Baltimore neighborhood of Highlandtown.

Since 1991, we've turned that simple game into a single-elimination tournament, brackets and all (the initial pairings are chosen at random). You only get to use one egg for all five rounds, and if you're the last person standing, you get your name put on a wooden plaque that stays in your possession until the following Spring. Today, for the first time in my 22 years of participation, I won the tournament. So I've got a few weeks to figure out where I'll be displaying that egg-shaped plaque for the next year. Who knows? If I could break my skid, maybe the Orioles can finally reverse their fortunes as well.

Rafael Palmeiro, 1996 Upper Deck SP #35

I've been bolstering my Orioles collection lately by rooting through some el cheapo boxes provided by my friend (and bargain hunter supreme) Ed. One of the gems I added was this unusual Rafael Palmeiro card. I stared at it for a few seconds before I noticed that Raffy was standing on the mound and delivering a pitch...or at least pretending to do so. It seems pretty clear that he's clowning around in a practice session, though you have to admire his form. I'm not much of a scholar when it comes to pitching mechanics, but my crack research indicates that the slugging first baseman is flashing a four-seam fastball grip. Please correct me in the comments if you know better.

Vintage Fridays: Baltimore Orioles, 1967 Topps #302

I haven't done many late-night updates recently, but I just got home after a long day that included my second-ever Opening Day experience at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. This time I went with my sister; it was my treat for her birthday. The weather was beautiful, though it was a bit chilly where we sat in the shade of the upper deck overhang. Our seats were on the second level, midway down the third base line. After briefly braving the crush of orange-and-black-clad revelers across the street at Pickles Pub and Sliders, we checked out the new rooftop bar inside the ballpark. It offered a great view of the field, and there was plenty of comfortable seating. We made sure to be in our seats by 2:30, when the on-field ceremonies began. Rick Sutcliffe threw a picture-perfect strike to Chris Hoiles for the first pitch, Nick Markakis and Matt Wieters were presented with their 2011 Gold Glove awards, and of course all of the players, coaches, and other team personnel were introduced. It was bittersweet to see the video board tribute to all of the past members of the O's organization who had passed away since last April, with Mike Flanagan being the final person recognized.

The game certainly lifted everyone's spirits, though. A sellout crowd of 46,773 was treated to a 4-2 win over the Twins. Jake Arrieta, finally healthy after having a fibrous mass removed from his elbow last summer, breezed through seven shutout innings. He allowed two walks and two singles, and got sufficient support from Nick Markakis, who hit a two-run homer and a run-scoring triple. Relievers Troy Patton and Jim Johnson made things a bit tense in the ninth inning, but Johnson nailed down the save by inducing a fielder's choice grounder from Trevor Plouffe to strand the tying runs.

I'm certainly trying to keep my expectations reasonable for the Orioles in 2012, but 1-0 is a fine way to start the season.

Cesar Izturis, 2009 Topps Updates and Highlights #UH254

I hope you liked yesterday's goofy American League predictions. Here, have some National League stuff!

Atlanta Braves: Chipper Jones’ final season is marred by the discovery that he no longer has knees – no cartilage, no bone, no muscle, nothing. He still hits .305 with 23 home runs in 108 games.

Miami Marlins: Owner Jeffrey Loria outdoes himself by ordering a fire sale of all of the team’s stars and using the money saved on player salaries to commission abstract sculptures to fill the empty seats in the new ballpark.

New York Mets: The Mets will be shocked to discover that Jason Bay has been stranded on a deserted island since December 2009. The “Jason Bay” who has been playing for New York for the past two seasons was actually four possums stacked one on top of the other.

Philadelphia Phillies: Philly’s hopes of another Eastern division championship are dashed when the United States suddenly shifts from a representative democracy to a Logan’s Run-style dystopia.

Washington Nationals: 19 year-old phenom Bryce Harper makes his much-anticipated debut in mid-May. Not only is he the league’s leading vote-getter for the All-Star Game, he is also voted “Most Punchable”.

Chicago Cubs: In a scene reminiscent of the false-identity scandals involving Marlins pitcher Juan Carlos Oviedo (a.k.a. Leo Nunez) and Indians pitcher Roberto Hernandez Heredia (a.k.a. Fausto Carmona), Cubs second baseman Darwin Barney admits that he has been using an alias. His actual name is Dagwood Gerbert. He claims that he changed it because it was “just too silly”.

Cincinnati Reds: GM Walt Jocketty obtains a court order barring manager Dusty Baker from all team facilities after Baker switches Aroldis Chapman from a reliever to a starter back to a reliever and back to a starter over the course of a single weekend.

Houston Astros: Several players admit to having frequent nightmares in which they show up to play National League Central opponents only to discover that they’re supposed to be playing in the American League West already.

Milwaukee Brewers: Robin Yount boosts team morale by shaving his mustache and attaching it to Cesar Izturis’ face with Krazy Glue while the utility infielder naps in the clubhouse.

Pittsburgh Pirates: In an ill-advised move to increase attendance, the club changes their name to the Steelers.

St. Louis Cardinals: The defending World Series champs miss the playoffs altogether after the Rally Squirrel is killed and eaten by ESPN baseball personality John Kruk.

Arizona Diamondbacks: The entire club is mortified to learn that the color they’ve been referring to as “Sedona red” is actually just brick red.

Colorado Rockies: Jamie Moyer spends a few weeks on the disabled list in July after getting some rust scraped off of his left shoulder.

Los Angeles Dodgers: In a new take on the old Boston Braves pitching staff of “Spahn and Sain and pray for rain”, L.A. fans adopt the slogan “Kershaw and Kemp, plus Larry, Moe, and Shemp”.

San Diego Padres: The Friars increase their community outreach by hosting a marathon. The 26.2 mile course consists of a single lap around the Petco Park outfield.

San Francisco Giants: New outfielder Melky Cabrera is shunned by his teammates after repeatedly calling the Giants' stadium PacBell Park.

Vladimir Guerrero, 2011 Topps Update Series #US200

Everyone and his or her cross-eyed grandma is making predictions this week, I figured I’d give in to peer pressure. But let’s be honest: I’m no insider, and I don’t have any uber-advanced data-driven projection systems. Most predictions are guaranteed to be wrong. Knowing, as G.I. Joe once said, is half the battle. So I’m going to be bold and forecast one thing that is definitely NOT going to happen for each Major League Baseball team in 2012. Today, the American League. Tomorrow, the National League. Laugh along!

Baltimore Orioles: In a controversial move, the club celebrates the Autumnal Equinox by burning the Oriole Bird at the stake. It remains to be seen whether the baseball gods will reward this sacrifice with a winning season in 2013.

Boston Red Sox: Fighting again for a wild-card berth on the last day, the Sox name 53-year-old Oil Can Boyd as their starting pitcher for Game 162.

New York Yankees: The team retires Karim Garcia’s uniform number on Old-Timers Day.

Tampa Bay Rays: Joe Maddon protests a blown call by hurling a bottle of fine wine onto the field.

Toronto Blue Jays: Embarrassed by the good fortune of Jose Bautista’s sudden leap forward into stardom, the club trades him back to the Pirates for future considerations.

Chicago White Sox: Robin Ventura is named Manager of the Year after sparking the team’s successful playoff push by moving designated hitter Adam Dunn to shortstop.

Cleveland Indians: A new round of performance-enhancing hysteria is touched off by the debut of the Tribe’s new center fielder, Cybernetic Grady Sizemore.

Detroit Tigers: Justin Verlander shocks the baseball world by striking out 636 batters, shattering Nolan Ryan’s post-1901 record. He is quoted as saying, “I had no choice. Did you see the defense they put behind me?”.

Kansas City Royals: Growing impatient with the progress of their rebuilding efforts, K.C. brass tips the competitive balance in their favor at the All-Star Game by locking all of the American and National League stars in the clubhouses at Kauffman Stadium.

Minnesota Twins: Looking to protect their considerable investment in the fragile Joe Mauer, the Twins take the unusual step of benching him for the whole season. “Better safe than sorry,” says manager Ron Gardenhire.

“Los Angeles” Angels: Free-agent bust Albert Pujols is benched in early June after batting just .157 with a pair of home runs in his first two months in the American League. His replacement at first base is Vladimir Guerrero, who returned to the team as a pinch hitter in mid-May and hit home runs in each of his first eight at-bats off of the bench. Before Vlad can make his first start at his new position, he is attacked in the locker room by a furious Pujols. The Halos suspend Albert indefinitely.

Oakland Athletics: A’s ownership finally gives up their star-crossed efforts to move to San Jose, opting instead to relocate to an aircraft carrier in the Pacific Ocean. Attendance increases by 50%.

Seattle Mariners: The Mariners’ offensive struggles become so severe that the team petitions Commissioner Bud Selig to outlaw overhand pitches. He announces the formation of a blue-ribbon committee to explore the possibilities.

Texas Rangers: Local TV ratings for game broadcasts plummet when the introduction of the Nolan Ryan Cam proves to be a flop. It turns out that no one wants to stare at the team president’s leathery mug for three hours at a time.

Jason Johnson, 2004 Topps Heritage #105

We're less than 72 hours away from Opening Day. The Orioles' 25-man roster is almost completely set, but there are still surprises to be found in Sarasota.

Remember Jason Johnson? Tall guy (6'6" to be exact), righty, spent the better part of five years in the O's starting rotation? He showed up in camp today after former teammate Brady Anderson got him a tryout. Johnson hasn't pitched in the big leagues since 2008. He got knocked around in a nine-game stint in the Yankee farm system in 2009, had shoulder surgery a year later, and was pummeled in eight starts for the independent Camden Riversharks in 2011. But he says he's fully healed, topping out at 92 miles per hour (a couple of mph below his original peak velocity), and looking for work again at age 38. He's already thrown for the Giants, but they couldn't find an opening for him. It remains to be seen if the Birds will welcome him back and send him through the minor league gauntlet; according to Roch Kubatko, he reached 90 mph in his tryout, which is a touch lower than he can supposedly throw.

Stranger things have happened, I guess.

Chris Hoiles, 1991 Fleer Ultra #17

As if I needed another reason to like Chris Hoiles, I found out from his Twitter feed (@c23hoiles) that he was also watching Wrestlemania on pay-per-view last night. In case you were wondering, he was suitably impressed by the Hell in a Cell bout between the Undertaker and Triple H. I would have to agree that it was very entertaining, and that's coming from someone who generally dislikes Triple H.

Oh, and there's some slightly more universally accessible news about Chris Hoiles today. The Orioles announced that he will be receiving the ceremonial first pitch before Friday's Opening Day game. That pitch will be thrown by Rick Sutcliffe, the other half of the Birds' battery in the first game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. It should be a fine way to kick off the 20th-anniversary season of the finest ballpark in the major leagues.

Aubrey Huff, 2009 Topps 206 #263

This is a hit-and-run post today, since I have to get on the road to Southern Maryland to watch Wrestlemania XXVIII (28 for those of you with a roman numeral phobia) with my friends Donnie and Boothe. This year's keystone event for WWE is being broadcast from Sun Life Stadium (a.k.a. Joe Robbie/Pro Player/Dolphin/Land Shark Stadium) in Miami. In that spirit, here's a card featuring University of Miami alumnus Aubrey Huff.

Matt Riley, 2000 Pacific Crown Royale Card-supial #3

If you quit collecting baseball cards in disgust at some point before the turn of the century, and you're wondering whether you made the right choice, I present the Card-supial. I didn't think to scan it alongside a regular-sized card for scale, so you'll have to take my word for it: This card is about twice the size of a postage stamp (1 and 3/4"x1 and 1/4"), and I am certain that I will lose it before long. It was a one-per-pack insert in Pacific's 2000 Crown Royale set. Why the bafflingly stupid name? The mini-card was tucked in a pocket in the front of a full-size card. You know, like a kangaroo, opossum, or any other marsupial that comes to mind. Har har. Matt Riley here was tucked inside a Cal Ripken, Jr. card which I don't have. If you'd like to read more about this ill-fated insert set, I'll point you toward Cliff's blog post at Things Done To Cards. Meanwhile, I'm going to go pretend that I'm a giant.

Vintage Fridays: Frank Peters and Ron Stone, 1968 Topps #409

This is a profoundly weird card. Not only do Frank Peters and Ron Stone look eerily alike, with the same facial expression and all, but Stone is clumsily airbrushed to obscure his Athletics cap. The bill is still green, as are his sleeves, and the vest is still gold. But the cap is black! Job well done. These are also two players that I know nothing about. But that's why I have this blog!

Frank Peters is not to be confused with Hank Peters, the Orioles' general manager from 1975 to 1987. Don't feel bad if you've never heard of Frank; he never made it to the major leagues. The O's signed the Oregon native in 1964, when he was 20 years old. He was a career .269 hitter in a ten-year minor league career, with a total of 65 home runs. He was never a threat to supplant the likes of Davey Johnson, Mark Belanger, or Brooks Robinson, and he spent the last few years of his playing career close to home in Portland.

Despite the green-and-old duds, Ron Stone was originally signed by Baltimore out of California State University Sacramento in 1963. He missed out on the 1964 season due to military service, and was a Rule 5 pick of the A's prior to the 1966 campaign. Kansas City used him in only 26 games, and he batted scarcely (6-for-22, .273 AVG). They finally threw in the towel and returned him to the Orioles in July. He spent the following two years at AAA Rochester, then was traded to the Phillies for backup catcher Clay Dalrymple. Ron was in the majors with Philly for parts of the 1969-1972 seasons, peaking with a .262 average, 3 homers, and 39 RBI in 123 games in 1970. He finished with a .241 average, 6 home runs, and 89 RBI in 388 career games.

Once again, hindsight tells us that Topps was a bit presumptuous in labeling these gentlemen as "Rookie Stars".

Dave Gallagher, 1991 Topps #349

My friend Andy recently had the pleasure of interviewing former Orioles (and Indians, White Sox, Angels, Mets, Braves, and Phillies) outfielder Dave Gallagher for his High Heat Stats blog. You should give it a read. Dave talks about how he became a Giants fan while growing up in New Jersey, why he didn't sign with the Athletics when they drafted him in 1980, how he learned to lay off of the down and away slider, and more. Sadly, Andy didn't get around to any questions about Gallagher's 23-game stint with the O's in late 1990...I can't imagine why. In all seriousness, it's always good to learn more about a player who wasn't a big star, especially when he gives a bit of his time to one of us "little guys". If you want to keep tabs of Dave, he's on Twitter (@davegallagher22), and has his own website: davegallagherbaseball.com.

Mike Mussina, 1993 Leaf On the Fast Track #4

Congratulations are in order for Mike Mussina and Rich Dauer, the newest members-elect of the Orioles Hall of Fame. Each spent a decade in an O's uniform, and they've both earned the honor. My only hope is that the fans in attendance for the pregame induction ceremony on August 25 carry themselves with class and grace and give Moose a warm welcome back to Baltimore. He went to the Yankees because they made him feel wanted, both financially and personally. Given the often frustrating and head-scratching actions of the Orioles' ownership in the ensuing years, who can blame him? I was mad when it happened. But that was 12 years ago. You're not going to hurt Mike Mussina's feelings if you boo and jeer him on his special day. You'll just make yourself look petty and foolish. I don't mean to lecture anyone, but I feel strongly about this. Save your derision for people who truly deserve it...like Mark Teixeira.

Eddy Rodriguez, 2005 Upper Deck Artifacts #119

I'd like to think that I've grown as a baseball fan over the years One of the greatest lessons I've learned is not to be blown away by the dreaded Small Sample Size. Just as great players have bad days, weeks, months, and sometimes even years, so too do the most overmatched major leaguers strike gold in the occasional game or series. When such an event occurs at the beginning of a player's career, that's the small sample size conspiring with the arbitrary endpoint. There we have Eddy Rodriguez.

In 2004, Rodriguez was a 22-year-old righthander from the Dominican Republic. He'd been climbing the ranks of the Oriole farm system since 2000, and had posted a 2.34 ERA and a team-high 13 saves for AA Bowie in 2003. He was struggling to adjust to AAA Ottawa, however; his ERA in 28 relief appearances was 5.12, and he had a WHIP of 1.64. Still, he had a strong right arm, and more often than not that's good enough for the post-Ripken Orioles. The Birds promoted him to the big leagues amidst a flurry of late-May transactions, just two days after designating future home run king Jose Bautista for assignment. (Ouch.)

Eddy made his debut in a Memorial Day matinee at Fenway Park, replacing the legendary Darwin Cubillan with runners on the corners and nobody out in the seventh inning. Two runs were in for Boston with the heart of their order due up, but a 10-3 O's lead made it a pretty low-leverage situation anyhow. I'm not sure the rookie would agree as he stared in at his first big league batter, David Ortiz. He quickly fell behind 3-0 to Big Papi, but battled back to a full count before getting a swinging strike three with his seventh pitch. From there, he faced Manny Ramirez, batting a mere .355 entering the game. Again, the count ran full, and again, the result was a swinging strikeout. Finally, Jason Varitek flew out to center field to end the inning. The Orioles collected a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the frame, and Rodriguez took the mound for a second inning of work. Kevin Millar solved the youngster with a home run to lead off, and Boston got another couple of runners on base, but Eddy coaxed a double play grounder and punctuated his debut with a called strike three on Johnny Damon. Mike DeJean (yuck) took over in the ninth inning to sew up a 12-4 Baltimore win.

Eddy made enough of an impression to stick around throughout the summer. When he earned his first big league win with 3 shutout frames in a 15-inning slog in Philadelphia on July 2, the rookie had a 2.18 ERA with 20 strikeouts through his first 20.2 innings. Of course, he also had 14 walks. Major league hitters caught up to Rodriguez after the All-Star break, as he gave up 18 runs in 22.2 innings for an unsightly 7.15 ERA. He also walked 16 against 17 strikeouts. For the season, he wound up with a 4.78 ERA in 29 games. Sadly, his professional career had already peaked. He spent all of 2005 and much of 2006 back in Ottawa, and was hit hard in two short stints with the Orioles in 2006 (7.20 ERA in 15 total innings). Two ugly outings with the Dodgers' AAA Albuquerque club in 2007 represented the end of Rodriguez's time in affiliated pro ball, and according to the Baseball Reference Bullpen Wiki he had a short and equally unsuccessful tenure with Bologna in the Italian Baseball League in 2009.

But despite the fact that his career was done before age 30 and he hasn't thrown a pitch in this country in half a decade, I still remember the excitement that I felt in watching Eddy Rodriguez baffle the soon-to-be world champions on a Monday afternoon 8 years ago. Small sample sizes may be a lousy way to judge a player's worth, but they still make the game fun.

Harold Baines, 1996 Score #408

Ouch. I'm feeling creakier than Harold Baines' knees today, and I only have myself to blame. After months of near-total inactivity, I recently realized that I should get in better shape. I've spent the last few weeks doing a half-hour of aerobic workouts in front of the TV, but I knew that wouldn't offer much of a payoff. So yesterday, I bit the bullet and went for a two-mile run on the track at the nearby high school. You'll notice that I said "run" as opposed to "jog". For whatever reason, I find it difficult to pace myself when running solo. Maybe it's the dormant competitive spirit from my cross country days. Maybe I just want to get it over with.

Either way, I'm paying for it today. Several muscles in my back and legs are reminding me that they exist, and that they haven't been taxed like this in quite some time. Every time I cause myself physical pain by engaging in a fairly simple activity, it gives me a renewed respect for athletes like Harold Baines, who fought through numerous injuries and surgical procedures to perform at a high level for many years. I'm not quite 30 yet, and I haven't suffered any significant breaks or sprains over the past 25 years. I can't imagine being on the verge of 50 like Jamie Moyer (who I suspect to be featuring often on this blog in the coming months) and fully rehabbing a surgically-repaired elbow in order to compete for a 28th season of pro baseball. I think we take the physical abilities of even the least successful major league players for granted much of the time. I know I do, anyway. So it's just something to keep in mind the next time you or I shout at the TV or click away on the keyboard during a blown save or a costly error.

Josh Towers, 2002 Studio #65

This is probably a silly question, but does anyone else watch Mad Men? I was behind the curve with it, as I am with many pop culture phenomena. Thanks to Netflix, I've taken a crash course on the first four seasons of the show. I just now watched the last one, in the nick of time for tonight's season premiere. I picked up this card a few weeks back, and it occurred to me that Josh Towers bears a passing resemblance to Aaron Staton, the actor who portrays Ken Cosgrove in the series. I wonder if there are any other Mad Men lookalikes in Orioles lore?

Hoyt Wilhelm, 2001 Upper Deck Hall of Famers #88

I'm making an executive decision here. There's a Giants logo on the back, so the TeamSets4U website lists it as a Giants card. But the keen-eyed among you will note that this is an action photo of Hoyt Wilhelm delivering a pitch for the Orioles. It's a great picture, and the first card I have of the ageless knuckleballer in action, so I'm claiming it for the O's.

As you can see, Hoyt retired in 1972 as the all-time leader in games pitched, but was deposed by another one-time Oriole, Jesse Orosco. Eventually he was also passed by Dennis Eckersley. One other Oriole makes the list - Lee Smith. If we were to update the list for the current day, John Franco and Mike Stanton would also place ahead of Wilhelm. Additionally, Dan Plesac, Mike Timlin (yet another former Baltimore pitcher), Mariano Rivera, and Trevor Hoffman would all be in the top ten, pushing Smith (among others) out. Considering the changes in pitcher usage in the modern era, it's unsurprising that the number of pitchers appearing in 1,000 or more games has nearly tripled in the last decade.

Vintage Fridays: Lee May, 1979 O-Pee-Chee #1

I am just in a phenomenal mood. It's Friday, the weather is sunny and warm and mild here in Baltimore, I ordered sushi from one of my favorite local restaurants for dinner, and tomorrow I'm following up my sister's celebratory birthday lunch with a boys' night (ahem, make that a mens' night) with my three best friends from college. Oh, and today is Lee May's 69th birthday.

Okay, so Lee's birthday doesn't really have anything to do with my high spirits, but it doesn't hurt them, either. The "Big Bopper" spent the decline phase of his career in Charm City, playing first base and DHing from 1975 through 1980, his age 32-37 seasons. But on the whole, he still put up a slightly above-average 105 OPS+ as an Oriole and clubbed 123 home runs, 14th-most in team history. (Slightly ahead of him are Jim Gentile with 124 HR and Paul Blair with 126.) His best season in orange and black was 1976, when he hit .258 but posted a 127 OPS+ thanks in large part to his 25 home runs. In a low-offense American League, he led all hitters with 109 RBI, and finished ninth in MVP voting. However, veteran O's like Mike Cuellar, Paul Blair, and Brooks Robinson bottomed out, and Reggie Jackson's April holdout left the Birds wondering "what if". They finished 88-74, a distant second behind the 97-win Yankees.

Lee May finished his career with two seasons as a bench bat in Kansas City. He retired with 354 career home runs, which currently ties him with Luis Gonzalez for 79th all-time. Of course, the offensive explosion of the 1990s and 2000s took its toll on his rank; when he retired in 1982, Lee was #32 in lifetime home runs. But then, time waits for no man. There's not much for the Big Bopper to do but sit back and enjoy a big piece of cake, because he's earned it.

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.

Anthony Telford, 1992 Score #853

I don't know if you've heard, but the Internet makes the world a pretty small place. Case in point: Today Anthony Telford left a comment on a blog post I wrote about him two years ago. Fortunately, I had kind words to say about him, and vice versa. It's a gentle reminder of something that I know I occasionally take for granted. If you share your words, thoughts, and opinions online, anyone can read them at any time. Choose those words carefully. (For instance, I should probably hope that Sidney Ponson never Googles himself!) Anyway, I'm glad that Anthony dropped by and liked what he saw, and I think I'll have to do as he suggested and put a card in the mail.

Chris Hoiles, 1997 Score #223

It's not like I need additional reasons to count Chris Hoiles among my all-time favorite Orioles, but I'll reach for them as they come. Andy at High Heat Stats posted a list of the all-time home run leaders who played exclusively for each franchise. In other words, anyone who played for more than one team is not eligible. This method produces some odd results, especially for expansion teams (like the Diamondbacks' home run king Rusty Ryal, with his career total of six HR). Even some teams that have been around for more than a century have had to share their top sluggers, leaving the Braves with Andres Thomas (42 HR) until Chipper Jones retires, the Athletics with Dick Green (80 HR), and the White Sox with Ron Karkovice (96 HR). Naturally, the Orioles make a good showing with Baltimore icons Cal Ripken, Jr. (431 HR) and Brooks Robinson (268 HR) leading the way. But Chris Hoiles is a strong third-place entry. Though he was a 19th-round pick of the Tigers in the 1986 draft, the soft-spoken catcher from Ohio came to the O's organization as part of a trade package for Fred Lynn in 1988 and made his major league debut the following year. Chris spent parts of 10 seasons in Charm City, and though various aches, pains, and bad breaks kept him from ever playing more than 127 games in a year, he finished his career with 151 home runs (10th-most among all Orioles). His single-season high was 29 longballs in 1993, but he averaged 27 HR per 162 games. It's incredible to think what he could've done if he had the durability and longevity of a Carlton Fisk or Gary Carter, but what he gave us was still pretty damn good.

Wally Westlake, 1991 Crown/Coca-Cola All-Time Orioles #480

Before I move away from my recent all-1991 Crown/Coca-Cola format, I have to make a correction to yesterday's Dave Philley entry. Reader Russell sent me an email pointing out that Eddie Robinson is not actually the oldest living Oriole. Outfielder Wally Westlake, who had an 8-game cameo with the O's in 1955, was born on November 8, 1920 and is still with us. That makes him one month and seven days the senior of Robinson. That's what I get for taking Roch Kubatko's reporting at face value. (Sorry, Roch!)

Anyway, Wally Westlake was a Californian by birth and was 19 when he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1940. He lost three years of his pro career to military service during World War II, but remained stationed in California for the duration. He later referred to himself sarcastically as a "Broadway soldier". After being dealt to the Pirates, Wally reached the majors to stay in 1947. He was remarkably consistent during his first four seasons, batting between .273 and .285 and peaking with an .852 OPS in 1950. He had 23 homers and 104 RBI in 1949 and 24 homers and 95 RBI the following year, making him the only power threat on those dismal Pittsburgh clubs other than future Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner. He was dealt to the Cardinals in June 1951, and made his only All-Star team that season.

Westlake was also a decent part-timer for the Indians for a few seasons, putting up a strong line of .330/.427/.495 in 1953; that season he also had 9 HR and 46 RBI in just 218 at-bats. But he was just about out of gas when he arrived in Baltimore in June 1955. He'd been 5-for-20 that year with 3 walks as a pinch hitter in Cleveland, and mustered only 3 hits and 6 walks in 30 trips to the plate with the Orioles. Baltimore cut him loose on July 9, leaving him with a line of .125/.300/.167 in orange and black. A five-game stint with the Phillies in 1956 brought a formal end to Wally Westlake's big league career. He finished with a .272 average, 127 home runs, and 539 RBI in parts of 10 seasons.

After retiring from baseball, Wally had a sales job with Tidewater Oil but eventually found more satisfying work as a lead laborer for the A. Teichert & Sons Construction Company. The outdoor work suited him, and the timetable left him free to fish and hunt in Northern California during duck season. At last check, the 91-year-old is still living in Sacramento, the city he's called home since the age of 6.

Dave Philley, 1991 Crown/Coca-Cola All-Time Orioles #360

Three years ago, I figured out that Dave Philley was the oldest living Oriole. Sadly, that's no longer the case, as the 18-year major league veteran passed away last Thursday in his hometown of Paris, TX. He was 91 years old. His American League record of 24 pinch hits in one season was achieved in 1961, when the then-41-year-old was in his second stint with the O's. Dave served his country in World War II and had 1,700 hits and a .270 career batting average for the Orioles and 8 other big league teams. Serendipitously, he played for both "Philly" teams: the Athletics and the Phillies.

Roch Kubatko notes that Eddie Robinson, a former first baseman who spent just four games at the end of his career in Baltimore but also served on Paul Richards' coaching staff here, is now the current senior Oriole. As it happens, Robinson was also born in Paris in 1920; his birthday is December 20 whereas Philley's was May 16. The pair were teammates in a few different cities and were reportedly close friends.

Gene Green, 1991 Crown/Coca-Cola All-Time Orioles #163

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Even here at Orioles Card "O" the Day, we partake in the Wearing of the Green. In this case, it's Gene Green, a veteran of seven big league seasons whose O's career lasted all of one game in 1960. He'd been with the Cardinals for the first three years of his career, peaking with a .281 average, 13 home runs, and 55 RBI in 137 games in 1958. The Birds traded outfielder Bob Nieman to acquire Gene, but stashed him at AAA Miami all year long. He got a September callup, starting in right field against the Senators on the 23rd and scratching out one single in four at-bats. The following offseason, the Senators moved to Minnesota and an expansion team was placed in Washington. That club drafted Green from the Orioles, and he had a career year with a line of .280/.341/.489, 18 homers, and 62 RBI. He was traded twice more in the next two years, ending his major league tenure with bench roles in Cleveland and Cincinnati. He was only 47 when he died in 1981; I couldn't find any information online concerning the cause of death.

Vintage Fridays: Earl Robinson, 1961 Topps #343

Let this card serve as a reminder that Topps has been clumsily manipulating images for several decades. It's not just a recent thing. In this case, Earl Robinson's Dodgers helmet has been painted over with an orange and black that look more like red and navy blue. The Orioles had just purchased his contract the previous December, so Topps didn't have many options here. Earl would play in a career-high 96 games for the O's in 1961, batting .266 with a strong .354 on-base percentage. He totaled 8 home runs and 30 RBI, and his .455 slugging percentage was second-best on the team behind Jim Gentile. Robinson never stuck in Baltimore, though; he saw action in just 29 games in 1962 and another 37 contests in 1964. As it stands, he has had to accept his fate as the third-best Robinson in Orioles history. Of course, the competition is pretty fierce.

Felix Pie, 2011 Topps Gypsy Queen #272

I hope somebody else finds this card as hilarious as I do. It just perfectly encapsulates Felix Pie's three-year tenure in Baltimore. The design gives the appearance of classic baseball, but you don't have to look too closely at the contents to see that it's just plain goofy. Of course, now Felix is trying to win a bench job in Cleveland, which may be difficult. He just made it back onto the field after slamming into the center field fence while chasing a fly ball on Sunday. Fortunately, he was none the worse for wear, other than a little soreness. There remains no bigger hazard to Felix Pie's health than the man himself.

Vladimir Guerrero, 2011 Topps Attax #NNO

I don't play Topps Attax myself, mostly because the substitution of the letter "x" for "-cks" offends my English major sensibilities. But if you can read the small print on Vladimir Guerrero's Attax (ugh) card, you'll see that he gives his card player a perk: if you are losing, his doubles turn into home runs. Clearly the folks at Topps didn't see Vlad play in Baltimore. The aging designated hitter slugged just 13 home runs in 2011, his lowest output since he hit 11 in 90 games as a rookie in 1997. Of those 13 homers, a whopping 3 either tied the game or gave the Orioles the lead. That's just what you want from a cleanup hitter, right?

Charles Johnson, 2000 Skybox Metal Universe #61

Ah, Metal Universe, I just can't walk away from you. Sure, it's mostly because the swirly patterns etched in your foil have seared my retinas, but at least you're trying to be something that other cards are not. All the same, you're at your brain-collapsing best when you're unashamedly ratcheting the insanity up to 11. Charles Johnson gunning down a base runner while hurtling into a black hole is all well and good, but it can't hold a candle to B.J. Surhoff's nuclear power or Rocky Coppinger falling prey to a giant emerald spider. You can do better, Metal Universe. Give in to those screaming, howling noises of malevolent lunacy in your head. Do it.

Steve Finley, 1989 Donruss The Rookies #47

Today is Steve Finley's 47th birthday! I always feel like birthday posts are a bit of a cheat, so I'll try to dig up some interesting bits of trivia:

-Others born on March 12 include Daryl Strawberry (age 50) and Dale Murphy (56). Together with Finley, that's one mighty outfield! If you have different tastes, you could sub in fellow birthday boys Raul Mondesi, Jimmy Wynn, or Johnny Callison.

-Steve batted .409 (9-for-22) against Chuck Finley, with no extra-base hits. They are the only two pro baseball players with that surname since World War II.

-The Orioles drafted Finley with the 7th pick in the 13th round of the June 1987 draft (325th overall). He was chosen immediately after the Braves took pitcher Mike Stanton. Both players lasted 19 big league seasons, their careers spanning the years 1989-2007. Finley is 40th all-time with 2,583 games played, and Stanton is 2nd among all pitchers with 1,178 games pitched. They each played for eight different teams, and were finally teammates with the 2006 Giants.

-For some reason, I've always been obsessed with the notion of one player suiting up for each of the five California teams in his career. No one has done it yet. Steve is a near-miss, checking in with the Padres, Dodgers, Angels, and Giants. Didn't make it to Oakland.The other players in the Four-for-Cali club, and the team they didn't join:

• Derrel Thomas (also missing the Athletics)
• Rickey Henderson (Giants)
• Jay Johnstone (Giants)
• Elias Sosa (Angels)
• Brett Tomko (Angels...but he's still active!)
• Mike Aldrete (Dodgers)
• John D'Acquisto (Dodgers)
• Dave Kingman (Dodgers)
• Stan Javier (Padres)

-Steve hit 304 home runs in his career, including 257 after his age 30 season. He is currently tied with Miguel Tejada for 129th all-time. A partial list of players who stalled out between 250 and 300 homers: Tim Salmon, Rickey Henderson, Kent Hrbek, Bobby Bonilla, Jimmy Wynn, Rusty Staub, Will Clark, Ryne Sandberg, Roger Maris, Steve Garvey, Joe Morgan, Brooks Robinson, Kirk Gibson, Joe Torre, Robin Yount.

Doug Drabek, 1998 Upper Deck Collector's Choice #312

This is a pretty silly card. Despite that fact (or maybe because of it), I just had to have it. I placed it on the Covetous Cluster, or most-wanted, list on the left sidebar. Ed, who spends more time working on my various want lists than I do, tracked it down and put it in my hands yesterday afternoon. So why was it so necessary for me to own?

I didn't have a single Orioles card of Doug Drabek, whose 13-year big league career sputtered to a halt with a 6-11 record and a 7.29 ERA for the Birds in 1998. I couldn't do without a reminder that Pat Gillick and/or Ray Miller thought it was a good idea to acquire a 35-year-old who had gone 29-29 with a 5.01 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP over the most recent 3 seasons. Once I got a look at the actual card, which features a silver-haired Drabek trying to leg out a grounder while batting in a spring training, I knew that it would hold a place of honor in my collection. The icing on the cake is Doug's intense, tongue-showing facial expression and his conspicuously-advertised Reebok batting gloves. The logo on the gloves almost looks like lightning bolts shooting out of his fingers.

Miguel Tejada, 2006 Upper Deck #888

I went to a small card show this morning over in Glen Burnie, and emptied out my wallet at some nickel and dime boxes. About half of my haul was various Orioles cards, the better to keep the good times rolling here. I haven't sorted them yet, but it seems like I plucked out several dozen different cards of Melvin Mora and Jay Gibbons. I may have to become the world's foremost Jay Gibbons supercollector by default, and that's about as sad as any sentence I've ever typed. Anyway, this nondescript checklist card was one of my purchases today, but I'm less interested in what Miguel Tejada is doing and more interested in what's on the scoreboard behind him. It's been a while, so let's do some sleuthing!

The bottom of the scoreboard looks like it's got a Toronto at Houston matchup. #7 is a very unusual number for a starting pitcher, and I remember former Oriole Josh Towers having the #7 jersey for the Blue Jays. Roy Oswalt wore #44 for the Astros, so we should have our starters. That makes this Sunday, June 12, 2005. Oswalt tossed a real gem, two-hitting the Jays in a 3-0 victory. Towers gave up all three runs (two earned) on nine hits and a pair of walks in seven innings. Willy Taveras and Jason Lane each had three hits and an RBI for the Astros.

Oh, but you probably want to know about the Orioles. On June 12, they were visiting the Cincinnati Reds in interleague play, and it didn't end well. Sidney Ponson barfed up a seven-run, eleven-hit masterpiece in six innings of work, and Steve Kline tossed a molotov cocktail on the fire by allowing all three batters he faced to get on base. Todd Williams replaced Kline and permitted those three runners to score on a pair of singles, giving the Reds their full tally of ten runs. The O's batters fought gamely, with six runs in a losing effort. Sammy Sosa had his second (and last) multi-homer game with Baltimore, career home runs #581 and #582. Incidentally, Ken Griffey, Jr. took Ponson deep for the 512th longball of his own storied career. So there you go. 10-6 loss, giving the Reds a pair of wins in a 3-game set.

Vintage Fridays: Don Larsen, 1977 TCMA Renata Galasso Greats #3

This spiffy black and white portrait of Don Larsen, the only Oriole pitcher to ever suffer a 20-loss season, comes to us via Max of the Starting Nine blog. It's part of a 270-card set that was released in six annual series of 45 cards each from 1977 through 1984 and featured prominent retired players. The TCMA card company produced it on behalf of famed hobby dealer Renata Galasso of Brooklyn. Galasso offered the sets for free with purchase of that year's Topps set. You can read more about her various retro card sets at the Fleer Sticker Project. The funny thing about the Galasso Greats set is that Larsen was the only O's player included. There were six other cards depicting players from the franchise's St. Louis Browns era. So thanks to Max, I've got a complete team set for this oddball 1977 release! Thanks, pal.

Sam Horn, 1991 Studio #5

Thank goodness for Donruss' Studio cards. How else would we have known that Sam Horn used a Big Stick?

Melvin Mora, 2009 Topps Orioles Team Set #BAL9

Last week, I treated myself to a trip to the hobby shop on the other side of town, because it had been too long since I'd gorged on their vintage dollar bins. As I proceeded to the register with entirely too many dog-eared and moderately creased 1956 and 1959 Topps singles, a blister-packed 2009 Orioles team set from Topps caught my eye. Since at least the mid-2000s, Topps has put out yearly team sets for each club that are only partially identical to their base cards. As near as I can tell from this set, all of the Series One cards are reproduced in the team issue, and the other players receive cards with that year's design but with a photo that differs from their eventual base card. Some players that didn't get a base card might sneak into the team set, as was the case with Cla Meredith in 2010. The distinct photos and the possibility of relatively obscure Orioles was incentive enough to pick up this set, but as I flipped through the cards when I got home, I found other selling points. The recent additions to the team (Cesar Izturis, Ryan Freel, Felix Pie) were Photoshopped into their new uniforms in hilariously slipshod fashion. There was a bonus card spotlighting Oriole Park at Camden Yards. And last but definitely not least, there was this silly picture of Melvin Mora discarding his bat and looking like he just realized that it's covered in manure. I defy you to find a card featuring a more entertaining bat flip moment.

Miguel Tejada, 2006 Topps Hobby Masters #HM6

This is one of those cards that I just had to scan to see how it would look. It's shinier and more iridescent in person, but it still looks pretty good...aside from the cruddy photo of Miguel Tejada craning his neck to check on something we can't even see. You can't win 'em all.

Joe Orsulak, 1990 Classic Yellow #T50

I usually take my sweet time ramping up to my point in blog posts, and that's when I even have a point, but I don't want to bury the lede this time. So here goes: my 60 year-old high school track and field/cross-country coach tried out to be an Orioles ballboy yesterday.

I heard about it from Keith Mills during his 6:30 AM sports report on 98 Rock's morning radio show as I drove into work today. When he uttered the name "Gene Hoffman", I just about swerved into the next lane. (For a colorful anecdote about my own personal history with Coach Hoffman, read this blog post from 2008.) According to Keith, he had just parked his car at Oriole Park at Camden Yards when he ran into Gene, with whom he was already acquainted because you can't throw a rock in Baltimore without hitting someone that Keith Mills knows personally. Hoffman explained that just by trying out, he'd be fulfilling one of his dreams: scooping ground balls on the field at the O's ballpark. It didn't bother him that he was decades older than the majority of the other applicants. As he told his coworker Matt (a friend and former classmate of mine, and a diehard Oriole fan in his own right), the age requirement was 18+ and by that measure he was the most qualified person there.

Joe Orsulak was helping to judge the hopefuls, and Keith claims that he ensured that at least one fungo was hit out onto the grass so that Gene could range over from the third base-side foul territory and realize his goal of snagging a grounder on the playing field. He dove for it and everything! The invaluable secondhand account I received from Matt fills in further details:

-Gene was wearing a Cal Ripken, Jr. shirt for his tryout, and when he signed in he was #8 in the queue. Coincidence, or good omen?

-Though he'd run in championship meets and the Penn Relays and spoken at many public events, he'd "never been this nervous". But it was "a thrill coming out from behind home plate and sitting in the dugout".

-Bob Popik, who Gene coached at Archbishop Curley High some years ago, runs the music for the O's and the Ravens. At Keith's insistence, Bob played the "CHARGE!" rally music when Gene took his turn.

-One last quote: "I don't know the outcome---really don't care, but it was a neat thing to do. Maybe we'll all be there next year."

For my part, I'd like to wish Gene Hoffman luck, and just hearing about his tryout made my day.

Nerio Rodriguez, 1997 Stadium Club #267

We are 31 days away from Opening Day, and that's just not soon enough for my tastes. After all, here I am commenting on Nerio Rodriguez's 41st birthday. The Dominican righthander had an unconventional career trajectory. The White Sox originally signed him as an international free agent in 1990, and he was a catcher until 1995, when the O's converted him to pitching shortly after picking him up in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft. In 1996, he had a 2.26 ERA at Frederick and narrowly missed qualifying for the Carolina League ERA title; with another two-thirds of an inning under his belt, he would have had the lowest mark in the league. He had a few strong outings at Rochester, and debuted with the Orioles in mid-August. The rookie appeared in 8 major leagues with uneven results, finishing with a 4.32 ERA in 16.2 innings.

After a full season at AAA in 1997, Nerio got a September callup to Baltimore and again got knocked around a bit, but earned his first two big league wins: One in relief on September 20 and a start three days later in Toronto. In the latter, he beat Roger Clemens, who was seeking his 22nd win for the Blue Jays. He wound up being dealt to the Jays the following summer for veteran pitcher Juan Guzman, and was hit hard in short stints in Toronto in 1998 and 1999. His only other major league experience came in 2002, when he threw in a game for the Indians and in two more for the Cardinals. Believe it or not, Rodriguez was still an active player as of 2011, when he appeared in 16 games for two teams in the Mexican League. Judging from his 7.64 ERA, his best days may be behind him. But he did have a few standout seasons south of the border late last decade, including a 17-3 record and a 2.54 ERA for the Acereros de Monclova in 2008.

His Mexican exploits are all well and good, but Rodriguez's lasting legacy may be his status as the only "Nerio" to ever play Major League Baseball. There have only been two other players with that name in affiliated pro ball, and the only active one is shortstop Nerio Rios, who is still in rookie ball in the Phillies organization.

Juan Beniquez, 1986 Topps Traded #8T

Journeyman Juan Beniquez played for 8 different teams in 17 big league seasons, all within the American League. At age 36, he joined the Orioles for the 1986 season. He had a decent enough year, batting .300/.372/.397 with a 112 OPS+, 6 homers and 36 RBI in 395 plate appearances. He played all three outfield positions, both infield corners, and DH. Just imagine what he could have done if he'd had a  few more gold necklaces to blind opposing pitchers.

Vintage Fridays: Dave McNally, 1971 Topps #320

With today's intrasquad game, the Orioles inched a little closer to the April 6 opener of the regular season. But there's still a few dozen exhibition games to slog through before we get there, so I decided to find the best Opening Day performance by an O's starting pitcher. My quest was facilitated by Baseball Reference's Opening Day starters page for the club; I clicked on the box scores and used the pitchers' Game Scores as my criteria for simplicity's sake. There have been a fair share of stinkers and plenty of "good enough" efforts, but five performances stood out above the rest. I'll list them in reverse chronological order.

April 1, 2011: Orioles 4 at Rays 1. WP: Jeremy Guthrie (GS 81)

This is the only one I witnessed as it was happening, in the company of friends and acquaintances from Camden Chat at Pickles' Pub. Sitting a few hundred feet from Oriole Park, we saw Jeremy Guthrie turn in his best game of the season. He breezed through 8 innings on 94 pitches, giving up only a pair of doubles, a single, and a walk. No batter reached third base, and he struck out six. With the O's up 4-0 in the ninth, Jim Johnson was called upon to finish, and gave up a solo home run to Ben Zobrist to spoil the shutout.

April 6, 1992: Orioles 2 vs. Indians 0. WP: Rick Sutcliffe (GS 82)

This was of course the first regular-season game played at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, and Sutcliffe's Oriole debut. (Side note: How cool is it that the Birds open the 2012 season on the 20th anniversary of the ballpark's first opener?) The red-bearded veteran kept Cleveland off-balance all day, yielding five singles and a walk and striking out six. His offense gave him little margin for error, but Sut outdueled Charlie Nagy, who took a complete-game, six-hit loss.

April 10, 1975: Orioles 10 at Tigers 0. WP: Jim Palmer (GS 85)

Going by Game Score, this one is the winner winner, chicken dinner. It's little surprise, as Palmer mowed down the first dozen Detroit batters before Nate Colbert managed a leadoff single in the fifth inning. All three Tiger hits were singles, and none even made it to second base. "Cakes" had only four strikeouts, but did not issue any walks. The O's battered Joe Coleman, with Lee May doing manager Earl Weaver proud with a three-run homer to open the scoring in the first inning.

April 6, 1973: Oriole 10 vs. Brewers 0. WP: Dave McNally (GS 82)

Another 10-0 romp? I hope Baltimore fans knew how good they had it in the 1970s. McNally's effort was also a three-hit, no-walk gem, but he struck out just one batter. He pitched around a Gorman Thomas triple as well as a Rick Auerbach double, but the outcome wasn't truly in doubt. Brooks Robinson socked two home runs, and Don Baylor pounded out four extra base hits, finishing a single shy of the cycle.

April 7, 1970: Orioles 8 at Indians 2. WP: Dave McNally (GS 81)

Jim Palmer may have the single best O's Opening Day start, but the lefty from Montana is the only repeat performer on this list. He surrendered a pair of runs on four hits and three walks, but compensated by whiffing a career-high 13 Tribe hitters. Opposing starter "Sudden Sam" McDowell fanned 11 Birds, but lasted only 6.1 innings. The Orioles put the game on ice against the Cleveland bullpen thanks to some patient at-bats. McDowell walked the first two batters in the seventh and was pulled with one out and a 2-1 lead. Davey Johnson walked to load the bases, and then Mike Paul earned a blown save by issuing run-scoring walks to Elrod Hendricks and Curt Motton. A pair of two-run doubles by Paul Blair and Davey Johnson gave the Birds a four-run eighth inning, and Frank Robinson added the exclamation point with a ninth-inning home run.

So there you have it. Whoever gets the Game 1 assignment next month has a tough act to follow.

Sid Fernandez, 1994 Donruss #396

As you can see here, things usually get ugly when the Orioles and Mets mix. In addition to the Birds' ill-fated acquisition of Sid Fernandez, there's the 1969 World Series, the Bobby Bonilla and Mike Bordick/Melvin Mora trades...by now, fans of both teams are probably throwing things in disgust. But we can and do find common ground in baseball cards. One of my favorite Mets fans is Max, who comments here as jacobmrley. After all these years, he's finally broken down and started his own card blog, Starting Nine. It seems like he's got a unique concept; he's pared down his considerable card collection and has grouped the remnants by theme in nines. (Nine pockets to a binder page, you know.) So best of luck to Max...welcome to the club!