Wednesday Bird Droppings: The final day of the regular season

Oct 5, 2022 - 11:00 AM

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Good morning, Birdland!

Well, here we are. It is the final day of the 2022 regular season, and we actually get a double dip. For some reason, MLB has decided that yesterday’s rainout does need to be made up. So, the Orioles and the playoff-bound Blue Jays will play a double-header at Camden Yards this afternoon. Neither game will impact seeding as the Jays are locked in as the top wild card, so whomever their 27th man is for today might just throw all 18 innings.

Jordan Lyles will not get back onto the bump this year. The veteran is one inning short of a new career-high in innings. It sounds like maybe he would have started the season finale had it not rained on Tuesday, but the extra roster spot gives some more flexibility. So, Lyles’ season is over. It’s one that the Orioles have to be pleased with. He ate innings, put up a respectable ERA, and provided stability and leadership. That’s worth $6 million.

Instead, we will see Mike Baumann and Spenser Watkins make their final auditions for the 2023 Orioles. One would assume that both will be involved with next year’s staff in some way, shape, or form. However, that role probably won’t include starting games in October.

It will be sad to see this version of the team go into our rearview. They have been such a fun group, and they have been the proof that what Mike Elias, Brandon Hyde, and rest of this regime have been working on for four years is starting to pay off.

There is no doubt that next year’s squad will look different. Some of the “good vibes” players like Rougned Odor and Robinson Chirinos are as good as gone. Lyles seems like a long shot to return on an $11 million salary. And there could be a big shakeup in the outfield.

While all of these changes could be for the better, it’s still at least a little sad when anything you care about comes to an end. The 2022 Orioles fall into that bucket. The future is bright, but that doesn’t diminish the shine of this year’s team.

Links

40 years ago, the 1982 Orioles’ magical comeback came up short. It set the stage for a 1983 World Series title. | The Baltimore Sun
For me, and many of a similar age, seeing the Orioles in the World Series seems almost like an impossibility. The 2012-16 era even felt like a dream. They have just been been a bad franchise for the better part of three decades. Perhaps a string of winning seasons changes that notion.

A season jeopardized and influenced by lockout ends today for Orioles | Roch Kubatko
It was a good year. There were certainly some lows, like the John Means injury or the Trey Mancini trade. But man, this was a fun season!

O’s celebrate prospects, take glimpse at bright future | Orioles.com
The most obvious area of improvement since Elias took the reins of the franchise has been down in the minors. We have seen that impact the big league squad in a direct way in 2022. This offseason seems like the time to make it pay off via trades as well.

Orioles birthdays

Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!

• The late Terry Matthews (b. 1964, d. 2012) was born on this day. From 1996-98, the pitcher appeared in 88 games out of the Orioles bullpen.

This day in O’s history

1966 - The Orioles win their first World Series game 5-2 over the Dodgers thanks to home runs from Frank Robinson and Brooks Robinson plus an 11-strikeout performance from reliever Moe Drabowsky.

1971 - A 5-3 win over the Athletics clinches an ALCS sweep for the Orioles.

2014 - The Orioles wrap up a three-game sweep of the Tigers in the ALDS behind a strong start from pitcher Bud Norris.