Maverick Hiker

I went to the first game of that WS as a 13 year old and that was the only one the Orioles won. But yes they got ripped off with the non interference play and especially the shoe polish play. I can't believe the ump would just accept that the ball with shoe polish proved the Mets player had been hit by the pitch.. Of course the Mets rubbed that ball against their shoe. How about a challenge for both of those plays now based on replays.

Buck's postseason record isn't the best . MLB should take another look at their playoff system. In MLB , unlike the NBA, an inferior team can easily win a game or a short series. The Cardinals won their division and were 6 games better than the Phillies.. The Mets won 101 games and were eliminated by an 89 win San Diego team. Too many teams in the playoffs. Also all these teams making it takes the drama out of pennant races.

You're probably right it was more likely an acculation of games especially those 100+ pitch games. I give Means credit for being willing to stay in that long in all those games unlike a recent pitcher who wanted to be pulled after like 80 pitches in a perfect game. In the old days when I was a kid pitchers like Denny McClain and Bob Gibson had to be dragged off the mound they didn't mind going way over 100 pitches. I read one extra inning game McClain threw over 160 pitches. He had a shortened career due to arm trouble. Same as Sandy Koufax. Oddly some pitchers like Gibson throwing all those innings actually seemed to help him, it was like exercising his arm. And he'd be at his best in October even after throwing 300+ innings.

I wonder if Means went way over his usual pitch count in his no hitter and that contributed to this injury. This I did not expect: Tommy John surgery! I hope Means has a successful rehab and can come back full strength. It would be interesting to know what the success rate is for this for coming back, going back to Tommy John.

I don’t care for either team but 5he Yankees are always worth rooting against. Judge going for home with one out: why? Looks like they again failed to buy a championship. im glad the Yankees lost but this one game playoff thing is not the best way to decide things.

As I recall it Girardi pulled the rug out from under the Orioles after pretty much agreeing to take the job. I think there were rumors he got a call from the Yankees who didn't want him managing the Orioles and sure enough a few months later Girardi replaced Torre. I never cared for Girardi as a manager or a player. He said the right things such as the incident you cited when he didn't want to be seen as making excuses. But there was a certain arrogance and not a very likable guy nor did he want to be. The Yankee players didn't complain when he was let go as manager.

Speaking of the Phillies it looks like Joe Girardi's days there are almost done, after their meltdown to the Rockies at home last weekend. I recall before managing the Yankees Girardi rejected the Orioles manager job, as if he was above coming here and he would wait for the Yankees job instead./ Well he won only one WS in NY with all the years he was there with that loaded team, and getting fired by the Yankees. Now on thin ice with the Phillies. Girardi showed the Orioles up by indicating he would take the job then pulling out so good riddance.

I was thinking Mancini's was the HR derby throwing off his swing but upon reflection that was before he started slumping. It's probably because coming back and the long season after his illness he's wearing down..

Sounds like a great evening I wish I had gone. Breaking that long losing streak such a relief.

That's great I like it! I wish I had been there. It's funny how all those losses make one W so sweet.

I'm so happy this 19 game losing streak is over and no records were set, not even the team record (0-21). This team is not good but not historically bad and at least the franchise will not be subject to national ridicule by setting such an ignominious record. Congratulations Orioles, let's make it two in a row!

How can a team hit 4 HR and lose 5-4 . It's almost like this team has been jinxed. Perhaps if I avoid watching or reading the internet for a few days this streak will be over next time I look.

Yes I used to hate losing to the Yankees but losing to the Rays is even worse. I know I should be for the small market teams but the Rays are so boring and unlikeable to me I wouldn't care if the Yankees or Red Sox beat them for the AL East title.

This is becoming so bad I think MLB may do something. After this year, what they could do is restructure the draft so that teams are not rewarded for losing and having the worst record.

I hate seeing the Orioles set records for futility such as losing streaks and Chris Davis' 0-54. (I had forgotten Davis' streak was that bad actually going 54 AB without a hit that is unbelievable. Even when pitchers used to bat most of them were a lot better than that.) I think I was spoiled because I grew up with the Orioles powerhouse teams of the late 60's and early 70's. Back then with the naivety of youth I just assumed the Orioles would always be a good team.

I know the Orioles have had some very bad streaks but I don't recall them going through a stretch where they were losing games by such wide margins. Well against the Braves this weekend they have been closer but for most of August there were no one run games just one "leave early" game after another.

At this point I just want one win now to break this losing streak. This is becoming a national embarrassment and I don't care about getting the number one pick this way. The 2021 Orioles won't break the 1962 Mets record for losses if they can just break this darn losing streak at least they won't go down in history. I don't know what the longest losing streak in history is but it's getting close to 1988 Orioles 0-21 streak. '

It's a collapse because the Orioles were not historically bad until August. Now they are losing each and every game by wide margins and if they had played this way all year MLB would have to take action.

I thought so. The '62 Mets were losing by 2 runs per game while the 2021 Orioles recently are losing by 5.5 runs per game. I've followed baseball a long time since 1967 and I can't recall such a stretch of games : not even close just getting pummeled each game.

I think the 1962 Mets were 40-120 they must have had a couple of rainouts. The way the Orioles have collapsed, I doubt even the 1962 Mets were getting blown out game after game without any of the games even being close. The way the team played against Tampa Bay this season is an embarrassment. I'm so disappointed. I sometimes feel that it would be better if the team left Baltimore.

I think it's a shame that Davis insisted on being paid the rest of his salary he should have just quit and let the rest of the contract be voided. So many millions of dollars wasted. It's nice that he gives a small percentage of it to charity but why couldn't he just walk away. The way he has played recent years is frankly disgraceful, setting the all time record for hitless AB and hitting well below the Mendoza line of .200 with all those strikeouts. I recall Al Kaine refused part of his salary one year or accepted a pay cut for the next year because he had an off year and said he didn't deserve it.. How times have changed. I would not want to keep money that I have not earned. Frankly this shows how free agency with no salary cap has damaged MLB ,, the players have way too much power and their salaries are way too high. I was lucky that I'm an old geezer and that I followed MLB as a youth in the late 1960's and early 1970s before all these changes for the worse.

I'm starting to worry again about breaking the 1962 Mets record for losses. The Orioles are not just losing, these games are usually not even close. The Orioles have by far , the worst runs scored vs given up differential in MLB. And the team has collapsed.

I hope you guys are right but I am starting to worry. I don't think the Orioles will lose another 14 in a row to get down to .250 but the team seems to be collapsing with 4 months to go, they have plenty of time to get down to .250. (Actually I think they'd have to play better than .250 to avoid the L record because for some reason the 62 mets only played 160 games.)

Frank Thomas hit 34 HR, 94 Rbi that year. They would've lost lot more than 120 games without him. The Orioles need a legit power cleanup man with Chris Davis gone and terrible when he was playing. I also recognize Chris Canizzarro who was a pretty good catcher, Richiie Ashurn, and Jim Hickman had a good career with the Cubs. The pitching staff I recall Roger Craig. Al Jackson but the Mets pitching looks weak overall to me. Hopefully some of the Orioles will make their names known but at this point it's hard for me to be optimistic.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane. More like nightmare lane. I hope the writer is right, that losing streak won't happen again. Bill Ripken looks so young. Well he was, only 23. He didn't help the cause that year 1988 2 HR .207 average. Kind of reminds me of of some of the present day Orioles hitters.