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Orioles-Red Sox named third most interesting matchup in baseball by Sports Illustrated

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TINSTAAPP Perennial All-Star

TINSTAAPP

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3. Baltimore Orioles vs. Boston Red Sox

These two teams have been rivals in the AL East since the division was formed in 1969, and while they've both had their share of success—nine division titles for the Orioles, eight for the Red Sox—nothing in the rivalry generated a level of heat on par with their first two series of this season, which brought out some of the worst of what baseball has to offer. 

The bad blood began on April 21 at Camden Yards, when Baltimore's Manny Machado slid into second base late, spiking Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who missed the Red Sox' next three games due to swelling in his surgically repaired left knee. Things escalated when Boston reliever Matt Barnes threw a pitch way too close to Machado's head the next day. Barnes was ejected, while Pedroia registered his disapproval of his teammate's actions by calling across the field to Machado and saying, "That's not me … If it was me, we would have hit you the first day." Barnes drew a four-game suspension from the league. 

The fallout from the Machado-Pedroia incident lingered, with Red Sox ace Chris Sale throwing behind Machado (but escaping discipline) when the teams met again at Fenway Park in early May. In the wake of that, Machado launched a postgame tirade during which he declared his lack of respect for the Sox and openly suggested he could wield his bat as a weapon, an uncomfortable callback to his 2014 bat-tossing incident against the A's. To make matters worse, on May 2 Orioles centerfielder Adam Jones was subjected to racist taunts while playing the outfield at Fenway Park, which drew swift apologies from Red Sox team president Sam Kennedy, Boston mayor Marty Walsh, Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker; Red Sox fans responded by giving Jones a standing ovation the next night. The two teams kept things under control during last weekend's series in Baltimore, and they have just six games remaining on their schedule, none before Aug. 25 in Boston, but you can bet those will be worth watching. 

 

https://www.si.com/mlb/2017/05/25/top-10-prospects-2007-clayton-kershaw-dustin-pedroia

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      By capyy · Posted

      yes
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      Do the Orioles Need Players with Postseason Experience?

      By OsFanSinceThe80s · Posted

    • SteveA
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      By SteveA · Posted

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    • SteveA
      Do the Orioles Need Players with Postseason Experience?

      By SteveA · Posted

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      By Sports Guy · Posted

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      By LookitsPuck · Posted

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      By LookitsPuck · Posted

      Oh, I'd love to have one come through our system by being drafted and developed. No doubt at all. 

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