Favorite all-time Orioles utility player?

[Redskins Rick]

20 minutes ago, Ruzious said:

Good choice.  Merv was a pure hitter - though not much of an OFer. 

Clemente blew me away as a RFer in that WS when I was 10.  Here's a clip of the best way to run the bases against Roberto:  https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Roberto+Clemente+Greatest+Plays&&view=detail&mid=A14ACCF8E842A4606D25A14ACCF8E842A4606D25&rvsmid=13F38E1CB16C586FDD8013F38E1CB16C586FDD80&FORM=VDQVAP

Don't ever test his arm.  He was simply the best. 

I was always fond of Joe Orsulak. Probably not the best arm on a COF,  but runners loved to test him, and he threw out more his far share of them.

[wildcard]

Donald Stone.   He worked for the phone company for 30 years.  Best utility player IMO.

[OFFNY]

4 hours ago, OFFNY said:

o

 

Merv Rettenmund.

My Orioles fandom began when I was a 6 year-old boy, in first grade in October of 1971. Growing up in Brewster, NY, it was pretty unusual for a kid to adapt the Orioles as his favorite team, but I did. The Orioles were playing the Pirates in the World Series. I remember the last two games of the series (Game 6 and Game 7.) My whole family was rooting for the Pirates because they liked Roberto Clemente, so naturally, I rooted for the Orioles. After the final groundout to end Game Seven which give the Pirates the series, my whole family whooped it up in the living room, and I went outside, put my face in my hands, and pouted on the swing-set in our back yard up here in Brewster, NY.

I later found out that the player who grounded out for that final out of Game Seven (and I remember it vividly) was Merv Rettenmund.

 

o

 

 

3 hours ago, Ruzious said:

 

Good choice. Merv was a pure hitter - though not much of an OF-er. 

Clemente blew me away as a RF-er in that World Series when I was 10. Here's a clip of the best way to run the bases against Roberto ........  https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Roberto+Clemente+Greatest+Plays&&view=detail&mid=A14ACCF8E842A4606D25A14ACCF8E842A4606D25&rvsmid=13F38E1CB16C586FDD8013F38E1CB16C586FDD80&FORM=VDQVAP

 

Don't ever test his arm. He was simply the best. 

 

o

 

Thurman Munson, another tragic plane crash victim from the 70's, also had an outstanding arm behind home plate.

The Clemente and Munson plane crashes that occurred 7 years apart in 1972 and 1979 respectively were 2 of the saddest incidents of my baseball memories from my childhood.

 

 

 

o

[Punchandjudy]

Mark Mclemore-I didn’t realize he played 18 years in the league.

[Moose Milligan]

46 minutes ago, Punchandjudy said:

Mark Mclemore-I didn’t realize he played 18 years in the league.

Put me down for McLemore, too.  Used to call him Mac Attack.

I liked Hulett, too.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

37 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Put me down for McLemore, too.  Used to call him Mac Attack.

I liked Hulett, too.

 

[Roll Tide]

23 hours ago, Frobby said:

Roch wrote a piece on Stevie Wilkerson today, and at the end he asked who is your all-time favorite Orioles utility player.   https://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2019/10/wilkerson-prepared-to-work-with-new-outfield-instructor.html

I’m leaving Melvin Mora out of this, since he eventually settled in as the regular 3B for quite a few years.    But he was a helluva utility player while in that role.   
 

My vote would go to Chico Salmon.   I’m not saying he was the best utility guy we ever had, just that I liked him the best.    He was a high energy guy who always had a smile on his face.   He had a great year in 1969, batting .297/.375/.451 while starting 3 games at 1B, 8 at 2B, 6 at SS, and 1 at 3B.    He also subbed in 20 games and pinch hit in 16 (with some overlap there).    His career went downhill after that, with his OPS and playing time dropping significantly each year, but I still remember him fondly.   

I know Mora became the everyday 3B ....but he's my choice hands down

[LA2]

22 hours ago, Frobby said:

In my mind, you have to play some 2B or SS to be considered a utility guy.   

This is part of my sense of what a utility player is as well--not an outfielder, catcher, DH or 1st baseman. Two of my favorites were:

Chris Gomez, who always hit for a high average (.279, .341, .302) and played all four infield positions in each of his three seasons with the O's (2005-07);

Bob Johnson, who played all over the diamond for the 1963-66 O's, but mainly back-up SS and 2B and could hit once in a while.

[Larry18]

Lenn Sakata for me. His time coincided with the last gasp of the great Orioles run. 

[Woody Held]

Mine would be Woody Held,”  swing hard just in case you hit something.”

[Fuzzball22]

I'm surprised there is no love for Kiko.

[OldNewGuy]

9 hours ago, LA2 said:

Bob Johnson, who played all over the diamond for the 1963-66 O's, but mainly back-up SS and 2B and could hit once in a while.

Didn't know anyone remembered "Rocky"!! Had a couple of seasons where he was also a top notch pinch hitter. Good call.

[tntoriole]

I liked Rene Gonzalez...he was friends with my brother and we got good seats...lol.  

[spiritof66]

Rocky Johnson
Billy Smith
Lenn Sakata

[SteveA]

Rene Gonzales