To those of you who are too young to remember the glory years.

[Oriole1940]

Yes,  what this team has a chance to become is like those glory days when I still remember an instance when we needed 3 runs and had 2 men on base.  Frank doubled those 2 home and while I was glad for that, I was a little let down because I truly expected a 3 run homer to tie the game.  Its those kind of expectations that I hope can be relived with this team.  

[Just Regular]

An a-ha moment for me learning how Hall of Very Good a player Don Buford actually was from that pitcher's ERA was when I stumbled across he has the 3rd highest BATS rWAR among all players born in 1937.

Its Brooks Robinson, Orlando Cepeda and him.

Ala Joey Ortiz, he had just 48 career PA through his Age 26 season.

[Oriole1940]

21 hours ago, Frobby said:

I had to laugh today when one of our posters said this was the most talented Orioles team he’d ever seen.  I’m old enough to have seen this team:

1B: Boog Powell 39.1 rWAR

2B: Davey Johnson 27.4 rWAR

3B: Brooks Robinson 78.4 rWAR

SS Mark Belanger 41.9 rWAR

LF Don Buford 36.2 rWAR

CF Paul Blair 37.7 rWAR

RF Frank Robinson 107.3 rWAR

C Andy Etchebarren/Elrod Hendricks 18.2 rWAR

SP Jim Palmer 68.5 rWAR

SP Mike Cuellar 26.9 rWAR

SP Dave McNally 25.5 rWAR

Bench: Bobby Grich 71.1 rWAR, Merv Rettenmund 20.0 rWAR

That’s like 600 career rWAR combined.  And I’m leaving off plenty of solid contributors.  

My goodness.  No wonder they won as many games as they did.   But again, I expected a Win every time they took the field. And most days I was not disappointed.  

[DrungoHazewood]

11 hours ago, Frobby said:

Oh, I’m well aware.  To a 30 year old like my son, 1970 is as long ago as 1933 was for me when I was a 30-year old.  That was the year the all-star game was invented!   

Still, I have to wonder how many teams in the history of baseball had as much lifetime rWAR as those ‘69-71 Orioles teams.  I’d guess only a very small handful.  
 

The 1894 Orioles only had 20 players appear on the team all year, which actually was higher than average for the era. They were:

Wilbert Robinson, career rWAR 6.7
Dan Brouthers, 79.8
Heinie Reitz, 12.8
Hughie Jennings, 42.3
John McGraw, 45.7
Willie Keeler, 54.3
Steve Brodie, 19.4
Joe Kelley, 50.4
Frank Bonner, -0.7
Boileryard Clarke, 5.4
Kirtley Baker, -5.4
Sadie McMahon, 43.6
Bill Hawke, -1.0
Kid Gleason, 8.8 (bat), 33 pitch, 41.8 (total)
Bert Inks: -0.5
Tony Mullane: 61.0
Duke Esper: 18.0
Stub Brown: 0.8
George Hemming: 15.1
Jack Horner: -0.1

Total: 479.4

And that's just for one year, and many of those players played the bulk of their careers in 130 or 100 or fewer game schedules.

But in any case, the average 1894 Oriole (including all the short-career and ineffective guys) had a career value of 24 rWAR, or about that of Al Bumbry.

Also note that six of those players are in the Hall of Fame, but not career WAR leader Mullane, nor 1919 Black Sox manager Kid Gleason. McGraw, Robinson, Jennings, Kelly, and Gleason all had significant careers as MLB managers.

If you were to include anyone who appeared on the Orioles in the 1890s you could add Dirty Jack Doyle (25.9), George Van Haltren (40), Gene DeMontreville (14.9), Dan McGann (34), Jimmy Sheckard (49.5), Perry Werden* (17.7), Iron Man McGinnity (61.9), Bill Hoffer (19.4), Jerry Nops (10.9), Doc Pond (7.5), James McJames (15), and Frank Kitson (21.9). Among others.

* For Minneapolis in the Western League in 1894-95 Werden hit .417 with 43 homers, and .428 with 45 homers. Through 1918 the MLB single-season HR record was 27.

Edited February 3 by DrungoHazewood

[RZNJ]

11 minutes ago, DrungoHazewood said:

The 1894 Orioles only had 20 players appear on the team all year, which actually was higher than average for the era. They were:

Wilbert Robinson, career rWAR 6.7
Dan Brouthers, 79.8
Heinie Reitz, 12.8
Hughie Jennings, 42.3
John McGraw, 45.7
Willie Keeler, 54.3
Steve Brodie, 19.4
Joe Kelley, 50.4
Frank Bonner, -0.7
Boileryard Clarke, 5.4
Kirtley Baker, -5.4
Sadie McMahon, 43.6
Bill Hawke, -1.0
Kid Gleason, 8.8 (bat), 33 pitch, 41.8 (total)
Bert Inks: -0.5
Tony Mullane: 61.0
Duke Esper: 18.0
Stub Brown: 0.8
George Hemming: 15.1
Jack Horner: -0.1

Total: 479.4

And that's just for one year, and many of those players played the bulk of their careers in 130 or 100 or fewer game schedules.

But in any case, the average 1894 Oriole (including all the short-career and ineffective guys) had a career value of 24 rWAR, or about that of Al Bumbry.

Also note that six of those players are in the Hall of Fame, but not career WAR leader Mullane, nor 1919 Black Sox manager Kid Gleason. McGraw, Robinson, Jennings, Kelly, and Gleason all had significant careers as MLB managers.

If you were to include anyone who appeared on the Orioles in the 1890s you could add Dirty Jack Doyle (25.9), George Van Haltren (40), Gene DeMontreville (14.9), Dan McGann (34), Jimmy Sheckard (49.5), Perry Werden* (17.7), Iron Man McGinnity (61.9), Bill Hoffer (19.4), Jerry Nops (10.9), Doc Pond (7.5), James McJames (15), and Frank Kitson (21.9). Among others.

* For Minneapolis in the Western League in 1894-95 Werden hit .417 with 43 homers, and .428 with 45 homers. Through 1918 the MLB single-season HR record was 27.

My memory is not what it used to be but I have no recollection of the 1894 Orioles whatsoever.  

[BamaOsFan]

Those 1968, 1969 & 1970 teams are the reason that I'm a big Orioles fan from way down in North Alabama.  I remember seeing on the evening news in October of 69, Walter Cronkite showing the bird cartoon logo with tears running down it's face when losing in the 69 series.  I cried right along as I could not believe it either. 

Then the magical 1970 series againt the Big Red Machine. The Orioles were too strong in that series.

Thought we had the 1971 series against the Pirates, but it wasn't to be.

And those American League Championship series against the mighty A's. Great series, but we just couldn't put them away.

The 1979 series still haunts me today. Up 3 games to 1 only to once again come up short. Today the Sister Sledge song, "We Are Family" gets quickly silenced.

The magic is coming back and I'm extrememly exited with the new ownership. Finally, we have people that want to win NOW.

See you in Sarasota!

 

Edited February 6 by BamaOsFan
mispelled

[Oriole1940]

7 minutes ago, BamaOsFan said:

Those 1968, 1969 & 1970 teams are the reason that I'm a big Orioles fan from way down in North Alabama.  I remember seeing on the evening news in Octoner of 69, Walter Cronkite showing the bird logo with tears losing in the 69 series.  I cried right along as I could'nt believe it either. 

Then the magical 1970 series againt the Big Red Machine. The Orioles were too strong in that series.

Thought we had the 1971 series against the Pirates, but it wasn't to be.

All those American League Championship series against the A's. Great series, but we just couldn't put them away.

The 1979 series still haunts me today. Up 3 games to 1 only to once again come up short. Today the Sister Sledge song, "We Are Family" gets quickly silenced.

The magic is coming back and I'm extrememly exited with the new ownership. Finally, we have people that want to win now.

See you in Sarasota!

 

Yes, I was so destroyed by that 1979 Series that I gave up being a baseball fan for the better part of 1 year.  We were not only up 3 games to 1 but as I recall, even led in the 5th game only to lose it.  

[oriolediehard]

I started to follow the O's during the 1960 baby birds era. My first pennant race was in 1964 when we finished in 3rd place 2 games out behind the White Sox and Yankees.

[RZNJ]

I don’t have any recollection of the 66 series when I was about to turn 7.  I have vague memories of the 67 and 68 series which featured the Red Sox/Cardinals and Tigers/Cardinals.  I started following the Orioles in 1968, and have pretty clear memories of the 69 series and onward.   Some teachers actually let us listen to some of the game on transistor radio and straight to the 19” black and white Zenith TV when I got home.  Clear memories of Buford homering off Seaver in game 1, Swoboda robbing Brooks, and Davey Johnson flying out for the last out to Cleon Jones.

The next 13-14 years were great fun.  If only there had been the technology we have today instead of waiting for the sun to go down so I could plug my ear piece into my radio and hope to make out Chuck Thompson’s words through the static.

[sportsfan8703]

On 2/2/2024 at 12:50 PM, DrungoHazewood said:

But you have to remember that Frank played his last game in an Orioles uniform when I was not quite four months old. And I'm 52.

The median age of an American is 38. The typical Orioles fan is really reaching deep to remember seeing Mike Devereaux play. Most folks don't remember the Why Not? team, much less seeing Merv Rettenmund and Don Baylor in the same outfield.

At 40, I’m right on that edge. I don’t remember the “why not” team. I do remember Deveraux. Those 96’-97’ teams were fun and it seemed like we would go out and make a move for just about anyone. 

This is setting up to the be the best group of position players I’ve seen. Add a healthy Bautista, and the argument could’ve been made for best overall pitching staff too. 

[Just Regular]

9 hours ago, Oriole1940 said:

Yes, I was so destroyed by that 1979 Series that I gave up being a baseball fan for the better part of 1 year.  We were not only up 3 games to 1 but as I recall, even led in the 5th game only to lose it.  

This is correct.    The '79 Series is my first exact memory that's stuck, and in the category of baseball's ultimate unpredictability...

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PIT/PIT197910140.shtml

Not only did the Orioles have a 1-0 lead after 5, but the pitching matchup that day was Mike Flanagan v. Jim Rooker.

Age 36 Jim Rooker was their 5th starter, had thrown an 85 ERA+ that season, and his career would be over in 18 more innings.    Age 27 Mike Flanagan was the reigning AL Cy Young.