Who were the best Oriole clutch hitters?

[Slappy]

Tito Landrum

[George]

You might want to rethink this, particularly the part I underlined.

There was a lot of pressure on that Orioles team going into game 5. Essentially the same team blew a 3-1 lead just four years earlier, and that weighed heavily on their minds between games 4 and 5. Thom Loverro does a decent job of documenting this in his book on that season. An excerpt:

Murray led off the top of second with a home run to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead. Even though the Orioles were up 3 games to 1, that was a very important time for Murray to come up big - maybe even more so because they were up 3-1. Even though it was only the second inning, that was a pressure situation for Murray, and he came through.

Murray's first HR was a big hit and his second of the game settled the outcome. Murray's 3 hits and 3 RBIs, however, came in a game in which MacGregor cruised to a complete game shutout. The hits don't seem quite as clutch and critical to the outcome when the pitcher is so dominant.

I do remember the thrill of that first Murray HR in the final WS game. I also temper that pleasant thought with the bad memory of his 2 for 16 performance in the first four games of the Series while the O's built a 3-1 advantage.

Perhaps the concept of "clutch hitting" is a fan's illusion. Murray was a feared hiiter, of course, and had a great HOF career, excluding most of his ABs in his two World Series.

[Birds of B'more]

I've only skimmed through this thread, but has anyone mentioned Mike Devereaux yet? I do recall he was great with runners-on, and lethal with the bases loaded. And I still remember being there at Memorial when he hit that shot that glanced off the LF foul pole in 1989 to cap that comeback against the Angels.

[OFFNY]

I'm going to have to go with Harold Baines.

Happy birthday, Harold Baines.

[JLee2027]

You're right it's Murray by a mile. I saw him at Memorial Stadium a ton of times and to this day I would want him up with the game on the line over ANYONE else.

F. Robbie comes to mind.

Frank and Brooks over Eddie.

Eddie flied out with the bases loaded in Game 7 in the 8th inning, down 2-1.

[weams]

Frank and Brooks over Eddie.

Eddie flied out with the bases loaded in Game 7 in the 8th inning, down 2-1.

That he did.

[OFFNY]

Being only 22 years old... I never had the privilege of watching Frank or even Eddie in his prime. However, the first name that came to mind was Eric Davis...

In 1997

"late and close": 30 PAs .385/.467/.538 (1.005 OPS)

In 1998

Two outs, RISP: 57 PAs .306/.404/.571 (975 OPS)

"late and close": 70 PAs .371/.414/.806 (1.221 OPS)

...can you say CLUTCH

BTW... for all you OPS buffs, Eric Davis' .970 OPS in 1998 is the 4th highest OPS (min. 450 PA's) in the last 40 years and 8th highest in the Orioles 57 year history in Baltimore.

1.) 1961 Jim Gentile 1.069

2.) 1966 Frank Robinson 1.047

3.) 1996 Brady Anderson 1.034

4.) 1964 Boog Powell 1.005

5.) 1993 Chris Hoiles 1.001

6.) 2004 Melvin Mora .981

7.) 1967 Frank Robinson .979

8.) 1998 Eric Davis .970

...one of the most underrated offensive seasons in Orioles history.

Happy birthday, Chris Hoiles.