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Spring is synonymous with newness. Everything is fresh and reborn, and as they say in baseball terms, hope springs eternal. Thinking along those lines, here at ESR we believe that our Birds could use some new walk-up music for the 2016 season. For some players, this will involve replacing old classics, songs that make the player instantly recognizable, while for others we’ll hope to create some fun where now exists just bland (usually country) melodies. Regardless, for all we’ll hope to establish some new instant recognition between Oriole and tune in the minds of fans.

Here’s the thing about music, though – I’m an old man, and anything that’s been released in the past decade or so is pretty much completely off my radar. Of course, that doesn’t mean I can’t pick a bad ass walk-up song, just that many of my choices might seem quite dated to younger members of the audience. As such, I’ve enlisted the help of one of our youngest ESR writers, Ryan Blake.

First, we’ll remind you of the song(s) each Oriole currently uses (found here). Then, we’ll both pick a new tune for them and offer a short explanation of why we chose it. Finally, you guys will vote – you can choose one of our new options, or the player’s current set of notes.

All that said, let’s choose some new walk-up songs for our Birds. ~ Derek

Adam Jones

Current: California Love/Lose My Mind/Bout That Life

Derek: The Next Episode by Dr. Dre

Adam likes to pay homage to his California roots, so far be it from me to deprive him of representing Cali. However, this particular selection from Dr. Dre lets everyone know that Adam is ready for his own next episode. He’s a father now, he’s entered his 30’s, and it’s time to take the next step in his career – namely, to become a postseason hero and a World Series Champion. That’s the “Next Episode” for Simply AJ.

Ryan: Flashing Lights by Kanye West (31 sec mark)

I think Jonesy has gone through about 472 different rap songs as his walk-up music during his eight seasons in Baltimore. What’s one more? Kanye’s “Flashing Lights” is a banger that seems like it would fit Adam’s style.

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Chris Davis

Current: The Moment We Come Alive

Derek: For Whom the Bell Tolls by Metallica

Alright, so the obvious answer for Crush is, of course, Orange Crush by R.E.M. However, as much as I do enjoy that song, it hardly strikes fear into the heart of the listener. When Davis comes to the plate, opposing pitchers are already appropriately soiling themselves with fear, and we want to do everything we can to add to that trepidation. A choice that came to mind was Enter Sandman by Metallica, but Mariano Rivera already made that song his own – again, using the “you should be scared” tactic. Fortunately, the metal masters have a large library of scary songs from which to choose. We’ll go with this one…for whom does the bell toll? It tolls for thee, guy on the mound.

Ryan: Buy Me a Boat by Chris Janson (25 sec mark)

Davis, very open about his faith, typically strolls to the plate to the tune of some Christian rock. Since I don’t really know many Christian rock songs, I decided to go with some country, and what better for a guy who just signed a nine-figure contract than a song talking about having money?

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Manny Machado

Current: Swag Surfin’

Derek: Tequila by The Champs (52 sec mark)

https://youtu.be/MDD21ZJF3mI?t=52s

Watching Manny Machado play baseball every day is one of the great pleasures of being an Orioles fan. It’s just damn fun to watch Manny do some of the things he does. So, when I think of baseball and fun, my childhood classic “The Sandlot” comes to mind, and along with it, “Tequila.” When Machado walks up and you hear this song, you know some fun stuff is going to go down. Now, if only they could play it every time a ball is hit his way…

Ryan: Tattoo by Jordin Sparks (1:08)

I couldn’t help myself. The dude got a tattoo of his wife’s face on his arm. Granted, the gesture itself is sweet, but the tattoo came out horribly.

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J.J. Hardy

Current: Flower

Derek: La Grange by ZZ Top (35 sec mark)

Hardy’s current song has become very well known in recent years, and not because everybody suddenly loves Moby or has been watching the Nic Cage flick “Gone in 60 Seconds.” Nowadays, everybody knows “Flower” because Crossfit/Boot Camp classes across the world have been using it’s lyrics “Bring Sally up/Bring Sally down” to torture their attendees. At this point, it’s a wonder half the stadium doesn’t start squatting up and down every time J.J. comes to bat. I’d bet it takes every ounce of restraint noted Crossfitter Brittany Ghiroli has to not break a sweat up in the press box four times per game. For a change, I went with another famous double-consonant artist for Hardy. Just think of Ryan Wagner saying “Z…Z….TOP!”

Ryan: Gonna Know We Were Here by Jason Aldean (56 sec mark)

Choosing a new walk-up song for Hardy was a tough task, considering he’s stuck with Moby’s “Flower” for as long as I can remember. Bryce Harper now uses the same song, dethroning O.G. J.J. as the coolest player in baseball who brings Sally up and down. The aging Hardy is likely nearing the end of his career, so I went with a song about leaving a legacy.

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Matt Wieters

Current: Live Like That

Derek: The Wire Season 5 intro by Steve Earle

We can all agree that one of our Orioles needs to come to the plate with The Wire theme song, yes? Who better than Wieters, who guns down runners from behind the dish like he intercepted their burner traffic and he knew exactly when they’d show up for the meet at second base? Because Matty is into his country twang, I chose the version that comes closest to sounding like it came out of Matt’s home state of Georgia, season five’s by singer/songwriter Steve Earle (who played Bubbles’ N.A. sponsor in the show).

[youtube]https://youtu.be/NSGkh61rMhM[/youtube]

Ryan: Raised On It by Sam Hunt (37 sec mark)

Wieters, another country music guy, was drafted by the Orioles and came up through the system. He is one of just a handful of homegrown talents on the team. I figured I would go with a country song that encompasses sticking with your roots, as Wieters certainly has.

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Nolan Reimold

Current: nWo WolfPack

Derek: Right Now by SR-71

SR-71 is a great Baltimore band who achieved their greatest national notoriety with their 2000 hit “Right Now.” While the Charm City connection is obviously a plus, look at these lyrics and tell me they can’t be applied to Mr. Reimold’s time in Baltimore:

..She clings to me like cellophane…

No matter what the Birds do, they just can’t seem to rid themselves of Nolan for good, who just keeps coming back.

…While she may not be Miss Right, she’ll do right now…

While Nolan may not be Mr. Right (Field), it seems that, for the umpteenth time, he’s Mr. Right Now for the Orioles. Maybe this is the year…

Ryan: Tubthumping by Chumbawumba (8 sec mark)

No matter how many times Nolan Reimold gets knocked down with an injury, he gets back up again. We’re never gonna keep him down.

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Mark Trumbo

Current: Once

Derek: Kiss it Goodbye by Nickelback

https://youtu.be/cLyuafnBFpc?t=10s

Yes, I like Nickelback. Get over it. And give this song a chance. If you start it at the right mark in the song, the lyric is “Kiss It Goodbye” which is exactly what we hope to do with 40+ “Trumbombs” this season.

Ryan: Lithium by Nirvana (1:32)

Trumbo used a Pearl Jam song last year, so I decided to stick with the grunge. There’s nothing too special about this one but it certainly sounds good.

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Jonathan Schoop

Current: Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)

Derek: Shoop by Salt-N-Pepa

When Schoop was still an unknown in the O’s system, our friends at Section 336 called him Jonathan “Shoop.” After all, that’s what it looks like. Why not confuse everybody all over again. Wait a minute…is it pronounced “Shoop?” Then why did he pick this song…?

Ryan: Robinson Cano by Messiah (2:19)

https://youtu.be/B4Kzv_xs7GM?t=2m19s

How funny would it be if second baseman Jonathan Schoop, who had a higher OPS last season than the Mariners’ second baseman and turns just as pretty a double play, walked up to the plate to the tune of a song named after Robinson Cano? Who cares if the whole thing is in Spanish!

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Caleb Joseph

Current: Duck Blind

Derek: Ode to My Car by Adam Sandler (Clean Version)

Caleb turned heads down in Sarasota this spring, driving a $700 Mazda pickup truck with 198,000 miles on it around Florida, making teammates and coaches alike shake their heads. Adam Sandler’s 1996 (back when he was still funny!) ode to his own “piece of s&$t car” seems like a natural fit.

Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun

Ryan: Slump by Outkast

OK, I know the song title isn’t exactly good juju for a professional athlete, but the song itself begins with the words, “Baby gotta eat!” I couldn’t possibly pick anything else.

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Ryan Flaherty

Current: Money and the Power

Derek: My Name Is by Eminem

Flaherty has a hip-hop song as his walk-up music, which for some reason cracks me up. Probably because Flaherty looks like the last guy you’d expect to be bumping rap music. Still, I don’t want to take his thug life dreams from him, but I think we need a little different take on things. So, Eminem is the ticket, and what better song to introduce a tall, skinny dude to the plate than Em’s first single “My Name Is?”

Bonus: I was chatting with my wife about this little project, and she suggested the following song for Flaherty. I think she’s gonna win this one. White & Nerdy by “Weird” Al Yankovic.

Ryan: Swish by Mike Stud (1:15)

Honestly, I just really wanted to use a Mike Stud song. I feel like this one fits Flaherty, who lettered in three high school sports, including basketball.

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Late addition: Pedro Alvarez

Current: Juicy by Notorious B.I.G.

Derek: Mr. Krinkle by Primus

I’d been thinking about having this as my Davis submission, but it ultimately came in second place to Metallica. So, I’m just going to cheat a bit and use it for Alvarez, another guy who I’d like to strike some fear into opposing pitchers. That bass line sounds a lot like the “Jaws” theme to my ears. O’s sluggers are circling.

Ryan: $ave Dat Money by Lil Dicky f/Fetty Wap & Rich Homie Quan (16 sec mark)

I got stuck on the newly-acquired Alvarez, who used a Biggie song last year. Then, my friend Brittney, who was nice enough to let me stay with her during my Spring Training trip, suggested this one. I couldn’t come up with anything better, so let’s roll with it.

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All photos by Craig Landefeld/GulfBird photo unless otherwise indicated.