One of the more heralded Orioles fans in the rock and roll world is Rockville native Joan Jett. She made no secret of her loyalty a few years ago when she revealed how she would check her iPhone for scores while performing a concert during an Orioles’ playoff push. She’s performed the National Anthem and proudly cheered from the stands during games — in the regular season and playoffs, alike — in the 1980s and ’90s.
One of her big hits “I Hate Myself For Loving You,” could also double as an anthem for fellow Orioles fans as they try to make sense of the team’s dive in the A.L. East standings while they try to salvage the finale of a key four-game home series with the division-leading Red Sox tonight. Any jilted lover can relate to the frustration.
[youtube]https://youtu.be/bpNw7jYkbVc[/youtube]
… “I hate myself for loving you. Can’t break free from the things that you do. I wanna walk but I run back to you. That’s why I hate myself for loving you.”
The 1988 hit — ironically released the same season the Orioles got off to their infamous 0-21 start — has applied to Orioles fans in more ways than just this week’s stumbles:
The heartbreak of the Cinderella O’s falling oh-so-short of the playoffs in the 1989 season when they challenged the Blue Jays right to the end. … The wire-to-wire 1997 A.L. East champions that were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs. … The 14 consecutive losing seasons that began in 1998. … Getting swept out of the 2014 postseason by the Royals in four games — three were by one run, and the other was lost in extra innings — after the team’s first division title in 17 years while they were without the services of the suspended Chris Davis and the injured Manny Machado.
… “I’m over being angry ’bout the hell you put me through. Hey, man, bet you can treat me right.” …
They Orioles have spent more time this season in first place than out of it, and this week’s disappointment with the Red Sox — and their many, many fans in attendance — doesn’t even come close on the “collapse” scale that we all suffered through in 2005.
Remember that one? A couple of the old gang from the success of the ’90s were back in B.J. Surhoff and Rafael Palmeiro, and they bolstered the lineup that already had Miguel Tejada, Brian Roberts, Sammy Sosa, and Javy Lopez to support a couple promising pitchers in Erik Bedard, Daniel Cabrera and Sidney Ponson. Everything looked wonderful about halfway through the season: The losing streak was only at seven seasons and the Orioles were sitting at 41-27 on June 19 and were enjoying a three-game lead. They were unseated at the top and fell back to the pack, but trailed by just a game or so when Palmeiro collected his 3,000th career hit on July 15.
That game, a 6-3 road win in Seattle was the beginning of the end, though, as the Orioles then proceeded to lose a dizzying 16 of their next 18 games. By the time it was over, they were 10 ½ game back. They staggered to the end of the season and finished at 74-88 and in fourth place, 21 games off the pace.
And the losing streak was just the least of their worries. About halfway through the slump, on Aug. 1, it was announced that a PED test was administered on Palmeiro, the slugger had come back “dirty,” and he was suspended. No one knew what to think of the Orioles anymore, and their loyalties were shaken with the memories of Palmeiro and Sosa proclaiming their integrity before Congress just a few months earlier.
… “I think of you ev’ry night and day. You took my heart and you took my pride away.” …
This season is hardly on the scale of that one 11 seasons ago — the Orioles have made a mockery of the last-place and 70-something-win seasons they were predicted to have by preseason scribes — but this week has been tough. It’s unlikely they can rally (and the Red Sox would have to plummet on a historic scale) to win the division, but a wild card slot could be the ticket for a deep run into the playoffs.
After all, both 2014 World Series teams — the Royals and the Giants — got into the playoffs with wild card bids. Orioles fans can maybe cling to that in October, right?
Wait a minute. I think I’ve heard this song before.
… “I wanna walk but I run back to you. That’s why I hate myself for loving you.”
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Great story!