One for the Birds

My heart was heavy Sunday as I watched the Orioles turn one last 5-4-3 double play to end their season with a 7-6 come-from-behind victory over the Boston Red Sox. The Baltimore Orioles were a damn good baseball team this year, but their 85-77 record simply was not enough earn them a shot to play into October.

The Birds finished on a high note, winning four of five to end the season, hopefully high enough of a note to provide momentum for next year. A lot of fans—myself included—are disappointed with how this season turned out, but that’s not what this is about. This is about saying cheers to a team that never gave up, never laid down, and never stopped grinding in their quest to bring baseball glory back to Baltimore.

Lost in all the melee of a season-long pennant race, the Orioles made some history of their own. On July 19^th, Buck Showalter won his 250^th game at the helm of the Orioles, joining Joe Torre, Gene Mauch, and Dick Williams as the only managers to win at least 250 games with four different teams.

Defensively the team committed just 54 errors, besting the previous record of 65 held by the 2003 Seattle Mariners. Their .991 fielding percentage topped the previous record of .989 held by the 2007 Colorado Rockies.

Despite his nine blown saves, we got to see Jim Johnson save 50 games in 2013 to become just the second player in history to record back-to-back 50-save seasons (Eric Gagne) and the first to do it without the use of performance-enhancing drugs.

We watched Chris Davis go from a DH-type with power to a Gold Glove-caliber first baseman with a franchise record 53 home runs. Though the AL MVP will almost certainly go to Miguel Cabrera, Davis is more than deserving, having led the majors in home runs and runs batted in. One could argue that if the Orioles had made the playoffs, Davis would be the front-runner.

We saw a 20-year-old third baseman become a bona fide superstar before sipping his first legal beer. The now 21-year-old Manny Machado was on pace for a record number of doubles, and though he slowed down a bit in the second half, his 51 two-baggers and flawless defense at the hot-corner has Birdland excited for what lies ahead.

Adam Jones proved that he is officially one of the top players in the game as he amassed 30 home runs for the second straight season. His 33 home runs are a career high and 2013 marks the third straight season in which he has set a new career high in the category. His 108 RBIs placed him third in the American League behind teammate Chris Davis and last year’s MVP Miguel Cabrera.

Chris Tillman continued his emergence as one of the top young pitchers in the AL. Tillman became the first Orioles pitcher to record more than 13 wins since Mike Mussina tallied 18 victories in 1999. He led all O’s starters in starts, wins, ERA, innings pitched and WHIP. While it remains to be seen if he is a true number one, Tillman has established himself as the staff ace.

Also lost in the mix are the MLB-leading 212 home runs hit by the club in 2013 and the five All Stars that got to represent Baltimore at the mid-summer classic in July.

While we all were lamenting a season of “what-ifs” and “what-could-have-been,” we forgot to see the season for what it was. It was the Orioles second straight winning season, a first since 1996-’97. It was another step in the right direction. It was meaningful baseball in August and September. While we shouldn’t be happy with missing the playoffs, we should be happy with 85 wins and a team that is just a piece or two away from making a serious run at a world championship, and that certainly puts a smile on my face.

So here’s to you, Baltimore’s Orioles. Thank you for an amazing season. Thank you for giving me something to do every night for six months. Thank you for giving me something to look forward to for the next six months. Thank you for bringing baseball back to Baltimore. Cheers.