The “waterworks” celebration theme in Baltimore has been one of the most fun things about the Orioles’ recent run of relevance. From the sprinkler for extra base hits – complete with guys in the dugout shooting water from their mouths – to the Dong Bong and “hydration station” (aka Dong Bong 2.0) which all led to the creation of Mr. Splash and the Bird Bath Splash Zone, we just can’t get enough water in Birdland.
The Splash Zone has even been expanded this year, with Mr. Splash freed from his tiny perch in the corner of section 86 and now free to roam a platform that extends to section 84. It will debut on Monday’s home opener, and those of us who got a sneak peek at it at yesterday’s Eutaw Street Block party came away impressed.
However, it’s understandable that the boys on the team would want to change things up a bit. They see their opponents coming out with new stuff and want to show off their own creativity. During last year’s first few games, we got a taste of something new with the handlebars celebration, quickly declared a flop and replaced with the waterworks and hydration station.
Many of us were initially confused by the handlebars though, until we saw the actual physical pieces of a bicycle in the dugout. I, for one, thought they were going with something completely different:
🧐🧐🧐 pic.twitter.com/Kqqm8Loivy
— Eutaw Street Report (@EutawStReport) March 29, 2024
We know that many of the O’s are avid outdoorsmen, and there were stories during spring training last year from the beat writers about players fishing in their downtime. They taught Kyle to fish!
So it seemed a natural fit to incorporate fishing into the celebrations. That’s why I thought that maybe Ryan O’Hearn was holding up fish that he had caught in the photo above.
Of course, I was wrong, and he was holding handlebars. Ah well.
It appears that I may have just been a year premature with my analysis, however. Ryan Mountcastle doubled the other day, and there is nothing ambiguous about it: this is a fishing celebration!
Fishing and phitens pic.twitter.com/xfZQ0qWhtI
— Barstool Are Dee Tee (@editti22) March 27, 2025
He casts, he sets the hook, he reels.
O’Hearn did something similar yesterday:
According to Cedric Mullins, nothing is decided upon yet…
Cedric Mullins on the Orioles testing out some new hit celebrations today in Toronto:
“Yeah, something a little new. It’s not fully put together yet. We’re piecing it together. I didn’t even see [Mountcastle do it], so I was like, ‘I’ve gotta look back and see what it looked… https://t.co/fSVKFe1rr4
— Matt Weyrich (@ByMattWeyrich) March 27, 2025
…and while I know many folks would be bummed to see the sprinkler depart, I am all for switching things up to fishing this year.
I will admit to some personal bias…
…but it fits!
Where do fish live, folks?
If you said “in the water,” come on down!
Mr. Splash and the Bird Bath stay completely relevant, the boys get to do something new, everyone’s happy. We can even put a fish bowl atop the hydration station or something?
Single = too small, put it back?
Double = reeling it in.
Triple = showing off how big the fish was?
A home hook? A bomb bait? A long ball lure?
I dunno, just spitballing.
Anyway, here’s to some fishing celebrations catching on!
