All proceeds from the online auction will benefit the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation, a supporting partner to those organizations who, on a daily basis, play such a critical role in developing, inspiring, and saving young lives.

To bid on items, please follow these steps:

Click on http://hub.ebay.com/community
In the “View someone’s member profile and more” box, enter the user ID calripkensr.foundation
Follow the prompts on the next page to get to our list of auctions
Here are a few of the items that are up for auction:

Don Mattingly autographed baseball with “Hitman” inscription
Cal Ripken, Jr. signed leather bound commemorative career book
Brooks Robinson and Frank Robinson autographed 16×20 Sports Illustrated photograph
Set of 4 Cal Ripken, Jr. autographed Doug West artist proof lithographs
Don Larsen autographed baseball with “WSPG” inscription
Rawlings premium “Gold Glove” series baseball glove
Cal Ripken, Jr. autographed Louisville Slugger bat with “Hall of Fame 2007″ inscription
….and much more!
So log on now, and do some bidding! If you have any questions about the auction or the items being sold, please contact Adam Callaway at acallaway@ripkenfoundation.org

Jay Ferraro is the Executive Producer of Baseball Digest LIVE and Gotham Baseball LIVE.  He is also a columnist for Baseball Digest ,Baseballdigest.com, and Gothambaseball.com. You can reach him at Jay_Ferraro@Juno.com , follow him on Twitter here and add him on Facebook here.

If you look back over the Rays’ recent history and remove the 2008 season, 2009 would seem like a decent year. However, the fact remains that they did make it to a World Series last year and this past season was a monumental disappointment. Injuries to key players and inconsistency in the rotation were partially to blame, but this team just never seemed to put it all together like they had a season ago. Despite the mediocre finish, the Rays do have a bright future and they could force themselves back into playoff contention in 2010.

Pitching was a bit of an oddity for the Rays in 2009. In one respect, the emergence of Jeff Niemann and David Price offered some insight into the bright future for the ballclub’s young talent. In another respect, Andy Sonnanstine failed to prove he belonged on a major league roster, let alone repeat last season’s success, while Matt Garza and James Shields were hardly the “aces” they appeared to be the year before. Consistency was the biggest issue for the rotation in 2009, but the Rays have a considerable amount of talent in the pipeline for 2010. Rookies Wade Davis and Jeremy Hellickson are two young arms who should make a significant impact right away.

The Rays aren’t likely to make a major splash into the free agent market, as ownership has already made an effort to cut payroll by trading Scott Kazmir and Akinori Iwamura. They do, however, have the ability to improve through alternative avenues. Rumors of an impending Pat Burrell for Milton Bradley swap with the Chicago Cubs could have some legs, and there has also been speculation that the Rays could attempt to trade All-Star outfielder Carl Crawford for a king’s ransom during the offseason. Personally, I don’t think the Rays will head down this road yet. For one, replacing Crawford’s production will be tough to do and top prospect Desmond Jennings may still be a half-season away from big league duty, if for no other reason than to delay his arbitration clock from starting. Secondly, the Rays aren’t the bottom-dwellers they once were and have a decent shot to make a bid for the playoffs with the current roster. Removing Crawford from the equation significantly reduces their post-season chances and would eliminate the possibility of receiving the two compensatory draft picks when he files for free agency in 2011.  If they deal him, I believe they will wait until the July deadline to do so, and it will be for young affordable talent that exceeds anything they believe the team could pick up in the draft with those two picks.

My guess is that Tampa Bay will likely seek out the services of a veteran middle-reliever and possibly a second option behind the plate, but other than that, the Rays are probably set on heading into 2010 with the current roster in tact.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS:

All eyes will be on the Blue Jays this offseason, as staff ace Roy Halladay’s name will likely be thrown around a few hundred-thousand times before the start of the spring training. Aside from that spectacle, the Blue Jays have other issues that need their immediate attention.

For one, the team has no shortstop. Not one on the major league roster and there isn’t anyone down on the farm who’s ready to make an impact. Marco Scutaro and John McDonald are free agents, and though the team has voiced their openness to re-signing Scutaro, he appears very interested in testing the market and would fetch the Jays two draft picks if he signs elsewhere. There are rumors that the team will bring John McDonald back on the cheap, but he’s more of a defensive specialist and could represent a black hole in the lineup if they plug him into a starting role. It would be in the Blue Jays’ best interest to see who might be available via trade or act on Scutaro quickly, as the options in the free agent market are substandard.

The Jays also have a vacancy behind the plate and it would be tough to see them bringing back a 34-year old Rod Barajas. I have to think they would be more open to signing ex-Rockies ‘catcher Yorvit Torrealba or they could make a deal for Arizona’s Chris Snyder. The Blue Jays do have J.P. Arencibia waiting in the wings, but he is probably still a year or two away. Snyder’s current contract runs through 2011 with a team option for 2012 and he would be a relatively cheap option to bridge the gap to Arencibia. At this point, either of those options would be better than handing over the starting gig to 36-year old backup Raul Chavez.

Ok, I’ll say it. The Blue Jays need to deal Roy Halladay yesterday. Profound, right? In all seriousness, the Jays aren’t in a position to compete in 2010 and should try to get the most that they can for him right now. The guy doesn’t really want to be there and the team isn’t going to unseat the Yankees or the Red Sox next season, so pretending like he is the key to a playoff run would just be insulting to the Toronto fans. Former GM J.P. Ricciardi should have pulled the trigger on a deal long before the July deadline, but he balked at every one of the offers. Newly promoted GM Alex Anthopoulos should avoid making the same mistake and construct a deal that nets Toronto more talent than they could get from the two compensation picks headed their way when Halladay signs with another organization in 2011.

*UPADATE* – The Toronto Blue Jays have signed SS John McDonald to a 2-year, $3 Million deal. This still doesn’t change the fact that they need to find another option at the position. McDonald is terrific defensively, but he can’t be counted on to deliver in the lineup on a daily basis. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Blue Jays still go after Marco Scutaro considering that they were able to sign McDonald so cheaply.

BALTIMORE ORIOLES:

Well, they managed to not lose 100 games last season and they found out they have a lot of young ballplayers capable of succeeding at the big league level. Other than that, 2009 was a disaster.

As bad as last season was, this team may actually be somewhat relevant come September 2010. All they really need is for a few of their young studs take a couple steps forward. Nick Markakis, Adam Jones and Matt Wieters are already making a name for themselves in the lineup and it is only a matter of time before Chris Tillman, Brian Matusz and Jake Arrieta do the same in the rotation. However, third base is wide open after the team bought out Melvin Mora’s contract and they still lack a game-changing power bat in the middle of their lineup.

Free agent 1B/DH Carlos Delgado could inject some added pop into the lineup and the team has been rumored to be looking in his direction, but third base is still a position of greater need for the O’s. Josh Bell is still probably a year away from claiming his rightful spot at the hot corner in Camden Yards and Baltimore will probably want to fill that spot with someone other than Ty Wigginton (though he wouldn’t be the worst option to keep the seat warm for Bell). A couple guys who come to mind are Adrian Beltre and Pedro Feliz, as each could be considered possible stopgap options. I wouldn’t want to sign either one of those guys for more than one year, though.

Baltimore’s rotation has been in rebuilding mode since they traded Erik Bedard before the 2008 season, but it seems like that aspect of the team might actually be a position of strength heading into Spring Training. Rookies Brian Matusz and Chris Tillman showed brief flashes of their bright futures in 2009 and will look to establish themselves as staples in the O’s rotation, while prospect Jake Arrieta is not far off from making his own mark in the big leagues. The Orioles could make a push for John Lackey, but I don’t really see them outbidding anyone for his services. If I were an Orioles fan I would rather see them invest in a low-risk, high-reward type like Rich Harden, Ben Sheets or even former Baltimore ace Erik Bedard, as all have been mentioned as possible targets.

The only other real void on the roster is the lack of dependable depth at the back of the bullpen. Nobody knows what Chris Ray will be able to give them, and Jim Johnson isn’t exactly your prototypical closer. I think you can bet that the Orioles will be big players for guys like Mike Gonzalez, Fernando Rodney or Billy Wagner.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone. You can look for the next installment of “Offseason Outlook” after the holiday weekend. Up next, the A.L. West.

If you missed Part 1 of the A.L. East Offseason Outlook, check it out HERE

George Burns, playing God in the 1977 classic movie Oh, God!, may have never been able to utter that famous line had it not been for Ron Swoboda’s famous and miraculous diving grab of Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson’s ninth-inning liner in Game 4 of that year’s World Series.

Many baseball fans are familiar with the play, if not the exact circumstances.  With the Mets clinging to a tenuous 1-0 lead in the game and a 2-1 Series advantage, and Orioles on first and third with none out, Robinson laced a pitch by fellow future inductee Tom Seaver into right center field that appeared to be headed into the gap, at minimum tying the game and putting runners on second and third with none out.  Instead, out of nowhere, Swoboda, known more for his bat than his glove, made “The Catch,” forever immortalized by World Series game films and historic photos.

The Mets went on to win the game in the 10th inning for the decisive 3-1 Series lead, and took the title the next day at Shea Stadium.

“After 40 years, I’m still thanking Brooksie for not hitting the ball right at me,” joked Swoboda as he arrived in New York Thursday.

With the Mets celebrating the 40th anniversary of the “Amazin’” 1969 squad with a reunion of most of its members this weekend, the New York Daily News, Swoboda and Robinson have teamed to make an autographed, framed print of the famous photo by legendary photographer Frank Hurley available to fans and collectors.

Next to their respective autographs, Swoboda inscribes “The Catch” and Robinson writes “Nice Catch.”

“People are always asking me about it.” addes Swoboda.  “I still have the glove. Did the play change my life? You bet it did.”

The limited-edition (only 1,000 signed copies will be available) photos are priced at $209.99 plus shipping, handling and taxes each. For more information, fans can call Cirillo World at (212) 972-5337, email NiceCatchRon@gmail.com or visit NYDailyNews.com/catch.  It’s part of a collectibles project entitled “The Catch of A Lifetime: Swoboda Saves the Day,” in which veteran New York public relations man John Cirillo is teaming with his boyhood hero.

“I remember racing down the stairs at St. Mark’s School in Brooklyn, and sprinting the three blocks home to watch the end of the game,” says Cirillo, the former Knicks and Madison Square Garden executive. “Like millions of Mets fans from that generation, the Catch has been indelibly etched in my mind’s eye for four decades.”

The joint effort of Swoboda and Robinson is reminiscent of other famously connected duos in baseball who years later worked together to market their shared places in history.  Notably, Ralph Branca with Bobby Thompson on “The Shot Heard Round the World” and Mike Torres with Bucky Dent on the latter’s 1978 A.L. East Division playoff home run come to mind.

Part of the proceeds of each sale of “The Catch” will benefit the New York Mets Foundation, which funds and promotes a variety of educational, social and athletic programs and other charitable causes.

Since 1942, Baseball Digest has been providing comprehensive coverage of America’s Pastime to baseball fans of all ages. Each week, we here at BaseballDigest.com will look back at a different issue of this great publication, and expect (as we did this week) to find tons and tons of interesting topics!

In the August 1969 issue:

Reggie Jackson – Baseball’s Next Super-Star?
Electronic Eye To Replace Umps?
The Game I’ll Never Forget: When Podres Shut Out The Yankees In ‘55 World Series

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ISSUE

I sat down with Luke Scott to find out what his secret to success was this year, and Scott not only told me his secret to success, but also how to build a successful major league team.

BD : After batting .215 against lefties last year, the Orioles went out and made a trade with the Cincinnati Reds and brought in Ryan Freel to platoon with you left field. That didn’t pan out for the team, with Freel now with the Royals, but it work out tremendously for you. What’s been the biggest difference for you when facing tough left-handed pitchers?

Luke Scott : It’s obvious that I’m getting an opportunity to play consistently against lefties now. You can ask anybody, whether it’s a right or lefty, if he doesn’t have much experience against the pitchers, and then they ask them to go out there every two weeks and perform at a high level, it won’t happen for them and they’ll struggle. Now all of a sudden you have a label that you can’t hit those pitchers.

BD : How are you approaching lefties this year differently than last season? Was it something you worked on in the off-season?

Luke Scott : It’s just about getting the chance to play everyday. My track record in the minor leagues, whether it was against righties or lefties speaks for itself. When I played everyday in the minors, I consistently hit left-handed pitchers better. You can’t expect someone that comes to the major league level, put a label on them right away that they can’t hit lefties, which isn’t deserved, and then turn them into a platoon player. It’s about getting the opportunity to play everyday, facing the tough lefties, especially the left-handed specialist, and performing at a major league level.

BD :When you take a look at the Orioles outfield this season, you guys are arguably one of the best tandems in the American League. What’s been the biggest difference between last year and this year?

Luke Scott : You know, we do have the talent, and we have the depth in the outfield. We have guys that can track down the ball, all of us throw well, and we’ve had a year to play together.

BD : Who has the best arm in the Orioles outfield right now?

Luke Scott : Adam Jones has the best arm out of all of us, no doubt about that.

BD : Better than Nick Markakis?

Luke Scott : Oh ya. But, Nick has a very, very good arm, but there is no one in the league that is more accurate or gets rid of the ball more efficiently. Adam will make throws that will get guys out by five steps, but they’ll be up the line or off target. Nick on the other hand will get guys out by a step or two but his throws are right on the money.

BD : The trading deadline is Friday, what goes through the mind of a ball player when their name gets tossed around in about a potential deal? You were dealt from the Houston Astros to the Orioles, what was that experience like?

Luke Scott : It’s part of the business of this game. We all know about it. Whoever gets traded means that the other team wants you and that you’re going to a good situation. On the other hand, when your team makes the deal you hope that you get good talent in return. For the most part it’s going to be some young talented kid and you only hope that they’ll pan out at the major league level. Right now I know I’m comfortable where I’m at, but there are times when trades go down that everyone knows about and then there are other times when you get the big surprise.

BD : The Orioles are stuck in a division that showcases the New York Yankees, the Boston Red Sox, and now the Tampa Bay Rays. The Orioles have talent, but seem to come up short at the end of the year in the win column. What is it going to take for the Orioles to once again get a top the American League East?

Luke Scott : Everything starts with pitching. We’re going to have to get really, really, really good pitching. We’re going to have to be deep in our starting rotation and the bullpen in order to compete against the two best teams in baseball. The Yankees and Red Sox are spending money for guys that are in their prime, guys that are established, and pitchers that have plus control and plus stuff. The way baseball is right now, good pitching will shut down good hitting. You can’t put all your chips into one basket and try to build your team around hitters, it’s apart of the formula, but if you do it that way your team is going to suffer. If you don’t match up pitching wise, you might as well forget it, because it’s not going to happen.

BD : You sound like a future GM?

Luke Scott : I’ve played this game long enough and you can ask anyone that dresses in a major league uniform, good pitching beats good hitting.

BD : What about the Yankees? Early in the season the pitching wasn’t really there, and it was the hitters that carried this team.

Luke Scott : When you look at this scenario, don’t get caught up looking at the overall numbers of the players. The Yankees starting pitchers numbers may be high, but they’re pitching well. When they happen to pitch one game bad, you’ll see their numbers balloon up. It’s just a small sample size of how well they’re pitching right now though. Those outings are few and far between. It doesn’t show the real consistency of what really is going on. If you’re facing C.C. Sabathia or A.J. Burnett they’re not giving up four to seven runs a game. If their Era’s are high, it’s coming from one bad outing where they maybe gave up six runs over four innings. Now, over their next five games they only give up two earned runs over seven innings, and what you’ll see is their ERA won’t go down as quickly as it went up. Also, lets not forget, if they go out there, they give up two runs and lose, to me that’s not a bad outing, but it reflects bad on the pitcher because they took the lost. It’s the little details that you have to pay attention to.

BD : What are your thoughts on the Yankees ball pen, specifically Mariano Rivera?

Luke Scott : Easy. Rivera the best all-time closer, period. The Yankees bullpen is solid, but if it wasn’t for Rivera slamming the door shut, I don’t know if the Yankees bullpen would be that effective.

BD : What about the Red Sox?

Luke Scott : The same thing. Their starting pitchers are electric from top to bottom. You look at a guy like Brad Penny, who’s their No. 5 starter, and he’s pumping it up there at 97-98 mph in the seventh inning. There are no breaks in that rotation.

BD : So with all that, what’s Luke Scott’s formula to winning in the major leagues?

Luke Scott : It’s really simple. You have two big chunks. You can put pitching and defense into one chunk and offense into the other. Now, the key is not to neglect one or other, you have to find that perfect balance. If you’re the Orioles and you don’t have stud pitching, young guys like the Tampa Bay Rays it’s gong to be hard to compete in this division. We have to try and find that balance and then we’ll be contenders in the east.

Could Luke Scott be a future general manager in manger league baseball? After sitting down with him to talk about his game, it was his answers to how to build a successful team that impressed me the most. Scott seems to understand, not only the game of baseball, but what it would take for him to put on a suit and tie and run a team.

Storm Davis, a seventh round choice, began his career in 1982 with the Orioles, while two other late selections eventually enjoyed lengthy stints in the big leagues.  Glenn Davis (31st round) finished with 190 career home runs and a .250 batting average.  Kevin Gross (32nd round) won 142 games over 15 seasons.

As for the players that were currently part of the lineup in 1979, they were busy watching their rear-view mirror, as the Boston Red Sox were close behind in the standings.

Baltimore did all they could to extend their lead, embarking on a six-game win streak from June 6-11.

In three of those contests, Oriole pitching shut out their opponent.  Earl Weaver’s tendency to mix his lineup – mainly due to match-ups – was never more in effect than it was on June 11.

Against White Sox starter, lefty Rich Wortham, Baltimore put shortstop and right-handed hitter Kiko Garcia at the leadoff spot in place of left-handed hitter Al Bumbry.  Benny Ayala was No. 2, while Ken Singleton and Lee May rounded out the top of the order.  Overall, the Orioles’ first four hitters all swung from the right side against the southpaw Wortham. The result, thanks also to solid pitching from Scott McGregor, propelled Baltimore to a 6-0 win.

The O’s encountered what would be a slight hiccup, losing 12-4 against Chicago the next day.  But a win in the series finale kicked off their longest winning streak of 1979.

– Brian Wright, special to Baseball Digest

The O’s did a number on the Chicago White Sox with a four-game sweep at Comiskey Park, outscoring them by a whopping count of 39-7.

Game two was a 12-3 blowout, in which first baseman Boog Powell – known for his unquestioned success against right-handed pitching – still made the most out of at-bats facing southpaw Tommy John.  Powell went 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBIs and three runs scored – raising his batting average up to .307.

The Baltimore bats didn’t rest in a June 15 doubleheader.

They won 9-0 in the opener, which helped boost Dave McNally’s record to 9-0. The finale was also no contest: a 13-2 victory and a win for starter Tom Phoebus.

Despite the regulars that helped the Orioles run away with the division, it was role players that also provided a lift. These individuals included pinch-hitter Curt Motton, reliever Pete Richert (12 saves in 1969) and Phoebus – who had a career year with a 14-7 record.

Baltimore sought after talent in the 1969 amateur draft, which took place in the early part of June.  They took left-handed pitcher Don Hook with their first round selection – the 17th overall pick – out of Southside High School in Florence, SC.  Hood only pitched in two years for the Orioles, eventually finishing with a career record of 34-35.

Another draft pick that spent even less time with Baltimore was eventual Hall of Famer Dave Winfield, chosen in the 40^th round.  However, he opted to attend the University of Minnesota – starring in both baseball and basketball.

– Brian Wright, Special to Baseball Digest

1. In AAA this year, Wieters is hitting .305, with 5 home runs, 30 RBIs,
and a .890 OPS.
2. Against lefties this year, Wieters had an OPS of 1.017, and Dontrelle
Willis was on the mound.
3. In his last game at Norfolk, Wieters went 4-4.

On the very first pitch of the game, Josh Anderson of the Tigers tried
to bunt for a base hit, testing the arm of Wieters. Wieters pounced on
the ball, and fired down to first to nail the speedy Anderson. Message
received and sent right back to the Tigers.

Wieters stepped up to the plate in the 2nd inning with Melvin Mora
standing on third place. With a chance to do some real damage, Wieters
took a hard cut, and lined the ball… to right field, where it was
caught and then thrown to third to double off Mora. Not a great way to
begin his major league career. He then got three chances to redeem
himself and… grounded out, grounded out, and struck out looking. All
in all, Wieters  ended up 0-4, with a strike out. Baltimore fans, don’t
worry, Wieters will be here to stay.

******

Brad Bergesen, also playing in his rookie season for the O’s, pitched a solid game, lasting 8 innings and only yielding 2 runs to Detroit.  The decision evened his record at 2-2, and he finished the night with an ERA just under five.

The O’s are just three games under .500, and last night’s was their fifth straight win.  The youth movement is underway and the team is continuing to win.  As Manager Dave Trembley told MLB.com “the excitement is at its highest peak since I’ve been here.”

– Myles Nelson, Special to Baseball Digest

Wieters, a switch-hitting catcher was named 2008 Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America, has been referred to as “the future” by Orioles fans and writers.

O’s fans, the future starts on Friday!

The Orioles offense came back to life in the finale of a four-game road series against the Yankees.

A 14-2 blowout win on May 4 saw all nine starters record a hit, with center fielder Paul Blair recording four hits, including a home run. Blair went on to have a standout year in 1969. He finished with an average of .285, scoring 102 runs, driving in 76 and knocking out 26 home runs – all career highs.

The Orioles experienced a slight valley, however, with a rare three-game skid, losing twice to the Chicago White Sox and once to the expansion Kansas City Royals.

By mid-May, the Orioles were 24-12. They had the best record in the AL and trailed only the Atlanta Braves for the top mark in the game. Baltimore had gone 8-5 in the initial 13 games in the month, yet their division lead shrunk from three to one-and-a-half. That’s because the Boston Red Sox were in the midst of an eight-game win streak and had closed the gap to just a single game.

A priority was to improve the pitching staff, and while Koji Uehara (2-3, 4.34 ERA) and other rookies such as Brad Bergesen (1-1, 5.27 in five games) have performed relatively well, the bullpen suffered a 6+ ERA in April.  Free agent Rich Hill only made his first start of the season this week, and the front part of the rotation, namely Jeremy Guthrie and veterans Adam Eaton and Mark Hendrickson, will simply have to find a way to get the runs down.

As Yoda once said, “there is another.”  Matt Wieters, the Minor League Player of the Year in 2008, seems to have company in the Orioles system, with Brandon Snyder now making a huge impact at Bowie.  Wieters’ arrival is imminent, however, and will certainly breathe some life into the Orioles as the humidity and temperatures rise in Baltimore.

The Orioles’ foundation players Nick Markakis, Brian Roberts and Adam Jones are all legitimate first-squad All Stars, but could have another long season watching the pitchers giving up runs by the score.

Back at Memorial Stadium, they showed their potential of being an AL pennant contender and foreshadowed the events of October with a two-game sweep over the California Angels. Early in the season, the Halos had the top record in all of baseball, but a May fade persisted with struggles against the Orioles. Aside from the always-consistent Rod Carew, Jim Palmer and Dennis Martinez stifled the Angels’ offensive attack to just six hits and zero earned runs in the series.

The Orioles won on May 5 and 6 by scores of 9-1 and 6-0, respectively. In all, Baltimore posted a 9-3 mark against California during the regular season.

Starter Mike Flanagan’s victory on May 12 capped off a two-game sweep of visiting Seattle. It put the Orioles up by a full game on the Boston Red Sox in the AL East standings and put the lefty at 6-2 on the young season.

In the complete game win, Flanagan gave up just one earned run on four hits.  The early year success was a welcome change. Flanagan had a so-so 1978 with a 19-15 record and a team-high 126 earned runs allowed. What’s more, he finished off with a 2-4 ending to the season.

Like their success against the Angels, Baltimore was just as dominant versus the Mariners – winning 10 of 12 match-ups and outscoring them by a count of 80-38.

– Brian Wright, Special to Baseball Digest

Pitching proved potent during the stretch, as the Orioles did not allow more that three runs in any contest. Steve Stone, Mike Flanagan and Jim Palmer each garnered two wins each. The latter, boosted his record 3-1 as he aimed for his fifth consecutive 20-win season.

The most run-support came at Oakland on April 29. The No. 2-3-4 combination of third baseman Rich Dauer, right fielder Ken Singleton and designated hitter Lee May combined to go 9-for-14 in a 13-1 blowout.

All three connected for home runs, while Singleton drove in three.

The majority of the overall team production came in the seventh. Baltimore put up 10 in the frame, highlighted by three round-trippers, to pull away from the A’s.

The California Angels, who would meet the Orioles in the postseason, boasted the top record in the American League. Their lone slip-up came up at the hands of Baltimore three-game sweep on the West Coast.

In the National League, the future World Series participant looked like anything but world beaters on the field. Pittsburgh was sitting in last place in the East Division with a mark of 7-11 on April 30.

– Brian Wright, Special to Baseball Digest

After the Orioles struck for four in the bottom of the seventh inning, New York came right back with two in the eighth and one in the ninth. Down to their final at-bat, behind 7-4, the O’s scored twice to pull back within one. With two outs and runners on second and third, reliever Dick Tidrow retired Ken Singleton on a pop out.
Baltimore got the best of the Yankee bullpen – and closer Goose Gossage – one day later in a come-from-behind extra inning thriller.

Al Bumbry drove in a pair – part of a three-run ninth – to knot the score at 5-5. In the 10th, catcher Rick Dempsey’s single plated John Lowenstein for the game-winner.

That high wouldn’t last, however. A 5-0 shutout against Tommy John kick-started a six-game losing streak, which included a three-game sweep at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers. The drought left them with a record of 3-8.
The losing, though, would cease in the finale of a three-game series against the Yankees in the Bronx. Still, Baltimore – tied for last place and 3.5 games behind the Brewers – had dug themselves an early season hole. Their future opponents in the postseason – the California Angels – were off to a 10-3 start.

Unlike the AL champs of a decade prior, this Oriole club wouldn’t see any steadiness in the lineup.

Earl Weaver consistently platooned with his left fielders. Left-hand hitter Lowenstein would be inserted when the Orioles were pitted against starting right hander. However, when facing a southpaw, right-hand hitting Gary Roenicke would get the start.

It appeared in April as if this flip-flopping of names in the starting list was simply a reflection of the struggles this Orioles team was having trouble finding its rhythm. However, once Baltimore got its beat, the musical chairs didn’t stop.

Weaver and his group would climb out of that early hole in a hurry.

– Brian Wright, Special to Baseball Digest

Last year in A/AA, Wieters hit .355, with 27 homers, 91 RBIs, and 89 runs scored. That was only in 437 at-bats, and granted, that was the minor leagues, but it signifies great things to come. In 2009, Wieters is hitting .292 in AAA with 1 homer and 5 walks in 24 at-bats. Although those aren’t god-like numbers, they are good enough to prove that Matt is major league ready.

Expect great things out of this young man once he makes it to the majors. He could be the missing piece that puts the Orioles over the top.

– Myles Nelson, Special to Baseball Digest

It wasn’t hard to figure out the dominant story of the final three contests of a four-game series with Washington – pitching.  Dave McNally threw a four-hitter to blank Washington 9-0 on April 12.  In the opener of an April 13 doubleheader, Jim Palmer out-dueled mound opponent Joe Coleman in a 2-0 O’s win.  Tom Pheobus didn’t allow a hit after the fourth in the nightcap.  Baltimore cruised to a 9-0 victory.
Hitting may have played second-fiddle, but the offense had their share of highlights. In the series’ finale, left fielder Merv Rettenmund went 3-for-4 with 2 RBIs and a home run – one of only four for the entire season.  Center fielder Paul Blair also homered and doubled.

The O’s bats provided the lift against the early leaders of the AL East, the Boston Red Sox.  Manager Earl Weaver always favored the home run to the hit-and-run along with other small ball tactics.  At Fenway Park, the Baltimore hitters – led by Don Buford – continued to perform much to their skipper’s liking.   Its regular lead-off hitter, Buford – who started the year slow – went 3-for-5 and drove in four runs, while Frank Robinson came within a single of the cycle.  Robinson’s eighth inning homer capped a five-run frame that provided the difference in a 10-5 win on April 15.

Buford picked up where he left off one day later, providing four more RBIs and another round tripper.
The 11-8 April 16 win vaulted them into division lead, one they wouldn’t relinquish for the remainder of the season.  All of this came with a relatively stable batting order – with Frank Robinson, Boog Powell and Brooks Robinson anchoring the middle.  The positional lineup would also remain intact for the better part of 1969.

Another meeting with Washington, this time in the nation’s capital, resulted in a split of the four-game series. The O’s maintained a slim half-game edge over Boston in the standings.

In celebration of the 30th and 40th Anniversaries of the Orioles 1979 and 1969 American League Championship seasons, correspondent Brian Wright will write frequent updates about those teams as the season progresses.

It’s a good thing that their offense is hot right now, because the pitching is not (team ERA of 6.25). Jeremy Guthrie, their ace, is 2-1 with an ERA of 5.16 and a WHIP of 1.68. Koji Uehara, the new Japanese pitcher, is also 2-1 but has an ERA of 5.29. Luckily, the bullpen gets the job done. Led by setup men Jim Johnson (2.70 ERA) and Jamie Walker (0.00 ERA), and closed out by George Sherrill (3 saves), the bullpen has been effective closing out close games.

These elements combined have led the Orioles to their good start. Although they are only 8-8, 4 of those losses came in a sweep to the Boston Red Sox, which is a team that thrives at home.  The Orioles have won all of their other series, against the Yankees, the Rays, the Rangers, and the White Sox (they were winning 6-0 while writing this article).  And although they are in 4th place in the extremely competitive East, they have proved that they belong so far this season. Once the pitching settles down, this will be a team to watch.

- Myles Nelson, Special to Baseball Digest

by Brian Wright

After winning in 1977 and 78, the New York Yankees were heavy favorites to claim the American League East pennant again.  Few had picked the Orioles, who won 90 and finished fourth – nine games back – in a top-heavy division the year before, to come in first.  Still, there were plenty of reasons to like them.  The roster wasn’t at all like the group that won three consecutive AL crowns from 1969-1971, but they still had ace Jim Palmer, coming off another 20-win campaign.  Also in the rotation was Mike Flanagan, who posted a record of 19-15 in 1978.

Four starters who were all returning for 1979, had 20 or more home runs.  That group consisted of third baseman Doug DeCinces, first baseman Eddie Murray, designated hitter Lee May and right fielder Ken Singleton.  The outfield would also benefit from two new additions to the starting lineup – speedy Al Bumbry in center and while Gary Roenicke was stationed as a regular in left.

Under the legendary Earl Weaver, the Orioles fielded consistent contending teams through the decade, beginning with the Championship in 1970.  The O’s began 1979 with a typical opening day victory over the Chicago White Sox in Baltimore thrown by Jim Palmer.  Palmer went the distance, allowing three hits and three runs in a 5-3 win on April 6.  Providing much of the offense was Rich Dauer, who had two RBIs, and Murray, who posted two hits and drove in a run.

The Birds took two of three from Chicago to open the year before hosting the highly-touted Yankees.  New York claimed a pair in the three-game set at Memorial Stadium, including the final game of the series on April 12.  The 5-0 loss would start a season-worst losing streak for Baltimore.

In celebration of the 30th and 40th Anniversaries of the Orioles 1979 and 1969 American League Championship seasons, correspondent Brian Wright will write frequent updates about those teams as the season progresses.

One of the best pages I have found blending these concepts is the Baltmore Orioles Fan Page on Facebook.  Started four years ago by Sacred Heart University student Ava Kuser, the group now numbers almost 5,000, and is only surpassed in size by the O’s official page.  I recently asked Ms. Kuser a few things about the page and she offered a glimpse into the fan interactivity created by the new technology.

My all time favorite Oriole would have to be Cal Ripken Jr of course because that’s what caught my attention about the Orioles initially.  He’s one of those players that is not only a good role model on the field, but also off.  It helps that he was a shortstop too, because that was my position in softball so I’m a bit partial it it.  He’s one of those players that everyone has heard of and respect, even fans of other teams.