Friday, August 24, 2007

The Baltimore Orioles Made History For All The Wrong Reasons: O’s Lose to the Texas Rangers, 30-3


An article I wrote on the historic game on Wednesday that had the Baltimore Orioles getting whipped 30-3 by the Rangers via the DC Sports Box E-Zine...

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I realize this is the DC Sports Box, not the Baltimore Sports Box; however, on Wednesday in the city to the north of us, history was made – for all the wrong reasons.

As we know, the Nationals are the team that reigns supreme in Washington, but only a few years ago, most baseball fans in region rooted for the Baltimore Orioles.

They had to root for them, not out of blind loyalty; alas, only because there were the only team in the mid-Atlantic to root for.

Thanks to mismanagement, Peter Angelos, nine consecutive losing seasons, the departure of Cal Ripken to retirement, a revolving door of managers, and fan apathy, the Baltimore Orioles have not had a lot to be proud of.

Now the indignity has gotten worse, at least for the time being.

On Wednesday, the Baltimore Orioles lost the first game of a doubleheader to the Texas Rangers, by a score of 30-3. According to the record books, it was the ninth time a major league team scored 30 runs, and not only did they set the American League record for the most runs given up, but the modern day record (games since 1900).

No, this score did not come from some beer league softball game and the Baltimore Ravens did not take on the Dallas Cowboys.

This was a Major League Baseball game score.

In a display of futility that has not been seen in a century, Baltimore starting pitcher Daniel Cabrera, relievers Brian Burres, Rob Bell, and Paul Shuey combined to serve up 30 runs – all earned.

For those of you who do not know, the Texas Rangers are a second division team in the American League Central, one stocked full of rookies and young players only getting their feet in the big leagues. Aside from All-Star Michael Young, Sammy Sosa, Kevin Millwood and former National Brad Wilkerson, you would not know most of the team if you saw their faces on milk boxes.

Well, we will probably never see another event like this for decades, or perhaps a lifetime, but the Rangers on Wednesday scored five runs in the fourth inning, nine runs in the sixth, ten in the eighth and six more in the ninth.

So, to top it all off, I saw every minute of the carnage in person.

I grew up as an Oriole fan, and have rooted for them all my life; thus, Wednesday was one of the most painful nights I can remember, but also one of the more fun and memorable. I made new friends with fans; we talked about the state of the Orioles, and also started rooting for the Rangers after the 24th run.

Yes, we started rooting for the other team.

Wednesday’s game was a total fluke and is a part of the ups and downs of baseball along with life in general; however, some fans believe what the Rangers were able to accomplish is symptomatic as to what is wrong with the Orioles today – bad luck, horrible management, and a storm cloud over them.

From what I have seen with some in the national media, the above statement could be true.

In all honesty, from my point of view, Wednesday was just a bad night – a very bad one.

Life will go on, and things will be ok; however, I will never forget history being made in front of my very own eyes.

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