NumerOlogy

A few things worth mentioning in the afterglow of an 8-2 thrashing of the Yankees:

Adam Jones wore #42 as planned on Tuesday for Jackie Robinson Day. Incidentally, it was the same night that the O’s gave away t-shirt replicas of Adam’s regular #10. It wasn’t a great night for the home team, as Toronto handled them 11-3, but Jones made Jackie proud by slugging his first home run as an Oriole. I’ve updated the All-Time Roster and the Forties page to reflect the temporary uni number change. Image credit: baltimoresun.com

For some reason, country music star Kenny Chesney took batting practice before Thursday’s 6-5, 10-inning win over the White Sox. He did so wearing a #7 jersey. In actuality, no one has worn that number for the Birds since Cal Ripken, Sr. last manned the third base coach’s box in 1992.

The LaTroy Hawkins saga has taken another turn. The relief pitcher, who toiled for the 2006 O’s, has gotten off to a rough start as a Yankee. His struggles have been exacerbated by the fact that he is the first pinstriper to wear #21 since Paul O’Neill. After the Yankee Stadium “faithful” serenaded him on a few occasions with chants of “PAUL-O-NEI-LL!”, Hawkins relented and switched to #22. It hasn’t seemed to help, as he was racked for two runs in Baltimore’s seven-run outburst in the sixth inning last night. Apparently a seven-run deficit is all it takes to silence the interloping Yanks fans in Camden Yards. Here’s hoping we can give them plenty of reasons to stay quiet tonight!

As the Birds fly north for tomorrow’s exhibition finale vs. the Nationals at the new stadium in D.C., the roster is 24/25ths set. It pretty much shakes out as I speculated on Monday. Brian Burres will be the fifth starter, with Matt Albers in the long relief role. Rocky Cherry was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a shoulder strain, though it’s not certain he would have made the team if he were healthy. I miscounted the position players; if the Orioles don’t eat Jay Gibbons‘ contract there is no room for either Scott Moore or Tike Redman (Chris Roberson will definitely start the season at Norfolk). The O’s hand on Gibbons might be forced now that MLB has put his 15-day drug suspension on hold pending further negotiations with the players’ association. Andy MacPhail and company were counting on the suspension to buy them some time. I realize that $11.9 million is a lot of money to burn, but it’s my opinion that it would be better spent getting Gibbons, his poor defense and declining bat, and his performance-enhancing drug taint off of the team, thereby opening up a spot for a more versatile and deserving player like Moore or Redman. But then, it’s not my money. Blah blah blah.

It just wouldn’t be a Spring Training wrap-up if we didn’t have another appearance by the multipurpose #18. The invaluable Roch Kubatko reported on the preponderance of 70s and 80s on the field for the O’s in yesterday’s road game in Viera, FL against the Nationals. The team gave most of the starters a break and took a bunch of players from the minor league camp on the five-hour round trip instead. He notes that a rare low number was worn by outfielder Adam Stern, who wore (what else?) #18. Yesterday was something of a cameo for Stern, who did not get an invite to the major league camp this year after spending the bulk of 2007 in Norfolk. He did have a cup of coffee with the O’s as a late-inning defensive replacement last April, wearing #40.

I don’t like to talk about those damned Yankees on this site, but this one involves uniform numbers and a former Oriole, so I felt obligated to mention it. Infielder Morgan Ensberg was given #21 when he came to Yankees camp in February, becoming the first New York player to wear it since former outfielder Paul O’Neill retired in 2001. When Ensberg learned that he’d made the Opening Day roster, he insisted upon switching numbers out of respect for O’Neill and his ongoing popularity with the Bronx faithful. Former O’s reliever LaTroy Hawkins plans to suit up in #21 in Ensberg’s place; he intends it to be a tribute to Pirates Hall-of-Fame outfielder (and Oriole killer) Roberto Clemente, who died in a plane crash ten days before Hawkins’ birth in 1972. Incidentally, another ex-Bird wore #21 throughout his career to honor Clemente: outfielder/malcontent Sammy Sosa.

I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty antsy for some games that count in the standings, and not just because it’ll give me a chance to update the All-Time Roster. It’s been a long winter.

Play Ball, and let’s go O’s!

One refreshing story out of Orioles camp involves several former Birds who accepted invitations to come impart their wisdom (and their stories of better times in Baltimore) to the current crop of players. Those on hand this Spring have included former pitchers Mike Cuellar and Scott McGregor, former catcher Rick Dempsey and former outfielder/third baseman B. J. Surhoff. Although the numbers that each of these men made famous are now worn by others (#35 Greg Aquino, #16 Jay Payton, #24 Guillermo Quiroz, and #17 Aubrey Huff, respectively), it appears that the ex-O’s were allowed to wear their familiar digits anyway. The sight of Cuellar in orange and black again (and the promise of Boog Powell and others in the future) is a positive sign that Andy MacPhail has what it takes to undo a lot of the damage that has been done over the past decade.

Meanwhile, Opening Day is right around the corner and the pitchers are dropping like flies. In the past few days, the following players were sent to minor league camp: #57 Garrett Olson, #59 Craig Anderson, #60 Ryan Bukvich, #62 Radhames Liz, and #63 Roberto Novoa. I think the O’s are still looking for a fifth starting pitcher, if anyone wants to grab a glove and head for Fort Lauderdale.

Lots to get to today. First of all, the slowest-developing trade in MLB history has been consummated. Erik Bedard is now a Seattle Mariner, so I’ve updated the roster and the 40-49 page to reflect his departure. Best of luck to Erik…except when he’s facing the O’s, of course. If yesterday’s press conference in Seattle is any indication, he’ll continue to wear #45 for the Mariners. Time will tell which numbers Adam Jones and George Sherrill will wear; Jones wore #10 in Seattle last year (recently vacated by Miguel Tejada) and Sherrill wore #52. The most recent #52 in Baltimore was Jon Leicester, who seems to be a long shot to make this year’s team. Welcome to Birdland, guys!

In other news, we’ve got our first confirmed Orioles player to have found this little site! I got an email this morning from reliever Dick Hall, whose grandson showed him NumerOlogy. He says the following:

“Some of players were into numbers. I remember one time in the bullpen paying a game (we were safely way ahead - we didn’t play games much if the game was close) where someone would say a number and then people would name all the players in the league with that number. Milt Pappas especially knew everyone.”

Dick was also fairly certain that when he first arrived in Baltimore in April 1961, he wore a number other than #29. He thought it might have been #38, but wasn’t sure. He also didn’t know when he switched for good. I did a little sleuthing, and Baseball Almanac lists him as #29 and #38 in 1961. I had already confirmed pitcher Dick Hyde for #38, but he didn’t appear in a game until May. This would support Hall’s claim that he started out in #38, and switched to #29 either before or when Hyde joined the team. I’d like to thank Dick for helping me make that correction, and if anyone has more specific dates for the switch they can let me know.

I wanted to acknowledge a few blogs that have had some positive things to say about this site and that were kind enough to toss a link my way:

Neal Shaffer at the Baltimore-centric sports blog The Loss Column asserts that “this is what the Internet is really for”.

Bill Ordine of the Baltimore Sun’s O, by the Way sports blog says, “Count on a great read”.

Finally, Ben Penserga of The Daily Times in Salisbury, MD was kind enough to interview me for his O’s Chat blog. I answered Ben’s questions by email, so hopefully I’ll actually come across as articulate.

Thanks, guys! The feedback for NumerOlogy is already exceeding my expectations. Don’t forget, pitchers and catchers report to Fort Lauderdale in four days!