So far this season, the Baltimore Orioles have owned the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. They have played five games and the Angels have lost every one. Now that would be hard enough to take if it was against the Yankees or the Red Sox, but the Orioles have the worst record in all of baseball this year (47-83). That’s 36 games under .500.
The Oriole pitchers who have beaten the Angels this year have a combined record of 16 wins and 47 losses. They must be begging to face the Angels and have a shot at feeling like Nolan Ryan. I attended the game Saturday night with my oldest son and the guy who pitched for the Orioles came in at 2-14. Actually you wonder why a guy with a 2-14 record is still pitching in the majors. Well, Mr. 2-14 blanked the Angels. Shut them out. No runs. Move over Cy Young. Poor pitchers should start paying Angel hitters for therapy since they must feel like a million bucks after they are done.
If I sound bitter, I’m really not. I had a great time at the game with my son (the whole point of baseball, after all is all about fathers and sons together) I’m just flexing a little of my I-could-be-a-sportswriter muscle for you. How did I do?
One thing I did notice was how at the end of the game, the Orioles lined up on the field and high-fived each other. That’s now a tradition in major league baseball. The winning team gets to celebrate with itself on the field.
It recalled something one of our readers pointed out to me about watching the latest Little League championship games, how both teams come out on the field and congratulate each other, whatever the outcome. What happened to that? When does that show of good sportsmanship end? High school? College? The minors?
Here’s where the professionals should steal a chapter from the Little Leaguers. Wouldn’t it be great to see both teams congratulating each other after a major league baseball game? There’s no written rule about this. All it would take would be two managers to agree and make their players comply. I bet Mike Scioscia would do it. I wonder who else would. Maybe we should start a campaign.
I think this falls under the category of loving your enemy, which is something we will discuss more tomorrow, now that I’ve got this baseball stuff out of my system.
[Note: The Angels lost again to Baltimore Sunday, 1-0. That means the 16-47 pitching powerhouse for the Baltimore Orioles hasn’t allowed an earned run to the Angels in three games. The only run the halos got during this entire series came on a balk.]
John Fischer The Catch 
I laughed my way through your post. I am from Baltimore and it’s about time the Os won a few games. Yeah, and they need to high-five each other even if they won a game against the Angels. (Sorry.) “But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today,’ so that none of you will be hardened by the memory of being the worst team in baseball.” Okay, I changed a few words. Let It Be, Let It Be… the Os’ll never catch up this season… look out for next year, though!
I love your posts! Oh, BTW, I was the one you spoke to about speaking at Anderson University. I passed the request on to my sister who passed it on to…. not sure. Hope you get an invite.
Good Morning John, My husband and I were at a baseball game Saturday night also, the Tampa Bay Rays vs The Boston Red Sox. Great finish !
I’ve been wondering myself about what you comment on today. When did they stop showing good sportsmanship after a game? What a great example, one we could all use today. I agree with you John, maybe we should start a campaign, before the season is over. I bet Joe Maddon would do it, what do you think?
John,
As a diehard baseball fan (Red Sox) I, too, have wondered about the tradition Little Leaguers have of high-fiving the other team after a game and why it doesn’t happen for adult players. Great stuff. And glad you took your son to the game – loving the game and sharing that love with others is an example of abundant living. Thanks for the post.
PS – I just wrote yesterday (unaware of your post then) an article for my newsletter about loving baseball (http://www.your-life-your-story.com/Your_Life_Is_Your_Story-ylysnewsletter-080.html)
John,
Professional sports teams congratulating one another does happen. In soccer and in hockey. You know, the two pro sports where the players are NOT paid an obscene amount of money to act like spoiled prima donnas.
I love baseball (and have been an Orioles fan since childhood), but baseball, basketball, and American football – in their “professional” versions – all have cultures of spoiled, overpaid individuals.
So what needs to change first? Behavior or culture?
I’m enjoying the baseball talk. I am a huge fan of several teams (we moved a lot while I was a child/adult). Another way to think of the lone run the Halos had… they caused the balk. Something the runner on one of the bases did forced the pitcher to do something he hadn’t planned on doing…
Isn’t that also the Christ in us… when we first believed it wasn’t planned by us but rather Christ helped us do something we hadn’t planned on doing: believe in Him in the first place. We may then still do things we didn’t plan on doing but it doesn’t change our salvation on the difficulty of the road we travel.
I’m with you on this one. It’s about time our “heroes” at least acted like grown ups. I would love to see teams show good sportmanship. And while we’re at it , these bench clearing “brawls” (not that many of them usually are) , its like we’re watching a bunch of “preschoolers” (not our kids of course). And the “pay back”. Answer it on the playing field, NOT by doing something that would cause you to be thrown in jail if it weren’t on a sports field.
In hockey, at the end of a playoff series, the tradition is that the two teams line up and shake hands. It’s always a big deal when a player declines to shake the hand of an opponent. And when it does happen, it’s that player who gets accused of poor sportsmanship.
John, Are reader’s comments, no longer available for viewing? If they are, would you let me know where and how?
I’m just learning the new system. I’ll get it down eventually.
Good Catch today. And your new website & emails look great — funny I was just thinking it may be time for an update not too long ago…
One thing I wanted to comment on — as a long time Hockey Fan, it is a Hockey tradition that both teams shake hands after the game. This takes place from pee-wee hockey through High School, College, semi-pro, and professional. Very cool indeed.
Blessings, Kirk
John, my family are avid followers. I have to make a comment on todays catch. Off the point, actually, but here it goes. The Baltimore Orioles are not the worst team in baseball. Now, with a new coach who has ignited spirit in our team, they have risen above the Pittsburg Pirates. You see, I was introduced to the Orioles as an eleven-year-old by my grandmother and I have been a fan ever since, even during my 24-year career in the Navy. I am a fan in bad years (although we have certainly had our share of those) and good. Right now the Orioles are playing ball like a good team and that excites us. I might note that we swept your Angels when we were bad, too. (Had to throw that in.) To your point, I have noticed the victory parade after a game and remembered our little league days. I have thought the same thought. I guess when boys become men, the only thing to celebrate is winning. Sad.
Yes, they are an improved team.
I think you would make a terrific sportswriter. Keep up the good work John!
I thank you!
Ah, quit yer whining. You could be a Mariner fan like me 🙂
Wait ’til next year (Or the year after that, or the year…)
Here it is, 2022. Eleven-and-a-half years later.
Still waiting… 🙂
I don’t like watching pro sports because of their lack of having class in losing. It seems like it has been eons since losing pro pro teams have lined up and congratulated the winners, but it really has not been that long. We need positive role models in all things for all of our sakes.
Pls. pursue this and let me know when you do, so that I may join you.
Did you notice in the World Cup that they still do that? Maybe that’s why it’s called the beautiful game!