3 For the Hall
A bright week in a dark year for the Orioles. We'll need a bigger sampling to figure out what Buck Showalter will bring to Baltimore, but I know this, if the starting pitching is anywhere near what it was the first time through the rotation he's got a fighting chance to save the patient.
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It's nothing to be proud of, but the Orioles will be the first team to have three guys manage at least 50 games in the same season, my limited math skills tell me that's a record that'll never be broken. Thank God!
The induction of Ray Miller, John Oates and Len Johnston into the Orioles Hall Of Fame got me thinking. When I came to Baltimore Ray Miller was the guy helping Palmer, Flanagan, McGregor, Stone, Boddicker, and Dennis and Tippy Martinez win championships, Cy Young's and the hearts of Orioles fans.
His mantra "Work Fast, Change Speeds and Throw Strikes was spread across his pitchers t-shirts. It was more than a slogan it was a recipe that helped his pitchers dominate American League hitters. He could teach more than pitching, Ray taught a clumsy broadcaster how to milk a cow and prior to an O's game at Memorial Stadium we teamed up to win that cow milking contest.
The first spring training camp I covered was Dodgertown 1977, wide-eyed I was walking toward a workout field with John Oates walking a few strides in front of me. I remember thinking he looked like what a major league player should look like in his sparkling Dodgers uniform. His playing career was ordinary but he was a very good manager. He transitioned the Orioles from Memorial Stadium to Camden Yards. I remember a good manager who was a great human being. I'm glad Buck's wearing his number 26 it'll remind me of a special man.
Len Johnston is a baseball lifer who spent over 30 years working in the Orioles minor league system, starting in the mid 70's. Most organizations have a Len Johnston or two if they're lucky. Cal Ripken Sr. was Len before Len. Whatever you need, the Len Johnston's get it done and don't care who gets credit for it.
Years ago I got into slight dust-up with Len. We had words when he took exception to me interviewing a minor league Oriole during batting practice. It was patched up and we shook hands when we realized we were both just doing our jobs. That minor league Oriole was a teenager named Bill Ripken.
Congratulations to the 2010 Orioles Hall of Fame class, just one thing , if the team colors are Orange and Black why do the Hall of Famers get a GREEN jacket?
