Son’s O’s fandom futile no more

By Mark Frost, Chronicle Editor

I don’t remember how old our son Alexander was when he asked me, “Dad, do you think the Orioles will ever get in the World Series in my lifetime?”

In my lifetime. It cut me to the bone.

My thought was: What have I done to my child?

He’s a Baltimore Oriole fanatic because I’m a Baltimore Oriole fanatic as is my older brother, as is my younger brother.

The Orioles of our upbringing and young adulthood were the Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Jim Palmer Orioles, who reached the World Series routinely — 1966, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1979, 1983. They won it three of those years — ’66, ’70, ’83.

The Orioles of Zander’s youth had a few good years, notably the 2014 Adam Jones-Nick Markakis-J.J. Hardy team that reached the American League Championship Series but fell four games to none to Kansas City, each game lost by just one or two runs with O’s slugger Chris Davis suspended due to use of amphetamines.

More recently the Orioles were baseball’s worst team, losing 115 games in 2018, 108 games in 2019 and 110 games in 2021. We were only spared from losing 100+ in 2020 because Covid shortened the season.

Flash forward just two years, though, and the Orioles are on track not to lose 100 but to win 100. We’re 94-56 as of Tuesday morning, already clinched a spot in the post-season play-offs. Our goal now is to win the American League East Division and get a first-round bye.

Friday Zander and I flew to Baltimore for the crucial series against perpetually tough Tampa Bay, which was only one game behind the Orioles, having won game one of the four-game showdown Thursday night.

Our friend Larry provided us excellent seats to Friday night’s game, which had an extra perk — a pre-game retirement ceremony honoring former Oriole Adam Jones. We’re Adam fans, and the surprise perk was that his teammates Nick Markakis, Chris Davis, Darren O’Day, Wei-Yin Chen and others came too.

Tears flowed. A reminder of the deep bond we form with our sports stars, especially, I think, in baseball, where you follow day by day for 162 games over six months. The new Orioles excel at staging such events.

The stadium was sold out — 43,359 people, mostly die-hards clad in Oriole orange. They gave out for free Adam Jones T-shirts, but ran out before we entered.

The game itself was a total letdown. Tampa Bay got ahead 7-0 and won 7-1. Now the Rays and O’s were tied for first-place. The only thing we had to cheer about was a 6th-inning home run by our newly just promoted rookie Heston Kjerstad, one of a slew of hot prospects rising through the Mike Elias-led Oriole system.

The crowd stayed remarkably upbeat. In the pre-game ceremony Chris Davis was cheered not booed even though he became a bust after the owner intervened in 2016 to hand him a seven-year $161-million contract that the Orioles will be paying on through 2037. Most people gave him love now. Some kindness and healing.

With other son Max in Germany, we were joined by 2 of his friends — a University of Virginia classmate and a former co-worker in Washington, D.C. After the game I tagged along to bar hot spot Fells Point. Dad on the go!

With Saturday’s game at night, Zander and I spent the day as tourists. Went to the nearby Babe Ruth Museum (I’d never been there) and walked to the always enjoyable National Aquarium at the waterfront, too. Had a good Korean lunch from a stall at Lexington Market.

We were staying at the Hampton Inn across the street from the ballpark. Love being so close. Abutting the hotel is Pickles and adjacent bars. Outside it’s a great, buzzing pre-game scene. A sidewalk vendor sold what turned out to be excellent hot Italian sausages with peppers — a bargain at $8 compared to those in the park. We had a beer and moseyed over to the game.

Saturday night the O’s treated the crowd of 38,432 to an 8-0 thumping led by young stars Gunnar Henderson — the surefire Rookie of the Year who went 3 for 5 including a two-run homer — and rookie Grayson Rodriguez who pitched 8 shutout innings.

We’d been nervous. If the Orioles lost Saturday night, we’d be a game behind Tampa Bay and in danger of a four-game sweep and — could it happen? — collapse.

These Orioles don’t collapse. Their belief is deep, and their ability matches their resolve. They may not win but won’t be beaten. Great manager in Brandon Hyde.

Sunday’s game was a classic. The Orioles trailed 3-1 in the 8th inning. Adley Rutschman — our celebrated second-year star — homered. The Orioles trailed 3-2 in the 9th and tied it on Adam Frazier’s two-out run-scoring double. The Orioles trailed in the 10th, 4-3, after Tampa Bay scored in the top of the inning. The O’s tied it in the home half. Then in the 11th, they held the Rays scoreless and scored in the bottom of the inning to win 5-4. There was one perilous sequence after another; one Rays run was reversed on appeal. 37,297 on hand.

We weren’t there for the last few innings. Left in the 9th to catch our flight; kept following the game on our phones. The Orioles had actually clinched a playoff spot via another contender’s loss, but the exhilarating win over Tampa Bay unleashed a full-scale on-field and then locker room celebration. We watched at the airport looking across to a restaurant TV. Made a new friend from California in Oriole gear who watched with us. Got his number. Hope to see each other at World Series!

Monday night it got better. Orioles in Houston against the World Series champs. O’s led 3-1 after 5, trailed 5-3 in the 6th, tied 5-5, then fell behind 6-5 in the 7th and 7-5 in the 8th, then won in the 9th on Cedric Mullins’s 3-run homer. Not sorry Zander is an Oriole fan now!

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