Bird's Eye View

By Bird's Eye ViewSports Baseball

Bird's Eye View episodes

May 22, 2018 Episode 238: Either/Or
Either this was a terrible week of Orioles Baseball, or you weren't paying attention. With the way the team has been playing, the latter is very possible.
The post Episode 238: Either/Or appeared first on Bird's Eye View.
1 hr 16 min
May 15, 2018 Episode 237: 5-6-7-8
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Leading Off
OK, this week was not terrible. If only we had seen this team before 25% of the season was lost. The Orioles beat Kansas City and Tampa Bay in back-to-back series. If you weren’t there to enjoy the highly enjoyable baseball this weekend, shame on you – because that might be all you get for a while.
We don’t want to be too negative, but don’t expect this to be the springboard to launch the O’s into contention. Simply enjoy this for what it was: two good series in an otherwise miserable season.
Join us for The Drink of the Week. Don’t forget to drink socially with us on Untappd.

This Week on the Twitters
Here is what is happening in the world of Orioles Baseball, in 280 characters, or fewer:

His ERA went…. pic.twitter.com/QZzyb6yiUV
— Greg Wisniewski (@coolhead2010) May 8, 2018

Hey @Orioles, just make the call! I'm available, Docs! pic.twitter.com/qoxbRUUnL5
— Looney Tunes (@WBLooneyTunes) May 8, 2018

Looking forward to the Cubs fixing Tillman
— Matt Kremnitzer (@mattkremnitzer) May 10, 2018

When Manny and Schoop go back-to-back pic.twitter.com/59Ns2ydbLN
— Morgan (@MMDay314) May 12, 2018

It's nice that the O's are getting Dylan Bundy some sweet revenge, though this also means that now everyone in Baltimore is going to fantastically overrate Joey Rickard for like two months.
— Dan Szymborski (@DSzymborski) May 13, 2018

Baseball Widows

Our favorite segment of the year is back: we turn the mics over to the Baseball Widows – Keri Magness and Sarah English – for their annual Mother’s Day segment.
More than a little fun is had at our expense, in addition to some general reflections on surviving Orioles Baseball through the lens of living with the Bird’s Eye View boys.
Feel free to share some of your favorite mean-spirited walk-up songs. Tweet us @birdseyeviewbal using #BaseballWidows.

Being Good is Bad for the Orioles

Embed from Getty Images

The Orioles have been absolutely wretched. If you had asked us before this past week if the Orioles needed to blow it up and rebuild, we would have said “abso-bleeping-lutely. Now that the O’s have had two straight series of not-suck, it’s easy to imagine a world in which people get crazy and act like the Orioles have a chance.
Nope, just burn it to the ground, Orioles.
Still, the Orioles were a ton of fun to watch this week. It’s these moments that will sustain us through the 2018 season. And as the new Dark Ages unfold, it’s these moments that will remind us of the 2012-2016 seasons.

Fantasy Boss
55 min
May 15, 2018 Episode 237: 5-6-7-8
The Baseball Widows make their annual Mother's Day appearance, and select walk-up music for their baseball-obsessed families. We also review a week of REALLY fun Orioles Baseball, and whether a good week is the worst thing possible for the O's.
The post Episode 237: 5-6-7-8 appeared first on Bird's Eye View.
55 min
May 08, 2018 Episode 236: Cellar Notes
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Leading Off
Since the last time we were in your earholes, the Orioles failed to win a game. Seriously, this is not fun. There were moments of enjoyment, but they were few and far between. In this episode, we put the best face on things, without failing to acknowledge that the sky is falling.
Embrace the suck, O’s fans.

Join us for The Drink of the Week. Don’t forget to drink socially with us on Untappd.

This Week on the Twitters
Here is what is happening in the world of Orioles Baseball, in 280 characters, or fewer:

#CueThePretender
— Joe Papparotto (@JoePappa) May 2, 2018

In a world where getting to third base is risky business, a silver fox throws caution to the wind. Bobby Dickerson stars in Go All the Way, a film about a guy who gets off watching boys get beaten by balls at home. Critics call it a hot mess with no happy ending. #DongsAfterDark
— Stefan Frank (@StefanAFrank) May 2, 2018

“Dylan Bundy is actually bad” is the plot twist this Orioles season was missing.
— Justin McGuire (@JMcGuireMLB) May 3, 2018

Booyah! Tonight's lineup is all that and a bag of chips. #GoMariners pic.twitter.com/IVvhF5xtXQ
— Mariners (@Mariners) May 6, 2018

.@whitesox right-hander Miguel Gonzalez celebrated Cinco De Mayo by performing with a mariachi band at the ballpark: https://t.co/Et7jqhRUTy
— Cut4 (@Cut4) May 6, 2018

Around the Bases

Man, this week sucked. There was nothing but sadness. So we go Around the Bases to see how bad things have been… but without any hope of things improving.
First Base: Kevin Gausman’s wasted gem
Kevin Gausman threw a gem this week: nine innings of shutout baseball, when the team couldn’t buy a win. How did they repay him? By losing the game in extras, of course. Still, Jake called this one “Verlanderesque.” Gausman went deep, and still had the heat in the 9th, his penultimate pitch was clocked at 98. We hope they aren’t wasted, but we hope to see a lot more of this from Gausman.
Second Base: Is Alex Cobb finally OK?
Maybe the real question is “is Alex Cobb too little, too late?” (That answer is clearly “yes.”) Cobb is showing signs of life, both increasing the whiff rate with a changeup/splitter, and enjoying positive results. We’ll take it, but we certainly could have used this to start the season, right?
Third Base: Change in management?
Will Buck Showalter, his coaches, and Dan Duquette make it through this season? We debate the utility of firing a coach in midseason, and decide whether it is worth scapegoating Buck Showalter to get a crack at someone like Juan Samuel. None of this is to say that things get better, but acknowledges the fact that firing Showalter et al solves very few problems.
1 hr 8 min
May 08, 2018 Episode 236: Cellar Notes
With West Coast games upon us, it's time for our favorite bit of Orioles Baseball: #DongsAfterDark. We go around the bases for another Dark Ages week, and run through some scrambled film synopses.
The post Episode 236: Cellar Notes appeared first on Bird's Eye View.
1 hr 8 min
May 01, 2018 Episode 235: Fifty Dongs Darker
With West Coast games upon us, it's time for our favorite bit of Orioles Baseball: #DongsAfterDark. We go around the bases for another Dark Ages week, and run through some scrambled film synopses.
The post Episode 235: Fifty Dongs Darker appeared first on Bird's Eye View.
55 min
May 01, 2018 Episode 235: Fifty Dongs Darker
With West Coast games upon us, it's time for our favorite bit of Orioles Baseball: #DongsAfterDark. We go around the bases for another Dark Ages week, and run through some scrambled film synopses.
The post Episode 235: Fifty Dongs Darker appeared first on Bird's Eye View.
55 min
April 24, 2018 Episode 234: Pain Is a Flat Circle
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Leading Off

The Orioles’ present and future is their past. The Dark Ages have returned, so Bird’s Eye View goes back in time for a 2011-style fan-produced podcast. Good thing we signed Chris Tillman back, because we need to go at 88mph to make this work.
How much fun has this team been to watch? Think back to the offseason: remember how anxious we were to be able to see baseball on a daily basis? Those were the days…
Join us for The Drink of the Week. Don’t forget to drink socially with us on Untappd.

This Week on the Twitters
Here is what is happening in the world of Orioles Baseball, in 280 characters, or fewer:

Just like riding a bike. Whatcha think #DMV should I make a comeback? @masnOrioles @masnNationals #WSHvsLAD ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/9BdOzaGt13
— Amber Theoharis (@AmberTheoharis) April 21, 2018

The #Orioles got off to a 22-10 start last season. Since then, they've gone 58-89.
— Luke Jones (@BaltimoreLuke) April 18, 2018

Since Mark Trumbo got upset and the Orioles stopped their post-game pie ritual on Sept. 3, the Orioles are 11-36.
— Matt Kremnitzer (@mattkremnitzer) April 23, 2018

At 5-13, just to get to 85 wins, the O's have to play on a seasonal 90-win pace for remaining 144 games.
— Dan Szymborski (@DSzymborski) April 18, 2018

I put my daughter in her Orioles shirt this morning. Now I feel like I owe her an apology.
— Matt Taylor (@roarfrom34) April 19, 2018

Around the Bases

Man, this week sucked. There was nothing but sadness. So we go Around the Bases to see how bad things have been and see if there is anything the Orioles can do to pull out of this early funk.
First Base – The Team’s Offense has been putrid with .215/.284/.643 and 76 wRC+. Good for 27th in MLB.
Second Base – The starting pitching has not improved.
Third Base – The bullpen has been uninspiring.
Home Plate – Is it over? Can the team get out of this?

Truth or Truth?

Things have been rough, so we look for some laughs by stealing one of our favorite bits from late night TV. The guys go back and forth challenging one another to the ultimate challenge:
Truth? Or truth?

Fantasy Boss

Jake picked Manny Machado in an offensive category, so he has to automatically win, right? Perhaps not, but Manny Machado’s ridiculous Player of the Week performance still gave Jake the win. Machado’s xwOBA (.709) beat Trey Mancini’s still impressive .418 xwOBA.
The contest is now tied at 2-2, and Scott has decided to double-down on xwOBA – this time the que...
1 hr 9 min
April 24, 2018 Episode 234: Pain Is a Flat Circle
If the Orioles are going to play like it's the Dark Ages, we'll go back in time to revisit 2011-style fandom. Also... everything sucks. Enjoy!
The post Episode 234: Pain Is a Flat Circle appeared first on Bird's Eye View.
1 hr 9 min
April 17, 2018 Episode 233: Ghosts of Sadness Present
One week removed from their positive spin, the guys are joined by WBAL's Brett Hollander to process a rough week of Orioles Baseball.
The post Episode 233: Ghosts of Sadness Present appeared first on Bird's Eye View.
53 min