My Baltimore Sports Moment of 2023: Adley Goes 5-for-5
Adley Rutschman’s 5-for-5 day in Boston, Massachusetts against the Red Sox set the tone for the season
The “experts” and baseball pundits agreed in the beginning that Baltimore just had a very flukey 2022 that helped them to a 83-79 season and that they didn’t have enough firepower and pitching to catch up to the likes of the rest of the American League East division. Yeah yeah yeah, same old blah blah blah and discounting from the experts. Again, the typical: It’s the Yankees or Red Sox division to lose.
Baltimore had other ideas and confidently said: “I think we’re ready to spoil the American Legaue East party.”
Experts: “BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! Really!? You’re going to spoil the party!? You! Baltimore!? With the likes of the Yankees and Red Sox! Please…! Don’t make us laugh. You guys are hilarious!”
Yankees: “WHAT!? YOU!? FIRST PLACE! NOT A CHANCE!”
Red Sox: “You are just not THAT good! You had a flukey season last year! Back to the cellar with you! WHERE YOU BELONG!!!!”
Blue Jays: “Oh? You really think you’re going to do better than us? No chance.”
Rays: “We actually improved this year, what did you guys do?! Huh!? Nothing! Stay in the corner like the rest of the dunces in the classroom.”
But the Orioles were brimming with confidence and said to the rest of the American League East and the fanboys in suits: “Do us a favor, hold our beer.”
On that day in Boston, Adley Rutschman’s homerun off of on a 2-0 pitch from Corey Kluber sent a very strong message to the rest of the league and that message was: “Yeah, we’re not fooling around anymore. The giant is awakening.”
From that moment on, I knew this Orioles team was going to be even more special than what the experts were predicting. I knew in the back of my mind that this team was going to make a run but again the experts just kept saying: “It’s just one game, but don’t you worry! It’s not their division to win!”
Adley Rutschman would go on to have a 5-for-5 day with 4 singles, a homerun, and 4 RBI in a 10-9 Opening Day victory versus the hated Boston Red Sox.
Personally, I think Baltimore made some new fans around the nation during the season because many everyday baseball fans were saying the same thing: “We’re so tired of seeing the Yankees and Red Sox in the playoffs, can we get some new and watchable teams in the playoffs.”
The rest as you know is history, the Orioles would go on to win 101 games (first time since 1980 that they won over 100 games) but sadly would lose 3 games to 0 to the eventual World Series champion Texas Rangers in the division series. I believe that this season set the tone for the future and that the Orioles may go deeper next season with the likes of Jackson Holliday coming up next year and also Enrique Bradfield and Mac Horvath making waves in the minors. Next year, the Orioles will have 3 1st-round picks in the MLB Draft.
Maybe this upcoming season: The experts will give the Orioles a bit more leverage and respect and say: “Don’t sleep on them. They may not have gotten many pieces this offseason but their farm system is outstanding and that’s where all the names are.”
Hope everyone has an amazing 2024.
