BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 19: A general view of the field before the start of the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 19, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
The Baltimore Orioles franchise did not find success until they ended up in Charm City. Their franchise Mount Rushmore certainly shows the difference.
It took three tries for the Baltimore Orioles to find their home. The Orioles franchise actually began in Milwaukee, as the first incarnation of the Brewers. They lasted for a year in Milwaukee, before moving on to St. Louis and becoming the Browns.
As the Browns, the franchise became known for futility and for a publicity stunt. Despite having great players like George Sisler, Bobby Wallace, and Urban Shocker, they rarely contended. In 1922, the Browns finished second, a game out of first. In 9144, they finally captured an American League pennant, only to fall to their city rivals, the Cardinals, in six games. After more years of futility, and the brief career of Eddie Gaedel, the Browns moved to Baltimore, resurrecting the Orioles franchise from the 1890s.
Success did not come immediately to the Orioles, but they began putting the framework in place. By the mid 1960s, the Orioles were ready to contend, and began their dynasty. With Hank Bauer, and later Earl Weaver, at the helm, they won six American League pennants in 18 years, and took home three World Series championships. The struggles from their earlier days, and their time as the Browns, had been left behind.
These days, the Orioles are searching for that return to the World Series. They have made the postseason five times since that last title in 1983, but have yet to return to the Fall Classic. As star players like Manny Macado, Adam Jones, and Zach Britton are nearing free agency, the 2018 campaign may be their last gasp for some time.
However, instead of looking forward, let us take a look back, and look at the greats in the history of the Baltimore Orioles. Here is their Mount Rushmore.
One of four players in baseball history with 3000 hits and 500 homers, Eddie Murray was a quiet superstar. His steady production with the Baltimore Orioles helped keep the franchise in contention during the majority of his tenure.
Murray was considered “snakebit” when it came to awards. He won the 1977 AL Rookie of the Year, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010. In between, Murray was a seven time All Star with the Orioles, taking home three Gold Glove awards and two Silver Sluggers. However, that snakebit reputation came from his two second place finishes in the AL MVP vote, and how he has the highest career voting share of any player to never actually win an MVP award.
During his time in Baltimore, Murray established himself as one of the best hitters in the American League. He produced a .294/.370/.498 batting line, hitting 343 homers and 363 doubles. Murray hit more than 20 homers in 12 of his 13 seasons in Baltimore, helping him earn his nickname of Steady Eddie.
He was also a solid first baseman. Murray was placed in different spots on defense, including left field and third base, as Earl Weaver looked to find a way to keep his bat in the lineup. he became a Gold Glove caliber first baseman, leading the league in putouts and double plays three times. Murray also ranks 11th overall in runs saved at first, and was typically amongst the league leaders in that metric as well.
A quiet star, Eddie Murray helped power the Baltimore Orioles attack during the end of their Golden Age. One of the greatest switch hitters of all time, Murray made quite the impact upon the Orioles.
Known for his time as an underwear model, Jim Palmer was one of the top pitchers of his era, and had one of the smoothest deliveries in the game.
The ace for the Baltimore Orioles during their Golden Age, Palmer won 15 or more games 12 times, leading the league from 1975 through 1977. He led the league in ERA and winning percentage twice, proving to be one of the dominant pitchers in the game. Palmer was also a workhorse, leading the league in innings four times, and having 11 seasons with 200 or more innings.
Naturally, the accolades followed. Palmer was a six time All Star and three time Cy Young award winner, finishing in the top ten of the MVP vote three times. Overall, he produced a 268-152 record, along with a 2.86 ERA and a 1.180 WHiP. In his 3948 innings, Palmer struck out 2212 batters while issuing 1311 walks.
Palmer is also known for another interesting feat. During his career, he never gave up a grand slam, an impressive feat as he ranked in the top ten in homers allowed four times, and served up 303 long balls. Palmer is also the only pitcher to give up three homers during the All Star Game, a feat he accomplished in 1977.
Jim Palmer was the greatest pitcher in the history of the Baltimore Orioles. His number 22 hangs in perpetuity to his impressive career.
There may have been better hitters at third base, but no one has been as good defensively as Brooks Robinson.
It took some time before Robinson’s offense caught up to his glove. Eventually, he became a solid run producers, leading the league in RBI in 1964. Robinson had six seasons with 20 or more homers, and hit over .300 twice. He may never have been a threat the way some other players in the Orioles lineup were, but he became a decent hitter.
Yet, it was his defense that kept him in the lineup and made him a star. An 18 time All Star, Robinson won a record 16 Gold Glove awards at third. He ranks first in baseball history with 293 runs saved, 50 more than the second place Andruw Jones. Paired with Mark Belanger during the second half of his career, the duo gave the Orioles an incredible left side of the infield defensively.
During his 23 year career, Robinson put together some surprising career totals. He had a .267/.322/.401 career batting line, good for an OPS+ of only 104, but was able to compile some decent statistics. Robinson hit 268 homers and 482 doubles, driving in 1357 runs. He ended up with 2848 hits, the 48th most in baseball history.
Brooks Robinson was a star for the Baltimore Orioles due to his glove. But his bat was a little better than it is remembered as well.
Originally a third baseman, Ripken moved to short during his rookie year, and never left. He became known for his incredible durability, staying in the lineup every day. When he broke Lou Gehrig‘s consecutive game streak in 1995, it was a moment that helped bring baseball back from the disastrous player’s strike of 1994. Eventually, the streak came to an end in 1998, when he sat out a game for the first time in over 16 years. Ryan Minor would find himself living on forever as the answer to a trivia question.
Ripken did not show many signs of fatigue during his streak. He won two MVP awards, and seven Silver Slugger awards. A 19 time All Star, Ripken also won the MVP in his final All Star appearance, hitting a memorable homer off of Chan Ho Park. Ripken certainly had a flair for the dramatic.
During his 21 year career, Ripken produced a .276/.340/.447 batting line. His 112 OPS+ may look a little low, but he also had his final years during the Steroid Era, skewing his numbers a bit. Nonetheless, he was one of the premier power hitting shortstops in baseball history, with 431 homers and 603 doubles. Ripken also ended his career with 3184 hits, 15th all time.
The legendary Baltimore Orioles shortstop helped save the game in 1995, just by doing what he did every day – showing up for work and performing with greatness.
