Baltimore

First in an 11-part series about the vagaries of awards voting.

Al Bumbry rightfully earned American League Rookie of the Year honors in 1973. However, as arguably a division champion’s best hitter, he received not a single vote for Most Valuable Player.

In the wake of Memorial Day, new Kansas City Royals hitting coach George Brett sat before an outfit of reporters at Busch Stadium, controlled rage streaming from his glare.

Baltimore Orioles nation is grieving, after learning of the sad passing of legendary manager Earl Weaver.

Veteran left-hander Joe Saunders is increasingly becoming the source of opposing viewpoints among Baltimore Orioles fans. 

Saunders, 31, was traded by the Arizona Diamondbacks in August 2012 in exchange for reliever Matt Lindstrom.

The starting rotation war between pitchers for the Baltimore Orioles will be one of the most intriguing storylines to watch come spring training.  

In this dynamic arms race, no lead will be safe.

It will feature possibly 13 pitchers who will fight for the right to take to the hill for the Birds every five days this summer.

Yes. I said it. 13.

As if the Baltimore Orioles faithful were not stoked after Wei-Yin Chen’s brilliant performance against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday night, Manny Machado just chimed in with his own from down on the farm.

On Saturday, the Baltimore Sun reported the Orioles acquired first baseman/outfielder Steve Pearce from the New York Yankees in exchange for cash considerations.

Josh Hamilton hit for the "cycle" Tuesday night against the Baltimore Orioles. But when the ball flies out of the park, they don't let you stop at first, second or third.

Hamilton hit four two-run home runs against the shell-shocked Orioles. He finished a perfect five-for-five with eight RBIs.  He now sits at 14 homers on the year with 36 RBI and appears to be steam-rolling toward another MVP award.

I could not help but chuckle at the obnoxious Boston Red Sox fan shouting obscenities at Orioles first baseman Chris Davis Friday night at Fenway Park.

As Davis stepped to the plate in the top of the 13th inning, with the game tied at four, all I could hear was, “Go home Davis! Go home, you’re horrible!”

Last year at this time, Rick Peterson was getting ready to take a trip to Italy, not the place where one of pitching’s most innovative minds usually spend March. It was just the second time in more than 35 years that Peterson had been away from a baseball diamond for any substantial stretch of time.