1970 Baltimore Orioles season
Encyclopedia
The Baltimore Orioles
season involved the Orioles finishing first in the American League East
with a record of 108 wins and 54 losses, 15 games ahead of the runner-up New York Yankees
. The Orioles swept the Minnesota Twins
for the second straight year in the American League Championship Series
. They then went on to win their second World Series
title over the National League
champion Cincinnati Reds
in five games, thanks to the glove of third baseman
Brooks Robinson
.
The team was managed by Earl Weaver
, and played their home games at Memorial Stadium
.
in the 1969 World Series
, the Orioles picked up where they left off in 1969
. They opened the season with five wins and ran away with their second straight American League East Title, beating back a challenge from the New York Yankees
in June. They won 19 of their last 22 games to finish with an 108 win season, one win fewer than the previous year.
The team was mostly the same as 1969. Starting pitcher
s Mike Cuellar
, Dave McNally
, and Jim Palmer
each won at least 20 games, and the veteran bullpen
seldom faltered. On defense, Brooks Robinson, Center fielder
Paul Blair
, and second baseman
Davey Johnson
won Gold Gloves. Offensively, first baseman
Boog Powell
was the AL's Most Valuable Player
, leading the team with 35 home run
s and 114 RBIs
. Don Buford
and Blair continued to get on base, and Frank Robinson
(.306, 25 home runs), Brooks Robinson (94 RBIs), and Powell continued to drive them home. Elrod Hendricks
led a catching
platoon
that produced 17 homers and 74 RBIs, and outfielder
Merv Rettenmund
, a product of the farm system, hit .322 with 18 homers.
. The California Angels' Ken Tatum
threw a pitch that hit Blair in the face. Blair was seemingly on his way to a second straight strong season after having 26 home runs and 76 RBIs in 1969. He missed three weeks after the beaning, coming back to finish with 18 home runs and 65 RBIs, but he seldom produced that well over the rest of his career, and some speculated he was never the same at the plate.
, the eminent prankster relief pitcher
who had been lost to the Kansas City Royals
in the expansion draft
before the '69 season. Now thirty-four and near the end of his career, he was reacquired during the '70 season and won four of six decisions, helping fill out a veteran bullpen.
in three straight games.
AL Baltimore Orioles (4) vs. AL Cincinnati Reds
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Game
Score
Date
Location
Attendance
Time of Game
1
Orioles – 4, Reds – 3
October 10
Riverfront Stadium
51,351
2:24
2
Orioles – 6, Reds – 5
October 11
Riverfront Stadium
51,351
2:26
3
Reds – 3, Orioles – 9
October 13
Memorial Stadium
51,773
2:09
4
Reds – 6, Orioles – 5
October 14
Memorial Stadium
53,007
2:26
5
Reds – 3, Orioles – 9
October 15
Memorial Stadium
45,341
2:35
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
season involved the Orioles finishing first in the American League East
American League East
The American League Eastern Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions . This division was created before the start of the 1969 season along with the Western Division...
with a record of 108 wins and 54 losses, 15 games ahead of the runner-up New York Yankees
1970 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees season was the 68th season for the franchise in New York, and its 70th season overall. The team finished in second place in the American League East with a record of 93-69, 15 games behind the Baltimore Orioles. The 93 wins were the most for the Yankees since 1964. New York...
. The Orioles swept the Minnesota Twins
1970 Minnesota Twins season
Led by new manager Bill Rigney, the Minnesota Twins won the American League West with a 98-64 record, nine games ahead of the Oakland Athletics. The Twins were swept by the Baltimore Orioles in the American League Championship Series...
for the second straight year in the American League Championship Series
1970 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 3, 1970 at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, MinnesotaBaltimore only had to use their bullpen once in the series when Dick Hall came on to relieve Mike Cuellar in Game 1. Dave McNally and Jim Palmer both pitched complete games in Games 2 and 3.The Twins...
. They then went on to win their second World Series
1970 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 10, 1970 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, OhioThe Jackson 5 performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" prior to the game, which almost became an embarrassment when the group realized shortly before their performance that they weren't familiar with the lyrics...
title over the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
champion Cincinnati Reds
1970 Cincinnati Reds season
The 1970 Cincinnati Reds season consisted of the Reds winning the National League West title with a record of 102-60, 14½ games ahead of the runner-up Los Angeles Dodgers. The Reds defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates in three straight games in the 1970 National League Championship Series to win their...
in five games, thanks to the glove of third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
Brooks Robinson
Brooks Robinson
Brooks Calbert Robinson, Jr. is a former American professional baseball player. He played his entire 23-year major league career for the Baltimore Orioles . Nicknamed "The Human Vacuum Cleaner", he is generally acclaimed as the greatest defensive third-basemen in major league history...
.
The team was managed by Earl Weaver
Earl Weaver
Earl Sidney Weaver is a former Major League Baseball manager. He spent his entire 17-year managerial career with the Baltimore Orioles . Weaver was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996.-Playing career:After playing for Beaumont High School in St...
, and played their home games at Memorial Stadium
Memorial Stadium (Baltimore)
Memorial Stadium was a sports stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, that formerly stood on 33rd Street on an over-sized block also bounded by Ellerslie Avenue , 36th Street , and Ednor Road...
.
Offseason
- December 1, 1969: Tom ShopayTom ShopayThomas Michael Shopay is a former Major League Baseball player. Shopay was a left-handed hitter who played outfielder for the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles ....
was drafted by the Orioles from the New York YankeesNew York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in the 1969 rule 5 draftRule 5 draftThe Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
. - January 17, 1970: Doug DeCincesDoug DeCincesDouglas Vernon "Doug" DeCinces is a former Major League Baseball third baseman. He was traded from the Baltimore Orioles to the California Angels in 1982 to make room for Cal Ripken Jr. after having begun his career as the successor to Orioles third baseman Brooks Robinson...
was drafted by the Orioles in the 3rd round of the 1970 Major League Baseball Draft1970 Major League Baseball Draft-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1970 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :The regular and secondary phases of the January draft proved more fruitful to major league clubs than the June draft...
(Secondary Phase).
Bouncing back from 1969
Following their upset loss to the New York Mets1969 New York Mets season
The New York Mets season was the eighth season for the Mets franchise, which played its home games at Shea Stadium. Managed by Gil Hodges, the team went 100-62, finishing first in the newly-established National League East by eight games over the Chicago Cubs...
in the 1969 World Series
1969 World Series
The 1969 World Series was played between the New York Mets and the Baltimore Orioles, with the Mets prevailing in five games to accomplish one of the greatest upsets in Series history, as that particular Orioles squad was considered to be one of the finest ever...
, the Orioles picked up where they left off in 1969
1969 Baltimore Orioles season
The 1969 Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. In the first season after the American League was split into two divisions, the Orioles won the first-ever American League East title, finishing first with a record of 109 wins and 53 losses, 19 games ahead of the runner-up...
. They opened the season with five wins and ran away with their second straight American League East Title, beating back a challenge from the New York Yankees
1969 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees season was the 67th season for the team in New York, and its 69th season overall. The team finished in fifth-place in the newly-established American League East with a record of 80-81, 28½ games behind the Baltimore Orioles. New York was managed by Ralph Houk...
in June. They won 19 of their last 22 games to finish with an 108 win season, one win fewer than the previous year.
The team was mostly the same as 1969. Starting pitcher
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
s Mike Cuellar
Mike Cuellar
Miguel Ángel Cuellar Santana [KWAY-ar] was a Cuban left-handed starting pitcher who spent fifteen seasons in Major League Baseball with the Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros, Baltimore Orioles and California Angels...
, Dave McNally
Dave McNally
David Arthur "Dave" McNally was a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher from until . He was signed by the Baltimore Orioles and played with them every season except for his final season with the Montreal Expos.McNally has the unique distinction as the only pitcher in Major League...
, and Jim Palmer
Jim Palmer
James Alvin "Jim" Palmer , nicknamed "Cakes", is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire 20-year baseball career for the Baltimore Orioles . He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in .As of 2008, Palmer and his wife Susan have homes in Palm Beach, Florida, and...
each won at least 20 games, and the veteran bullpen
Bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
seldom faltered. On defense, Brooks Robinson, Center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
Paul Blair
Paul Blair (baseball)
Paul L. D. Blair is a former outfielder who spent seventeen seasons in Major League Baseball with the Baltimore Orioles , New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds...
, and second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
Davey Johnson
Davey Johnson
David Allen "Davey" Johnson is an American Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Washington Nationals. He was the starting second baseman for the Baltimore Orioles when they won four American League pennants and two World Series championships between 1965 and 1972...
won Gold Gloves. Offensively, first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
Boog Powell
Boog Powell
John Wesley Powell is a former major league first baseman who played for the Baltimore Orioles , Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Dodgers...
was the AL's Most Valuable Player
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
, leading the team with 35 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 114 RBIs
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
. Don Buford
Don Buford
Donald Alvin Buford is a former Major League Baseball player. An infielder/outfielder, the switch-hitting Buford played for the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles ....
and Blair continued to get on base, and Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He played from 1956–1976, most notably for the Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles. He is the only player to win league MVP honors in both the National and American Leagues...
(.306, 25 home runs), Brooks Robinson (94 RBIs), and Powell continued to drive them home. Elrod Hendricks
Elrod Hendricks
Elrod Jerome "Ellie" Hendricks was a catcher and coach in Major League Baseball. Hendricks played during a 12-year career that lasted from through for the Baltimore Orioles , Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees...
led a catching
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
platoon
Platoon system
The platoon system in baseball is a method of designating two players to a single defensive position—usually one right-handed and one left-handed. Typically the right-handed half of the platoon is played on days when the opposing pitcher is left-handed and the left-handed player is played otherwise...
that produced 17 homers and 74 RBIs, and outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
Merv Rettenmund
Merv Rettenmund
Mervin Weldon Rettenmund is a former Major League Baseball player and coach. He played thirteen seasons with the Baltimore Orioles , the Cincinnati Reds , the San Diego Padres and the California Angels ....
, a product of the farm system, hit .322 with 18 homers.
Injury to Paul Blair
There was a sobering moment early in the season when Blair was beaned on May 31 in Anaheim, CaliforniaAnaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
. The California Angels' Ken Tatum
Ken Tatum
Kenneth Ray Tatum is a retired professional baseball player who played 6 seasons for the California Angels, Boston Red Sox, and Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball.-References:...
threw a pitch that hit Blair in the face. Blair was seemingly on his way to a second straight strong season after having 26 home runs and 76 RBIs in 1969. He missed three weeks after the beaning, coming back to finish with 18 home runs and 65 RBIs, but he seldom produced that well over the rest of his career, and some speculated he was never the same at the plate.
The return of Moe Drabowsky
One personnel change from '69 to '70 was the return of Moe DrabowskyMoe Drabowsky
Myron Walter Drabowsky was a Polish-American right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Chicago Cubs , Milwaukee Braves , Cincinnati Reds , Kansas City Athletics , Baltimore Orioles , Kansas City Royals , St...
, the eminent prankster relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
who had been lost to the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
in the expansion draft
1968 Major League Baseball expansion draft
The 1968 Major League Baseball expansion draft was conducted to stock up the rosters of four expansion teams in Major League Baseball which would begin play in the 1969 season....
before the '69 season. Now thirty-four and near the end of his career, he was reacquired during the '70 season and won four of six decisions, helping fill out a veteran bullpen.
Notable transactions
- June 4, 1970: Rob AndrewsRob Andrews (baseball)Robert Patrick Andrews is a former professional baseball player. He played five seasons in Major League Baseball, from 1975 until 1979, for the Houston Astros and San Francisco Giants, primarily as a second baseman.-Sources:...
was drafted by the Orioles in the 10th round of the 1970 Major League Baseball Draft1970 Major League Baseball Draft-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1970 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :The regular and secondary phases of the January draft proved more fruitful to major league clubs than the June draft...
.
Roster
| 1970 Baltimore Orioles | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers |
Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders |
Manager Coaches |
||||||
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 106 | 322 | 78 | .242 | 12 | 41 | |
| 1B | 154 | 526 | 156 | .297 | 35 | 114 | |
| 2B | 149 | 530 | 149 | .281 | 10 | 53 | |
| 3B | 158 | 608 | 168 | .276 | 18 | 94 | |
| SS | 145 | 459 | 100 | .218 | 1 | 36 | |
| LF | 144 | 504 | 137 | .272 | 17 | 66 | |
| CF | 133 | 480 | 128 | .267 | 18 | 65 | |
| RF | 132 | 471 | 144 | .306 | 25 | 78 |
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 106 | 338 | 109 | .322 | 18 | 58 | |
| 78 | 230 | 56 | .243 | 4 | 28 | |
| 63 | 172 | 43 | .250 | 7 | 22 | |
| 83 | 152 | 39 | .257 | 5 | 20 | |
| 30 | 95 | 20 | .211 | 0 | 8 | |
| 52 | 84 | 19 | .226 | 3 | 19 | |
| 13 | 32 | 7 | .219 | 1 | 3 | |
| 25 | 31 | 6 | .194 | 1 | 6 | |
| 5 | 18 | 5 | .278 | 0 | 2 | |
| 8 | 17 | 4 | .235 | 0 | 4 | |
| 4 | 13 | 2 | .154 | 0 | 1 | |
| 3 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 |
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 297.2 | 24 | 8 | 3.48 | 190 | |
| 40 | 296 | 24 | 9 | 3.22 | 185 | |
| 39 | 305 | 20 | 10 | 2.71 | 199 | |
| 27 | 135 | 5 | 5 | 3.07 | 72 |
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | 145.1 | 6 | 5 | 3.53 | 78 |
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53 | 7 | 7 | 12 | 3.25 | 33 | |
| 50 | 7 | 2 | 13 | 1.98 | 66 | |
| 32 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 3.08 | 30 | |
| 25 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2.08 | 49 | |
| 23 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5.08 | 14 | |
| 21 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3.78 | 21 | |
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.00 | 4 |
ALCS
The Orioles win the series over the Minnesota Twins1970 Minnesota Twins season
Led by new manager Bill Rigney, the Minnesota Twins won the American League West with a 98-64 record, nine games ahead of the Oakland Athletics. The Twins were swept by the Baltimore Orioles in the American League Championship Series...
in three straight games.
| Game | Score | Date | Location | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baltimore - 10, Minnesota - 6 | October 3 | Metropolitan Stadium Metropolitan Stadium Metropolitan Stadium was a sports stadium that once stood in Bloomington, Minnesota, just outside Minneapolis. The area where the stadium once stood is now the site of the Mall of America... |
26,847 |
| 2 | Baltimore - 11, Minnesota - 3 | October 4 | Metropolitan Stadium | 27,490 |
| 3 | Minnesota - 1, Baltimore - 6 | October 5 | Memorial Stadium Memorial Stadium (Baltimore) Memorial Stadium was a sports stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, that formerly stood on 33rd Street on an over-sized block also bounded by Ellerslie Avenue , 36th Street , and Ednor Road... |
27,608 |
World Series
1970 Cincinnati Reds season
The 1970 Cincinnati Reds season consisted of the Reds winning the National League West title with a record of 102-60, 14½ games ahead of the runner-up Los Angeles Dodgers. The Reds defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates in three straight games in the 1970 National League Championship Series to win their...
(1)>
Memorial Stadium (Baltimore)
Memorial Stadium was a sports stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, that formerly stood on 33rd Street on an over-sized block also bounded by Ellerslie Avenue , 36th Street , and Ednor Road...
Memorial Stadium (Baltimore)
Memorial Stadium was a sports stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, that formerly stood on 33rd Street on an over-sized block also bounded by Ellerslie Avenue , 36th Street , and Ednor Road...
Memorial Stadium (Baltimore)
Memorial Stadium was a sports stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, that formerly stood on 33rd Street on an over-sized block also bounded by Ellerslie Avenue , 36th Street , and Ednor Road...
Awards and honors
- Boog Powell, American League MVP
- Brooks Robinson, Babe Ruth AwardBabe Ruth AwardThe Babe Ruth Award is given annually to the Major League Baseball player with the best performance in the postseason. The award, created by the New York chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America in honor of Babe Ruth, was first awarded in 1949 to the MVP of the World Series, one...
- Brooks Robinson, World Series MVP