1970 Baltimore Orioles season

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 1970 Baltimore Orioles season involved the Orioles finishing 1st in the American League East with a record of 108 wins and 54 losses, 15 games over the runner-up New York Yankees. The Orioles swept the Minnesota Twins again in the three-game American League Championship Series, before winning 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.

First baseman Boog Powell was the AL's Most Valuable Player, and Jim Palmer was the AL's Cy Young Award winner.

[edit] Regular Season

[edit] Season standings

[edit] Even Better Than 1969

The stage was set for the Orioles to stumble after their loss to the New York Mets in the 1969 World Series, but they didn't. In fact, they picked up where they left off before running into the Mets. They opened the season with five wins and ran away with their second straight American League East Title after beating back a challenge from the New York Yankees in June. With an intimidating sense of purpose, they won 19 of their last 22 games to finish with an 108 win season (1 win less than the previous year).

The blueprint was the same as 1969. Mike Cuellar, Dave McNally, and Jim Palmer each won at least 20 games, and the veteran bullpen seldom faltered, with Moe Drabowsky returning from Kansas City in June to help. Paul Blair, Brooks Robinson, and Davey Johnson won Gold Gloves. Offensively, Don Buford and Paul Blair contuined to get on base, and Frank Robinson (.306, 25 home runs), Brooks Robinson (94 RBIs], and Boog Powell (35 homers, and 114 RBIs) continued to drive them in. Elrod Hendricks continued to carry 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.

[edit] The Courage of Paul Blair

There was a sobering moment early in the runaway season when Blair was beaned one night in Anaheim, California. The California Angels' Ken Tatum threw a pitch that hit Blair in the face and dropped him as if he were a losing gunslinger in a western movie. Blair was on his way to a second straight strong season, having 26 home runs and 76 RBIs in '69 and given indications that he might surpass those totals in '70. He missed three weeks after the beaning and came 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.

[edit] The Return of Moe Drabowsky

One change from '69 to '70 was the return of Moe Drabowsky, the eminent prankster who had gone to Kansas City 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.

[edit] Roster

[edit] Player stats

[edit] Batting

Note: G = Games played; AB = At Bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting Average; HR = Home Runs; RBI = Runs Batted In

[edit] Starting pitchers

[edit] Relief pitchers

[edit] ALCS

Main article: 1970 American League Championship Series

[edit] Baltimore Orioles vs. Minnesota Twins

Orioles win the Series, 3-0

[edit] World Series

Main article: 1970 World Series

AL Baltimore Orioles (4) vs. AL Cincinnati Reds (1)

[edit] Awards and Honors

• Boog Powell, First Base, American League MVP
• Brooks Robinson, Babe Ruth Award
• Brooks Robinson, Third Base, World Series MVP

[edit] References

• 1970 Baltimore Orioles team page at Baseball Reference
• 1970 Baltimore Orioles season at baseball-almanac.com