Oriole #968- Delmon Young

The second new Orioles debut on Opening Day received significantly less fanfare than the first. Nelson Cruz is a big name who signed a $8 million contract, while Oriole #968 Delmon Young, was inked to a minor league contract with a Spring Training invite to big league camp in mid-January. He chiefly made the team because Nolan Reimold once again had to head to the DL. 

While Delmon has spent a vast majority of his time in the big leagues since 2007, to date he is known more for a few nasty incidents than he is for his play on the field. Back in 2006 he was ejected from a minor league game for arguing a strike call and responded by throwing his bat at the umpire and was subsequently suspended for 50 games. Then during the 2012 season during his time with the Tigers, he was arrested in New York City for aggravated assault and was reportedly also using anti-semitic racial slurs. So, not exactly what you want to be known for, but he reportedly has changed his ways and is keeping his nose clean. I know that Buck Showalter is not the type of manager to put up with much BS, so I imagine that Delmon will be shipped out immediately if there are any problems.

As I mentioned in one of my Spring Training posts, I had some serious trouble getting Delmon's autograph in Sarasota, but lucked out and got this card signed on my last day in town. My buddy Alan was actually also able to get a copy of this card signed and personalized for me after I left town and I look forward to receiving the personalized version of this card.

Delmon had an alright opening day; he served as the DH against Jon Lester and the Red Sox. He was 0-3 with a strikeout but did drive in Nelson Cruz for the first run of the game on his 2nd inning at-bat that resulted in a double-play but did get the run across the plate. So, like Cruz, Delmon did contribute to the O's first win of the season. And that's really all we can ask of a player. Well, that, and staying out of trouble, but time will tell.

Oriole # 967- Nelson Cruz

Opening Day in Baltimore was yesterday, and it was the beginning of another exciting Orioles season! The Birds began the season with an amazing 2-1 win over the World Champion Red Sox. A win on Opening Day is always great, and winning over a rival AL East team is even better. 

Three players made their Orioles debuts yesterday, and I am lucky enough to already have signed O's cards of the trio, due directly to the fact that my dad keeps me so well supplied with his Old Man Cards! 

The first player to make his 2014 Orioles debut was right fielder Nelson Cruz who appeared in the field in the top of the first inning to become Oriole #967. Nellie also had the biggest impact of the trio, hitting a home run and scoring both of the O's runs in a close game. He also made a few nice plays in the field to round out a solid day overall. Personally, I'm excited that one of the team's free agent signings was directly responsible for the very first win of the year!

I showed this card after my trip, but Nelson was nice enough to sign it for me on my Spring Training trip. This was the only time I saw him sign, so I'm very happy that I was able to get his autograph which is now heading to my collection.

I will be doing the rest of the Orioles debut posts this week, so check back in tomorrow to see who is Oriole #968.

Heading for the Colleciton

A vast majority of the autographs that I got during my Spring Training Trip were of players who have yet to have played for the Orioles. In fact, quite a few of them might never appear in a game for the Orioles, but since you can never predict that sort of thing in early March, I always try to get their signed Orioles cards so that I can just slide it into my collection if/when they make their Orioles debut. A preventative strike, if you will.

Today, I'm going to show off a few autographs that I got on my trip that I am quite confident are heading straight for my collection, for a few various reasons.

I'll start out with the personalized upgrades of players who have already appeared in a game with the O's, so they will be directly slotted into my collection.

I'll start with Bud Norris, whose autograph I got on this Orioles card for the first time at FanFest thanks to Aaron. And now I have it personalized too!

I always get excited when the O's bring in former players to help out at camp. Todd Frohwirth has been a scout for the organization for a few years but is based on the west coast so rarely appears at games in Baltimore. He was in Sarasota to help current side-armed reliever Darren O'Day on his "mechanics" or whatever those wacky sidewinders call their pitching motion. 

Jack Cust was also back in camp with the Birds, after they signed him to a minor league contract. He seemed like a really nice guy when I ran into him at the team's minor league camp.

Next up are the two players who the O's signed this off-season that I am quite confident will end up playing some games in Baltimore, Ubaldo Jimenez and Nelson Cruz.

Finally, I was able to add/upgrade some autographs for my coaches collection. 

Bobby Dickerson and Einar Diaz were both on the coaching roster last year and I was able to get their personalized signatures. 

While Dom Chiti and Dave Wallace are both new in town but were nice enough to sign and personalize their cards as well.

 

 As always, thanks to my dad for producing these awesome old man cards.I don't know how many people comment about them and pass along their complements but you do a really great job on them! Thanks old man!