Baltimore Orioles All-Time Team

The 2023 Major League Baseball season is underway, and so is The Collector's All-Time Teams series!

Let's head out to Camden Yards in beautiful Baltimore, Maryland for our first All-Time roster.

The Baltimore Orioles last won a World Series in 1983. They were World Champions in 1966 and again in 1970, when Hall of Fame Manager Earl Weaver established "The Oriole Way."

Here's the starting lineup for the All-Time Orioles.

Well, it looks like Weaver will be sticking with the same starters here. Are there any new faces on the Baltimore bench?

Boog Powell and Adam Jones easily retain their roster spots. The others were an open competition:

	Orioles stats	WAR	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
	*Rick Dempsey	21.2	0.238	0.319	0.355	0.674	89
	Gus Triandos	13.1	0.249	0.326	0.424	0.751	107
	*Manny Machado	31.9	0.283	0.335	0.487	0.822	121
	Harlond Clift	40.1	0.277	0.394	0.453	0.847	116
	*Brady Anderson	34.9	0.257	0.364	0.430	0.794	110
	Nick Markakis	24.8	0.290	0.358	0.435	0.793	113

Machado holds off a hard charge from Harlond Clift based on his advantage in power and defense. Anderson's power, speed, and longevity give him the slight edge over Nick Markakis. Dempsey was initially chosen for his work behind the plate, but Earl Weaver can no longer tolerate his weak bat. Gus Triandos earns the backup catcher job.

This one is not going in the album.

On the pitching side, there was a lot of competition for the fifth starter and middle relief roles.

The top three starters are secure, including a pair of Hall of Fame hurlers.
 

Urban Shocker struggled in Spring Training but managed to hold on to his spot as the fourth starter. The fifth starter competition was heated, and in the end Earl Weaver decided to make a change.

	Orioles stats	WAR	ERA	ERA+	K/BB	WHIP
	*Mike Cuellar	17.1	3.18	109	1.68	1.188
	Milt Pappas	21.7	3.24	113	1.78	1.225
	Jack Powell	31.5	2.63	109	1.82	1.152
	Mike Flanagan	21.4	3.89	100	1.75	1.323
	Scott McGregor	20.2	3.99	98	1.75	1.291

Incumbent Mike Cuellar loses his fifth starter spot to Jack Powell, a standout star from the early days of the franchise. [Oh no, does that mean I have to track down a Powell card? Crud.]

Now let's take a look at the Baltimore bullpen, where Tippy Martinez has been knocking on the door:

The O's would love to have another lefty in the 'pen, and Stu Miller does have eligibility with another team. However, this is a case where the stats call the shots:

	Orioles stats	SV	ERA	ERA+	K/BB	WHIP
	*Dick Hall	60	2.89	124	3.96	1.005
	*Eddie Watt	74	2.74	123	1.97	1.133
	*Stu Miller	99	2.37	145	2.44	1.120
	Tippy Martinez	105	3.46	112	1.60	1.370

Miller was much more effective as an Oriole than he was as a Giant; there's no guarantee he'd make the San Fran roster. Martinez has the longevity (second among Orioles in appearances, fourth in saves, first in games finished) but the production gap between him and the incumbents is too much to overcome. The bullpen stays as-is.

Looking ahead, there aren't any current Orioles who can push for a spot on this All-Time roster. Adley Rutschman could get there one day, not only for his limitless potential but because he happens to be a catcher - one of Baltimore's weakest positions.


TL; DR: Two changes from the original roster. Cuellar and Dempsey out, Powell and Triandos in.


Come back tomorrow for our next All-Time Team, the Boston Red Sox.


Thanks for reading!


 
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