EMNLL Orioles

Occasionally, you'll hear baseball broadcasters talk about a can of corn. What is a can of corn? A can of corn is not a routine pop up. Nor is it a line drive up the middle or a base it. A 'can of corn' is an easy catch by a fielder. The can of corn saying originated around the turn of the century in the local general store, whereby the store owner would use a long pole to pull a can of corn off the top shelf. It would fall and be easily caught by the clerk or the owner.... (courtesy Sandy Plains Baseball Association)

"I believe in the Rip Van Winkle Theory: that a man from 1910 must be able to wake up after being asleep for seventy years, walk into a ballpark and understand baseball perfectly." -- Bowie Kuhn, Commissioner of Baseball (1969-1984) "Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona." -- George F. Will

The 2005 EMNLL Minor League Orioles opened their promising season Saturday night with an 11-8 victory over a talented Tiger squad. Starting Oriole pitcher Andrew Scalf earned his first win of the season, registering 6 strikeouts in only 3 innings. Scalf enjoyed pinpoint control, allowing only one walk on the evening. While Andrew was keeping the Tiger bats silent, his teammates were making noise at the plate and on the base paths. The Birds rang up 8 base hits on the night, worked Tiger pitchers for 6 walks, and claimed a ridiculous 18 stolen bases. Will White lead Saturday’s offensive barrage, going a perfect 2-2 with a base on balls. White swiped 4 bases on the night, scored 3 runs and added an RBI for good measure. Avery Lynch contributed 2 runs scored, and demonstrated his knowledge of the strike zone by coaxing 2 walks from opposing pitchers. Lynch also looked good in the field, as the Minor League veteran always seemed to be in the right place at the right time. Zach Ayala used his big bat to notch a single, and then used his amazing speed to swipe 3 bases and score a pivotal run in the Orioles profitable 1st inning. Markas Lee celebrated his baseball debut in fine fashion, looking entirely comfortable at the plate and using his considerable skills (and blinding speed) to help limit a threatening Tiger rally. Matthew “M.C.” Rimert ripped a double in his first ever look at live pitching, sending the Oriole faithful into an electrified frenzy. According to Oriole coach Mike White, Rimert’s swing is nearly fundamentally perfect and is certain to produce big results for his squad. Multi-talented Jose Arostegui contributed to Saturday’s victory on the mound, in the field, at the plate and on the base paths. Chalking up four strikeouts in only 2 1/3 innings of work, Jose denied the Tiger offense any legitimate chance of a comeback after relieving Scalf in the 4th inning. Jose’s theft of home in the bottom half of the 4th marked the beginning of the end for the now-fading Tigers. Carlos Guzman, another Oriole making his baseball debut, marked the occasion by connecting for a solid single in the second inning. Guzman then wowed the rowdy crowd with a stolen base which demonstrated his unbelievable speed. Amanuel Gantt, an immensely talented multi-sport athlete, showed those in attendance that baseball will soon be on his list of sports he has mastered. Gantt’s impressive plate appearances and world-class speed only further prove that this team is deep. Gutsy Matthew Proctor’s performance showed everyone that he knows baseball. Cool and confident at the plate, Proctor reached base on a walk and also used his quick bat to frustrate Tiger pitchers by fouling off several strong pitches. But for all the heroics displayed Saturday at Sewell Park, Brett Lyle’s proved most significant, as the big nine-year old stroked the O’s first homerun of the year, a laser-like drive which ultimately provided the margin of victory in this well-played contest. As if that weren’t enough, Lyle took the mound in relief of Arostegui, slamming the door on a Tiger rally to earn the save and secure the victory for the joyous Orioles. Brett’s performance made him Coach Mike’s obvious choice for MVP.