Deflecting criticism instead of the ball
If you think back to a few weekends ago, and former closer Gregg Olson's induction into the Orioles' Hall of Fame, you'll recall the two most vivid memories of his pitching career: His first save, and the curveball he bounced in game No. 160 of the 1989 season.
Olson still wrestles with that memory - how he allowed the tying run to score in the eighth inning, and how the Orioles went on to lose in the 11th. How the Toronto Blue Jays were assured of at least tying for first place in the AL East, and how the Orioles were eliminated the following day.
It still stings like a slap on the back after a day at the beach.
But Olson also remembers, and still admires, how catcher Jamie Quirk took the blame for the wild pitch, telling reporters on the opposite side of the clubhouse that he should have blocked the ball, though he really had no chance.
It took a while, and a few rounds of phone tag, but I was able to track down Quirk, now the Colorado Rockies' bench coach. Quirk spent only a few months in Baltimore, but he still feels a connection to the Orioles because of that "Why Not?" season, which he joined late after starting catcher Mickey Tettleton suffered a knee injury.
"I do remember the situation," he said, replaying that eighth inning over the phone. "Greg came in and bounced a curveball. He was having a fantastic year, the Orioles were having a fantastic year. If we win that game, we're tied with two to go. It was a dramatic time of the season."
Now comes the confession.
"Truthfully, I could not have blocked the ball. But that being said, I remember reporters asking me about it and I said, 'Yeah, I called it, I knew it was curveball, I know Gregg's curve.' It wasn't to be a hero, but I was a guy at the tail end of my career and I knew he was a star rookie and he didn't need that on his shoulders. He had his whole career in front of him. I was at the other end. I thought that was the thing to do at the time."
Quirk signed with the Oakland Athletics after the '89 season and he crossed paths with Olson a few times. They spoke about a lot of things, but not Quirk's decision to, as Olson described it later, "man up" and take the blame.
"He knew pretty much why I said it and there was no need to talk about it. I was just taking care of a teammate," Quirk said. "When I came up with the Royals, we had Hal McRae and John Mayberry and Marty Pattin, old veterans who taught me the right way to do things. You don't think about it until its time and you become a veteran and you're teaching other kids how to do things the right way. You don't know when it's going to come into play or how it's going to come into play, but you make sure to put it into play when it's time."
I never tire of looking back on that '89 season. It was nice to see part of it through Quirk's eyes.
Down on the farm, Single-A Delmarva's Tyler Henson hit a grand slam in the fifth inning, and Kieron Pope and Anthony Martinez homered in the seventh. Zach Britton took over the team lead with his 11th victory.
Bonds is a great clubhouse guy. Helluva teammater. He never used steriods either. Just a late bloomer. Ed-die was a real delightful guy all the time too.
I still have the "It Can Be Done in '61" LP. Turns out it couldn't and wasn't.
The O's should put out a CD of their greatest hits from over the years. They should include old O's-related radio spots. Geezers will remember "Hey Hey, Fox Chevrolet. The Orioles won the game today." There are lots more...especially beer spots.
I wonder who did "It's a Beautiful Day For a Ballgame?" I know that wasn't exclusively an O's song but.........
Czech on that Roch. You're the one getting paid.
TMD....First of all, you only heard Jeff Kent or the media say that about Barry Bonds. Kirk Reuter which I am friends with and went to college with and was his team mate for a few yrs says Barry Bonds was a very good teammate,friend and positive in the club house. Even Ray Durham said Barry Bonds was a very good teammate. Andy Van Slyke who was teammates with him in Pittsburgh has always said that Barry was a good teammate. So,please don't say anything that you don't know anything about and only follow what the media reports. Media hates every ball player that doesn't kiss media butt. Ask Eddie Murray!
Can you tell me how I can obtain a copy of the 2008 Orioles media guide??
thanks
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I'd call the Orioles at 410-547-6100. - Roch
My homer post. I used to work with Tim Nordbrook at a place called Marshall's on Calvert St. years ago. A lot of the O's used to come in to shoot the bull with him.
I hate to be cynical but.... I see all the Red Sox fans in the stadium and it gets me everytime. I bet half of them have never been north of MD/PA border. Nothing gets me bugged more than Band Wagoner's. Sheep. All of them SHEEP!
(Oh, and when Jim Nantz said that Indianapolis had won it 2nd franchise championship after the super bowl 2 years ago. That really got me.)
I guess I bring this up because of the little league world series. I know they are just kids and I am probably going to hell but....Everyone of them has Derek Jeter as their favorite players. Even the kids from Hagerstown. Whats with these parents? Teach your kids to have some frickin' originality. Throw in a Vladdy or a Lincecum. OR GOD FORBID A NICK MARKAKIS!
hey, finally a guy i can be a homer about! i went to high school with Jamie Quirk and he's buddies with my brother-in-law. or at least that's what my brother-in-law tells me.
i hear people "in the business" making fun of fans who come out of the woodwork and say, "hey, i knew him when..." but this is the first time i've been able to do it, and it's kinda cool......in a homerish sorta way.
what's even better is to have it reaffirmed that he really is as cool as i always thought he was. doin' it the right way. nice. thanks for the story.
Great story, Roch. Nice way to start the day.
Get background, Roch. Speaking of the '89 Orioles and the "Why Not?" season, why don't the Orioles release a DVD looking back at that season (and other seasons while we're at it)? I have an old VHS release of the "Why Not?" season, and it would be nice to have an upgrade on DVD.
Any idea where we can download the "Why Not?" song from back then?
Great story Roch. Maybe Barry Bonds should read this so he can understand what it means to be a good teammate. I say this because I can't ever recall hearing a current or retired player praise him for being one. It's why he's not well liked in many baseball circles. Here's a guy who broke Hank Aaron's home run record and you never hear positive things about him! It's because the game, and sports in general, are not just about the numbers.
Get background, Roch. Speaking of the '89 Orioles and the "Why Not?" season, why don't the Orioles release a DVD looking back at that season (and other seasons while we're at it)? I have an old VHS release of the "Why Not?" season, and it would be nice to have an upgrade on DVD.
Roch, I’m still wrestling with that Olson pitch that last weekend of 1989. Even with that disappointment, that’s still a special season. Considering the club’s history since 1983, it’s almost as good as a playoff appearance. In my mind, that season has fonder memories than 1996 and 1997, and that’s because they both ended in bitter disappointment in the ALCS. That’s some nice work getting the dirt from Quirk. He sounds like a standup guy. How many guys today would be willing to shoulder the blame like that?
Roch, responding to “Go for it?,” I say the organization should continue to do what it has to do to build a long-term consistent winner and the onfield team should play its hardest to win. How’s that for a non-answer? More specifically, if somehow the latter interferes with the former, the former should take precedence. Also consider, though, that the team so far this year is 60-64, and that’s after dealing Erik Bedard and Miguel Tejada during the offseason and not making any significant free agent acquisitions to a team that won 69 games last year. So if good players happen to be dealt before the end of August and/or a bunch of young players come up to play, that doesn’t necessarily mean the team is going to tank.
I want Trembley to "man up" and say something to the Umps. The strike zone last night was moving like dark matter in the universe and it sure looked like the home plate ump called two of those pitches to Crisp strikes. If I'm on that team I wondering why my manager won't say something. He doesn't have to go balistic, but at least make a point that you will call them on mistakes.
On a positive note I'm thinking of the 2010 rotation and it's a very calming thought.
Good Luck to everyone going to the game tonight. Get there early.
Thanks for the memories Roch. What a great season that was even though we did not win the division. I would give anything to go back in time and stop the Glenn Davis trade to keep the 89 team together. Great post and thanks again for giving us a bit of inside info on a truly magical season.
Thanks for the story Roch. Things like that make me remember what it was like to enjoy watching baseball, instead of the rockstars that play it now.
more than a great team they were a class act and this just proves the point. But I wonder if the same thing happened to this group would the same story be told. Times have changes and so have the players.