In the home stretch toward reviving a season

The message from fans to baseball players and owners might be something like this: You guys got our hopes up for a season, so don't screw it up now.

Sure, the dollars at stake are significant for both, and there are issues to work out - about health and money. But if they've come this far - and they already seem to be mostly in agreement on safety and health protocols - so it's time to get this to the finish line.

It might look strange to see baseball with no fans in the stands and players sitting six feet apart and not high-fiving each other after a home run, but it will still be baseball. We could all use it right now.

Certainly, the players and owners have both realized the worst-case scenario: no season in 2020. Under that scenario, the owners get no TV revenue and players get no paychecks beyond what they received for April and May to divide up.

This would mean the end of whatever labor peace we've seen in the sport for years and years. This would mean some fans may turn their back on the sport forever. Baseball has overcome numerous work stoppages in its history, but to lose the season now when so many people are hurting and out of work, would be unforgivable.

It would impact the 2021 season in that teams may dramatically cut back on spending after a season of lost revenue. So much for free agency this winter.

These are just a few aspects to consider if there is no 2020 season. There are plenty more, but let's table them for now and try to think positive thoughts. The owners and players meet again this week and it's crunch time for the money talk. Time to do whatever they have to do to make it work for them and us.

This day in O's history: Adam Esselman of the Orioles public relations staff has been posting some interesting O's information in recent weeks. Each day, he posts something noteworthy from that date in team history, which of course, dates to 1954. Here are a few recent examples:

May 8: On this date in 1966, Frank Robinson became the only player to hit a ball completely out of Memorial Stadium with his homer off Luis Tiant. The next week, the O's placed an orange flag that read "HERE" on the back of the left field bleachers where Robinson's homer left the park.

May 10: On this date in 2012, the Orioles became the first team in American League history to lead off the game with three consecutive home runs. Ryan Flaherty, J.J. Hardy, and Nick Markakis go back-to-back-to-back off Rangers starter Colby Lewis. It's also Flaherty's first career homer.

May 16: On this date in 1965, Jim Palmer earned his first career win. Palmer entered the game in the third inning in relief of starter Dave McNally and worked 3 2/3 innings, allowing one run. Palmer also hit his first career home run in the game, a two-run homer in the fourth inning.

May 20: On this date in 2014, Chris Davis recorded his second career three-home run game. He is one of four players in Orioles history with multiple three-homer games (Manny Machado has two, and Eddie Murray and Boog Powell have three each). The O's have had 23 three-homer games in club history, done by 17 different players.

May 22: On this date in 1974, Ross Grimsley tossed a 12-inning shutout. Paul Blair's single in the 12th gave the O's a 1-0 walk-off win versus Cleveland. Grimsley's shutout is one of three in O's history that was at least 12 innings. It is the last such shutout to occur in the majors.