1970 Baltimore Orioles season

MLB yearly infobox alt
name = Baltimore Orioles
season = 1970
misc = 1970 World Series Champions
1970 American League Champions

current league = American League
y1 = 1901
division = East Division
y2 = 1969| Uniform logo =
ballpark = Memorial Stadium
y4 = 1954
city = Baltimore, Maryland
y5 = 1954
owners = Jerold Hoffberger
general managers = Harry Dalton
managers = Earl Weaver
television =WJZ-TV
radio = WBAL (AM)
(Chuck Thompson, Bill O'Donnell) |

The 1970 Baltimore Orioles season involved the Orioles finishing 1st in the American League East with a record of 108 wins and 54 losses, 15 games over the runner-up New York Yankees. The Orioles swept the Minnesota Twins again in the three-game American League Championship Series, before winning their second World Series title over the National League champion Cincinnati Reds in five games, thanks to the glove of third baseman Brooks Robinson.

The team was managed by Earl Weaver, and played their home games at Memorial Stadium.

First baseman Boog Powell was the AL's Most Valuable Player, and Jim Palmer was the AL's Cy Young Award winner.

Regular Season

eason standings

Even Better Than 1969

The stage was set for the Orioles to stumble after their loss to the New York Mets in the 1969 World Series, but they didn't. In fact, they picked up where they left off before running into the Mets. They opened the season with five wins and ran away with their second straight American League East Title after beating back a challenge from the New York Yankees in June. With an intimidating sense of purpose, they won 19 of their last 22 games to finish with an 108 win season (1 win less than the previous year).

The blueprint was the same as 1969. Mike Cuellar, Dave McNally, and Jim Palmer each won at least 20 games, and the veteran bullpen seldom faltered, with Moe Drabowsky returning from Kansas City in June to help. Paul Blair, Brooks Robinson, and Davey Johnson won Gold Gloves. Offensively, Don Buford and Paul Blair contuined to get on base, and Frank Robinson (.306, 25 home runs), Brooks Robinson (94 RBIs] , and Boog Powell (35 homers, and 114 RBIs) continued to drive them in. Elrod Hendricks continued to carry a catching platoon that produced 17 homers and 74 RBIs, and outfielder Merv Rettenmund, a product of the farm system, hit .322 with 18 homers.

The Courage of Paul Blair

There was a sobering moment early in the runaway season when Blair was beaned one night in Anaheim, California. The California Angels' Ken Tatum threw a pitch that hit Blair in the face and dropped him as if he were a losing gunslinger in a western movie. Blair was on his way to a second straight strong season, having 26 home runs and 76 RBIs in '69 and given indications that he might surpass those totals in '70. He missed three weeks after the beaning and came back to finish with 18 home runs and 65 RBIs, but he seldom produced that well over the rest of his career, and some speculated he was never the same at the plate.

The Return of Moe Drabowsky

One change from '69 to '70 was the return of Moe Drabowsky, the eminent prankster who had gone to Kansas City in the expansion draft before the '69 season. Now thirty four and near the end of his career, he was reacquired during the '70 season and won four of six decisions, helping fill out a veteran bullpen.

Roster

Relief pitchers

Awards and Honors

* Boog Powell, First Base, American League MVP
* Brooks Robinson, Babe Ruth Award
* Brooks Robinson, Third Base, World Series MVP

Farm system [Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., "The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball". Durham, N.C.: Baseball America, 1997]

* Class AAA: Rochester Red Wings (International League; Cal Ripken, Sr., manager)
* Class AA: Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs (Texas League; Joe Altobelli, manager)
* Class A: Stockton Ports (California League; Bill Werle, manager)
* Class A: Miami Marlins (Florida State League; Woody Smith, manager) — LEAGUE CHAMPION
* Class SS-A: Aberdeen Pheasants (Northern League; Ken Rowe, manager)
* Rookie: Bluefield Orioles (Appalachian League; Ray Malgradi, manager) — LEAGUE CHAMPION

References

* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BAL/1970.shtml 1970 Baltimore Orioles team page at Baseball Reference]
* [http://www.baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/roster.php?y=1970&t=BAL 1970 Baltimore Orioles season at baseball-almanac.com]

succession box
title = AL East Championship Season
years = 1970
before =Baltimore Orioles
1969
after = Baltimore Orioles
1971succession box
title = American League Champions
years = 1970
before = Baltimore Orioles
1969
after = Baltimore Orioles
1971succession box
title = World Series Champions
Baltimore Orioles
years = 1970
before = New York Mets
1969
after = Pittsburgh Pirates
1971