1977 Baltimore Orioles season explained

Baltimore Orioles
Season:	1977
League:	American League
Division:	East
Ballpark:	Memorial Stadium
City:	Baltimore, Maryland
Record:	97–64 (.602)
Divisional Place:	2nd
Owners:	Jerold Hoffberger
General Managers:	Hank Peters
Managers:	Earl Weaver
Television:	WJZ-TV
Radio:	WBAL (AM) (Chuck Thompson, Bill O'Donnell)

The 1977 Baltimore Orioles season finished with the ballclub tied for second place in the American League East with a record of 97 wins and 64 losses. The Orioles stayed in contention for the division title until an 11 - 10 loss to the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on September 30.^[1] They in turn eliminated the Red Sox 8 - 7 the following day on October 1.^[2]

The Orioles entered the campaign with diminished expectations because of the departures of Reggie Jackson, Bobby Grich and Wayne Garland via free agency.^[3] The team's biggest boost came from Eddie Murray who hit .283 with 27 home runs and 88 runs batted in (RBI) and was named the American League Rookie of the Year on November 21. He also batted .364 with nine homers and 26 RBI during the last 31 games of the season.^[4]

The Orioles lost a five-inning 4 - 0 decision to the Toronto Blue Jays at Exhibition Stadium on September 15 via forfeit because of third-base umpire Marty Springstead's refusal to have a tarpaulin covering the pitcher's mounds in the home team's bullpen in the left-field corner removed. Out of concern for the safety of his left fielder Andrés Mora, manager Earl Weaver protested Springstead's decision by pulling his team off the field. The forfeit was declared after 15 minutes had elapsed and the Orioles had not returned. Weaver explained, "Mora almost broke his leg on that damn thing yesterday. If that had not happened, I might not have thought of it. If a guy slips out there and hurts his leg, how am I gonna feel?"^[5] American League president Lee MacPhail upheld the forfeit two days later on September 17. Even though he said that Weaver's concern for his players' safety was "not only understandable, but commendable", MacPhail stated, "There is a basic principle involved here, and that is that someone involved as a competitor cannot be allowed to dictate decisions that must be made by a neutral official."^[6]

The Orioles drew 1,195,769 which at the time was the second-highest home attendance total since the franchise's first season in Baltimore in 1954, surpassed by only 1,203,366 in 1966.^[7] A 10 - 4 defeat to the Red Sox at Memorial Stadium on September 18 drew 51,798, then the largest crowd to attend an Orioles home regular-season game, who paid tribute to Brooks Robinson who had announced his retirement as an active player one month prior on August 21.^[8] The ballclub sustained a net operating loss of $43,846, primarily because of a $499,000 increase in player payroll in the first year of Major League Baseball (MLB) free agency.^[7]

Offseason

November 1, 1976: Darryl Cias was released by the Orioles.^[9]
November 5, 1976: 1976 MLB expansion draft
- Bob Galasso was selected from the Orioles by the Seattle Mariners.^[10]
- Dave Pagan was selected from the Orioles by the Seattle Mariners.^[11]
December 15, 1976: Bob Babcock was traded by the Orioles to the Texas Rangers for Dave Criscione.^[12]
January 11, 1977: John Shelby was drafted by the Orioles in the 1st round (20th pick) of the 1977 Major League Baseball Draft.^[13]
January 20, 1977: Paul Blair was traded by the Orioles to the New York Yankees for Elliott Maddox and Rick Bladt.^[14]
February 8, 1977: Billy Smith was signed as a free agent by the Orioles.^[15]
February 11, 1977: Vic Rodriguez was signed as an amateur free agent by the Orioles.^[16]

Regular season

Notable transactions

May 26, 1977: Randy Stein was acquired from the Orioles by the New York Yankees.^[17]
June 13, 1977: Dyar Miller was traded by the Orioles to the California Angels for Dick Drago.^[18]
July 27, 1977: Ken Rudolph was purchased by the Orioles from the San Francisco Giants.^[19]
September 19, 1977: Nelson Briles was purchased by the Orioles from the Texas Rangers.^[20]

Roster

1977 Baltimore Orioles
Roster
Pitchers	CatchersInfielders	Outfielders	ManagerCoaches (Pitching) (First base) (Third base) (Bullpen/Third base)

Game log

Regular season

|-style="background:#fcc;"| 1 || || || Rangers|-style="background:#fcc;"| 2 || || || Rangers|-style="background:#fcc;"| 3 || || || Rangers|-style=background:#bbb| — || || || @ Rangers|-style=background:#bbb| — || || || @ Rangers|-style="background:#cfc;"| 6 ||
|| || @ Rangers|-style="background:#cfc;"| 7 ||
|| || @ Rangers|-style=background:#bbb| — || || || @ Tigers || colspan="8" | Postponed (Rain) (Makeup date: September 7)|-style=background:#bbb| — || || || @ Tigers || colspan="8" | Postponed (Rain) (Makeup date: September 8)|-style="background:#cfc;"| 11 ||
|| || @ Tigers|-style="background:#fcc;"| 12 ||
|| || @ Tigers|-style="background:#fcc;"| 13 || || || Yankees || L 6–9 || Tidrow (1–1) || Martínez (0–1) || Lyle (4) || 3:06 || 17,624 || 7–6 || L2|-style="background:#cfc;"| 14 || || || Yankees || W 6–2 || May (2–2) || Holtzman (1–1) || — || 2:15 || 12,884 || 8–6 || W1|-style="background:#fcc;"| 15 || || || Yankees || L 3–4 || Lyle (1–1) || Martínez (0–2) || — || 2:51 || 15,647 || 8–7 || L1|-|-style="background:#fcc;"| 31 || || || @ Yankees || L 1–9 || Figueroa (5–2) || Flanagan (1–2) || — || 2:09 || 15,909 || 17–14 || L3|-style="background:#cfc;"| 32 || || || @ Yankees || W 6–5 || Martínez (2–2) || Tidrow (2–2) || — || 3:01 || 25,872 || 18–14 || W1|-style="background:#cfc;"| 33 || || || @ Yankees || W 4–3 || Martinez (1–0) || Lyle (2–2) || — || 3:12 || 19,968 || 19–14 || W2|-style="background:#cfc;"| 34 ||
|| || @ Yankees || W 5–1 || May (5–4) || Hunter (1–3) || — || 2:23 || — || 20–14 || W3|-style="background:#fcc;"| 35 ||
|| || @ Yankees || L 2–8 || Guidry (3–0) || McGregor (1–1) || — || 2:23 || 43,285 || 20–15 || L1|-style="background:#fcc;"| 38 ||
|| || Royals|-style="background:#cfc;"| 39 ||
|| || Royals|-style="background:#cfc;"| 40 || || || Twins|-style="background:#cfc;"| 41 || || || Twins|-style="background:#fcc;"| 42 || || || Twins|-style="background:#cfc;"| 43 || || || @ Twins|-style="background:#fcc;"| 44 || || || @ Twins|-|-style="background:#fcc;"| 45 || || || @ White Sox|-style="background:#fcc;"| 46 || || || @ White Sox|-style="background:#cfc;"| 47 || || || @ Royals|-style="background:#cfc;"| 48 ||
|| || @ Royals|-style="background:#fcc;"| 49 ||
|| || @ Royals|-style="background:#fcc;"| 50 || || || @ Royals|-style="background:#fcc;"| 53 || || || @ Red Sox|-style="background:#fcc;"| 54 || || || @ Red Sox|-style="background:#cfc;"| 55 || || || White Sox|-style="background:#cfc;"| 56 || || || White Sox|-style="background:#fcc;"| 57 || || || White Sox|-style="background:#fcc;"| 64 || || || Red Sox|-style="background:#fcc;"| 65 || || || Red Sox|-style="background:#fcc;"| 66 || || || Red Sox|-style="background:#fcc;"| 67 || || || Red Sox|-|-style="background:#cfc;"| 76 || || || @ Red Sox|-style="background:#cfc;"| 77 || || || @ Red Sox|-style="background:#cfc;"| 78 || || || @ Red Sox|-style="background:#cfc;"| 79 || || || Tigers|-style="background:#cfc;"| 80 ||
|| || Tigers|-style="background:#cfc;"| 81 ||
|| || Tigers|-style="background:#cfc;"| 82 || || || Tigers|-style="background:#fcc;"| 83 || || || Yankees || L 5–7 || Gullett (7–3) || May (10–8) || Lyle (13) || 2:52 || 33,738 || 46–37 || L1|-style="background:#cfc;"| 84 || || || Yankees || W 6–5 || Martinez (2–0) || Lyle (7–3) || Drago (4) || 2:34 || 44,193 || 47–37 || W1|-style="background:#cfc;"| 85 || || || Yankees || W 6–0 || Grimsley (8–4) || Figueroa (8–7) || — || 2:12 || 34,299 || 48–37 || W2|-style="background:#cfc;"| 86 || || || Yankees || W 4–3 || Flanagan (6–8) || Torrez (8–8) || — || 2:56 || 42,603 || 49–37 || W3|-style="background:#fcc;"| 87 || || || @ Rangers|-style="background:#cfc;"| 88 || || || @ Rangers|-style="background:#cfc;"| 89 || || || @ Rangers|- style="text-align:center; background:#bbcaff;"| colspan="12" | 48th All-Star Game in Bronx, New York|-style="background:#fcc;"| 93 || || || Rangers|-style="background:#fcc;"| 94 || || || Rangers|-style="background:#cfc;"| 98 || || || @ Yankees || L 4–5 || Lyle (8–3) || McGregor (1–2) || — || 2:48 || 32,097 || 56–42 || L1|-style="background:#fcc;"| 99 || || || @ Yankees || W 6–4 || Palmer (12–8) || Hunter (6–5) || Martinez (5) || 3:15 || 47,271 || 57–42 || W1|-style="background:#cfc;"| 100 || || || @ Yankees || L 2–14 || Torrez (10–9) || May (11–9) || — || 2:40 || 40,818 || 57–43 || L1|-|-style="background:#fcc;"| 116 || || || Twins|-style="background:#cfc;"| 117 || || || Twins|-style="background:#cfc;"| 118 || || || @ Twins|-style="background:#cfc;"| 119 || || || @ Twins|-style="background:#fcc;"| 120 || || || @ Twins|-style="background:#fcc;"| 121 || || || @ Royals|-style="background:#fcc;"| 122 || || || @ Royals|-style="background:#cfc;"| 123 || || || White Sox|-style="background:#fcc;"| 124 || || || White Sox|-style="background:#fcc;"| 125 || || || Royals|-style="background:#cfc;"| 126 || || || Royals|-style="background:#fcc;"| 127 || || || Royals|-|-style="background:#cfc;"| 131 || || || @ White Sox|-style="background:#fcc;"| 132 || || || @ White Sox|-style="background:#cfc;"| 133 || || || @ White Sox|-style="background:#fcc;"| 134 ||
|| || @ Tigers|-style="background:#cfc;"| 135 ||
|| || @ Tigers|-style="background:#cfc;"| 136 || || || @ Tigers|-style="background:#cfc;"| 137 ||
|| || @ Tigers|-style="background:#fcc;"| 138 ||
|| || @ Tigers|-style="background:#cfc;"| 139 || || || @ Tigers|-style="background:#cfc;"| 147 || || || Red Sox|-style="background:#cfc;"| 148 || || || Red Sox|-style="background:#fcc;"| 149 || || || Red Sox|-style="background:#cfc;"| 157 || || || Tigers|-style="background:#cfc;"| 158 || || || Tigers|-style="background:#cfc;"| 159 || || || Tigers|-style="background:#fcc;"| 160 || || || @ Red Sox|-|-style="background:#cfc;"| 161 || || || @ Red Sox|-style=background:#bbb| — || || || @ Red Sox || colspan="8" | Postponed (Rain)|-|- style="text-align:center;"| Legend: = Win = Loss = Postponement
Bold = Orioles team member

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pos	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
C	91	270	61	.226	3	34
1B	150	585	148	.253	27	99
2B	109	367	79	.215	5	29
3B	150	522	135	.259	19	69
SS	144	402	83	.206	2	30
LF	120	360	92	.256	10	49
CF	133	518	164	.317	4	41
RF	152	536	176	.328	24	99
DH	160	611	173	.283	27	88

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
96	304	74	.243	5	25
77	233	57	.245	13	44
80	216	62	.287	1	24
65	131	29	.221	2	10
120	118	27	.229	0	7
49	107	28	.262	2	9
67	69	13	.188	1	4
46	48	10	.208	0	0
24	47	7	.149	1	4
18	22	8	.364	1	9
11	14	4	.286	0	2
7	9	3	.333	1	1
25	5	0	.000	0	0

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
39	319.0	20	11	2.91	193
37	251.2	18	14	3.61	105
36	235.0	15	10	3.64	149
34	218.1	14	10	3.96	53

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
	42	166.2	14	7	4.10	107
	29	114.0	3	5	4.42	55

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

G	W	L	SV	ERA	SO
41	5	1	9	2.70	29
36	6	3	3	3.63	20
12	2	2	1	5.64	9
12	0	1	0	6.28	4
4	0	0	0	12.38	7
3	0	0	0	2.08	2
2	0	0	1	6.75	2
1	0	0	0	9.00	2
1	0	0	0	40.50	0
1	0	0	0	inf	0

Awards and honors

Earl Weaver, Associated Press AL Manager of the Year

Farm system

External links

Book: Johnson. Lloyd. Wolff. Miles. The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball. 2nd. Durham, North Carolina. Baseball America. 1997. 978-0-9637189-8-3.
1977 Baltimore Orioles team page at Baseball Reference
1977 Baltimore Orioles season at baseball-almanac.com

Notes and References

https://www.nytimes.com/1977/10/01/archives/red-sox-oust-orioles-1110-to-stay-alive.html "Red Sox Oust Orioles, 11 - 10, To Stay Alive," The Associated Press (AP), Friday, September 30, 1977.
https://www.nytimes.com/1977/10/02/archives/six-oriole-homers-eliminate-boston-at-fenway-87-orioles-6-homers.html "Six Oriole Homers Eliminate Boston at Fenway, 8 - 7," The New York Times, Sunday, October 2, 1977.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1977/03/23/orioles-seem-destined-for-third-place/47a014f9-6711-4bed-b6c8-a4455145bedf/ Povich, Shirley. "Orioles Seem Destined for Third Place," The Washington Post, Wednesday, March 23, 1977.
https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1873&dat=19771122&id=ppcpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HsoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1284,3049014 "Eddie Murray Rookie Of Year In AL," The Associated Press (AP), Tuesday, November 22, 1977.
https://www.nytimes.com/1977/09/16/archives/orioles-lose-by-a-forfeit-in-bullpen-mound-dispute-orioles-forfeit.html "Orioles Forfeit Game to the Jays in Dispute over Bullpen Mound," United Press International (UPI), Friday, September 16, 1977.
https://www.nytimes.com/1977/09/18/archives/but-baltimore-loses-appeal-to-league-over-forfeit-red-sox-fall-back.html Montgomery, Paul L. "But Baltimore Loses Appeal to League Over Forfeit," The New York Times, Sunday, September 18, 1977.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1978/09/10/orioles-expect-loss-at-gate-of-150000-substantial-deficit/87f7a8b8-453b-422e-af24-1a0a5fe5cd1b/ Scannell, Nancy. "Orioles Expect Loss At Gate of 150,000, Substantial Deficit," The Washington Post, Sunday, September 10, 1978.
https://www.nytimes.com/1977/09/19/archives/red-sox-set-back-orioles-104-as-both-end-ungainful-weekend.html Montgomery, Paul L. "Red Sox Set Back Orioles, 10 - 4, As Both End Ungainful Weekend," The New York Times, Monday, September 19, 1977.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/ciasda01.shtml Darryl Cias page at Baseball Reference
https://www.baseball-reference.com/g/galasbo01.shtml Bob Galasso page at Baseball Reference
https://www.baseball-reference.com/p/paganda01.shtml Dave Pagan page at Baseball Reference
https://www.baseball-reference.com/c/criscda01.shtml Dave Criscione page at Baseball Reference
https://www.baseball-reference.com/s/shelbjo01.shtml John Shelby page at Baseball Reference
https://www.baseball-reference.com/b/blairpa01.shtml Paul Blair page at Baseball Reference
https://www.baseball-reference.com/s/smithbi05.shtml Billy Smith page at Baseball Reference
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rodrivi01.shtml Vic Rodriguez page at Baseball Reference
https://www.baseball-reference.com/s/steinra02.shtml Randy Stein page at Baseball Reference
https://www.baseball-reference.com/d/dragodi01.shtml Dick Drago page at Baseball Reference
https://www.baseball-reference.com/r/rudolke01.shtml Ken Rudolph page at Baseball Reference
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/brilene01.shtml#trans Nelson Briles transactions at Baseball Reference