Major League Baseball season
Major League Baseball team season
The 1970 Baltimore Orioles season involved the Orioles finishing first in the American League East with a record of 108 wins and 54 losses, 15 games ahead of the runner-up New York Yankees . The Orioles put together one of the most dominant postseason runs of all time, scoring 60 runs in just eight games as they swept the Minnesota Twins for the second straight year in the American League Championship Series and then went on to win 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 .
Offseason
Regular season
Bouncing back from 1969
Following their upset loss to the New York Mets in the 1969 World Series , the Orioles picked up where they left off in 1969 . They opened the season with five wins and ran away with their second straight American League East title, beating back a challenge from the New York Yankees in June. They won 19 of their last 22 games to finish with a 108-win season, one win fewer than the previous year.
The team was mostly the same as 1969. Starting pitchers Mike Cuellar , Dave McNally , and Jim Palmer each won at least 20 games, and the veteran bullpen seldom faltered. On defense, Brooks Robinson, center fielder Paul Blair , and second baseman Davey Johnson won Gold Gloves . Offensively, first baseman Boog Powell was the AL's Most Valuable Player , leading the team with 35 home runs and 114 RBIs . Don Buford and Blair continued to get on base, and Frank Robinson (.306, 25 home runs), Brooks Robinson (94 RBIs), and Powell continued to drive them home. Elrod Hendricks led a catching platoon that produced 17 homers and 74 RBIs, and outfielder Merv Rettenmund , a product of the farm system, hit .322 with 18 home runs and 58 RBI. The Minnesota Twins were the only team in the American League to have a winning record in the regular season versus the Baltimore Orioles.[ 3]
Injury to Paul Blair
There was a sobering moment early in the season when Blair was beaned on May 31 in Anaheim, California . The California Angels ' Ken Tatum threw a pitch that hit Blair in the face. Blair was seemingly on his way to a second straight strong season after having 26 home runs and 76 RBIs in 1969. He missed three weeks after the beaning, coming 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 personnel change from '69 to '70 was the return of Moe Drabowsky , the eminent prankster relief pitcher who had been lost to the Kansas City Royals in the expansion draft before the '69 season. Now 34 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.
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]
Team
BAL
BOS
CAL
CWS
CLE
DET
KC
MIL
MIN
NYY
OAK
WSH
Baltimore
—
13–5
7–5
9–3
14–4
11–7
12–0
7–5
5–7
11–7
7–5
12–6
Boston
5–13
—
5–7
8–4
12–6
9–9
7–5
5–7
7–5
10–8
7–5
12–6
California
5–7
7–5
—
12–6
6–6
6–6
10–8
12–6
8–10
5–7
8–10
7–5
Chicago
3–9
4–8
6–12
—
6–6
6–6
7–11
7–11
6–12
5–7
2–16
4–8
Cleveland
4–14
6–12
6–6
6–6
—
7–11
8–4
7–5
6–6
8–10
7–5
11–7
Detroit
7–11
9–9
6–6
6–6
11–7
—
6–6
8–4
4–8
7–11
6–6
9–9
Kansas City
0–12
5–7
8–10
11–7
4–8
6–6
—
12–6
5–13
1–11
7–11
6–6
Milwaukee
5–7
7–5
6–12
11–7
5–7
4–8
6–12
—
5–13
3–9–1
8–10
5–7
Minnesota
7–5
5–7
10–8
12–6
6–6
8–4
13–5
13–5
—
5–7
13–5
6–6
New York
7–11
8–10
7–5
7–5
10–8
11–7
11–1
9–3–1
7–5
—
6–6
10–8
Oakland
5–7
5–7
10–8
16–2
5–7
6–6
11–7
10–8
5–13
6–6
—
10–2
Washington
6–12
6–12
5–7
8–4
7–11
9–9
6–6
7–5
6–6
8–10
2–10
—
Notable transactions
Roster
1970 Baltimore Orioles
Roster
Pitchers
Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders
Manager
Coaches
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
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Pitching
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
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
Jim Hardin 36
145.1
6
5
3.53
78
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Postseason
ALCS
The Orioles win the series over the Minnesota Twins in three straight games.
Game
Score
Date
Location
Attendance
1
Baltimore – 10, Minnesota – 6October 3
Metropolitan Stadium 26,847
2
Baltimore – 11, Minnesota – 3October 4
Metropolitan Stadium
27,490
3
Minnesota – 1, Baltimore – 6
October 5
Memorial Stadium 27,608
World Series
AL Baltimore Orioles (4) vs. NL Cincinnati Reds (1)
Game
Score
Date
Location
Attendance
Time of Game
1
Orioles – 4 , Reds – 3October 10
Riverfront Stadium 51,351
2:24
2
Orioles – 6 , Reds – 5October 11
Riverfront Stadium 51,351
2:26
3
Reds – 3, Orioles – 9
October 13
Memorial Stadium 51,773
2:09
4
Reds – 6 , Orioles – 5October 14
Memorial Stadium 53,007
2:26
5
Reds – 3, Orioles – 9
October 15
Memorial Stadium 45,341
2:35
Awards and honors
Boog Powell, American League MVP
Brooks Robinson, Babe Ruth Award
Brooks Robinson, World Series MVP
Farm system
LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Miami, Bluefield
Notes
References
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