I found this story on the Times' website and I thought it was really unique. Around this time the MLB season is coming to a close and most sports writers are talking about playoff bound teams like the Yankees, and the Phillies. But in this story Tyler Kepner decided to talk about the final meeting between the Blue Jays and the Orioles, both clubs are on track to finish 4th and 5th respectively in the AL East this year.
If this series had occurred near the end of a season in the 1990's the stands would have been packed and the teams might've been playing each other for a shot at first place in a division usually dominated by the Yankees and Red Sox. In 1992 and 1993 the Blue Jays won back to back World Championships playing in front of sell-out crowds, and Toronto was absolutely in love with the team. Lately, the locals have been spending their summers waiting for the Maple Leafs to begin their next NHL season.
The days of Joe Carter and Cal Ripken Jr. are long gone and the three game weekend series between the two teams generated a low turnout; a combined attendance of just under 46,000. The Roger Centre alone sits over 50,000 spectators at full capacity. At the beginning of the year even The Hard Rock Cafe decided not to renew their lease as one of the restaurants with a view of the field at the Blue Jays home. The space is now plastered with billboards hiding what was once a unique feature of the stadium.
Kepner interviewed coaches or players from both sides and the feedback he received was very optimistic. But when it has been 14 seasons since the Orioles have had a record above .500 that is all you can do to keep the hope alive. Over the summer I spent a weekend in Baltimore at a hotel that was steps from Camden Yards, and on my walk to the Inner Harbor I passed a whole row of sports pubs and bars catering to the gameday crowd. I couldn't help but think how electric the neighborhood must've been when the Orioles made it to the AL Championship series in 1996 and '97.
It would be great if one of these teams can make a run in the next few seasons, because even if they are in the same division as my beloved Yankees I think it is fair to say that every team deserves a chance to have a great season.
If this series had occurred near the end of a season in the 1990's the stands would have been packed and the teams might've been playing each other for a shot at first place in a division usually dominated by the Yankees and Red Sox. In 1992 and 1993 the Blue Jays won back to back World Championships playing in front of sell-out crowds, and Toronto was absolutely in love with the team. Lately, the locals have been spending their summers waiting for the Maple Leafs to begin their next NHL season.
The days of Joe Carter and Cal Ripken Jr. are long gone and the three game weekend series between the two teams generated a low turnout; a combined attendance of just under 46,000. The Roger Centre alone sits over 50,000 spectators at full capacity. At the beginning of the year even The Hard Rock Cafe decided not to renew their lease as one of the restaurants with a view of the field at the Blue Jays home. The space is now plastered with billboards hiding what was once a unique feature of the stadium.
Kepner interviewed coaches or players from both sides and the feedback he received was very optimistic. But when it has been 14 seasons since the Orioles have had a record above .500 that is all you can do to keep the hope alive. Over the summer I spent a weekend in Baltimore at a hotel that was steps from Camden Yards, and on my walk to the Inner Harbor I passed a whole row of sports pubs and bars catering to the gameday crowd. I couldn't help but think how electric the neighborhood must've been when the Orioles made it to the AL Championship series in 1996 and '97.
It would be great if one of these teams can make a run in the next few seasons, because even if they are in the same division as my beloved Yankees I think it is fair to say that every team deserves a chance to have a great season.
Unique is a great word to describe this article. I saw this story earlier in the week and I really enjoyed it. Who would have thought you could turn a three-game series between the Orioles and Blue Jays this late in the season, with both teams going nowhere, into an enjoyable and thought-provoking piece. And in my opinion, that's all because of the format it was presented in and the reporting done by Tyler Kepner.
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