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 December 1, 1969: Tom Shopay was drafted by the Orioles from the New York Yankees in the 1969 rule 5 draft.Tom Shopay page at Baseball Reference January 17, 1970: Doug DeCinces was drafted by the Orioles in the 3rd round of the 1970 Major League Baseball draft (secondary phase).Doug DeCinces page at Baseball Reference
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.100 Things Orioles Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die, Dan Connolly, Triumph Books, Chicago, 2015, ISBN 978-1-62937-041-5, p.51
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
Notable transactions June 4, 1970: Rob Andrews was drafted by the Orioles in the 10th round of the 1970 Major League Baseball draft.
Roster 1970 Baltimore Orioles Roster Pitchers Catchers
Infielders Outfielders Manager
Coaches
Player stats = Indicates team leader
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 Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI C 106 322 79 .242 12 41 1B 154 527 156 .297 35 114 2B 149 530 149 .281 10 53 3B 158 608 168 .276 18 94 SS 145 459 100 .218 1 36 LF 144 504 137 .272 17 66 CF 133 480 128 .267 18 65 RF 132 471 144 .306 25 78
Other batters Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI 106 338 109 .322 18 58 78 230 56 .243 4 28 63 172 43 .250 7 22 83 152 39 .257 5 20 30 95 20 .211 0 8 52 84 19 .226 3 19 13 32 7 .219 1 3 25 31 6 .194 1 6 5 18 5 .278 0 2 8 17 4 .235 0 4 4 13 2 .154 0 1 3 2 0 .000 0 0
Pitching = Indicates league leader Starting 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 39 305.0 20 10 2.71 199 40 297.2 24* 8 3.48 190 40 296.0 24* 9 3.22 185 27 135.0 5 5 3.07 72 Tied with Jim Perry (Minnesota) for league lead
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 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 Player G W L SV ERA SO 50 7 2 13 1.98 66 53 7 7 12 3.25 33 32 10 5 3 3.08 30 25 1 1 0 2.08 49 23 0 0 1 5.08 14 21 4 2 1 3.78 21 4 0 0 0 6.00 4
Postseason
ALCS
The Orioles win the series over the Minnesota Twins in three straight games.
GameScoreDateLocationAttendance1Baltimore – 10, Minnesota – 6October 3Metropolitan Stadium26,8472Baltimore – 11, Minnesota – 3October 4Metropolitan Stadium27,4903Minnesota – 1, Baltimore – 6October 5Memorial Stadium27,608
World Series
AL Baltimore Orioles (4) vs. NL Cincinnati Reds (1) GameScoreDateLocationAttendanceTime of Game1 Orioles – 4, Reds – 3October 10Riverfront Stadium 51,351 2:242 Orioles – 6, Reds – 5October 11Riverfront Stadium 51,351 2:263 Reds – 3, Orioles – 9October 13Memorial Stadium 51,773 2:094 Reds – 6, Orioles – 5October 14Memorial Stadium 53,007 2:265 Reds – 3, Orioles – 9October 15Memorial 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
1970 Baltimore Orioles team page at Baseball Reference 1970 Baltimore Orioles season at baseball-almanac.com