Baltimore Orioles & Toronto Blue Jays: Ruffled Feathers

Sep 15, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles manager Buck Showalter (26) argues with umpire Ted Barrett (65) after the sixth inning of the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Baltimore Orioles defeated Toronto Blue Jays 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

A lot of feathers were flying over the past several days of the Baltimore Orioles’ three-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays at Camden Yards.

From what I know of the natural world of ornithology, if a blue jay and an oriole got into a bird fight, the jay would beat the crap out of the little orange bird.

But that is not exactly what happened in Baltimore since the beginning of this week. The Baltimore Orioles took three straight by scores of 5-2, 8-2, and 6-1. That adds up to 19-5 and quite a pile of blue feathers to sweep up on this off day before the Red Sox come to town to finish the home schedule.

Live Feed

Red Sox: 3 best and 2 worst trade deadline deals in franchise history /

BoSox Injection

Blue Jays: Looking back at the first 18 months of the Ross Atkins Era in TorontoJays Journal

Blue Jays: Ross Atkins' history of trading in the month of JuneJays Journal

Remembering the 2014 Baltimore Orioles & the AL East ChampionshipBirds Watcher

Baltimore Orioles Steve Pearce Announced RetirementBirds Watcher

Boston Red Sox Tribute to Greatness: Steve Pearce once ruled OctoberChowder and Champions

Surely there is also more residue to clean up from Tuesday night’s AL East championship-clinching celebration that went from the field, to the locker room, and back to the field again.

Though kudos could be shared throughout the Orioles roster for significant contributions that led to this title and this series sweep, but particular commendation goes to Steve Pearce. Over the three games, Peace was 5-for-9 with three walks. He hit three home runs with a total of seven RBIs. So yes, he himself outscored the Jays 7-5. It was impressive.

But among the post-series plumes on the field are some orange and black feathers as well. These quills came loose particularly with some high and nasty fastballs, including three of the nastiest head-hunter pitches you will ever see.

Marcus Stroman began it on Monday evening by slipping a 93-MPH four-seamer just behind Caleb Joseph’s head, apparently in retaliation for the offence taken earlier in the game by Jose Reyes – who perceived Joseph to be blocking the plate on a head-first slide and stepping on his hand.

Major League Baseball determined it to be intentional with a six-game suspension, which Stroman has appealed. Has anyone ever admitted that they did it? It would seem good to me if the Orioles can avoid seeing this loose canon again this year. Even if his appeal is not settled before the end of the season, and if the Jays stick to a strict five-man rotation, Stroman would appear to pitch again against the Yankees on Sunday and then the Mariners next Thursday before the final three games of the season. We’ll see what happens.

Speaking of loose canons, another is Jays reliever Aaron Sanchez, who nearly decapitated Steve Pearce with a 96-mph heater, after earlier hitting Jonathan Schoop.