1996 Baltimore Orioles season


The 1996 Baltimore Orioles season in which the Orioles finishing 2nd in the American League East with a record of 88 wins and 74 losses and qualifying for the post-season as the Wild Card team. The Orioles broke the all-time record for most home runs hit by a team with 257. During the season, four Orioles scored at least 100 runs, four drove in at least 100 runs and seven hit at least 20 home runs. The Orioles pitching staff allowed 209 home runs, 1,604 hits and had an ERA of 5.15. The Orioles defeated the Cleveland Indians in the ALDS and then lost in the ALCS to the New York Yankees.

Offseason

Record vs. opponents

Game log

Detailed records




MonthGamesWonLostWin %
April261412141153
May241410154145
June281414166144
July271116153160
August301911192165
September271611143136
Total1628874949903

Roster

Player stats

Batting

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
PlayerGABHHRRBIAvg.
Chris Hoiles1274071052573.258
Rafael Palmiero16262618139142.289
Roberto Alomar1535881932294.328
B. J. Surhoff1435371572182.292
Cal Ripken, Jr.16364017826102.278
Jeffrey Hammonds7124856927.226
Brady Anderson14957917250110.297
Bobby Bonilla15959517128116.287
Eddie Murray64230591034.257

Other batters

Pitching

Return of Eddie Murray

On July 21, 1996, the Baltimore Orioles re-acquired longtime Oriole Eddie Murray from the Cleveland Indians in exchange for pitcher Kent Mercker. Murray, a member of the 1983 World Series Champion Baltimore Orioles, would subsequently hit his 500th career home run later in the season. As a commemoration of this event, an orange seat was installed in the outfield stands where Murray's 500th home run landed. The Orioles had a record of 49 wins and 46 losses before the trade, and 39-28 after the trade, not including the playoffs. During the 1996 playoffs, Eddie Murray hit.333 and hit HR while producing 3 home runs.
The trade for Eddie Murray sparked the Orioles to have a better record after his arrival, than before. One can attribute that to his great leadership, which is well documented, as a Sporting News correspondent, Michael P. Geffner said, "To think of Murray as anything other than a great player these days is not to have a dissenting opinion anymore but to be dead wrong, blind not only to the inner game but to an understanding of what truly raises baseball to something classic and beautiful--when the game is executed purely and seamlessly. Which is Eddie Murray to a T.". The Orioles success after the trade can also be attributed to the theory of "Power, worth, and recognition, " which Thomas S. Parish who is an associate professor of psychology at Upper Iowa University, Fayette, Iowa, describes as a type of motivation where athletes attempt to out do or "show off" to each other, which leads to better statistics, and more wins. In Eddie Murray's last at-bat with the Orioles he hit a home run off of New York Yankee pitcher, Andy Pettitte.

ALDS

Game 1, October 1

, Baltimore, Maryland

Game 2, October 2

, Baltimore, Maryland

Game 3, October 4

, Cleveland, Ohio

Game 4, October 5

, Cleveland, Ohio

ALCS

Jeffrey Maier incident

During Game 1 of the ALCS, New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter hit a deep fly ball to right field. Orioles outfielder Tony Tarasco appeared to camp under the ball and prepared to make a catch. However, a 12-year-old boy seated in the first row of the bleachers named Jeffrey Maier reached over the wall and caught the ball just above Tarrasco, costing the Orioles an out. Although it appeared to be fan interference, the umpire ruled the ball to be a home run. While Maier became a hero to Yankees fans, he immediately became a "symbol of the Orioles futility." The Orioles would go on to lose the series in five games.

Farm system