A nice add Nike ad campaign for LeBron James, and the perfect needling joke for a rookie catcher. Orioles starting pitcher Jeremy Guthrie had some fun pre-game with Matt Wieters. The veteran righty taped signs on the back on the dugout that read, “WE ARE ALL WITNESSES”. A mocking jab at Wieters for all the hype as he makes his debut, but one done in fun. Wieters also received some heckling as a horde of media beelined for the catcher for his first interview as an Oriole.
But as the veterans do their best to keep Wieters grounded, there is no denying the impact Wieters has already made in Baltimore. Oriole Park glows a sea of orange, packed well beyond any Friday night game in May, against anyone other than the Yankees or Red Sox, the last decade. This reminds me of the mid nineties love fest at Camden Yards. Love directed squarely at the rookie catcher.
The ovations for Wieters deafened, and the roar for a line drive out in his first at-bat gave chills. It feels like the dawn of a new era, like the Orioles may finally have found a formula for success in the beast that is the American League East.
