There are four teams in the AL East with 80+ wins racked up this season. Somebody has to do the losing, right? This is where the Baltimore Orioles take the stage. Over 100 losses stamps a cap on another disappointing season for the boys at Oriole Park. Nothing seemed to be going right this year, as fan attendance plummeted to a new organization low and talks of relocation began fluttering the streets of Baltimore. However, on July 28th 2012, the Baltimore Orioles announced what might be the biggest piece of light for the O's since Cal Ripken Jr. broke the Iron Horses consecutive games record.
The Orioles searched far and wide for someone who had the type of determination, commitment, and baseball intelligence that would turn an organization, who hadn't been anywhere near playoff contention for fourteen years, around. While there were candidates that were definitely qualified for the job, the O's saw nothing they were looking for and, unfortunately, were at a deadlock. That is until an adviser threw in a former long time general manager's name, George Fitzpatrick.
Ten minutes into the interview, the Orioles knew they had their man. However, there was one set back, a huge one at that. Fitzpatrick had almost no experience drafting or developing young prospects, a dire need if the O's are ever to get back to the shape of the Ripken days. At that point, the Organization gave Fitzpatrick the green light to call an old acquaintance, former Cincinnati Reds general manager Thomas Sanabria, who was eating arose con gandules in his Bedford-Stuyvesant Condo at the time of the call.
"Hey Tommy?. Yea man how's it going? Listen I'm sitting with Peter Angelos. Yeah. I got in this morning, they called me about their general manager job. Well they've told me I've got the job, but I've never really been with a team in this situation, a team so down in the slums ya know? To make a long story short man, I want you to come to Baltimore and help me manage this team as a Co-GM. I need you to run the minor league systems and the draft, you know all too well I'm not good with that stuff. Yeah they've approved the suggestion. I'd need a decision by tomorrow night the latest. Alright take it easy man and I just want you to know I'd really appreciate you coming down here and making moves with me, I know you've probably gotten use to the good life settled with the wife and kids, but I believe you and I can make things happen. No problem man, god bless. "
It didn't take long for Sanabria to make a decision. He called back later that night to tell the team of his acceptance. The next day Sanabria was in Baltimore sitting next to Fitzpatrick, both taking questions from the media about the contracts they had just signed.
"We're just looking to focus on adding talent everywhere in the organization." said Fitzpatrick. "Obviously the farm system is where we will be stacking up talent on, and with Tom heading that department, knowing how great he is at pointing out promising potential and high ceiling talent, we feel both confident and excited that the future of this organization is in for a great turn around. That being said, we don't intend to have anymore 48 win seasons here in Baltimore. We are focusing on putting the best possible team we can on the field that is capable of winning. This team will be committed to being competitive as long as Mr. Sanabria and I are in office."
When asked about how he would go about turning around a farm system that was as bad as the major league team itself, Sanabria kept the optimism high in the air.
"We've got some work to do, but this system has some great potential that I feel it doesn't get credit for." said the confident GM. "We've got some quality guys such as Matt Hobgood and Kirk MacHaffie that show signs of promising skills in the future. If you think we're coming in here and thinking we've got a farm system we can sit back on, you're dead wrong. This team will be a task to manage, but for the guys we have right now we believe we have the right foot stepping forward."
With the trade deadline just hours away, the new general managers wasted no time getting down to business, officially beginning a new era of Oriole baseball. Lefty ace Brian Matusz entered the clubhouse the next morning to be greeted with a letter informing him that he would be taking his talents down south to Atlanta, in a deal that sent 4 prospects up to Baltimore.
Despite still losing 114 games in 2012, and with all the darkness Baltimore has endured in the past 14 years with it's baseball club, it finally looks like life and color is returning to the Charm City.
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