Historical Orioles Player Retrospectives- Day 6: Jesse Orosco

In this series there will be some players that don't necessarily fall into the fringe player category that I had originally thought of when creating this series. The “random guy only people who watched during the era remember”. Jesse Orosco is one of those guys who probably doesn't fall into that category, both because of his career outside of Baltimore and what he did as an Oriole. But I feel that since there are some fans that might not remember the player who made the most appearances for a pitcher this is a good place to do a retrospective. Much like Lew Ford previously this is another case of a player who is more notable for his time outside of Baltimore while still being memorable with the Orioles

Jesse Orosco is mostly known for his incredible durability and being somewhat of a pioneer as a left-handed reliever. Over a 24-year career, Orosco was somewhat of a journeyman, being a part of 12 different organizations. His career is marked with several notable accomplishments at pretty much every stop of his career

SaBR writes about him saying “His finest moments, came during his years as a closer with the New York Mets in the 1980s. When the Mets won the National League pennant in 1986, Orosco won three games in the Championship Series against Houston. He leapt for joy after finishing the grueling 16-inning Game Six that clinched the series. He was also on the mound when Game Seven of the World Series against Boston ended, once again hurling his glove skyward. “If you ever get a chance to throw the last pitch, that’s a dream come true,” said Orosco in 1987”

“Orosco was the first reliever to win three games in a postseason series, and he remains the only one to do so. He had no decisions in the 1986 World Series, but he did get two saves. In Game Seven he entered with the tying run on second and nobody out in the eighth inning. He later admitted to being nervous again. “I wasn’t thinking about baseball. I was looking for the bathroom. … I just told myself, ‘Stay within yourself, this is no time to fold.’”33 The image of him after recording the last out — on his knees with arms and face thrust to the heavens — is one of the most memorable in Mets history.

Less well remembered, though, is how Orosco drove in the final run of the Series. In a rare plate appearance — just his eighth of the year — he came up with runners on first and second. On NBC-TV, Joe Garagiola said, “I’d almost bet the house that he’s gonna bunt.” Orosco did show bunt on the first pitch, a ball. He had squared on the second pitch too — but drew back his bat and chopped a single, prompting Vin Scully to say, “Joe, you just lost your house”

Starting his career as a 1978 draft pick out of Santa Barbara, Orosco was already an established veteran and 2x world series champion when he joined the Orioles in 1995. He played with them until 1999. His time with the Orioles overlapped with Davey Johnson's time as a manager. This is notable because these two were teammates during their time with the Mets and there was some tension during their time together. During his tenure with the Orioles, he was a reliable bullpen presence, known for his ability to neutralize left-handed hitters. His time in Baltimore was marked by several key performances and milestones, including a notable game on August 17, 1999, when he broke Dennis Eckersley's record for most games pitched in Major League history. On this date, Orosco made his 1,072nd career appearance, a testament to his longevity and consistency.

SaBR writes “ Pitching at home for the Baltimore Orioles, Orosco entered the game with two outs in the seventh inning to face the Twins’ Todd Walker, who he retired on a lazy pop fly to center field. Orosco broke the record set the year before by Dennis Eckersley. Though 42 years old, Orosco pitched four more years, retiring after 24 seasons and 1,252 games, which is still the record.”

Orosco's skill in facing left-handed hitters was a cornerstone of his career. His deceptive delivery and pinpoint control made him particularly effective in these matchups. Left-handed hitters struggled against Orosco, who utilized his sweeping slider and fastball combination to keep them off balance. His career statistics reflect this dominance, as left-handed batters often had significantly lower batting averages and on-base percentages when facing him compared to right-handed hitters.

Jesse Orosco's impact on baseball extends beyond his statistical achievements. Orosco's career longevity set a new standard for relief pitchers, proving that a well-maintained arm and effective specialization could lead to a prolonged and successful career. Orosco was noted by several teammates as having a rigorous off season program and being a true student of the game, being one of the first relievers to truly adopt modern scouting reports into his game preparation.

Orosco's 1,252 career appearances remain the most in MLB history, and is most likely a record that is safe for a long time. The last time the league had an active player with 1000 games was Latroy Hawkins who retired in 2015