1978 Baltimore Orioles season

The 1978 Baltimore Orioles season was the 78th season in Baltimore Orioles franchise history, the 25th in Baltimore, and the 25th at Memorial Stadium. The Orioles finished fourth in the American League East with a record of 90 wins and 71 losses.

Offseason

• November 23, 1977: Elrod Hendricks was signed as a free agent by the Orioles.
• December 7, 1977: Bryn Smith, Rudy May, and Randy Miller were traded by the Orioles to the Montreal Expos for Don Stanhouse, Joe Kerrigan, and Gary Roenicke.
• January 6, 1978: Ken Rudolph was released by the Orioles.
• February 21, 1978: Tony Muser was released by the Orioles.

Regular season

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Opening Day starters

• Mark Belanger
• Al Bumbry
• Doug DeCinces
• Rick Dempsey
• Larry Harlow
• Dennis Martínez
• Lee May
• Eddie Murray
• Ken Singleton
• Billy Smith

Notable transactions

• June 6, 1978: 1978 Major League Baseball draft
• Cal Ripken Jr. was drafted by the Orioles in the 2nd round, (46th overall). Player signed June 13, 1978.
• Bobby Bonner was drafted by the Orioles in the 3rd round.
• Mike Boddicker was drafted by the Orioles in the 6th round.

Roster

Game log

|-bgcolor=#bbb | – || April 6 || @ Brewers || colspan=7| Postponed (rain); Makeup: April 7 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 1 || April 7 || @ Brewers || 3–11 || Augustine (1–0) || Flanagan (0–1) || || 47,824 || 0–1 || L1 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 2 || April 8 || @ Brewers || 3–16 || Haas (1–0) || D. Martinez (0–1) || || 6,470 || 0–2 || L2 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 3 || April 9 || @ Brewers || 5–13 || Sorensen (1–0) || McGregor (0–1) || || 18,514 || 0–3 || L3 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 4 || April 10 || @ Royals || 2–4 || Splittorff (1–0) || Briles (0–1) || Hrabosky (1) || 38,194 || 0–4 || L4 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 5 || April 12 || @ Royals || 2–5 || Leonard (1–1) || Flanagan (0–2) || Mingori (2) || 17,449 || 0–5 || L5 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 6 || April 14 || Brewers || 6–5 || D. Martinez (1–1) || Sorensen (1–1) || Stanhouse (1) || 36,086 || 1–5 || W1 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 7 || April 15 || Brewers || 7–0 || Palmer (1–0) || Augustine (2–1) || || 7,527 || 2–5 || W2 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 8 || April 16 || Brewers || 7–5 || Briles (1–1) || Haas (2–1) || Stanhouse (2) || – || 3–5 || W3 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 9 || April 16 || Brewers || 2–9 || Replogle (1–0) || McGregor (0–2) || Rodríguez (1) || 14,995 || 3–6 || L1 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 10 || April 17 || @ Yankees || 6–1 || Flanagan (1–2) || Hunter (0–2) || || 15,674 || 4–6 || W1 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 11 || April 18 || @ Yankees || 3–4 || Lyle (1–0) || T. Martinez (0–1) || || 15,628 || 4–7 || L1 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 12 || April 21 || Royals || 2–1 || Palmer (2–0) || Leonard (2–2) || Stanhouse (3) || 6,203 || 5–7 || W1 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 13 || April 22 || Royals || 3–5 || Splittorff (4–0) || Flanagan (1–3) || Hrabosky (4) || 7,277 || 5–8 || L1 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 14 || April 23 || Royals || 5–6 || Gura (2–0) || Stoddard (0–1) || Pattin (1) || 13,833 || 5–9 || L2 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 15 || April 24 || Yankees || 2–8 || Guidry (2–0) || McGregor (0–3) || || 18,053 || 5–10 || L3 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 16 || April 25 || Yankees || 3–4 || Beattie (1–0) || Palmer (2–1) || Lyle (2) || 14,159 || 5–11 || L4 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 17 || April 28 || @ White Sox || 6–4 || D. Martinez (2–1) || Torrealba (1–2) || Stanhouse (4) || 25,395 || 6–11 || W1 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 18 || April 29 || @ White Sox || 5–2 || Palmer (3–1) || Kravec (1–3) || Stanhouse (5) || 22,240 || 7–11 || W2 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 19 || April 30 || @ White Sox || 8–7 || McGregor (1–3) || Torrealba (1–3) || || 17,786 || 8–11 || W3

|-bgcolor=#fbb | 20 || May 1 || @ Red Sox || 6–9 || Torrez (3–1) || Briles (1–2) || Stanley (1) || 18,710 || 8–12 || L1 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 21 || May 2 || @ Red Sox || 3–1 || D. Martinez (3–1) || Ripley (0–2) || || 19,930 || 9–12 || W1 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 22 || May 3 || Rangers || 1–2 || Alexander (2–1) || Stanhouse (0–1) || || 6,118 || 9–13 || L1 |-bgcolor=#bbb | – || May 4 || Rangers || colspan=7| Postponed (rain); Makeup: July 15 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 23 || May 5 || Twins || 2–1 || Flanagan (2–3) || Zahn (2–1) || || 3,897 || 10–13 || W1 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 24 || May 6 || Twins || 7–8 || Thayer (1–1) || Stanhouse (0–2) || T. Johnson (2) || 26,870 || 10–14 || L1 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 25 || May 7 || Twins || 9–15 || Scarce (1–1) || Palmer (3–2) || || 8,923 || 10–15 || L2 |-bgcolor=#bbb | – || May 8 || White Sox || colspan=7| Postponed (rain); Makeup: September 1 |-bgcolor=#bbb | – || May 8 || White Sox || colspan=7| Postponed (rain); Makeup: September 2 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 26 || May 10 || Red Sox || 3–2 || Flanagan (3–3) || Burgmeier (1–1) || || 10,023 || 11–15 || W1 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 27 || May 11 || Red Sox || 4–5 || Lee (5–0) || D. Martinez (3–2) || Drago (3) || 14,950 || 11–16 || L1 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 28 || May 12 || @ Rangers || 3–9 || Matlack (3–4) || Palmer (3–3) || || 30,803 || 11–17 || L2 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 29 || May 13 || @ Rangers || 5–1 || McGregor (2–3) || Umbarger (1–2) || || 32,700 || 12–17 || W1 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 30 || May 14 || @ Rangers || 3–2 || Flinn (1–0) || D. Ellis (2–2) || Stanhouse (6) || 16,440 || 13–17 || W2 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 31 || May 15 || @ Twins || 6–9 <small>(10)</small> || Marshall (1–0) || Flinn (1–1) || || 3,847 || 13–18 || L1 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 32 || May 16 || @ Twins || 1–8 || Goltz (1–3) || Palmer (3–4) || T. Johnson (3) || 4,893 || 13–19 || L2 |-bgcolor=#bbb | – || May 17 || Blue Jays || colspan=7| Postponed (rain); Makeup: July 5 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 33 || May 18 || Blue Jays || 5–3 || Flanagan (4–3) || Clancy (2–3) || || 4,255 || 14–19 || W1 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 34 || May 19 || @ Indians || 5–7 || Kern (4–1) || Stanhouse (0–3) || || 15,565 || 14–20 || L1 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 35 || May 20 || @ Indians || 2–1 || Palmer (4–4) || Wise (2–7) || Stanhouse (7) || 11,426 || 15–20 || W1 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 36 || May 21 || @ Indians || 3–0 || McGregor (3–3) || Waits (3–3) || || – || 16–20 || W2 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 37 || May 21 || @ Indians || 2–3 || Clyde (2–0) || Briles (1–3) || Kinney (5) || 23,206 || 16–21 || L1 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 38 || May 23 || Tigers || 2–0 || Flanagan (5–3) || Billingham (4–2) || || 4,536 || 17–21 || W1 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 39 || May 24 || Tigers || 2–3 || Hiller (4–1) || D. Martinez (3–3) || || – || 17–22 || L1 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 40 || May 24 || Tigers || 1–0 || Palmer (5–4) || Sykes (3–1) || || 8,196 || 18–22 || W1 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 41 || May 25 || Tigers || 2–1 || McGregor (4–3) || Hiller (4–2) || || 5,109 || 19–22 || W2 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 42 || May 26 || Indians || 4–3 || T. Martinez (1–1) || Wise (2–8) || || 29,215 || 20–22 || W3 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 43 || May 27 || Indians || 2–6 || Clyde (3–0) || Flanagan (5–4) || || 8,920 || 20–23 || L1 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 44 || May 28 || Indians || 3–4 <small>(10)</small> || Monge (2–0) || Stanhouse (0–4) || || – || 20–24 || L2 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 45 || May 28 || Indians || 3–0 || Palmer (6–4) || Paxton (1–3) || || 18,276 || 21–24 || W1 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 46 || May 29 || @ Tigers || 6–3 || McGregor (5–3) || Sykes (3–2) || || 20,534 || 22–24 || W2 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 47 || May 30 || @ Tigers || 2–5 || Baker (1–0) || Briles (1–4) || Hiller (5) || 10,530 || 22–25 || L1 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 48 || May 31 || @ Yankees || 3–2 || Flanagan (6–4) || Figueroa (5–3) || || 21,404 || 23–25 || W1

|-bgcolor=#bfb | 49 || June 1 || @ Yankees || 1–0 || Palmer (7–4) || Beattie (2–1) || || 19,943 || 24–25 || W2 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 50 || June 2 || @ Mariners || 10–9 || D. Martinez (4–3) || Colborn (1–3) || Stanhouse (8) || 4,936 || 25–25 || W3 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 51 || June 3 || @ Mariners || 2–1 || McGregor (6–3) || Mitchell (2–5) || T. Martinez (1) || 15,002 || 26–25 || W4 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 52 || June 4 || @ Mariners || 4–1 || Flanagan (7–4) || Pole (4–6) || || 6,429 || 27–25 || W5 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 53 || June 5 || @ Angels || 6–2 <small>(10)</small> || Stanhouse (1–4) || LaRoche (3–2) || || 13,231 || 28–25 || W6 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 54 || June 6 || @ Angels || 8–6 || D. Martinez (5–3) || Ryan (3–6) || Stanhouse (9) || 15,864 || 29–25 || W7 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 55 || June 9 || @ Athletics || 5–3 || Flanagan (8–4) || Broberg (6–5) || || 3,323 || 30–25 || W8 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 56 || June 10 || @ Athletics || 1–0 || Palmer (8–4) || Renko (1–2) || || 11,422 || 31–25 || W9 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 57 || June 11 || @ Athletics || 3–0 || McGregor (7–3) || Morgan (0–1) || || 17,157 || 32–25 || W10 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 58 || June 12 || Mariners || 5–4 || T. Martinez (2–1) || Colborn (1–5) || Stanhouse (10) || 13,212 || 33–25 || W11 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 59 || June 13 || Mariners || 3–2 <small>(11)</small> || Flanagan (9–4) || Romo (3–2) || || 7,729 || 34–25 || W12 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 60 || June 14 || Angels || 5–2 || Palmer (9–4) || Brett (2–4) || || 21,815 || 35–25 || W13 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 61 || June 15 || Angels || 1–5 || Tanana (10–3) || McGregor (7–4) || || 15,004 || 35–26 || L1

|-bgcolor=#bbb | – || July 2 || Red Sox || colspan=7| Postponed (rain); Makeup: September 6

|-bgcolor=#bfb | 161 || October 1 || @ Tigers || 4–2 || D. Martinez (16–11) || Rozema (9–12) || || 13,948 || 90–71 || W1

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Farm system

<small>LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Miami</small>

Notes

References

• 1978 Baltimore Orioles team page at Baseball Reference
• 1978 Baltimore Orioles season at baseball-almanac.com