1978 Baltimore Orioles season

1978 Baltimore Orioles
Major League affiliations
American League (since 1901)
East Division (since 1969)
Location
Memorial Stadium (since 1954)
Baltimore, Maryland (since 1954)
Results
Record	90–71 (.559)
Divisional place	4th
Other information
Owner(s)	Jerold Hoffberger
General manager(s)	Hank Peters
Manager(s)	Earl Weaver
Local television	WJZ-TV
Local radio	WBAL (AM) (Chuck Thompson, Bill O'Donnell, Brooks Robinson)
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The 1978 Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Orioles finishing 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.^[1]
• 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.^[2]
• January 6, 1978: Ken Rudolph was released by the Orioles.^[3]
• February 21, 1978: Tony Muser was released by the Orioles.^[4]

Regular season

Season standings

AL East	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
New York Yankees	100	63	0.613	—	55–26	45–37
Boston Red Sox	99	64	0.607	1	59–23	40–41
Milwaukee Brewers	93	69	0.574	6½	54–27	39–42
Baltimore Orioles	90	71	0.559	9	51–30	39–41
Detroit Tigers	86	76	0.531	13½	47–34	39–42
Cleveland Indians	69	90	0.434	29	42–36	27–54
Toronto Blue Jays	59	102	0.366	40	37–44	22–58

Record vs. opponents

1978 American League Records Sources:
Team	BAL	BOS	CAL	CWS	CLE	DET	KC	MIL	MIN	NYY	OAK	SEA	TEX	TOR
Baltimore	—	7–8	4–6	8–1	9–6	7–8	2–8	7–8	5–5	6–9	11–0	9–1	7–4	8–7
Boston	8–7	—	9–2	7–3	7–8	12–3	4–6	10–5	9–2	7–9	5–5	7–3	3–7	11–4
California	6–4	2–9	—	8–7	6–4	4–7	9–6	5–5	12–3	5–5	9–6	9–6	5–10	7–3
Chicago	1–8	3–7	7–8	—	8–2	2–9	8–7	4–7	8–7	1–9	7–8	7–8	11–4	4–6
Cleveland	6–9	8–7	4–6	2–8	—	5–10	5–6	5–10	5–5	6–9	4–6	8–1	1–9	10–4
Detroit	8–7	3–12	7–4	9–2	10–5	—	4–6	7–8	4–6	4–11	6–4	8–2	7–3	9–6
Kansas City	8–2	6–4	6–9	7–8	6–5	6–4	—	6–4	7–8	6–5	10–5	12–3	7–8	5–5
Milwaukee	8–7	5–10	5–5	7–4	10–5	8–7	4–6	—	4–7	10–5	9–1	5–5	6–4	12–3
Minnesota	5–5	2–9	3–12	7–8	5–5	6–4	8–7	7–4	—	3–7	9–6	6–9	6–9	6–4
New York	9–6	9–7	5–5	9–1	9–6	11–4	5–6	5–10	7–3	—	8–2	6–5	6–4	11–4
Oakland	0–11	5–5	6–9	8–7	6–4	4–6	5–10	1–9	6–9	2–8	—	13–2	6–9	7–4
Seattle	1–9	3–7	6–9	8–7	1–8	2–8	3–12	5–5	9–6	5–6	2–13	—	3–12	8–2
Texas	4–7	7–3	10–5	4–11	9–1	3–7	8–7	4–6	9–6	4–6	9–6	12–3	—	4–7
Toronto	7–8	4–11	3–7	6–4	4–10	6–9	5–5	3–12	4–6	4–11	4–7	2–8	7–4	—

Opening Day starters

• Mark Belanger
• Al Bumbry
• Doug DeCinces
• Rick Dempsey
• Larry Harlow
• Dennis Martínez
• Lee May
• Eddie Murray
• Ken Singleton
• Billy Smith^[5]

Notable transactions

• June 6, 1978: 1978 Major League Baseball Draft
  • Cal Ripken, Jr. was drafted by the Orioles in the 2nd round. Player signed June 13, 1978.^[6]
  • Bobby Bonner was drafted by the Orioles in the 3rd round.^[7]
  • Mike Boddicker was drafted by the Orioles in the 6th round.^[8]

Roster

1978 Baltimore Orioles
Roster
Pitchers 55 Nelson Briles 46 Mike Flanagan 37 John Flinn 59 Dave Ford 32 Joe Kerrigan 30 Dennis Martínez 23 Tippy Martinez 16 Scott McGregor 22 Jim Palmer 48,26 Don Stanhouse 52 Earl Stephenson 53 Sammy Stewart 49 Tim Stoddard		Catchers 24 Rick Dempsey 44 Elrod Hendricks  8 Dave Skaggs Infielders  7 Mark Belanger 25 Rich Dauer 11 Doug DeCinces  3 Kiko Garcia 14 Lee May 33 Eddie Murray  2 Billy Smith		Outfielders 39 Mike Anderson  1 Al Bumbry 10 Terry Crowley 36 Mike Dimmel  6 Larry Harlow 18 Pat Kelly  9 Carlos López 27 Andrés Mora 35 Gary Roenicke 29 Ken Singleton		Manager  4 Earl Weaver Coaches 41 Jim Frey (First Base) 44 Elrod Hendricks (Bullpen) 31 Ray Miller (Pitching Coach) 47 Cal Ripken (Third Base) 20 Frank Robinson (Hitting)

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

Pos	Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
C	Dempsey, RickRick Dempsey	146	441	114	.259	6	32
1B	Murray, EddieEddie Murray	161	610	174	.285	27	95
2B	Dauer, RichRich Dauer	133	459	121	.264	6	46
3B	DeCinces, DougDoug DeCinces	142	511	146	.286	28	80
SS	Belanger, MarkMark Belanger	135	348	74	.213	0	16
LF	Kelly, PatPat Kelly	100	274	75	.274	11	40
CF	Harlow, LarryLarry Harlow	147	460	112	.243	8	26
RF	Singleton, KenKen Singleton	149	502	147	.293	20	81
DH	May, LeeLee May	148	556	137	.246	25	80

Other batters

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

Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
Smith, BillyBilly Smith	85	250	65	.260	5	30
Mora, AndrésAndrés Mora	76	229	49	.214	8	14
López, CarlosCarlos López	120	193	46	.238	4	20
Garcia, KikoKiko Garcia	79	186	49	.263	0	13
Bumbry, AlAl Bumbry	33	114	27	.237	2	6
Crowley, TerryTerry Crowley	62	95	24	.253	0	12
Skaggs, DaveDave Skaggs	36	86	13	.151	0	2
Roenicke, GaryGary Roenicke	27	58	15	.259	3	15
Anderson, MikeMike Anderson	53	32	3	.094	0	3
Hendricks, ElrodElrod Hendricks	13	18	6	.333	1	1
Dimmel, MikeMike Dimmel	8	0	0	.000	0	0

Pitching

Starting pitchers

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

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
Flanagan, MikeMike Flanagan	40	281.1	19	15	4.03	167
Martínez, DennisDennis Martínez	40	276.1	16	11	3.52	142
Palmer, JimJim Palmer	38	296	21	12	2.46	138
McGregor, ScottScott McGregor	35	233	15	13	3.32	94
Stewart, SammySammy Stewart	2	11.1	1	1	3.18	11

Other pitchers

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

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
Briles, NelsonNelson Briles	16	54.1	4	4	4.64	30
Ford, DaveDave Ford	2	15	1	0	0.00	5

Relief pitchers

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

Player	G	W	L	SV	ERA	SO
Stanhouse, DonDon Stanhouse	56	6	9	24	2.89	42
Martinez, TippyTippy Martinez	42	3	3	5	4.83	57
Kerrigan, JoeJoe Kerrigan	26	3	1	3	4.77	41
Flinn, JohnJohn Flinn	13	1	1	0	8.04	8
Stoddard, TimTim Stoddard	8	0	1	0	6.00	14
Stephenson, EarlEarl Stephenson	2	0	0	0	2.79	4
Harlow, LarryLarry Harlow	1	0	0	0	67.50	1
Hendricks, ElrodElrod Hendricks	1	0	0	0	0.00	0

Farm system

Level	Team	League	Manager
AAA	Rochester Red Wings	International League	Ken Boyer, Al Widmar and Frank Robinson
AA	Charlotte O's	Southern League	Lance Nichols
A	Miami Orioles	Florida State League	Jimmy Williams
Rookie	Bluefield Orioles	Appalachian League	J. R. Miner

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Miami

Notes

1. Elrod Hendricks page at Baseball Reference
2. Bryn Smith page at Baseball Reference
3. Ken Rudolph page at Baseball Reference
4. Tony Muser page at Baseball Reference
5. 1978 Baltimore Orioles Roster by Baseball Almanac
6. Cal Ripken page at Baseball Reference
7. Bobby Bonner page at Baseball Reference
8. Mike Boddicker page at Baseball Reference

References

• Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (1997). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (2nd ed.). Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America. ISBN 978-0-9637189-8-3.
• 1978 Baltimore Orioles team page at Baseball Reference
• 1978 Baltimore Orioles season at baseball-almanac.com