If the Baltimore Orioles Were a Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving.  Family, Friends, Food, Football, Fun.  Baseball is not typically something we associate with Thanksgiving, unless we want to lament about how slow the offseason has been (except for the Angels, who have signed Tyler Anderson and traded for Hunter Renfroe).  But at Birds Watcher, we love Baltimore Orioles Baseball, so what should we do?  Pair the popular Thanksgiving dishes with their counterpart Oriole, of course!  We hope you enjoy this fun exercise and wish everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

The Turkey – Adley Rutschman

While Orioles fans hope he will eventually be the GOAT, on Thanksgiving, Adley Rutschman is the turkey.  He is the main event–he is what we think of when we think of Orioles baseball.

It’s no surprise that Adley Rutschman is the Baltimore Orioles main course.

For some, he is why we come to the games or, on Thanksgiving, sit down at the table.  Offense, defense, and intangibles, Adley Rutschman is the star of the Orioles.  Like turkey is the face of Thanksgiving, Adley Rustchman should be the face of the Orioles for years to come.

 Butternut Squash Soup – Cedric Mullins

In nearly every game in 2022, Cedric Mullins was the lead off hitter – the beginning course for a pitcher facing the Orioles lineup.  In nearly every Thanksgiving I can remember, my Aunt Natalie or my mom–whoever is cooking–starts us off with a delicious, hot bowl of homemade butternut squash soup.  It’s the equivalent of Cedric Mullins leading off the game with a single and stealing second.  It’s a great start to the meal, and one I am looking forward to this year once the family sits down around the end of the first quarter of the Giants/Cowboys game.

Mashed Potatoes/Cranberry Sauce/Stuffing – Austin Hays/Anthony Santander/Ryan Mountcastle

If you go to a Thanksgiving dinner, you expect to see mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce,

and stuffing on the table.  If you go to an Orioles game, you should expect to see Austin Hays, Anthony Santander, and Ryan Mountcastle in the lineup.  These are solid, tried and true dishes that a Thanksgiving meal is not complete without.

Assembling a Thanksgiving feast from Baltimore Orioles players

Cranberry/Apple Pie – Gunnar Henderson

This is another treat at my Thanksgiving table that my Aunt Natalie and, in the last ten years or so, my mom, have begun making.  Oats, brown sugar, butter, applies, cranberries – this is the “surprise” sweet side dish that we get to enjoy, but has not made it’s way to tables around the country.  Gunnar Henderson’s call up at the end of the year, and terrific play, was a surprise and sweet ending to the 2022 season. Looking forward to many more cranberry pies and Gunnar Henderson highlights for years to come.

Green Bean Casserole – Brandon Hyde

Like green bean casserole, Brandon Hyde–or any team’s manager–is not everyone’s cup of tea.  But, rain or shine, come hell or high water, green bean casserole will find its way onto your Thanksgiving table.  And no matter what, Brandon Hyde will be in the dugout managing Orioles games, whether they are on a 19-game losing streak or a ten-game winning streak. Lucky for me, I am a fan of both green bean casserole and Brandon Hyde.

Pumpkin Pie – Felix Bautista

Many Thanksgiving dinners–including ours–end with a satisfying slice of pumpkin pie.  Similarly, many Oriole wins this past year ended with a satisfying Felix Bautista save.  When Bautista came in to pitch the ninth inning this year, Orioles fans felt

confident that he would close it out.  And when a hot, steamy pumpkin pie comes out of the oven, I am confident that it will close out a delicious dinner on a high note.  Hoping for many more years of Felix Bautista saves and sweet slices of pumpkin pie.

To all of our readers:  thank you for your continuing support.  We wish you all a safe and happy Thanksgiving, filled with great friends, family, food, football, fun, and maybe, just maybe, some baseball talk.