1997 Baltimore Orioles season

The 1997 Baltimore Orioles season was the 97th season in Baltimore Orioles franchise history, the 44th in Baltimore, and the 6th at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

The Orioles finished first in the American League East Division with a record of 98 wins and 64 losses. They met the Seattle Mariners in the ALDS, and beat them in four games. However, in the ALCS, they played the Cleveland Indians, where they fell in six games. It was the final season for Davey Johnson as manager, as a disagreement with ownership drove him out. The 1997 season was the Orioles' last winning season and playoff appearance until 2012, 15 years later.

Offseason December 10, 1996: Jimmy Key was signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Orioles. December 13, 1996: Mike Bordick was signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Orioles.Mike Bordick Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com December 18, 1996: Jerome Walton was signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Orioles. December 19, 1996: Eric Davis was signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Orioles. March 22, 1997: Scott McClain was traded by the Baltimore Orioles with Manny Alexander to the New York Mets for Hector Ramirez.

Roster 1997 Baltimore Orioles Roster Pitchers Catchers

Infielders Outfielders Manager

Coaches

Regular season

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Game log

|- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 1 || April 2 || Royals || 7 – 4 || Key (1–0) || Walker (0–1) || Myers (1) || 46,588 || 1–0 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 2 || April 3 || Royals || 6 – 4 || Rhodes (1–0) || Montgomery (0–1) || Myers (2) || 43,031 || 2–0 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 3 || April 4 || @ Rangers || 5 – 4 || Erickson (1–0) || Patterson (0–1) || Benítez (1) || 26,058 || 3–0 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 4 || April 5 || @ Rangers || 9 – 7 || Rhodes (2–0) || Oliver (0–1) || Myers (3) || 39,073 || 4–0 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 5 || April 6 || @ Rangers || 9 – 3 || Pavlik (1–0) || Mussina (0–1) || || 36,156 || 4–1 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 6 || April 7 || @ Royals || 6 – 5 || Walker (1–1) || Benítez (0–1) || || 40,052 || 4–2 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 7 || April 9 || @ Royals || 4 – 2 || Mills (1–0) || Bevil (0–1) || Myers (4) || 12,036 || 5–2 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 8 || April 11 || Rangers || 9 – 3 || Mussina (1–1) || Burkett (0–1) || || 40,575 || 6–2 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 9 || April 13 || Rangers || 9 – 0 || Key (2–0) || Pavlik (1–1) || || 44,154 || 7–2 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 10 || April 14 || Twins || 4 – 2 || Erickson (2–0) || Tewksbury (0–2) || Myers (5) || 36,288 || 8–2 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 11 || April 15 || Twins || 3 – 1 || Kamieniecki (1–0) || Aldred (0–2) || Myers (6) || 40,196 || 9–2 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 12 || April 16 || @ White Sox || 9 – 3 || Drabek (1–1) || Boskie (0–1) || || 14,061 || 9–3 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 13 || April 17 || @ White Sox || 1 – 0 || Mussina (2–1) || Darwin (0–1) || Myers (7) || 14,674 || 10–3 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 14 || April 20 || @ Red Sox || 11 – 1 || Key (3–0) || Gordon (1–2) || || 32,290 || 11–3 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 15 || April 21 || @ Red Sox || 4 – 2 || Sele (3–0) || Erickson (2–1) || Slocumb (3) || 33,608 || 11–4 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 16 || April 22 || White Sox || 3 – 2 || Mussina (3–1) || Darwin (0–2) || Myers (8) || 38,392 || 12–4 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 17 || April 23 || White Sox || 11 – 9 (11) || Castillo (2–2) || Benítez (0–2) || Hernandez (3) || 42,902 || 12–5 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 18 || April 24 || Red Sox || 2 – 1 (11) || Trlicek (3–4) || Mathews (0–1) || Henry (4) || 40,000 || 12–6 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 19 || April 25 || Red Sox || 2 – 0 || Erickson (3–1) || Gordon (1–3) || Myers (9) || 45,227 || 13–6 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 20 || April 26 || Red Sox || 14 – 5 || Key (4–0) || Sele (3–1) || Johnson (1) || 47,727 || 14–6 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 21 || April 27 || Red Sox || 13 – 7 || Henry (1–0) || Rhodes (2–1) || || 47,307 || 14–7 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 22 || April 29 || @ Twins || 6 – 4 || Boskie (1–1) || Swindell (1–1) || Myers (10) || 11,368 || 15–7 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 23 || April 30 || @ Twins || 12 – 3 || Kamieniecki (2–0) || Tewksbury (1–4) || Benítez (2) || 12,686 || 16–7

|- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 24 || May 1 || @ Twins || 3–2 || Erickson (4–1) || Aldred (1–3) || Myers (11) || 11,678 || 17–7 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 25 || May 2 || Athletics || 7–1 || Key (5–0) || Karsay (0–3) || || 46,181 || 18–7 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 26 || May 3 || Athletics || 4–3 || Small (4–0) || Myers (0–1) || Taylor (6) || 45,780 || 18–8 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 27 || May 4 || Athletics || 11–0 || Coppinger (1–0) || Prieto (2–2) || Johnson (2) || 47,001 || 19–8 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 28 || May 5 || Angels || 7–2 || Dickson (5–1) || Kamieniecki (2–1) || James (3) || 41,296 || 19–9 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 29 || May 6 || Angels || 8–4 || Erickson (5–1) || Finley (0–2) || Myers (12) || 37,150 || 20–9 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 30 || May 7 || Angels || 3–0 || Key (6–0) || Watson (0–2) || Myers (13) || 43,858 || 21–9 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 31 || May 8 || Mariners || 13–3 || Mussina (4–1) || Johnson (4–1) || || 45,026 || 22–9 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 32 || May 9 || Mariners || 8–2 || Moyer (2–0) || Coppinger (1–1) || || 47,257 || 22–10 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 33 || May 10 || Mariners || 3 – 2 (11) || Charlton (2–1) || Myers (0–2) || || 47,340 || 22–11 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 34 || May 11 || Mariners || 9–5 || Erickson (6–1) || Martínez (1–3) || || 47,451 || 23–11 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 35 || May 12 || @ Athletics || 5–1 || Key (7–0) || Karsay (0–4) || Benítez (3) || 11,352 || 24–11 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 36 || May 13 || @ Athletics || 7–3 || Mussina (5–1) || Mohler (0–5) || || 14,854 || 25–11 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 37 || May 14 || @ Angels || 6–5 || Springer (1–1) || Boskie (1–2) || Holtz (1) || 15,780 || 25–12 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 38 || May 15 || @ Angels || 3–2 || Dickson (6–1) || Kamieniecki (2–2) || James (5) || 15,966 || 25–13 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 39 || May 16 || @ Mariners || 6–3 || Erickson (7–1) || Martínez (1–4) || || 39,455 || 26–13 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 40 || May 17 || @ Mariners || 4–3 || Key (8–0) || Sanders (0–5) || Benítez (4) || 57,304 || 27–13 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 41 || May 18 || @ Mariners || 8–7 || Orosco (1–0) || Charlton (2–3) || Benítez (5) || 57,432 || 28–13 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 42 || May 20 || Tigers || 4–3 || Kamieniecki (3–2) || Olivares (2–3) || Myers (14) || 48,003 || 29–13 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 43 || May 21 || Tigers || 2–0 || Erickson (8–1) || Thompson (4–3) || Myers (15) || 47,877 || 30–13 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 44 || May 23 || @ Indians || 6–1 || Ogea (5–3) || Key (8–1) || || 41,154 || 30–14 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 45 || May 24 || @ Indians || 8–3 || Mussina (6–1) || Kline (3–1) || || 41,040 || 31–14 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 46 || May 25 || @ Indians || 7–6 || Nagy (6–2) || Rhodes (2–2) || Morman (2) || 42,944 || 31–15 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 47 || May 26 || @ Yankees || 8–6 || Boskie (2–2) || Pettittie (6–3) || Myers (16) || 40,296 || 32–15 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 48 || May 27 || @ Yankees || 10–6 || Kamieniecki (2–2) || Rogers (6–3) || Benítez (6) || 29,392 || 33–15 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 49 || May 28 || @ Yankees || 8–1 || Key (9–1) || Moehler (3–4) || Boskie (1) || 10,692 || 34–15 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 50 || May 30 || Indians || 3–0 || Mussina (7–1) || Nagy (6–3) || || 47,758 || 35–15 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 51 || May 31 || Indians || 8–5 || Boskie (3–2) || Mesa (0–3) || Myers (17) || 47,739 || 36–15

|- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 52 || June 3 || Yankees || 7–5 || Myers (1–2) || Mecir (0–3) || || 47,577 || 37–15 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 53 || June 4 || Yankees || 9–7 || Orosco (2–0) || Nelson (2–5) || Myers (18) || 47,748 || 38–15 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 54 || June 6 || @ White Sox || 7–3 || Drabek (5–4) || Erickson (8–2) || R. Hernandez (12) || 21,304 || 38–16 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 55 || June 7 || @ White Sox || 1 – 0 (11) || R. Hernández (4–1) || Myers (1–3) || || 31,548 || 38–17 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 56 || June 8 || @ White Sox || 2–1 || Key (10–1) || Darwin (2–3) || Myers (19) || 24,089 || 39–17 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 57 || June 9 || @ White Sox || 10–2 || Mussina (8–1) || Baldwin (3–8) || || 23,464 || 40–17 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 58 || June 10 || @ Red Sox || 7–2 || Erickson (9–2) || Eshelman (0–1) || || || 41–17 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 59 || June 10 || @ Red Sox || 4–2 || Rhodes (3–2) || Wakefield (2–5) || Myers (20) || 30,995 || 42–17 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 60 || June 11 || @ Red Sox || 10–1 || Gordon (4–6) || Johnson (0–1) || || 26,479 || 42–18 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 61 || June 12 || @ Red Sox || 9–5 || Sele (7–5) || Kamieniecki (4–3) || || 24,970 || 42–19 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 62 || June 13 || @ Braves || 4 – 3 || Key (11–1) || Maddux (7–3) || Myers (21) || 48,334 || 43–19 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 63 || June 14 || @ Braves || 6 – 4 (12) || Rhodes (4–2) || Borowski (2–2) || Myers (22) || 26,964 || 44–19 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 64 || June 15 || @ Braves || 5 – 3 (10) || Mathews (1–1) || Wohlers (2–2) || Myers (23) || 48,088 || 45–19 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 65 || June 16 || Expos || 6 – 4 || Hermanson (3–4) || Boskie (3–3) || Urbina (12) || 47,557 || 45–20 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 66 || June 17 || Expos || 5 – 4 || Kamieniecki (5–3) || Bullinger (4–6) || Myers (24) || 47,793 || 46–20 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 67 || June 18 || Expos || 1 – 0 || C. Perez (8–4) || Key (11–2) || || 47,448 || 46–21 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 68 || June 20 || @ Blue Jays || 3 – 0 || Hentgen (8–3) || Mussina (8–2) || || 30,266 || 46–22 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 69 || June 21 || @ Blue Jays || 5 – 1 || Erickson (10–2) || Plesac (0–3) || || 40,139 || 47–22 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 70 || June 22 || @ Blue Jays || 5 – 2 || Kamieniecki (6–3) || Person (2–5) || Myers (25) || 35,106 || 48–22