Former Orioles Pitcher Dave Johnson Hopes 30th Anniversary Of 'Why Not Season' Propels Team To Success In 2019
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- With a new general manager, manager and a young club, expectations for the Orioles aren't too high this year.
But this season marks the 30-year anniversary of the Orioles "Why Not Season," also known as the "Comeback Kids."
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One former Oriole is hoping that the anniversary will give the Orioles a boost this season.
"In many ways, it feels like it's been forever, and sometimes it feels like just yesterday," former Orioles pitcher Dave Johnson said.
The Orioles are coming off their worst season in franchise history.
The team lost 107 games in 2018.
"I know there's not a lot of expectations, but players and coaching staff have expectations," Johnson said. "Not necessarily thinking they're going to win, but you have expectations of playing hard and grinding it out."
Johnson, a Middle River native, was traded to the Orioles in 1989.
He was called up from the minors in August, and found himself in a playoff race.
"When I came up, I knew Frank Robinson was my manager," Johnson said. "I was scared to death because he was an imposing figure."
Johnson landed on the mound against the Blue Jays in what was a must-win game on the last weekend of the season against the team they were chasing.
"I tried to act like it was no big deal and blow it off," Johnson said. "But meanwhile I was freaking out because the whole season depended on this game."
Johnson was lights out on the mound and left the game with the lead, but the Orioles gave it up and fell one game short of going from worst to first and ultimately missed the playoffs.
"The season was over and it seemed like in an instant, we had it, had that opportunity and then it was gone," Johnson said. "It was just a whirlwind."
Johnson hopes that this year's Orioles team can find that same spark as the "Comeback Kids."
"The baseball field is the same size in high school," Johnson said. "All the way through minors and big leagues. So if you beat the other team one pitch at a time, you never know what can happen."
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