The Orioles Warehouse

Más bello vivir ganando (Sweeter to live while winning)

Mora's musical selection took a twist this season when the White Sox were in town for the July 30 Saturday afternoon game that was broadcast nationally on Fox. The Orioles held a lead going into the eighth inning, but A.J. Pierzynski hit a clutch three-run home run off Chris Ray to put Chicago on top.

Mora was due to lead off the bottom of the inning; however, a pitching change delayed the game for a couple of minutes before Mora's at-bat. As the new pitcher warmed up, the deejay started up "Cárnaval," but instead of playing just the first few seconds of the song, he played it all the way through. After taking a commercial break, Fox showed video of the White Sox' dugout, where jubilant players were dancing themselves silly to the song's irresistible beat. They were celebrating Pierzynski's big blow, which had capped another improbable comeback in an overachieving season.

Mora and the Orioles did not show any such elation, for the game, and their season, had taken a turn for the worse. Their troubles were not nearly over yet, as we now know. They lost that game, and since that day, the team has tumbled into fourth place, its manager canned, its starting first baseman disgraced, and its most tenured starting pitcher released. Occasions for the Miggy dance have been few and far between.

So the incessant optimism expressed in Mora's chosen song is what these Orioles sorely need. Let's pick it up from the second verse:

Todo aquel que piense que la vida siempre es cruel
tiene que saber que no es así
que tan sólo hay momentos malos, y todo pasa
Todo aquel que piense que esto nunca va a cambiar
tiene que saber que no es así
que al mal tiempo buena cara, y todo pasa

In Anglicized form:

All those who might think that life is always cruel
Have to know that isn't true
There are only woeful moments, and none will last
All those who might think that this will never change
Have to know that's not the case
To bad times put on a good face, and all will pass

"La vida es un cárnaval" appeared on Cruz's 1998 album Mi Vida Es Cantar (My Life Is To Sing) and on subsequent compilations such as the posthumously released Éxitos Eternos (Eternal Hits). (Note: clicking on the album titles connects to Amazon.com and earns this site a miniscule commission on ensuing purchases.)

Songs of the times

A recent thread at OriolesHangout.com's forum contains additional up-to-date information on Oriole songs. Thanks to the user FellsPointOsFan, here's a partial list of the 2005 Orioles' songs of introduction:

• Brian Roberts: "Hypnotize" by Notorious B.I.G.
• Melvin Mora: "La Vida Es Un Cárnaval" by Celia Cruz
• Miguel Tejada: "Subido En El Palo" by La Banda Gorda
• Javy López: "Headstrong" by Trapt
• Sammy Sosa: "Gasolina" by Daddy Yankee
• B.J. Surhoff: "Sultans of Swing" by Dire Straits
• Jay Gibbons: "Sweetness" by Jimmy Eat World (sometimes "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits)
• Eric Byrnes: "Bouncing Off the Walls Again" by Sugarcult
• Luis Matos: "Grita Conmigo" by Charlie Cruz
• B.J. Ryan: "Duality" by Slipknot
• Rodrigo López: "Sweet Child of Mine" by Guns 'n' Roses

Also, another user wrote (and I confirm) that Chris Gómez's song is "Smells Like Teen Spirit," the grunge classic by Nirvana. I assume Gómez didn't choose it because of the lyrics, which are nonsensical to a comical degree.

Some comments on the above songs:

• Rodrigo López's selection, "Sweet Child of Mine," has one of the most memorable opening guitar riffs in history; I don't think I'll ever get tired of it.
• The heavy-metal intro to Slipknot's "Duality" that accompanies Ryan's entrances is all doom and gloom, not unlike Mariano Rivera's longtime choice, "Enter Sandman" by Metallica. I suppose we'll never see a relief ace walk in from the bullpen to the lilting sounds of a soprano aria by Mozart. But if a pitcher's stuff is as nasty as Ryan's or Rivera's, his choice of intro music probably doesn't matter anyway.
• Although I'm not familiar with Byrnes's song, its title, "Bouncing Off the Walls Again," is highly apropos given his hard-charging outfield play.
• Sosa's selection, "Gasolina," is also foreign to my ears. Apparently it was a big reggaeton hit containing the oft-repeated lyric "Dame más gasolina" ("Give me more gasoline")—quite apt in that Sosa has been running on empty for much of this season.
• Tejada's choice, "Subido en el palo" ("Raised in the Wood"), appears to be a tribute to his humble Caribbean roots.
• Likewise, Matos's "Grita conmigo" ("Shout With Me") is a musical shout-out to his home island of Puerto Rico.
• "Money for Nothing" ain't bad, but if I were Gibbons and had to pick a Dire Straits song to rev up my engines, it would be "Walk of Life." Gibbons has never been great at drawing the base on balls, but this year he has walked in just 4.6% of his plate appearances, the lowest rate of his career.

I also recall that before Steve Reed was released, he began each of his outings to "Clocks" by Coldplay, which was appropriate because he got clocked quite a bit this season. (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

I'm not familiar with some of the other selections, so if you have comments, corrections, or additions, then please submit a comment below. (To avoid exposing your e-mail address to the World Wide Wolves—i.e., spambots—enter any valid Web address in the URL input. When the comment is published, your name will then link to the URL you typed instead of to your e-mail address.)