Over the last few years, Christopher Judd guesses he’s attended around two to three Orioles games per season at Camden Yards.
He’d stay just long enough to get his money’s worth, but often found himself thinking, “When can I leave?”
This season was different, Judd said.
Judd, who lives in Millersville, said he’s attended over a dozen games this season. On Wednesday, he stood overlooking the field in a standing room section, taking in the Orioles’ second-to-last game of the season. He bought a gold home run chain earlier that day, he said, and wore it proudly.
“The fans and energy this season makes me want to come,” Judd said. “I can’t wait to go to games.”
After finishing last in the American League with a 52-110 record in 2021, the Orioles have secured their first winning season since 2016. The Orioles were in contention for a playoff spot up until very close to the end of the season and finished with an 83-79 record.
Through this season’s 77 openings, which include home games and single-admission doubleheaders, Orioles spokesperson Katie Krause said total attendance reached 1,365,900. That’s higher than last year, which totaled 793,229 attendees for 78 openings, though Krause said the first 23 home games of that season were also at limited capacity due to covid restrictions.
Fans who turned out to Camden Yards Wednesday afternoon to see the last two games of the Orioles’ 2022 season reveled in the team’s turnaround from cellar dwellers to playoff contenders.
Judd and his friend Dan Dobay, a Pasadena resident, remember when the Orioles beat the Boston Red Sox 15-10 in August. It was a highlight of the season, they said.
The game felt like a playoff atmosphere, Dobay said. “Orioles fans drowned out the Boston fans. I can’t say I’ve seen that happen in the last 10 years.”
Both Judd and Dobay are hopeful for a postseason run next year. And they hope the team “spends some money” during the offseason, Dobay said, to add another veteran pitcher to the team.
But unlike other years, when Judd said the team had to “build from scratch” during the offseason without a good foundation, he said after this season, “All we need is a few more pieces and we’re right there. We have a shot at the playoffs.”
Nora Skelton, her father Jim Skelton and boyfriend Richard North agree that a favorite moment of this season was attending the games the Orioles played against the Washington Nationals. During one of those games, Austin Hays hit for the cycle — getting a single, double, triple and home run in the same game.
Nora Skelton said this season has made her more excited for next year.
“After watching [the Orioles] end up in the bottom of the league,” she said, “I actually feel hopeful for the future now.”
Ruthann Miller and Ken Jackson agree. Miller, a Howard County resident, said she can see the team building momentum.
“Next season,” she declares, “we’re going to get to the World Series.”
Miller and Jackson have attended about 13 to 25 games per season together for over 30 seasons. They still remember attending games at Memorial Stadium.
The two are friends from church, and for many years attended most games with a group of four other friends. The others have since died, but Miller and Jackson still show up every year.
“That’s our favorite usher,” Jackson said, pointing. They’ve been in the same seats for years, he said.
The group even got matching T-shirts, which they custom designed.
Miller said the team now has the excitement to go far next season. She said they’ve already bought their tickets, and will be sitting in the same seats, as always.
Rohan Kane, from Roland Park, said he’s been a fan of the Orioles since he was a kid. But the last few seasons have been pretty tough.
“For the first time in a while,” he said, “it feels like we will be able to make a splash in the league.”
He said he’s usually an optimist, so always a bit hopeful when it comes to the Orioles. “Now it feels like my optimism isn’t built on nothing,” he said.
He particularly liked seeing players that were cast off by other teams do well after joining the Orioles — like Cionel Pérez, who came from the Cincinnati Reds, and shortstop Jorge Mateo, who came from the San Diego Padres and lost his status as a top prospect was able to solidify a starting job on the Orioles.
Kane said he also loved seeing the younger players, like Ryan Mountcastle, get better this season.
“It felt like the last part of last season, the younger players were getting in their groove,” he said. “This year magnified that.”
Kane hopes the team puts resources into getting a good free agent pitcher for next season.
From a seat far up from the field, a young Orioles fan was also excited to catch the last games of the season.
“Let’s go O’s!” Jake Marzen, 8, shouted, as Gunnar Henderson stepped up to bat.
He said this season has been exciting. He remembers when Trey Mancini hit a grand slam on Aug. 5.
“It was a great moment,” he said. “Everybody was going crazy, and the stadium was packed.”
He’s excited about rookie Gunnar Henderson, who he said is really fast and is going to be really good when he gets older, he said.
Jake’s favorite player, though, is another rookie, Adley Rutschman.
“We have the same batting stance,” said Jake, who has played for Roland Park Baseball Leagues. “It’s the same.”
