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To ensure that personal matters don't intrude on the clubhouse, Weaver keeps a studied distance between him and his players. "I don't hug a pitcher after a shutout, because next time, I may have to take him out of the game in the first inning. I can't be their friend because I have to be the guy who yells at them when they make mistakes." But Weaver is intensely loyal to his players—and they know it. Pitcher Jim Palmer, three-time Cy Young Award winner, currently out of the pitching rotation with arm trouble, is a sophisticated star who has, for 10% seasons, carried on a love-hate relationship with his manager. Their differences are legion and complex, but of one thing Palmer is certain: "He's on my side." When Palmer's name is mentioned, Weaver softly claps his hands, a characteristic gesture he uses to show respect for talent. "This is a Hall of Fame pitcher," he says of Palmer. "How can you not love that kind of ability?"
Weaver's Orioles have always had good pitching. Over the years, the starting rotation has included such names as Mike Cuellar, Dave McNally, Pat Dobson, Palmer and, of late, such strong young stars as Dennis Martinez, Mike Flanagan, Scott McGregor and Reliever Don ("Full Pack") Stanhouse ("That's how many cigarettes I smoke when he's on the mound," Weaver explains). The Orioles have also built a defense that is as sound as talent and hard practice can make it. Baltimore teams rarely miss the cutoff man. "Talent," says Weaver. "No scatter-armed outfielder will ever hit the cutoff, no matter how much you tell him where to throw the ball." Orioles' pitchers always try to get the lead runner. "Some clubs only practice that play a few days in spring training," Singleton says. "Here, we practice it every day."
The Oriole infield is competent but less brilliant than those of past teams. The marvelous Brooks Robinson is gone from third base, his place filled by Doug DeCinces, 28, a power at the plate (28 home runs last year) but erratic on defense. After breaking his nose four times, he has an unfortunate tendency to ole grounders hit his way: stand to the side and wave them past like an onrushing bull rather than plant himself in front of the ball. But Shortstop Belanger, Second Baseman Rich Dauer and Centerfielder Al Bumbry give the team strength up the middie, and Bumbry, a tiny (5 ft. 8 in.) sparkplug, ignites the running game. First Baseman Eddie Murray is a power hitter in the Boog Powell mold and a fine fielder. Not a household name among them, but they have proved potent enough to hold the Yankees, Red Sox and Brewers at bay. And, as always with an Earl Weaver team, a masterly balance of talent and the old Oriole try.
"When I came in, at age 37," says Weaver, "I inherited three Hall of Famers, Brooks, Frank [Robinson] and Palmer. Since then, thanks to the organization, I've never had a bad ballplayer on my roster. Good ballplayers make good managers, not the other way around. All I can do is help them be as good as they are."
Then the Baltimore manager pauses and claps his hands in that little gesture. "This bunch is pretty good, aren't they? We've stayed up longer than Skylab."