All three men made
the Oriole Roster for 1972 and had eventual careers in the MLB, with a varying
degree of success...
Don Baylor,...most promising of the three and possibly the best in
prospect from the minors....very impressive in Rochester in 1970....had he been
on another team would have had a starting position...played winter ball under
his predecessor Frank Robinson who was to become Baylor’s greatest
influence; Frank would be call on in the
future to break slumps....held his own in Baltimore with an average of 14 home
runs and BA .274 in 4 full seasons....not so well known was his youthful speed
swiping 118 bases....after a quick stint
in Oakland 1976, took the free agency road to Anaheim 1977....after two seasons
of good power but average hitting put it all together in 1979....MVP season and
personal bests in RBI’s, runs, and home runs....made his only all star team that
year.... huge drop off 1980 especially in power due to injuries....returned in
1981 as a career DH....Eventually made his way to NYY, Boston, Minnesota, and a
return to Oakland.... he was able to make the 3 consecutive WS with 3 his last
three clubs.... ended playing career in 1988...proceeded to follow his mentor
Frank Robinson as a manager and hitting coach....Was the first ever Colorado
Rockies manager and got them to the post season in third season of existence..
only managed in NL despite being a career AL player....is fourth on all-time hit
by pitch total...ouch
Roric Harrison, ..most obscure of the
trio....Roric (only MLB player by that name) was a farmhand in Houston and
Milwaukee systems....traded to Baltimore before 1971 season....win 15 games in
AAA Rochester as a starter....unable to break the Oriole all star starting
staff was able to find a role as a mop up....Career best ERA of 2.30....traded
to Braves which used him as spot starter....won
a career high 11 games in 1973....lost effectiveness but somehow eked out 10
wins between the Braves and Cleveland 1975 his last full season in
majors....hung on in minors for a few years and had a short call up with Twins
1978....had 70 starts in 140 games appeared
Johnny
Oates....newcomer to Oriole catching corps....hit .261 in 1972 rookie season in
the Orioles ever-present platoon
system...An upgrade from the poor performance of incumbents Andy Echerbarren
and Elrod Hendricks....Joined Roric in the Braves trade for 1973...output was
for Braves was .236 BA, 5 HRs, 38 RBIs in part time work....trade to Phillies
produced a .286 BA in first season which was his last season in a platoon
versus backup role....later traveled to Dodgers and Yankees for years 1977-1981....hallmark of career was
professionalism and solid work ethic making
him a manager and team organization favorite wherever he played.....transformed
this to coaching alternating managing in the minors then to MLB coaching
staff...opportunity to big league management came in the form of 1991 Baltimore
Orioles....No pennant but held a winning record in club’s first few season at
Camden Yard....The 1994 strike ended his Baltimore days, but was picked up by
Texas.....Took the helm for 7 years rought forth a stretch of 3 pennants in fours years....post
season not so bright one win in ten games....Sadly died lost his 3 year battle
with a brain tumor in 2004. 
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