Don Baylor, who passed away Monday after a long battle with cancer, will be remembered by long-time Orioles fans as one of the “Baby Birds” who came up from the bottom of the minor-league system to play parts of six seasons in Baltimore in the 1970s.
He was a wonderful combination of speed and power who averaged 29 stolen bases in his four full seasons as an Oriole before being traded to Oakland in the multi-player deal that brought back Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson for one season at Memorial Stadium.
I will remember him as the 1979 American League MVP who led the California Angels to the postseason for the first time in franchise history and was the undisputed clubhouse leader during the six seasons he spent in Anaheim.