A return to Baltimore this week presents a frustrating reminder of what reliever Mychal Givens has endured in his career that has braced him for his current tenure with the Cubs.
In 2016, Givens’ first full season in the majors, the Orioles had the same World Series dreams as the Cubs as they reached the playoffs with young superstar Manny Machado, seasoned power hitters such as Mark Trumbo, Chris Davis and Adam Jones, and an experienced manager in Buck Showalter.
But unlike the Cubs, the Orioles fell short as they lost the American League wild-card game at Toronto and have since regressed into an AL East cellar dweller and embarked on a massive rebuilding program that has yet to show signs of crystalizing.