Some quotes from the AL East champions' clubhouse
Here are some Orioles clubhouse quotes compiled amidst the celebrating:
J.J. Hardy on winning the American League East: "Starting in spring training you work for this and this is the first goal. Now the next goal is to continue playing for a long time."
Hardy on Ubaldo Jimenez tonight: "We all feel for Ubaldo. He's been working hard. He's been doing everything and team has asked and he's gone through a tough stretch. For him to throw the way he did tonight and get the win is awesome. Was fun to play behind him tonight."
Hardy on celebrating with the fans: "These fans have been with us the whole way. Tonight it was loud. Those fans were a lot of fun."
Hardy on clinching so early: "It's nice at the same time you don't want to let your guard down. The ultimate goal is to go far into October and win the last game. But this was a lot of fun tonight."
Hardy on first AL East crown since 1997: "It just shows you what an accomplishment this is. It's not easy. This is a good group of guys to do it with."
Caleb Joseph on the on-field celebration: "That was pretty special. I almost wished I had a camera taped to my chest. It was pretty surreal. This city, they love their two teams here. As it went on that sixth inning, seventh inning crowd got crazy and to win it at home was special."
Joseph on his season: "This team had a big loss when (Matt) Wieters went down. He's the heart and soul of this team. Just to try and fill in and try and pick up a little bit of slack there has felt good. But this is a huge team effort. Great to reach the playoffs but we are not done yet. We'll enjoy this one tonight."
Joseph on the team overcoming injuries: "We've had to do it all year. We've had key guys go down but guys have stepped up from day one. I think Jonsey said it perfectly, the strength of this team is its resilience."
Steve Pearce on winning the East: "This is what you train for in the offseason and you put in the work for is to win the East. We did it tonight. It's all worth it."
Pearce on the end of game celebration: "It was great. This is what you play for. First time I've ever done this in my career. It's been everything I could ever imagine."
Pearce could have left the team early in the year: "It was a no brainer to come back. I love everybody here. Buck let it known to me it wasn't about my play, it was a numbers thing. If there was any way to come back we found. This is where I want to play."
First base coach Wayne Kirby: "This is awesome. This is the first step toward where we need to go. This is amazing. This is all about teamwork. Doesn't matter what the payroll is. We have fun doing what we do."
Jimenez on pitching tonight: "It means a lot. I just want to be part of the team. Doing that tonight I feel a part of it. Really happy."
Jimenez on the celebration: "It's pretty sweet. I told you it was going to be sweet. What we have been able to accomplish this year is amazing and I'm really happy to be a part of it."
Jimenez on his outing: "Well, the first couple of innings were tough because I couldn't find my release point. But then I was able to get back on track. (Manager) Buck (Showalter) chose me to be there for that game so I had to find a way to be there for the team."
Zach Britton on the celebration: "It was awesome, way better than 2012 when we won that wild-card game. Watching Nicky (Markakis) take it all in after all the ups and downs he's been through with this organization and finally see us get a division title for these fans is really something special. We are not done yet, but we can enjoy this for the night."
Britton on overcoming injuries and team depth: "It's the story of our season, guys coming up big for us that no one expected to. We are going to enjoy this. This is the way we've been playing all season long and we're not done yet."
Nick Markakis on winning the title for the city: "That is what we play for. We play for us as teammates together, but ultimately we are playing for the people sitting in the seats and that is what it's all about. We're are on our way."
Ryan Flaherty on Buck Showalter: "There is not a better strategy guy in the game then him. He sees things days in advance. He probably had this lineup figured out since the last homestand."
Andrew Miller on the division crown: "It's no easy feat. The accomplishment these guys have had that worked all year to get this is really incredible. I'm just so happy to be here and fit in with such a great group. I think the future is bright for us but we get a chance to enjoy this which is awesome."
Miller on celebrating with the fans: "To get to do this at home in front of a crowd like that is incredible. The support they have given us is awesome and it's only going to get better."
Miller what makes this team so special: "It is hard to put your finger on what it is. Obviously the talent is there, it takes talent to win at this level. But there is something to this team. Even if you can't identify what it is, there is something to it, whether it's the big hit or the guy making the big pitch it seems like something always picks us up."
Hardy on Ubaldo Jimenez tonight: "We all feel for Ubaldo. He's been working hard. He's been doing everything and team has asked and he's gone through a tough stretch. For him to throw the way he did tonight and get the win is awesome. Was fun to play behind him tonight."
Hardy on celebrating with the fans: "These fans have been with us the whole way. Tonight it was loud. Those fans were a lot of fun."
Hardy on clinching so early: "It's nice at the same time you don't want to let your guard down. The ultimate goal is to go far into October and win the last game. But this was a lot of fun tonight."
Hardy on first AL East crown since 1997: "It just shows you what an accomplishment this is. It's not easy. This is a good group of guys to do it with."
Caleb Joseph on the on-field celebration: "That was pretty special. I almost wished I had a camera taped to my chest. It was pretty surreal. This city, they love their two teams here. As it went on that sixth inning, seventh inning crowd got crazy and to win it at home was special."
Joseph on his season: "This team had a big loss when (Matt) Wieters went down. He's the heart and soul of this team. Just to try and fill in and try and pick up a little bit of slack there has felt good. But this is a huge team effort. Great to reach the playoffs but we are not done yet. We'll enjoy this one tonight."
Joseph on the team overcoming injuries: "We've had to do it all year. We've had key guys go down but guys have stepped up from day one. I think Jonsey said it perfectly, the strength of this team is its resilience."
Steve Pearce on winning the East: "This is what you train for in the offseason and you put in the work for is to win the East. We did it tonight. It's all worth it."
Pearce on the end of game celebration: "It was great. This is what you play for. First time I've ever done this in my career. It's been everything I could ever imagine."
Pearce could have left the team early in the year: "It was a no brainer to come back. I love everybody here. Buck let it known to me it wasn't about my play, it was a numbers thing. If there was any way to come back we found. This is where I want to play."
First base coach Wayne Kirby: "This is awesome. This is the first step toward where we need to go. This is amazing. This is all about teamwork. Doesn't matter what the payroll is. We have fun doing what we do."
Jimenez on pitching tonight: "It means a lot. I just want to be part of the team. Doing that tonight I feel a part of it. Really happy."
Jimenez on the celebration: "It's pretty sweet. I told you it was going to be sweet. What we have been able to accomplish this year is amazing and I'm really happy to be a part of it."
Jimenez on his outing: "Well, the first couple of innings were tough because I couldn't find my release point. But then I was able to get back on track. (Manager) Buck (Showalter) chose me to be there for that game so I had to find a way to be there for the team."
Zach Britton on the celebration: "It was awesome, way better than 2012 when we won that wild-card game. Watching Nicky (Markakis) take it all in after all the ups and downs he's been through with this organization and finally see us get a division title for these fans is really something special. We are not done yet, but we can enjoy this for the night."
Britton on overcoming injuries and team depth: "It's the story of our season, guys coming up big for us that no one expected to. We are going to enjoy this. This is the way we've been playing all season long and we're not done yet."
Nick Markakis on winning the title for the city: "That is what we play for. We play for us as teammates together, but ultimately we are playing for the people sitting in the seats and that is what it's all about. We're are on our way."
Ryan Flaherty on Buck Showalter: "There is not a better strategy guy in the game then him. He sees things days in advance. He probably had this lineup figured out since the last homestand."
Andrew Miller on the division crown: "It's no easy feat. The accomplishment these guys have had that worked all year to get this is really incredible. I'm just so happy to be here and fit in with such a great group. I think the future is bright for us but we get a chance to enjoy this which is awesome."
Miller on celebrating with the fans: "To get to do this at home in front of a crowd like that is incredible. The support they have given us is awesome and it's only going to get better."
Miller what makes this team so special: "It is hard to put your finger on what it is. Obviously the talent is there, it takes talent to win at this level. But there is something to this team. Even if you can't identify what it is, there is something to it, whether it's the big hit or the guy making the big pitch it seems like something always picks us up."
LATEST ORIOLES NEWS
LATEST NATIONALS NEWS
About the author
By accepting you will be accessing a service provided by a third-party external to https://www.masnsports.com/