For six seasons, Orioles relievers have engaged in a special ritual.
It's not unusual for bullpen crews to play games to pass the time, especially during the early innings. However, the Orioles' ritual, which was invented by long-gone reliever Luis Ayala in 2012, is more of a celebratory one, and one that helps them get more involved in the games.
"Luis was one of a kind, man. He was hilarious," Orioles reliever Darren O'Day said. "He liked to have fun during the games. ... One day, he just, in his rapid-fire English/Spanish, said, 'We're going to clap how many runs we scored. He started it then, and it's just kind of carried on throughout the years."
