Mezue ahịrịokwu na-esonụ: Tupu oge 1996, Angelos goro Pat Gillick ka ọ bụrụ onye isi njikwa. N'inye ya ọkụ na-acha akwụkwọ ndụ iji tinye nnukwu ego na talent guzobere, Gillick bịanyere aka n'akwụkwọ ọtụtụ ndị egwuregwu dị ka B. J. Surhoff, Randy Myers, David Wells na Roberto Alomar. N'okpuru onye nchịkwa ọhụrụ Davey Johnson na n'ike nke nnukwu egwuregwu egwuregwu 257 na-agba ọsọ n'otu oge, ndị Orioles laghachiri na playoffs mgbe afọ 12 na-anọghị na ya site na ijide AL wild card berth. Alomar bidoro ọgbaghara n'ọnwa Septemba mgbe ọ gbụpụrụ onye ọkaikpe na-ekpebi egwuregwu n'ụlọ John Hirschbeck ọnụ n'ihu n'oge esemokwu na Toronto. A machibidoro ya iwu maka egwuregwu ise mbụ nke oge 1997, n'agbanyeghị na ọtụtụ chọrọ ka a machibido ya iwu na postseason. Mgbe ha merisịrị onye na-agbachitere American League bụ Cleveland Indians 3<unk>1 na Division Series, ndị Orioles meriri ndị Yankees 4<unk>1 na
ALCS dị ịrịba ama maka ọdịda onye ọka ikpe mpaghara aka nri Rich Garcia na-akpọ nnyonye anya ndị na-akwado egwuregwu na egwuregwu mbụ nke usoro ahụ, mgbe onye Yankee dị afọ iri na abụọ bụ Jeffrey Maier rutere n'elu mgbidi dị n'èzí iji jide bọọlụ na-egwu egwu, nke e dere dị ka ụlọ na-agba ọsọ maka Derek Jeter, na-eme ka egwuregwu ahụ dị na 4 × 4 na nke asatọ. Enweghị nnyonye anya Maier, ọ dị ka ọ bụrụ na bọọlụ ahụ nwere ike ịbụ na mgbidi ahụ ma ọ bụ onye na-ahụ maka aka nri Tony Tarasco. Ndị Yankees gara n'ihu merie egwuregwu ahụ na mgbakwunye innings na homerun na-esote site na Bernie Williams.