Meandering through the crowd at Pickles Pub, I've obviously seen a lot of Orioles jerseys. A lot of Nick Markakises, Brooks Robinsons and Cal Ripkens, which is to be expected.
One jersey I did not expect to see: Joe Orsulak.
Yet as I made my way through the throngs, I came across a gentleman with the former Orioles outfielder's name and No. 6 proudly displayed on his back.
"The '89 Orioles were my favorite team growing up, and the guy played like his hair was on fire," Matt Kucharski, 29, said of Orsulak.
"He had the eye-black and the mullet, throwing his body around. That's the kind of team we're hoping to have this year."
Kucharski, a Parkville resident and O's fan "since I was born," said acquiring the jersey was no easy task. He looked for one for a long time before getting one custom made off eBay.
Donning the Orsulak jersey has become an Opening Day tradition for Kucharski, who said he has been wearing it to the first game at Camden Yards for the past five or six years.
Kucharski's favorite current Oriole is Nolan Reimold, though he doesn't see much of a comparison between the left fielder and Orsulak.
Reimold is blessed with superior talent, Kucharski said, while Orsulak "did a lot with a little."