I was here last season when the O’s knocked the Red Sox out of playoff contention, and the atmosphere in this place was out of this world. Just think of how nuts this place would be if the O’s were fighting for a playoff spot in late September. And with the way they are playing so far this season, who knows where they’ll be come September. I will tell you one thing, though. It makes a huge difference to these players when the stadium is packed full of passionate, screaming hometown fans instead of those of visiting teams (Yankees and Red Sox, especially). There are plenty of reasons to come out to The Yard and watch your O’s play, but here are five good ones.

There is never a dull moment

No matter if it’s a three-run walk-off homer to erase a two-run deficit in the bottom of the ninth or a bases loaded save with a one-run lead, the O’s never fail to raise our blood pressure at critical points in the game. Through the first 32 games, the O’s have already been involved in six one-run games and six extra inning games. They have more fight in them than I’ve seen in years and I think they truly feel like no lead is too big to overcome. The game I go back to is the 17-inning affair against the Red Sox last Sunday when they blew a five-run lead and still managed to battle back and win the game, completing their first three-game sweep at Fenway Park since 1994. Simply put, this team never says die.

The long ball is just a pitch away

At the time Thursday night’s game was completed, the O’s were third the majors with 45 home runs. That’s an astounding stat considering the teams and lineups they are surrounded by (Yankees, Rangers, Cardinals). What this means for fans is that a three-run deficit could vanish in the time it takes the ball to clear the fence. Home runs equal excitement no matter how you look at it, and so far this season the O’s have been able to provide that kind of frenzy for their fans.

Camden Yards is better than ever

Known as The Ballpark That Forever Changed Baseball, Camden Yards has really stepped up their game in 2012. They made a number of new renovations in the off-season including a new Roof Deck above center field that gives fans a unique view of the game as well as a full-service bar that is sure to amuse the fans who like that sort of thing (myself included). The right-field wall has been modified to reduce the height of the out-of-town scoreboard so the fans in the standing room only section that aren’t 6-foot-5 can actually see the game too. Maybe the best addition to the stadium is the bronze sculptures of the six greatest O’s of all time including Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Earl Weaver, Jim Palmer, Eddie Murray and Cal Ripken Jr. These sculptures will be unveiled throughout the season and are a great addition to an already amazing ballpark.

Fan Pride

This one is pretty simple, guys. Come out and support your hometown baseball team. I understand it would be much more enjoyable if the O’s had a winning team year in and year out, but at least it looks as though they are making a concerted effort to be better this season.  It is much more enjoying and a lot less annoying when the seats are filled with orange and black as opposed to the visiting team’s colors. This is just a matter of pride. O’s fans need to start having some or they are going to get run out of their own stadium.

Anything can happen in baseball

We saw this a few years ago with the Tampa Bay Rays. They went from having the worst record in the majors at 66-96 to making it to the World Series the following season. Obviously, this doesn’t happen everyday, but they won games kind of how the O’s are winning them now. Great starting pitching, a solid bullpen and timely hitting. Add some Orioles magic to the equation and you’ve got this year’s O’s team to a tee. Rising from the basement to the top is easier said than done, but it’s feasible. I don’t want to jump the gun just yet because the O’s still have a long way to go before we can talk about the postseason. But just the inkling of hope that the O’s can put together a magical season should at least get some fans out to the ballpark to witness the possibility of greatness. After all, isn’t that why we watch sports in the first place?

Who’s Hot

Chris Davis – The hot-hitting first baseman is batting .409 over his last seven games including two doubles, three homers and eight RBI. Davis is now hitting .316 on the season and has provided the O’s with some big hits lately. He has had two three-hit games over the past week, including a home run in each contest.

Matt Wieters – I could put Wieters in this category every week considering how dominant he has been so far. He is hitting for average (.303), power (seven home runs, 17 RBI), and has come up with a clutch hit just about every time his team needs one. In addition, he has contributed to the success of the starting rotation with his superb play behind the plate.

Jake Arrieta – Arrieta pitched the best game of his young career in his most recent start, shutting out the Yankees in a 5-0 O’s victory. He allowed five hits, struck out nine and issued no walks in eight strong innings of work. This is a good sign for Arrieta, who hadn’t won a game since Opening Day.

Who’s Not

J.J. Hardy – One of the few bright spots for the O’s last season was Hardy, who finished with a career-high 30 home runs and 80 RBI. This season, however, he has been anything but stellar at the plate. He has a miserable .196 average, which ranks close to the bottom of any player with as many at-bats as he’s had this season. He has been hitting the ball better lately, though, but the O’s would like to see much more production out of their No. 2 batter.

Mark Reynolds – This season has been downright horrendous for Reynolds. He can’t do anything right in the field or at the plate, where he has only nine hits in 66 at-bats for a measly .136 average. He has no home runs yet, which is strange for a guy who has hit close to 30 a season throughout his career. The only thing he has been doing with any consistency lately is striking out. He has now struck out in 19 consecutive games, putting him two behind Jim Palmer and eight behind Steve Barber for the O’s record. It’s never good when you’re paired with pitchers when it involves batting statistics. But that’s just the type of season it’s been so far for Reynolds.

Who’s Hot

The Bullpen – The O’s bullpen ranks first in the majors with a 1.96 ERA and has been the most solid aspect of the team so far this season. They have a closer in Jim Johnson, who is 7-for-7 in save opportunities and has yet to give up a run. They have a set up guy in Pedro Strop, who seems to never throw below 95 mph. And they have a bunch of other guys who can come in when they are called upon and get batters out. Collectively, the O’s bullpen has 50 strikeouts to just 22 walks on the season and hasn’t allowed an earned run in their last nine innings of work.

Jason Hammel – Hammel has proved to be a great addition to the starting rotation so far. The former Colorado Rockies pitcher is 3-0 with a 1.73 ERA while striking out 25 batters and walking only eight. He has by far been the O’s best pitcher this season and will need to continue to dominate if the O’s want a shot at finishing anywhere near the postseason.

Adam Jones – There couldn’t be a hotter player at the plate for the O’s than Jones. He continued his dominance at the plate last night with a solo homer in the eighth to break a 2-2 tie with the Blue Jays, which proved to be the game-winning hit in their 5-2 victory. Jones is now batting .316 on the season along with six homers and 10 RBI.

Who’s Not

Nick Johnson – It’s been anything but smooth sailing for the Johnson, who is yet to record a hit for his new team. He is 0-for-26 with six strikeouts and has scored just one run on the season. Not only can he not hit the ball, but that mustache he is rocking isn’t doing him any favors with the ladies.

Tsuyoshi Wada – An elbow injury isn’t what the O’s thought they would be getting when they signed Wada to a two-year, $8.14 million deal back in December. After pitching in just two big-league spring games, Wada started feeling soreness in his elbow, which doctors are now determining to be ligament damage. Wada has had a history of elbow injuries, so hopefully he is able to bounce back from this one and be in an O’s uniform sooner rather than later.

The Hot Corner – Believe it or not, the O’s haven’t had many weak spots so far this season. But if I had to pick one, it would be their defense at third base. Seven of their 22 errors have been committed by O’s third baseman (three by Mark Reynolds and four by Wilson Betemit). It’s not really surprising for Reynolds, though, as he has committed 111 errors as a third baseman in his five-plus year career. If Ryan Flaherty can start hitting, he may be a safer defensive choice at third than Reynolds or Betemit.

The second series against the Yankees, however, was very much a different story. Brian Matusz left off where he did last season, allowing four runs in four innings and not having any command of his pitches. His “stuff” looked better and he did have some velocity behind his pitches, but he just couldn’t locate them. The next two games were extra inning heartbreakers as the O’s had bases loaded in the ninth in both games, but couldn’t seal the deal. It’s the same old story, though. The O’s don’t have the clutch hitter they need to get the job done in crucial situations (Prince Fielder would’ve been nice to have at the plate in those situations, but Peter Angelos won’t spend money to make his team better). Anyway, here are a few of the O’s that are hot along with a few that aren’t too hot.

Who’s Hot

Matt Wieters – Wieters leads the team in batting average (.364), home runs (2), RBI (4) and OPS (1.122). He carried his strong spring into the regular season and is looking to repeat the defensive presence he brought last season after winning the Gold Glove. It would be nice to see Wieters continue to hit for power especially with Mark Reynolds and Chris Davis struggling in that department in the early going.

Jake Arrieta – In his first game against the Twins, Arrieta looked like the O’s ace, pitching seven strong shutout innings of two-hit ball. He didn’t fare as well against the loaded Yankees lineup, allowing four runs on five hits in 6.2 innings including a first inning two-run homer to Curtis Granderson. But he still is posting just a 2.63 ERA in two starts and looks to be the O’s best pitcher thus far.

Jim Johnson - The O’s closer already has two saves on this young season and has been dominant in his three appearances. Granted, he has only pitched 2.2 innings, but this guy just looks like a closer. Every time he is on the mound, he looks calm and collected and ready to go. He has allowed two hits, struck out three batters and walked just one. Let’s just hope the O’s give him the opportunity to close out 30-35 games because I think he will be able to get the job done.

Adam Jones - The O’s center fielder has hit safely in every game this season and carries a .292 average into the O’s 10-game road trip. He has seven hits already, including a home run and a double, and has scored four runs. I see Jones being the most consistent O’s hitter this season and finishing with around a .300 average on the season.

Who’s Not

Nick Markakis – This may be a little bit of a shock considering the fast start he had, but Markakis is hitless in his last 14 plate at-bats after going 5-for-7 in the first two games, racking up two homers, a triple and four RBIs. He also has six strikeouts in as many games, which is just one behind the strikeout king Reynolds.

Mark Reynolds - If it’s not striking out, it’s making errors at third base. Any way you look at it, Reynolds is struggling mightily this season. He is batting a measly .176 and has struck out seven times already. He also two errors in five games and has looked like a complete hack at times.

Kevin Gregg - What else is new? Gregg continues to allow base runners at an alarming rate and seems to raise everyone’s blood pressure when he enters a game. He has allowed four hits and two earned runs in just 3.1 innings while posting a 5.40 ERA. And to think he was upset about not being named the closer this season.

The BCS bowl games are where it’s at, though. They provide us with matchups between the premier teams in college football, which make for some exciting football. All of the games have their own storylines and intriguing factors, but here is how I ranked this year’s five BCS bowl matchups.

5. Discover Orange Bowl
No. 15 Clemson vs. No. 23 West Virginia
Jan. 4, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

This game may not be as close as some people expect.  First of all, West Virginia’s schedule was relatively easy and they still managed to lose three games and eek out wins in their last three games of the regular season. Clemson struggled over the last month of the regular season as well, but finished the season strong after crushing Virginia Tech 38-10 in the ACC championship game.   Both quarterbacks, Geno Smith and Tajh Boyd, had tremendous seasons, combining for 7,556 yards and 56 touchdowns.  So if you’re looking for offense, look no further than the Orange Bowl.  I give Clemson the edge in this one, though, judging from who they’ve beaten this season, most notably Virginia Tech by 20 points or more twice.

4. Allstate Sugar Bowl
No. 11 Virginia Tech vs. No. 13 Michigan
Jan. 3, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

The Hokies didn’t finish the season the way they would’ve liked after getting spanked by Clemson, but that doesn’t mean this can’t be one of the top games of the bowl season.  Michigan’s Denard Robinson is one the most exciting players to watch in college football and should provide us with plenty of entertainment.  Virginia Tech doesn’t lack much in the exciting player department either, especially with their dual-threat quarterback, Logan Thomas, who combined for over 3.200 total yards and 29 touchdowns as well as running back, David Wilson, who rushed for 1,627 yards and nine touchdowns.  If the Hokies can contain Robinson, they should run away with this one.

3. The Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO
No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 10 Wisconsin
Jan. 2, 5 p.m. ET (ESPN)

This game features the last two Rose Bowl losers, each of which are trying to avenge those defeats and put themselves into the win column.  Wisconsin lost 21-19 to TCU in last year’s contest and Oregon fell to Ohio State, 26-17 in 2010.  This matchup also features two of the nation’s top running backs in LaMichael James and Montee Ball.  This game should be played at an excellent pace and will certainly not lack in the scoring department.  But I think Oregon will dictate the pace of this one, which will be too much for Wisconsin to handle.

2. Allstate BCS National Championship Game
No. 1 LSU vs. No. 2 Alabama
Jan. 9, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

I know this is supposed to be the No. 1 game on the list with it being the national championship and all, but I always have a problem seeing a rematch in the same season.  Let’s face it, this game was a bit boring last time around.  There were zero touchdowns, five field goals, four missed field goals and a goal-line interception.  I enjoy defensive battles from time to time, but not in the national championship game.  Needless to say, I don’t think it will be another 9-6 game, but I don’t see there being many points scored either.  Both defenses are formidable, so the keys to this game will be the same as the last time they met – which offense will make more mistakes and which special teams unit will come up with the big play.  I’ll take LSU.

1. Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
No. 3 Oklahoma State vs. No. 4 Stanford
Jan. 2, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

This game features two of the nation’s best quarterbacks – Oklahoma States’ Brandon Weeden and Stanford’s Andrew Luck.  It also features two high-flying offenses – Oklahoma State at 49.3 points per game (2nd in nation) and Stanford at 43.9 (6th in nation).  The Cowboys were a 37-31 double overtime loss to Iowa State away from reaching the national championship, so you know they will be ready to go in this one.  Stanford’s lone defeat was a 53-30 beatdown at the hands of Oregon.  There will be no shortage of big scoring plays in this one, which should make for the most exciting game of the bowl season.  That being said, I see Oklahoma State being too much for Luck and his boys.

Scott, who was named the 2010 Most Valuable Oriole after batting .284 with 27 home runs and 72 RBI, was a popular player in the clubhouse as well as with fans. The “Luuuuuuke” chant was a regular occurrence when Scott stepped in the batter’s box at Camden Yards. His popularity had some to do with his friendly personality toward the media and fans, but the tears he would go on throughout the course of the season were a part of it as well. Scott went through stretches as an Oriole when it just seemed like nobody could get him out. Conversely, he also went on some tough stretches where he couldn’t buy a hit, too.

Scott was definitely one of a kind, both on and off the field. And just as popular as he was with fans, who actually gave him a standing ovation on his 33rd birthday this past June, he was not as popular with Obama supporters when he implied the current president wasn’t born in the United States. He was never afraid to express his views on touchy subjects, whether it was politics or religion, or get on people who didn’t share the same beliefs as him.

On the field, Scott was a valuable addition to the O’s when he came here in December 2007. He was acquired by the O’s in a deal that sent then-Oriole Miguel Tejada to the Houston Astros for five players, one of which was Scott. He was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in 2001, but didn’t hit the big leagues until 2005, when he played in 34 games with the Astros. Since then, he has averaged in the mid-20′s in homers and around 70 RBI per season.

Scott’s locker room presence and play on the field will be missed, but the O’s needed to make a decision and I think they made the right one in this situation. The risk wasn’t worth the reward when it came to keeping Scott around considering the money he was due to make.  But hopefully the O’s and Scott can work out a deal for a lesser salary so he can come back and play for the O’s next season.

Submitted by Steve Giles

Baltimore Sports Report Ballot – Week 15

Rank	Team	Delta
1	LSU Tigers	–
2	Alabama Crimson Tide	–
3	Oklahoma St. Cowboys	–
4	Stanford Cardinal	1
5	Oregon Ducks	3
6	Arkansas Razorbacks	1
7	Boise St. Broncos	2
8	Wisconsin Badgers	6
9	South Carolina Gamecocks	6
10	Virginia Tech Hokies	-6
11	Kansas St. Wildcats	6
12	Baylor Bears	6
13	Michigan Wolverines	3
14	Oklahoma Sooners	-2
15	Clemson Tigers	6
16	Georgia Bulldogs	-5
17	Michigan St. Spartans	-4
18	TCU Horned Frogs	1
19	Nebraska Cornhuskers	1
20	Southern Miss. Golden Eagles	5
21	Houston Cougars	-15
22	Penn St. Nittany Lions	–
23	West Virginia Mountaineers	1
24	Florida St. Seminoles	–
25	Texas Longhorns	-2
Dropouts: USC Trojans

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Submitted by Steve Giles

Submitted by Steve Giles

Baltimore Sports Report Ballot – Week 12

Rank	Team	Delta
1	LSU Tigers	–
2	Oklahoma St. Cowboys	–
3	Alabama Crimson Tide	1
4	Oregon Ducks	3
5	Oklahoma Sooners	1
6	Arkansas Razorbacks	3
7	Clemson Tigers	1
8	Virginia Tech Hokies	2
9	Stanford Cardinal	-6
10	Boise St. Broncos	-5
11	Houston Cougars	–
12	Georgia Bulldogs	1
13	Kansas St. Wildcats	-1
14	South Carolina Gamecocks	2
15	Michigan St. Spartans	–
16	Wisconsin Badgers	1
17	Nebraska Cornhuskers	3
18	TCU Horned Frogs	–
19	Michigan Wolverines	3
20	Southern Miss. Golden Eagles	5
21	Penn St. Nittany Lions	-7
22	Notre Dame Fighting Irish	–
23	Auburn Tigers	–
24	Texas Longhorns	-5
25	Baylor Bears	–
Dropouts: USC Trojans, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Cincinnati Bearcats

SB Nation BlogPoll College Football Top 25 Rankings »

Submitted by Steve Giles

Baltimore Sports Report Ballot – Week 11

Rank	Team	Delta
1	LSU Tigers	–
2	Oklahoma St. Cowboys	1
3	Stanford Cardinal	1
4	Alabama Crimson Tide	-2
5	Boise St. Broncos	–
6	Oklahoma Sooners	–
7	Oregon Ducks	–
8	Clemson Tigers	1
9	Arkansas Razorbacks	-1
10	Virginia Tech Hokies	1
11	Houston Cougars	1
12	Kansas St. Wildcats	1
13	Georgia Bulldogs	4
14	Penn St. Nittany Lions	4
15	Michigan St. Spartans	-1
16	South Carolina Gamecocks	-6
17	Wisconsin Badgers	-1
18	USC Trojans	2
19	Texas Longhorns	2
20	Nebraska Cornhuskers	–
21	Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets	3
22	Michigan Wolverines	-7
23	Auburn Tigers	-1
24	Cincinnati Bearcats	1
25	Southern Miss. Golden Eagles	–
Dropouts: Arizona St. Sun Devils, West Virginia Mountaineers

SB Nation BlogPoll College Football Top 25 Rankings »

Submitted by Steve Giles