Starting tonight, the Orioles have 23 games left before the All Star Break. They presently sit a solid 11 games over .500 and are just a game back of those annoying Red Sox. So my question to you is “Where will they sit in the standings the evening of July 14th”?
The Black and Orange will get some “stiff” competition right off the bat in the surging B Jays this weekend. Remember the last time the O’s were north of the border, they looked like a Howard County softball team in the artist formerly known as Skydome. And if Jim Johnson wasn’t in the mist of his 4 game cooler, the O’s would’ve taken 3 of 4. Instead, they settled for the respectable road series split.
Since that gut-punching Sunday afternoon loss, Buck’s squad has gone 15-8 and have won series over the Tigers (home and away), Nats, Red Sox, and Astros. The only series loss was at that dump in Tampa, but the O’s did avoid the sweep.
My point here is the #Just #Win #Series “bit” isn’t so much a bit anymore. This heater is for real and now let’s look forward. A Dickey, a Wang and a Johnson is what begins this 23 game journey to the break and I for one am hard up for it. Seriously, what a better team to start with than one streaking like Will Ferrell in Old School.
And this isn’t your April Blow Jays anymore. The starting rotation has been considerably better and for as good as the O’s ‘pen has been the Jays might have been even better. Plus, we start this 23 game stretch with the Jays and end it with them back the Yards on that final Sunday before the AS break.
In between, there is next week’s 7-game home-stand with the Indians and Yanks before their last off day until the break. Then it’s off to South side of Chicago for 3, before heading to the Bronx. The final week before the break the O’s have a 4 game series with the Rangers before closing the first half out with the aforementioned Jays.
My opinion is this team is going to go either 15-8 or 14-9 during this stretch and here’s why. If they continue to do what they have done better than anyone in baseball this season (winning series), than they would have to win at least 5 of the 7 series’ to get secure that record. And if I am as right one as my Heat prediction after they lost GM 1 to the Spurs, then the Birds would be 16-17 games over .500. But more importantly, I think that puts them as the leader in the AL East clubhouse going into the break.
I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, far from it. Because besides maybe the WSox, there is no Astros on the schedule. Hell even the Indians (who were earlier being compared to the 2012 Orioles) are still are 1 game over .500 and show no signs of packing it in. Texas is good and the Yankees are well the Yankees.
Maybe it’s this freshly squeezed Orange Koolaid (spiked of course) I’m pounding on this San Diego weather type afternoon that’s clouding my judgment. Maybe the Jays continue this heater and sweep the O’s. Maybe Crush Davis turns back into Chris Davis. Maybe.
But something just tells me Buck’s Birds are poised and ready to make a run to the AS break finish line and over take the BSox for the AL East lead. And please excuse my redundancy, but the only way this can happen is to continue to #Just #Win #Series’.
I think most of them will be sitting somewhere in Citi Field
It’s funny, after I saw you using the #JustWinSeries hashtag I started seeing it pop up all over twitter. Seems to be catching on here, Jabby.
Jabby, I post it on twitter every time the O’s win a series. Good stuff.
Thanks guys. The feedback is appreciated and needed.
Agree! The think the O’s do better than anyone is win series, certainly see this continuing over the next 7 series.
# don’t hold your breath……………..
Eleven and seven in June so far, they get some home cooking now and before the Break. I say they go 13-10 the rest of the way…55-42 at the Break. Not too shabby.