Though they have provided little evidence throughout the season they are more than a .500 ball club, the Orioles' sweep of Oakland a couple weeks ago made me think they could be starting a playoff push. No team seemed to want the second wildcard berth. If the Birds could finally put together a sustained run (and with 6 games remaining on a season-defining homestand, it seemed possible), perhaps they could hit the post-season for consecutive seasons. They put together a run, alright. A run for last place; an anti-pennant chase, if you will. Since that Oakland sweep, which now seems like some sort of mirage, the O's are 2-11. They now stand closer to last place in the division than to the second wildcard spot. Suddenly, all those cutesy hashtags seem silly and sad. #BuckleUp because we are not sure where rock bottom is, but #WeWontStop until we find it! Instead of authoring a September to remember, Baltimore is finishing a season to forget. Instead of writing about the joy of my postseason experience like last year, I'll be penning a tale of October-less woe.
So how did we get here, me sobbing over my keyboard singing the Charm City blues? I guess we should have seen it coming. Unlike the Flats down in D.C., the O's were not prohibitive favorites. Most will agree they overachieved last season. Many wondered if they could duplicate a first place finish. Even Showalter, speaking at my local minor league team's hot stove banquet, sought to temper the crowd's enthusiasm. He was cagey about the prospects for this season, seeming to know how difficult it would be, given the off-season losses, to repeat as division champs. Maybe it was coach speak or maybe it was a sliver of honesty in a giddy off-season. Even by measured expectations, though, this club has disappointed. It proves that Chef Buck is even better at making chicken salad than I previously thought. So, if not Buck, who is to blame?
I rightly praised Dan Duquette last season, yet he must shoulder a chunk of blame today. He made some great finds that worked out last year. For this team to take the next step in the evolution to contender, though, 2014 should have been built upon. I love Nick Markakis, but not bringing him back was the right move. His presence is most certainly missed, however, the Braves overpaid. Nelson Cruz is another story. Kudos to Duquette for grabbing him last year for what turned out to be a bargain at $8 million. He steadied the middle of the order and, at times, seemed to be the only guy hitting. I know he would have cost a bunch in dollars and contract years to bring him back, but I wish they had. As a DH, he could potentially produce for years beyond the extent of his contract. Worth the risk, in my opinion. You can't expect to add pieces from the scrap heap, cross your fingers, and hope it works every time. Maybe it is good scouting, but often it is simply luck when a journeyman brought in catches lightning in a bottle, turning in a Pearcien Performance over the course of an entire season. You can not rely on this method as a path to sustained success. Look at the pieces jettisoned this year alone. Snider, Cabrera, Lough, Young, De Aza, (I'm pretty sure I am forgetting a couple) were all pieces deemed useless by a team that is currently 5 games under .500.
Was Duquette handcuffed by the Angeloses? Probably. Was he purposely weakening the O's because he planned on ducking out to Toronto? Maybe. Either way, Baltimore entered their division title defense shorthanded. Having no ace, no corner outfielders of consequence and no quality designated hitter is a recipe for disaster. It puts a lot of pressure on the players that are here, who, obviously, are not absolved of culpability here. During this season-sinking stretch, the excellent bullpen back end and stellar defense have faltered at inopportune times. Adam Jones, as much as I love him, isn't a yet consistent or disciplined enough to be a true superstar. If Jones, Machado and Davis aren't hitting bombs, the offense struggles. Add in a few Cinderellas turning into pumpkins (Pearce, Gonzalez) and you get the mess currently stinking up Camden Yards. That said, there is enough talent to avoid a stretch as terrible as the last two weeks. Losing 10 of 11? Inexcusable. Obviously, there is no help coming from outside to fix this. To paraphrase Rick Pitino from his Celtic coaching days-Cal Ripken isn't walking through that door. Well, okay, except for tonight, when they are honoring The Streak, but you know what I mean.
Of course, I am writing all this hoping it is some sort of reverse jinx; that in some bizarre confluence of my whining, turning the page on the calendar, and Cal being in the house, my Birds can fix this. While writing this I saw a black and orange butterfly flitting its way about my driveway. A sign of hope, perhaps, but more likely just a sign that I have a butterfly in my driveway. Unfortunately, this season feels way more like most of those lost years during Cal's streak instead of the few glory years. But that's okay, it's almost hockey season and the Capitals never let me down, right?
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