Barely Staying in the Race

It has been a frustrating baseball week. 

From MLB.com

Last week the Orioles had clawed their way to within a game of the AL East Division lead and this week finds them two games out with 18 games left to play. 

The Orioles have been flirting with disaster at almost every turn. After making it to one game out of first the O's have fallen as low as three games out on two occasions during the week. At some point they will need to get the wheels turning again. 

Looking to the future, the O's still have 5 games remaining against the division leading Red Sox, four at home; and 3 games against the Blue Jays in Toronto. The remaining games are against Tampa, 4 at home; Arizona, 3 at home; and finishing the season on the road with 3 on the road against the team whose name shall remain unspoken.

Last night's 6-3 win over the Red Sox game was a model for success. Take an early lead and depend upon solid pitching to get a 1 in the win column. They will need that tonight as they face a 20 game winning pitcher.

This is the final push to the playoffs--and I'm expecting a division championship not just a play in wild card spot.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD