Go O's!

In March, Steve and I attended a spring training game in Sarasota....Boston Red Sox vs. Baltimore Orioles.  The O’s were terrible; Boston easily clobbered them.  I’m thinking...Oh, great, another dismal season for the home team.

I’m not a huge fan of baseball.  It’s too slow, too long, too boring.  Truth be known, I refused to let my son play the game when he was a kid because it just took way too much time.  I heard horror stories from other moms about sitting in the dark for hours waiting for the final inning.

In our household, it was soccer and basketball...case closed...games that ended in an hour.  Perfect!  Especially for a working, single mom.  Don’t get me wrong.  I loved to see my kids play.  I just didn’t want to make a career out of it.

Of course, it’s practically un-American to not let your kids play baseball.  Probably un-American to not play football either.  That was taboo in our house for another reason.
Too violent.  I know, I know.  Too pollyanna-ish.  I don’t care.  My son to this day loves soccer and basketball.

But, I live in Baltimore, home of the Orioles.  After the new stadium was built 17 years ago, I went a few times.  Mainly, because I love the stadium...not necessarily because I was into the game.  I love the food....Boog’s BBQ, chicken fingers and fries, hot dogs.  Yep, I love it all.

For the past 15 years, Baltimore hasn’t had a winning season so the packed stadium gave way to the few hearty O’s fans that never gave up.  One of them was Steve.  He went to most of the home games and even traveled to see them on the road.  Now, that’s a real fan.  Me?  No way.  Fair weather fan all the way.  I don’t even love the game to begin with so going to watch them lose was no draw for me.

So this summer, I went with him to the games or we tuned in at 7:30 to Maryland Sports Network.  As usual, they won their first few games.  Always the way it’s been before they start losing and losing and losing some more.  This season, however, was completely different.  They kept winning and winning, even on the road.

They had their ups and downs but you could never count them out.  Sooo many games went into extra innings.  They lost the first two then won 16 extra inning games.  16!  We happened to be at a day game on September 13th that went to 18 innings!  It was like getting a second game for free!

My favorite extra inning game was on July 5th against the Red Sox.  The O’s sent every pitcher they had into the game. Eight pitchers had come to the mound.  Finally, they sent the designated hitter, Chris Davis, in to pitch.  I kid you not!  Evidently, he used to pitch when he was an adolescent so he got tapped.  He asked the catcher what to do and he replied, “Throw strikes.”

And he did. He pitched two scoreless innings and won the game!  Well, he became my favorite player and now he’s hit home runs six games in a row!

There are no prima donnas on this team.  They keep fighting back and now have ended up 1 game behind the dominant, big moneyed Yankees.  They’ve picked up veteran players other teams gave up on and picked up  players barely out of high school and somehow it’s working.

I saw today that Buck Showalter, the O’s second year manager, is up for manager of the year.  Ya think???  Every team he’s managed have had miraculous comebacks in no time!  He never smiles, he talks in a monotone but he’s a miracle worker!  He must be the most inspirational guy in the locker room and a stooge for the cameras.

This team even has a winning record against the hated Yankees!  Tonight is the Orioles last game of the season.  If they win and the Yankees lose, they’ve tied for first in the East Division of the American League.  They’re already in the play-offs but how sweet it would be for them to win their division.  It’s a long shot but it’s not impossible.

Tonight’s the first presidential debate and the last Orioles regular season game.  The debate will result in more polarization, as it’s wont to do.  The O’s game?

Baltimore has a winning team.  No matter what happens, this season has given this city a team to cheer for for the first time in 15 years.  We are united!