No need to calculate any of those magic numbers folks, the Baltimore Orioles are now officially the champs of the American League East. The birds clinched the division last night with an impressive 8-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.
I have been watching baseball for long time and, to me, this year's run to the play-offs has been nothing short of amazing. Throughout the season, the Orioles have fought off adversity which came in the form of key injuries and timely suspensions. However, as things looked rather dismal, the players seemed to use the dilemma-du-jour as a rallying cry.
O's manager, Buck Showalter, has visibly changed the culture of this team over the past few years. When he came to Baltimore, Buck took over a team that almost seemed to accept their role as a perennial loser. The Oriole Magic was gone during those 15 years of losing seasons. And many long-time fans grew tired of watching a lackluster team that seemed to be out of contention by the All-Star break.
The team that we're watching today is a completely different. There's a camaraderie among these guys that is reminiscent of the 70's and early 80's teams. In a nutshell, they believe in themselves. And as added bonus, the players on this team seem to genuinely like each other. In a time of high-dollar egos, this is quite an accomplishment.
All season long, I have seen these guys cheer for one another. When one guy hits a home-run, the rest of the team celebrates as if they hit it themselves. When a player makes an impressive defensive play, you'll see the O's pitcher giving him an immediate nod of acknowledgment. And even when things sometimes get hot, the players yield to their skipper to handle things*. Buck has control of this team, as a manager should, and the players respect that.
*(The rare exception is the Manny Machado meltdown against the Oakland A's earlier this season. But I'm sure Buck had long talk with the young star afterward. He'll be ok...)
The by-product of all this is the rekindled relationship with the fans. I don't think I've ever seen so many people proudly wearing their Oriole apparel around town. This team now has a personality and the fans have responded with a barrage of enthusiasm. Watching Adam Jones celebrate with the people in the stands after last night's victory will go down as one of those special O's moments. There is an undeniable connection that now exists between the players and the fans.
As the team celebrated on the field last night, Buck Showalter remained perched on the top step of the dugout. You could see him beaming with pride as he watched his players soak up the moment. And when someone inevitably gives him credit for the success of this team, he almost always defers the credit to his players. Buck is a class act. And he may not be Earl Weaver, but he's definitely worthy of mentioning in the same sentence.
As the team moves forward, there's no telling how things will work out. But if you believe it yourself, anything is possible. I am more than just proud of this team, I have fallen in love with them. Oriole Magic is definitely back. And it feels pretty damned good!
Our dear friend, Chuck Thompson, is probably looking down right now and saying, "Ain't the beer cold!"
Yes, it is, Chuck. Yes, it is.........
kw
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