To be honest, the only reason I payed attention to The Orioles last year was because I have family out there who love them. It was a rough season to watch, I think they were the 29th team in The League in number of wins last year, and with the exception of a few games here and there, it was a rough go. I think the most memorable game was one where they were so thoroughly busting up The Yankees it started to get boring to watch, until a cat got loose on the field and then viewers got to watch a cat rodeo for a bit as people tried to get it out.
This year? Completely different team. They turned everything around so well, that I honestly wonder whether or not they’d be in The Playoffs if they didn’t trade Mancini. I also wonder, and I bet there’s a Sabermetrics guy out there who would know, how much pushing back the left field wall at Camden Yards helped and hurt them.