Has there been a time in the past twelve seasons when you, as a die-hard Orioles fan, have felt more optimistic about the future? For the bulk of these 11 straight losing seasons, your head has been filled with false hope and a general sense that this team will bring a winning team back to Baltimore, eventually.

By now, there is no hope left. O's fans know that this team is on the right track. While the O's are still developing (as are most teams), the young talent is falling into place and the positive results are shining through. This most recent week may go down as the most significant week for the Orioles organization in the past decade.

Just think about what has happened over the course of one week, a week that included five shaving cream pies to the face, a game winning blast by a promising rookie, a triplet of solid outings by three pitching prospects, a grand slam in the midst of a scorching streak, and a date that may go down in history as the dawn of a new era of baseball in Baltimore.

Nolan Reimold, the Orioles second most talented hitting prospect, looked like the real deal by hitting 3 HR's including a walk-off shot. Jason Berken, one of the Orioles young pitching prospects, pitched solidly enough for me to believe that the pitching is actually on its way. David Hernandez kicked off his major league career with a fine outing Thursday night. Brad Bergeson pitched a gem and Luuuuuke Scott blasted his fourth and fifth homer in three games Friday night overshadowing the debut of the second coming of Jesus Christ aka Matt Wieters.  Was the rainbow over the warehouse on Friday a coincidence? I think not.

At 23-26, 5 games back of first and closing, the O's are winning for all the right reasons. Young talent is taking this team over and the light at the end of the tunnel is visible, for real this time. Then again, that's what winning does for a team and an organization.