Three a-holes going as Chuck Liddell for Halloween (which I realize is a month away) [via d.yimg.com]
Even in a year where we were "surprised" by a "competitive" Orioles team, the Birds are doing their best to remind us that this is yet another crap season from a franchise that has been embarrassing us in public in front of God and everybody for over a decade.
With their sixth straight loss, the O's are 4-15 in September, meaning very little at the end of the day, perhaps, but the familiar September swoon is nonetheless old hat. Take your Orioles Magic DVDs and toss 'em -- this team is no different than the rest.
Bad pitchers pitching badly, 30-year old minor leagues hitting a little bit, making some people think they're legitimate major leaguers for next year. You name it, the O's are doing it. Again.
The truth is that this team is nowhere near contention. Not even close. Aubrey Huff isn't going to be putting up .950 OPS numbers every year, as this year had a 150-point jump in that particular statistic. The only truly viable members of the FUTURE of this club that we have run out regularly this year are Nick Markakis, Adam Jones, Jeremy Guthrie, and maybe Jim Johnson. Everyone else is old or getting there, or just not very good.
We've got Matt Wieters, sure, but even Wieters, Markakis and Jones (if Jones starts hitting more than he did this year) don't simply measure up to most teams on their own, particularly in a loaded division that is more than just Boston and New York. The fourth-place Jays are 10 games over .500, for the love of pete, and they had some troubles this year. The Yankees aren't just going to go down without a fight, either, so don't simply expect that. Boston will load up with another good team. The Rays' best players are young.
Gonna be a long road, y'all. This process will not be quick, nor will it be easy. What looked like fun earlier this year has dragged out to another forgettable, awful finish.