I don't think the way we are winning is sustainable

[Redskins Rick]

]I think the front office also thinks the starting rotation will come back to earth [/b]and was why they were interested in Lester but the price was too high so they went the nest best way add a bullpen arm and make it a 6 inning game. The rotation can go 6IP and 3ER and I like our chances.

How about this, maybe the GM is always looking to improve the roster, if the right deal could be made?

[TXOriole]

I guess it's easy to forget Monday and Tuesday. I seem to recall an Orioles offense that "scratched" away with 28 hits and 16 runs in 2 games.

[LayzieDES]

I'll add a third: pessimism on the board even after an important win.

Just enjoy this people. Stop fretting over sustainability. We are a good team. Revel in it.

[BohKnowsBmore]

The Rays and Red Sox are completely out of it.

The Yankees have holes at most positions. Yangervis Solarte has the 4th most WAR in their lineup and they're still starting Derek Jeter. They have no pitching outside the bullpen and the DL. It doesn't matter that they just rolled over Detroit because anything can happen in a single series.

The Blue Jays have the same exact amount of hitting WAR as the O's, despite the common perception, and their pitchers beat us by a whopping 1. That's FIP-based, too, which never shines on the O's. Their starters aren't good, their bullpen is iffy and their defense is terrible. They're probably a better team on paper than the Orioles, and a better team going forward, but not better enough to overcome the lead.

No one in this division stands out.

First of all, the Yanks traded Solarte for Headley.

Second, The AL East is one of three divisions with three 60 game winners at this point (AL East, AL West, NL Central). Further, they are one of three divisions without a sub-50 game winner (AL East, AL Central, NL East). I think claims of our division being weak are overstated, probably one of the top-to-bottom stronger divisions in baseball at the moment. You can do the same analysis with other divisions, by the way, and find much larger flaws. Our division doesn't have anyone as weak as Houston/Texas or Arizona/San Diego.

[BohKnowsBmore]

If the Orioles win the World Series in 5 games, people here will be *****ing that it wasn't done in 4.

Discussion will center around why we shouldn't have won it.

[brianod]

Sustainable? It's inevitable!

I'll admit I'm a worry wart if you admit you are a total homer.

[foxfield]

I guess it's easy to forget Monday and Tuesday. I seem to recall an Orioles offense that "scratched" away with 28 hits and 16 runs in 2 games.

SSS (of course)

I'll admit I'm a worry wart if you admit you are a total homer.

Hogwash!!!!

You can analyze weaknesses and strengths of all teams. But to continually harp on the non perfect qualities that face one team, does not take into account other relevant factors. We are getting deeper into August and time is short. The Orioles have been without question one of the best teams to date and are arguably the most consistently good team in all of baseball.

If this were mid May, your argument of sustainability might be more appropriate, but the Orioles have been doing this for quite some time. They are far from perfect, but they are this too...

in control of their own destiny and time is moving rapidly on their side.

[Redskins Rick]

Exactly, keep winning 2 out of 3, and taking each series, and they control their own destiny.

[primetime]

As some posters have mentioned, offense is down across the league. This isn't an Orioles "problem", it's more of a trend we're seeing throughout the game. Pitching is doing things it hasn't done since the late 60's and 70's.

[AlbionHero]

I's will be fine... they're seeing the light at the end of the tunnel of this 26 game stretch against winning teams. Once we start playing the Cubs, White Sox, Twins, Indians etc the offense will come around.

[mdbdotcom]

I will be perfectly happy to let the experts dissect how our opponent should have won the World Series based on peripherals, and that the O's claim of "victory" is based solely on wins, a much discredited counting statistic.

[foxfield]

Um,

Slaughtering the Cardinals is probably not sustainable either, but the O's keep on winning.

I think we are ok expanding the lead. Ubaldo looked pretty good too.

[weams]

I'll admit I'm a worry wart if you admit you are a total homer.

Oh no. When I lose faith in a player, I am as harsh as anyone. Not close to a homer. A true fan though. And I do go through all of life with a positive mental attitude. It has served me well. I have a good life.

[Hank Scorpio]

Absolutely not, we won't.

But the offense will come around, most likely. The pitching will regress a little, most likely.

Divisional games are REALLY important at this point.

I'd say the offense has come around. For a couple of games anyway.

Very nice to see the barrage.

[weams]

Um,

Slaughtering the Cardinals is probably not sustainable either, but the O's keep on winning.

I think we are ok expanding the lead. Ubaldo looked pretty good too.

The Orioles hold a six-game lead in the American League East for the first time since Sept. 15, 1997. They're a season-high 18 games above .500.

Roch Kubatko