For an O's fan, this might be the most interesting playoff race ever

[OFFNY]

o

o

This late season Pennant race reminds me of the Orioles' 2012 stretch run.

The Orioles were oh so close to the 1st-place Yankees right down until the final few games, but they just couldn't quite overtake them. They did manage to attain a Wildcard berth though, and they the Rangers in the one-game playoff.

This upcoming series reminds me of a series against the Tigers that year. It was late August, and the Tigers were as tough then as they are now. The Orioles lost the first game of the series, a game in which 1st baseman Mark Reynolds went ballistic over a horrible overturn of a call that was initially ruled (correctly) in favor of the Orioles. Reynolds slammed his glove down, and was promptly ejected from the game. The Orioles lost that game, but they came right back and won the next 2 games.

I see this upcoming series similarly to that one against the Tigers in 2012. Even if the Orioles happen to drop the opening game of the series tomorrow, I am confidant that they can come back and win the next 2 on Saturday and Sunday.

Those 2012 Orioles were a scrappy, spunky bunch who were not afraid of any team, or any challenge ........ I feel the same way about this 2016 team.

o

Well, nobody threw their glove on the ground and went ballistic like Mark Reynolds did 4 years ago, but there was some questionable home-plate umpiring from Joe West tonight.

And it would be nice if we followed suit like we did in that series from 4 years ago, and won the next 2 games to take the series.

o

And history has repeated itself.

After dropping the first game of a crucial 3-game set against the Tigers late in the season ........ a game in which the umpiring was questionable, as it was on that August day 4 years ago when Mark Reynolds was ejected from the game for arguing a horrendous call ........ the Orioles came back to take the final 2 games of the series.

Way to go, Orioles.

[MDK02]

o

o

And history has repeated itself.

After dropping the first game of a crucial 3-game set against the Tigers late in the season ........ a game in which the umpiring was questionable, as it was on that August day 4 years ago when Mark Reynolds was ejected from the game for arguing a horrendous call ........ the Orioles came back to take the final 2 games of the series.

Way to go, Orioles.

Sweet! Great call!

[callahan09]

Including that we play the Nats in interleague, we definitely play the toughest schedule.

We currently have the toughest strength of schedule for the year so far.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/rpi/_/sort/sos

We are also the 4th best team in MLB according to RPI, which measures record vs opponent records.

Remaining schedule is slightly easier than schedule to this point, at least by measure of opponent average win pct. We have a .510 SOS right now, .506 the rest of the way. Still tough. We have 13 games left against teams with records 10+ games over .500.

The other 7 games are against teams that are at least 22 games under .500.

[kristoff.nachnam]

I'm just getting back into baseball after losing interest back in 1991 (I was 12 at the time). I have never had as much fun watching games as I have this year.

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[SilentJames]

Watching the Jays completely fumble the ball at the goal line so far has been interesting.

They have 10 games against non-contending teams, so they are either going to get real fat off the bottom feeders, or they are going to complete their collapse and fall off hard.

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[VeveJones007]

Watching the Jays completely fumble the ball at the goal line so far has been interesting.

They have 10 games against non-contending teams, so they are either going to get real fat off the bottom feeders, or they are going to complete their collapse and fall off hard.

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But, most of those games are also on a late-season West Coast trip. That will be tough, especially as Seattle still has an outside shot.

[VeveJones007]

Really impressed that they took 2/3 from Detroit. Just need to keep winning each series and everything will take care of itself.

[SteveA]

I'm just getting back into baseball after losing interest back in 1991 (I was 12 at the time). I have never had as much fun watching games as I have this year.

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Cool! Welcome back.

How do you like our new ballpark? [emoji1]

[bpilktree]

The game on Sunday was great as the Orioles were in the race and helped to make the day go by faster as I decided not to watch any of the NFL games this week. So watched the Orioles game and then watched a great US open final in tennis.

[O's are Legends]

This is the most fun I've ever had watching baseball. Every game feels like a NCAA tournament game except not on neutral sites but loud and tough environments.

[Machado13]

The AL East is pretty insane this year. Very interesting race in general.

Hopefully the Os aren't the team outside looking in after 162. Sucks that Houston or Detroit might get just based on some bad teams in respective Divisions.

[NashLumber]

o

Well, nobody threw their glove on the ground and went ballistic like Mark Reynolds did 4 years ago, but there was some questionable home-plate umpiring from Joe West tonight.

And it would be nice if we followed suit like we did in that series from 4 years ago, and won the next 2 games to take the series.

Thanks for reminding me of that. I loved Reynolds' passion. He was one of my favorite short term Orioles. I probably threw something that night in support of him.

[callahan09]

Saw today that at the beginning of play today, the AL East had four teams within four games of first place with each team having fewer than 20 games left to play. The first time in MLB history that this has happened in a division. It's still true after end of day, too.

[OFFNY]

o

This late season Pennant race reminds me of the Orioles' 2012 stretch run.

The Orioles were oh so close to the 1st-place Yankees right down until the final few games, but they just couldn't quite overtake them. They did manage to attain a Wildcard berth though, and they the Rangers in the one-game playoff.

This upcoming series reminds me of a series against the Tigers that year. It was late August, and the Tigers were as tough then as they are now. The Orioles lost the first game of the series, a game in which 1st baseman Mark Reynolds went ballistic over a horrible overturn of a call that was initially ruled (correctly) in favor of the Orioles. Reynolds slammed his glove down, and was promptly ejected from the game. The Orioles lost that game, but they came right back and won the next 2 games.

I see this upcoming series similarly to that one against the Tigers in 2012. Even if the Orioles happen to drop the opening game of the series tomorrow, I am confidant that they can come back and win the next 2 on Saturday and Sunday.

Those 2012 Orioles were a scrappy, spunky bunch who were not afraid of any team, or any challenge ........ I feel the same way about this 2016 team.

o

At 85-71 overall, the 2016 Orioles are not in as good a position as I had hoped they would be in when I made this post 2 and-a-half weeks ago.

But they are still alive and breathing, and it could have been worse ........ so I'm a little bit happy.

[atomic]

Most interesting races during my time as a fan:

1. 1982

2. 1974

3. 1989

4. 1977 and 1980 (tie)

The Orioles only won 1 of those 5, but I can't put the 1996 WC race in the same category as any of them. One thing in common for 1982, 1974, 1977, and 1980 was the Orioles playing simply outstanding baseball down the stretch. The 1989 team hung on for dear life with talent that seemed decidely less than the Jays and unfortunately, I think that's the best case for this Orioles team.

I would agree and say 1982 was the best race. We were down so far and felt out of it so many times and then to have basically a one game playoff as the last game with our ace starting. It was also Earl's "last game" managing. Palmer was so good that year a shame we couldn't win that one. Needing to sweep the Brewers in a 4 game series to end the season and wining the first 3. And that Brewer line-up was deadly. Hard to ever replicate that season.