I don't want to alarm anyone...

or in the case of this blog's audience, bore anyone...but have you seen who is currently baseball's hottest team? Hint: their hometown loves Old Bay, STDs and Dru Hill.

That's right folks, since the Baltimore Orioles hired Buck Showalter last week they are an astounding 6-1. "TJ, how is a 6-1 record astounding", you might ask. Well, when the team is 32-73 prior to that 7 game run under old management, looking like a team that can't wait for the season to end...this kinda turn around is nothing short of miraculous.

Now yes, I am the same guy who got mad at MASN last week for a Showalter graphic after just three games, yelling "sample size" to an empty living room...and I'm still right. This 6-1 start could all be a sham, and the Orioles could end the year 6-44. But I don't think so. And most importantly, it gets to the point (finally) of this post...not only do I no longer think the Orioles are the worst team in baseball, I think Buck is about to pull off the impossible and prevent the O's from losing 100 games.

First of all, the teams I think Baltimore will replace in the overall standings:
Seattle (currently 43-70): Complete C-F in the Pacific Northwest. I almost wish Milton Bradley were still alive so he could ruin Darren Brown's short stint on the Titanic.
Pittsburgh (39-72): It's not even nice to make fun of these guys. It's just fucking sad the product they have put on the field for the last 20 years. And the odd thing is, this year's team has some talented guys...they just can't avoid the suck smog that envelopes PNC Park.

And now, drumroll please, here is how Buck Showalter can salvage some Inner Harbor pride and lose only 99 games:
Baltimore is currently 38-74. They have 50 games left.
BUCK, YOU MUST SIMPLY* GO .500 TO CLOSE OUT THE YEAR. 25-25. DO IT.
That would leave the 2010 Baltimore Orioles 63-99. And that would be simply amazing.



*Don't go look at the AL East-dominated schedule that remains for the O's. It kinda kills the optimism.