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Quiet offseason tempers ’13 enthusiasm for some

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It should be one of the most exciting springs in Baltimore in years… but is it?

Last year, the Baltimore Orioles came out of nowhere to win 93 games. The team was fun to watch and played exciting games night after night. They clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 1997. They won a playoff series against Texas and nearly pulled off a huge playoff upset against the Yankees.

I will never forget what happened next. Instead of Baltimore being discouraged by the lack of run support in the playoffs, O’s fans came out to celebrate a team that shocked the baseball world. Charm City was proud of their team and no one spoke a bad word about this team.

Baltimore was then rewarded with a Super Bowl Championship season from the Ravens, only to have Spring Training start a week later. It’s the most anticipated Opening Day in Baltimore since the 90’s, but why am I not optimistic?

After last season’s playoff loss to the Yankees, Orioles owner, Peter Angelos, said “In another year, I predict [the Orioles] are going to be ahead of the Yankees.” He even said they would be active in the Free Agent Market and would spend in the offseason.

But the Orioles didn’t spend. They passed on all the free agent hitters and pitchers, and even lost a couple of key members of their own team, in Mark Reynolds and Joe Saunders. Those that they did sign don’t bring up any emotion at all… Alexi Casilla, Danny Valencia, Jair Jurrjens.

Dan Duquette is a big numbers guy who will try to work the math to explain that each of these signings in an upgrade. Those number games played a huge role in the success of the O’s last season. They won 29 one-run games. That’s the third-highest winning percentage in baseball history, and it hasn’t happened since 1890. But can the Orioles catch lightning in a bottle twice in a row?

To me, that’s the biggest question. There is no doubt that Baltimore is excited and that the team is running on the good mojo they had from last season… but can a team that did not improve their roster from a year ago, get all their players to have back-to-back career seasons and once again prove the country wrong?

That is a question that will be answered shortly. But if this team comes out of the gates slowly, all the positive vibes that made Camden Yards electric last season might fizzle out by the All-Star break.

I will be displaying my Orioles colors and enjoying “Orange Fridays” throughout the season, hoping for the best.

“WHY NOT?!,” right?

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