Can the O's Keep Rolling? Or Will the AL East Swallow Them Up?

by: Danny

Nobody, not even the truest of Orioles fans like myself, saw this coming. It's Memorial Day Weekend and the Baltimore Orioles are perched on the top of the AL East. I'll be honest. Before the season started, I told several folks that I could easily see this club losing 100 games. The pitching staff was questionable. The bullpen was an unknown. And the offense didn't look like it had the power to compete in a division of big sticks. So far this season, it's been just the opposite for the O's.

You have to start with the man that runs the show, Buck Showalter. If you look at his career, the 3rd year is where you always start to see significant improvement. He did it with the Yankees. He did it with the Rangers. Did it with the Diamondbacks. And now, Buck seems to be turning Baltimore into a serious contender. Of course, I hesitate to write these words because it seems like we have been down this road before. The Orioles get off to a good start only to spin out of control in June and July, on their way to their place in the basement of the AL East. But, even I have to admit, this team feels a little bit different.

Let's start with the pitching staff. The most steady member of the rotation has been foreign import Wei-Yin Chen. He has come in and commanded the strike zone from the beginning, keeping hitters off-balance and working deep into the game. Brian Matusz has rebounded from a disastrous 2011 season and has put up several quality starts thus far. The youngster Jake Arrieta has the best stuff on the staff, though his win-loss record doesn't show it. Jason Hammel, who came over from the Rockies in the Jeremy Guthrie trade, has been dominant at times. The only starter that hasn't quite held his own is Tommy Hunter, who for some reason reminds me of the portly disaster that was Sidney Ponson.

The bullpen has been nothing less than spectacular. Jim Johnson might be the best closer in the league. Pedro Strop has come out of nowhere to throw smoke past hitters. Luis Ayala, Troy Patton, and even Kevin Gregg, to name a few, have all been valuable members of the Orioles pen. But, you have to wonder how long this kind of dominance will last.

Offensively, during this great start, the O's have seem to be able to come up with the big hit time after time. Adam Jones is proving to be a star, evidenced by the huge deal that Baltimore is about to sign him to. Nick Markakis continues his consistent work at the plate, and Matt Wieters is showing the power that everyone has been waiting for. Throw in the work that guys like JJ Hardy, Robert Andino, Chris Davis, and Wilson Betemit have done, and the Orioles offense looks like it just might have the juice to stay competitive. Heck, even journeyman Nick Johnson, who I thought was a wasted signing at the time, has come up with key hits for the Birds. Consistent contributions up and down the lineup has certainly been key in this exciting start to the season.

Are there questions and concerns? Of course. The Orioles defense has been, at best, average, and at times, terrible. But, it has improved in recent weeks. Veteran 2nd baseman Brian Roberts is on a rehab assignment and is nearing a return to the club. But, is there a spot for him? Does the starting staff have the juice to get deep into games as we get deep into the season? And, why doesn't Showalter elect to bunt runners over more often? This isn't a major concern, just a personal pet peeve.

All these things will certainly get answered in the coming months. But, as we sit here on Memorial Weekend, it sure is nice as an Orioles fan to look at the top of the AL East Standings and see an orange and black bird! Check back on the 4th of July.