I’ll admit it. I’m a little disappointed that the O’s didn’t beat the Rays to secure at least one more home game at Camden Yards.
But one things for sure – it’s far from over.
The O’s have played the 2012 season the hard way. 52 different players in the majors, young starting pitchers struggling and having to be sent to AAA only to return as major parts of the bullpen. We don’t like to win in 9 innings – that’s happened 18 times and we have won 16 of those. We like close, nail biting, one run games (29-9, a modern day MLB record). Our bullpen has been over worked and should be in shambles, but they aren’t – in fact, they are far from it. Our closer has 51 saves, a franchise record, yet has more saves than strikeouts due to his pitching to contact via ground balls. We live and die by the home run. We have a better road record than home record.
It’s clear this team doesn’t like to do things the easy way. BUT the easy way isn’t always the right or best way.
Maybe it is completely appropriate that our season comes down to a winner continues, loser goes home game, on the road against a team that has beat the shit out of us this season. A game that the analysts will no doubt say we have ZERO chance of winning – the same analysts who didn’t think we would win 70 games this year. A game that the Rangers probably think is in the bag.
It’s very simple. 1 more than run than the Rangers over 27 outs and we live to fight another day. And that other day includes two guaranteed games at home against the Yankees.
Buck laid the foundation for the Rangers current team from 2002 to 2006. He did the same for the Yankees in the early 1990’s. He’s now bested his second season turn around record with a team that has been thought of as irrelevant the past 14 years. There is a chance to write a new chapter in baseball history.
And that history can be made on Friday Night, even if it has to be done the hard way.
Let’s go O’s!!!