Fire Birds

[Photo Credit: Associated Press]

     By Pat Carroll

    
     After the hub-bub of the Opening weekend has subsided, four teams have made it through the weekend unscathed. The Philadelphia Phillies, who are everyone's favorites to win the National League pennant, were no surprises sweeping the Houston Astros to open the season. The defending American League champion Texas Rangers came out of the gates swinging, hitting eleven home runs in their three game sweep of the Boston Red Sox. The Cincinnati Reds also started off the season hot with a sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers. But the fourth team, well, that is a major surprise. The lone team of the bunch that was far from the playoffs last season: The Baltimore Orioles.

     Yes, the Orioles, under manager Buck Showalter, are playing great baseball and are the hottest team in the MLB with their best start since 1997. Yes, I know it's April and it hasn't even been a week into the season, but the Birds look like a solid ball club. In my recent American League Preview, I had the Orioles finishing in eleventh out of fourteen teams and pulling up the rear in the AL East. In 2010, they didn't win a series until May 2. In 2011, they haven't lost a game. So far, they have showed that they are a team to be reckoned with after sweeping the Tampa Bay Rays on the road.

The Keys to Success




     Veteran second baseman Brian Roberts and right fielder Nick Markakis have been catalysts for the O's offense that finished 2010 ranked at the lower end of the majors in almost every offensive category. Roberts, who is the longest tenured Oriole on the staff, has gotten off to a hot start, hitting .294 with two home runs and eight RBIs. Markakis has filled the role of "future of the franchise" nicely, especially to start 2011, toting a .429 batting average and playing solid defense in right.

[Photo Credit: J. Meric/Getty Images]

    

     A pleasant surprise for Orioles fans is the recovery of young catcher Matt Wieters. After hitting .249 in 2010 with 94 strikeouts while playing in 130 games, Wieters has started 2011 batting .385 to go along with an OPS of .890. The Orioles' No. 1 prospect in 2009 has shown signs of maturation in his third season in the majors by working the count and getting good pitches to put in play. The Orioles have a potent line-up that features all-around players Adam Jones and Felix Pie while incorporating newcomers Vladimir Guerrero, J.J. Hardy, Mark Reynolds and Derek Lee. With all the pieces put in place, the O's are showing an early resilience and intensity that should be a fuel for them throughout the season.

    
     The Orioles are relying on a young rotation that has only allowed  two runs in 26 innings pitched. Jeremy Guthrie, the Orioles' opening day starter, blanked the Rays to start the season with six strikeouts and a walk. He was recently hospitalized for an infection that may even be pneumonia and will miss his next scheduled start on Wednesday. Guthrie, along with Chris Tillman, Zach Britton and Jake Arrieta, has fueled a rotation that combined has a 0.69 ERA. Tillman, in his first start, pitched six no-hit innings with three walks and five strikeouts. Britton struckout six in his first start in Tampa, utilizing his sinker and offspeed pitches to keep the Rays' hitters on their toes. Arrieta beat the Detroit Tigers on three strikeouts, one earned run in six innings pitched. If the Orioles can get the production they have out of the rotation and the bullpen thus far throughout the season, don't be surprised in the Birds win quite a few more series.

     Though the calendar reads April 5, the Orioles have started the 2011 season on a roll, that MLB analysts across the country didn't foresee. With the continued mix of solid pitching and quality starts to go along with a consistent line-up and strong defense, the O's can surprise a lot of people and possibly contend for the AL Wild Card slot.