Losers... or Spoilers?

   Since the end of August, the Orioles have played 23 games against the Tigers, Rays, Angels, Red Sox and Y&$%ees (all playoff teams/contenders). They won 13 of them. More interesting is the fact that out of the 14 they've played (15 once tonight's game is in the books) against the 3 Wild Card contenders (Angles, Red Sox and Rays) they've won 9 times. Once the season wraps up this Wednesday, the Orioles will have had as much impact on the American League playoff picture as any team not actually playing for a spot. The final series of the season is against Boston and with the Sox clinging to playoff life like a scene straight out of Cliffhanger, the Orioles may end up being directly responsible for Bean Town boys paying golf early this year. I know the whole "spoiler" angle is cliche and, to be honest, most of us Oriole fans grew tired of hearing about it 10 years ago, but something has to be said for a team at the bottom of the standings not just packing it in when September came around. As much as we enjoy watching the Birds win, we enjoy watching the Sox lose almost as much. I want to be happy about this. I want to optimistic. I want to feel positive about where the team is at heading into the long winter... I'm not. I'm not really any of these things. Maybe it's the fact that if the O's win their last 3, they will finish the season with another completely laughable record (70-92). Maybe it's because we ended last season on such a high note after hiring Buck and watching the team surge over the last couple months and sadly it didn't translate into anything this season. Maybe it's because this story is just too old and I've seen it too many times to care anymore (the Birds have a knack for playing spoiler role). Whatever the reason, I'm angry that it's September and, yet again, my team is at the bottom. If I had to choose, I'd say it's because this season dawned with more hope and enthusiasm than I've seen in a decade and by June, it was all but gone. Casual fans probably don't get that. We should be used to losing by now... right? But those of us that truly care... The ones that emotionally invest every year... Who watch the off season clock tick slowly by while we wait for a fresh shot at seeing a winning team take the field... We are aren't used to losing and never will be. We won't accept the fact that winning is something reserved only for teams north of Baltimore. For us, losing will always be a tough pill to swallow and even keeping Boston out of the playoffs won't help it go down any easier.