You can't have a Baltimore Orioles Dream Team without Brooks Robinson.

The Baltimore Orioles as a franchise has seen outstanding teams in the past, and several players who have been inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame. The Oriole Way was proudly displayed by several players who did the city proud over the years.

We will take a look at some of those terrific Orioles’ players, and select a starting lineup for an all-time Orioles dream team.

Catcher: Chris Hoiles
This may just be the one position where the Baltimore Orioles have never been seriously blessed with great offensive talent. There have been some stellar defensive catchers through the years (Andy Etchebarren, Elrod Hendricks), but very few with the ability to produce consistent offense.

We give the nod to Chris Hoiles. In a ten-year career spent entirely with the Orioles, Hoiles hit 151 home runs with a .262 batting average, and was the anchor behind the plate for the Orioles during their last two playoff seasons in 1996-1997.

First Base: Boog Powell
For the first 14 seasons of his 17-year career, John Wesley “Boog” Powell represented the Baltimore Orioles with class and dignity, and provided an outstanding bat in the lineup. Powell was voted the American League’s Most Valuable Player award in 1970, and was a member of four All-Star teams.

Powell won two World Series during his time with the O’s (1966, 1970), and even today is still a revered figure in the Baltimore area.

Second Base: Bobby Grich
For the first seven seasons of his career with the Baltimore Orioles, Bobby Grich won four Gold Glove awards and was selected to the American League All-Star team three times between 1970-76.

Grich was a lifetime .262 hitter for the Orioles. In 1973, Grich broke the all-time record for fielding percentage, committing just five errors in 162 games. Grich would break his own record 12 years later with the California Angels.

Shortstop: Cal Ripken Jr.

Cal Ripken, Jr. replaced Brooks Robinson as the face of the Orioles for a new generation.

A 19-time All-Star, two-time AL MVP, two-time Gold Glove award winner, and holder of the record for most consecutive games played (2,632) that will likely never be broken, Cal Ripken Jr. is the easy choice here for shortstop on the Baltimore Orioles dream team.

Ripken was elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame in 2007 with the third-highest voting percentage ever (98.53%).

Third Base: Brooks Robinson
In a career that spanned 23 seasons, all with the O’s, Brooks Robinson won 16 consecutive Gold Glove awards between 1960-1975, a feat only matched by one player—pitcher Jim Kaat.

Robinson also won the American League’s Most Valuable Player Award in 1964, and was selected to 15 consecutive All-Star teams.

Left Field: Brady Anderson
Outfielder Brady Anderson tops our list of greatest Orioles left fielders. In his 14-year career with the O’s, Anderson hit .257 with 209 home runs, made three AL All-Star teams, and had a magical season in 1996, with 50 HR and 110 RBI.

Center Field: Paul Blair
During his 13-year career with the O’s from 1964-1976, Paul Blair won eight Gold Glove awards and contributed to two World Series winning teams (1966, 1970). Blair was widely considered as one of the best center fielders of his generation, despite only hitting .250 during his career.

Right Field: Frank Robinson

The Orioles made the World Series four times in Frank Robinson's six years with the franchise.

When the Cincinnati Reds decided that right fielder was just old to contribute, they unloaded him to the Baltimore Orioles prior to the start of the 1966 season. It turned into one of the most lopsided trades in MLB history.

In Robinson’s first year in Baltimore, he won the Triple Crown and the American League MVP award, leading the Orioles to their first World Series championship in Baltimore. Robinson would help guide the O’s to another World Series victory in 1970 as well.

Starting Pitcher: Jim Palmer
In a stellar 20-year career, all with the Baltimore Orioles, starting pitcher Jim Palmer won three Cy Young awards, won 20 games in a season eight times, is the only pitcher to win a World Series game in three different decades (1966, 1970-71, 1983), and won six pennants with the O’s as well.

In an odd statistic, Palmer gave up 303 home runs during his career, but never once surrendered a grand slam.

Closer: Gregg Olson
For the first six years of his career (1988-1993) closer Gregg Olson saved 160 games for the Baltimore Orioles, posting a stellar ERA of 2.26 and an ERA+ of 176.

Olson won the American League Rookie of the Year award in 1989, after posting an ERA of 1.69 with 27 saves.

Do you agree with our line up? Who would be on your Orioles dream team?

This is a guest post submitted by Jeff Herbst. Jeff has had a passion for sports ever since he could first walk and enjoys writing in his spare time. He works with Phoenix Bats, a company that creates world-class maple wood bats and other wood bats for both amateurs and professionals.

Mike Flanagan won 141 games pitching for the Baltimore Orioles.

As a lifelong fan of the Baltimore Orioles it was such sad news hearing that one of the long-time faces of the O’s, Mike Flanagan, passed away this week at the age of 59. It was even sadder hearing that his death was result of a suicide.

Regardless of the circumstance of his death, Flanagan will be fondly remembered by Oriole fans for his performance as a player, broadcaster and member of the local community.

From the 1960s through the mid-1980s the Orioles were the most consistently successful team in Major League Baseball thanks to a focus on building through the minor league system, pitching and defense. Known as the “Oriole Way”, this focus resulted in three World Championships, six World Series appearances and 18 straight winning seasons.

A seventh round draft pick of the Orioles in 1973, Flanagan epitomized the Orioles during their era of success. As a homegrown product, he made his major league debut in 1975 and moved into the starting rotation in 1977.

After a 15-10 record in 1977, Flanagan won 19 games and was named to the All-Star squad in 1978.

In 1979, Flanagan replaced Jim Palmer as the ace of the Orioles’ pitching staff and won the American League Cy Young Award with a 23-9 record and 3.08 ERA. Baltimore reached the World Series that season and Flanagan went 1-1 as the O’s lost in seven games.

Over the next five seasons, Flanagan went 65-47 as the Orioles remained competitive in the American League East.

During the 1983 season, Flanagan was limited to 20 starts, but posted a 12-4 record with a 3.30 ERA as Baltimore won the division and claimed the World Series title for the first time since 1970.

Traded to the Toronto Blue Jays in 1987, Flanagan spent three and a half years in Toronto before returning to the Orioles in 1991. He was the last Baltimore pitcher to record an out at Memorial Stadium.

He completed his career with a 167-143 record and 3.90 career ERA.

After retiring in 1992, Flanagan served as a pitching coach for the Orioles as well as broadcaster and member of the front office.

Overall, he spent more than 30 years with the Orioles and will always be remembered fondly by Baltimore fans.

His passing is certainly a sad occasion, but hopefully over time what will be remembered about Flanagan is his positive contributions to the Baltimore community and his legacy as one of the true Birds of Baltimore.

Happy 70th birthday to one of the all-time great Orioles.

The Baltimore Orioles of the 1960s and early 1970s boasted a roster busting with stars from top to bottom. While Brooks and Frank Robinson were the two best players on the team, the most imposing figure was a 6-foot-4, 240 pound first baseman who hit towering home runs and picked throws out of the dirt with ease. It was that player, Boog Powell, who became a favorite to many young fans, including myself.

It is hard to believe that today is the 70^th birthday for one of the great sluggers of his era and we at Sports Then and Now want to wish a Happy Birthday to one of our all-time favorite players.

Given the super-sizing of professional baseball players in recent years, Powell’s size may no longer seem all that special, but in the 1960s and 1970 when most players were shaped like string beans, Powell was hard to miss. With tree trunks for arms that looked even larger when wearing the Orioles tight fitting gray uniform top, he spent more than a decade launching mammoth home runs and playing first base for the Baltimore Orioles.

A fair-skinned giant with reddish hair, Powell looked like a farm boy from the Midwest, but actually was born in Lakeland, Florida and grew up in the Sunshine State. Though his given name was John Wesley Powell, he earned the nickname “Boog” as a kid due to his mischievous nature. He seemed to always be getting into something and became known as Booger, as in, “What’s that little Booger doing now?” The nickname was eventually shortened to Boog, probably around the time he got big enough to beat the snot out of anyone who would dare call him Booger.

Powell’s prowess on the baseball field was evident from an early age. In 1954 he was part of the Lakeland Little League squad that played in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Signed as a free agent by the Baltimore Orioles in 1959, Powell quickly made his way to the majors. He led the International League in home runs in 1961 and made his major league debut that September.

The next season he became the starting leftfielder for the Birds and was an important reason the Orioles were steadily moving from perennial doormat to contender in the American League. Powell blasted 25 home runs in 1963 and the following season hit 39 homers and led the American League with a .606 slugging percentage despite missing several weeks with a broken wrist.

In 1965 Powell moved to first base and for the next decade his soft hands helped make infielders Davey Johnson, Mark Belanger, Luis Aparicio, Bobby Grich and Brooks Robinson regular Gold Glove recipients. Despite the presence of so many Gold Glovers in the Orioles infield, and the fact that Powell posted a better fielding percentage than the league’s Gold Glove first baseman on several occasions, he never won a Gold Glove.

The 1966 season proved to be a breakout year for Powell and the Orioles. Baltimore won the American League Pennant for the first time and then defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers to claim the World Series title. Powell finished third in the voting for Most Valuable Player, behind teammates Frank Robinson and Brooks Robinson, after hitting 34 home runs and driving in 109 runs.

Injuries hampered Powell and the entire Orioles team the next two seasons, but they rebounded in 1969. Baltimore led the league with 109 victories and Powell finished second in the American League MVP voting after hitting .304 with 37 home runs and 121 RBIs. Baltimore lost the World Series in five games to the New York Mets.

The following season, Powell finally earned the AL MVP Award with another productive season. The Orioles also won the World Series in five games over the Cincinnati Reds. The lasting memory of the 1970 World Series is the stellar play of third baseman Brooks Robinson, but Powell also had a pretty good series hitting .294 with two home runs and driving in five runs.

A trip to Camden Yards isn't complete without getting some of Boog's famous barbeque.

Baltimore returned to the World Series in 1971, losing to the Pittsburgh Pirates in seven games, but Powell struggled with injuries during the season and his productivity started to decrease. He followed up seasons of 22 and 21 home runs in 1971 and 1972 respectively by hitting a combined total of only 23 home runs during the 1973 and 1974 seasons. The Birds won division crowns in both 1973 and 1974, but Powell was no longer an everyday starter.

The Orioles parted ways with their popular first baseman following the 1974 season as he was traded to Cleveland for journeyman catcher Dave Duncan. The move reinvigorated Powell as he was reunited with his former teammate Frank Robinson, who was the player-manager for the Indians. Returning to the everyday lineup for the first time in three years, Powell responded with his best season since winning the MVP Award. He hit .297 with 27 home runs and 86 runs batted in while finishing third in the league in slugging percentage.

That proved to be Powell’s final productive season as he hit only nine home runs during the 1976 season before being released by the Indians during the 1977 spring training. He latched on with the Los Angeles Dodgers for much of the 1977 season, but with no designated hitter in the National League and Steve Garvey firmly planted at first base, Powell was relegated to a role as a left-handed pinch hitter. He struggled in this new position and was released late in the season.

While Powell’s play on the field was outstanding, the key to his great popularity was his status as a “gentle giant” of the game. Known for his sense of humor and fan-friendly attitude, Powell was a beloved figure in Baltimore and across baseball. That larger-than-life personality made Powell a popular figure in a number of Miller Lite television commercials following his retirement. When the Orioles opened their new Orioles Park at Camden Yard in 1992, it made perfect sense that Powell would play an important role in setting the atmosphere of baseball’s best park. A trip to the stadium isn’t complete without a visit to “Boog’s Barbeque.”

Though his career numbers (339 home runs, 1187 RBIs, .266 batting average) aren’t worthy of consideration for the Baseball Hall of Fame, the accomplishments and personality of Boog Powell should never be forgotten.

Even though the Orioles aren’t in town to celebrate his milestone birthday, here’s hoping that it is a great day for one of the greatest Orioles of all-time.

The Orioles offense has been backing the starting pitching.

For the next 2 games of the series the Orioles starters would get plenty of run support.

In the second game the Orioles would look for Brad Bergesen to give e them a quality outing, he would do that as he pitched a complete game win.

The Orioles offense would explode in this game with 6 runs sparked from an unusual suspect backup catcher Jake Fox, who hit a 2 run homerun that would give the Orioles the 4-0 lead and get them to their magic run total of 4.

This game would set up a rubber match up and a chance for the Orioles to win the series. They would keep their run surge going in the finale.

In the final game of the series, the Orioles would get some good pitching from Jake Arrieta and the offense would help with 9 runs. The Orioles 9 runs were scored with help from everybody in the Orioles line-up.

The Orioles starting pitching has been pitching well for the last 6 games, which the Orioles are 5-1 in them 6 games with a lot of innings thrown. This production from them should keep the bullpen fresh and ready to go.

Look for the Orioles offense to start pouring out runs and for the pitching to stay solid.

The Orioles hope to keep this going, as they take a trip to Fenway to face the Boston Red Sox. It should be a great 2 games, but the Orioles hope to keep themselves in the win column.

The Return Of J.J. Hardy Would Ignite The Orioles.

Well Hardy started his surge in his first at-bat of the series when he blasted a solo home run to get the Orioles on the board. To top off his return Hardy would get 3 more hits all singles.

In the first game of the series the game went 13 innings. The game would be finished in dramatic fashion, as Matt Wieters would get the hit that plated Felix Pie and gave the Orioles the win.

In the second game of the series the Orioles would have a tough task, as they had to face Felix Hernandez. Hernandez is one of the great young starting pitchers, but the Orioles would find a way to get to him.

The Orioles would get their big chance to take the lead in the game in the 5^th inning, as they would get 3 runs to take a 4-1 lead. Luke Scott and Adam Jones were the ones to help accomplish this, as Scott would get the go ahead RBI and Jones would get a triple to score 2 more runs that would ultimately put the game away.

Hardy would also put his name on this game with a single and he would catch the final out of the game.

In the finale the Orioles would send their best pitcher to the mound in Zach Britton. Britton would have a great game, as he would go 9 strong innings. He would get a no-decision as the game was still tied 0-0 when he left the game, but all in all he would have a great day.

Just like the first game this game would have to be decided in extra innings. The Mariners would strike first in the 12^th inning with a run, but the Orioles would score 2 runs in the bottom half of the inning to get the walk-off win.

To no surprise the game would be won by Hardy.

The Orioles hope to keep this going when they hit the road to take on the Tampa Bay Rays.

The New York Yankees hope that Andruw Jones can return to the form that saw him finish second in the 2005 NL MVP Award.

With the recent signings by the New York Yankees of Bartolo Colon and Andruw Jones, the Tampa Bay Rays of Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez and the Baltimore Orioles of Derrek Lee and Vladimir Guerrero you have to wonder if these teams realize that it is 2011 and not 2005.

If it were 2005, the impact of these signings would without question make these three contenders the top teams in the division and favorites for the World Series.

In 2005, Bartolo Colon won 21 games for the Anaheim Angels and was named the American League Cy Young Award winner.

In the 2005 American League MVP race, Vladimir Guerrero finished third, Manny Ramirez was fourth and Johnny Damon placed 13th.

On the National League side, Andruw Jones placed second while Derrek Lee was third.

Unfortunately as the Yankees, Rays and Orioles look toward 2011, most of these former superstars are years removed from performing at that high level.

That is especially the case for the two new Yankees Jones and Colon.

Since his Cy Young season, Colon has won a grand total of 14 major league games and did not pitch in the majors in 2010. With the retirement of Andy Pettitte and inconsistency of A.J. Burnett and Phil Hughes, the Yankees are crossing their fingers that Colon and fellow non-roster invitees Freddy Garcia (third in 2001 Cy Young voting) and Mark Prior (third in 2003 Cy Young voting) can return to past form.

They are also hopeful that at the age of 33, five-time All-Star Andruw Jones still has some pop in his bat. Though expected to serve as the fourth outfielder for the Yankees, the team would certainly like to see him provide another offensive weapon.

However, if recent years are any indication, how much pop he has left is questionable.

In his final three years with the Atlanta Braves (2005-2007), Jones smashed 118 home runs and drove in 351 runs. In the three seasons since he left Atlanta, Jones has hit a grand total of 39 home runs and driven in 105 runs.

He also has gone from being a 10-time Gold Glove fielder to being a part-time outfielder and part-time designated hitter.

But New York is not alone in looking to the past to help save their present.

The Tampa Bay Rays are looking for Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon to recapture the magic of their days in Boston.

While the Tampa Bay Rays cut significant salary during the off-season, they still have a solid nucleus that is capable of contending in 2011. For that reason, the addition of Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez is hoped to help fill some of the void left by the loss of Carl Crawford and Carlos Pena.

Though he is now 37 years old, Damon is still capable of serving as a table setter for the Rays. Last season he played in 145 games for the Tigers and hit .271 while scoring 81 runs. He is no longer a base stealing threat, but he should be a solid addition to the lineup.

It is difficult to predict what the Rays will get out of Ramirez, who will turn 39 on May 30th. Since serving a 50-game suspension for violating the MLB drug policy in 2009, Ramirez hasn’t been the same dominating player that he was for most of his career.

Splitting time between the Dodgers and White Sox in 2010, Ramirez played in only 90 games and hit .298 with nine home runs and 42 RBI.

If he is healthy and motivated in 2011, he could be a huge addition to the lineup. However, if he struggles, Ramirez could become a distraction and have a short tenure with the Rays.

Of the three teams that went back in time looking for help in 2011, the Baltimore Orioles seem to have the best chance of seeing big dividends.

The 36-year-old Guerrero had a tremendous season in 2010 helping lead the Texas Rangers to the World Series. Though he struggled during the playoffs, his regular season was still tremendous as he hit .300 with 29 home runs and 115 RBI.

Derrek Lee finished behind only Albert Pujols and Andruw Jones in the 2005 NL MVP voting.

If he can come close to a repeat performance in 2011 Guerrero will give the Orioles a much needed run producer in the middle of the lineup and take pressure off the young Baltimore hitters.

A similar statement can be made about the other big signing for the Orioles in first baseman Derrek Lee. The 35-year-old Lee had a solid season in 2010 with 19 home runs, 80 RBI and a .260 average. In 2009 he hit 35 home runs with 11 RBI and a .306 average for the Cubs.

If Lee is able to produce at a level somewhere in between those two seasons, he will be a huge improvement over what the Orioles had at first base a year ago.

Though the Orioles could have used a veteran starting pitcher, signing Guerrero and Lee will certainly help make them even more competitive in 2011 than they were over the final two months of the 2010 season when they went 34-23 under new manager Buck Showalter.

Because it is 2011, instead of 2005, the reality is that all three teams will likely spend the season chasing the only team in the division that spent the offseason signing players actually reaching the peak of their careers, the Boston Red Sox.

Before officially breaking Lou Gehrig's consecutive game streak on September 6, 1995, Cal Ripken Jr. blasted a home run in the contest against the Angels.

It is probably a bit of an overstatement to say that Cal Ripken Jr. saved major league baseball 15-years ago this week when he passed Lou Gehrig to become baseball’s all-time “Iron Man”. However, there is no question that Ripken played a huge role in the healing process following the most contentious labor strike in baseball history.

Baseball had been riding high in 1994 when a desire by the owners to institute a salary cap and the insistence by the players never to accept one halted the sport in its tracks. The World Series was not held for the first time in 90 years, leaving many fans bitter and vowing never to return to “America’s Pastime.”

The strike carried into the offseason and wasn’t resolved until a federal injunction against the owners leading to the resumption of baseball in late April 1995. Overall, the strike lasted 234 days and cancelled more than 900 games while in essence changing very little.

As could be expected, when baseball did return the fans were not rushing back to greet the players as long-lost heroes.

Instead, fans displayed their disillusion with both sides by staying away in droves as stadiums that were typically full were suddenly seeing large swaths of empty seats. Those who did come to the ballparks often brought with them signs reflecting their frustration with sayings such as “$hame on You” or shouted comments like “You ruined the game!”

For most of the 1995 season teams across the league saw attendance figures plummet as baseball struggled to regain the interest of fans who had realized there were other things to occupy time and interest.

In Baltimore, the Orioles struggled through a very disappointing season on the field. After being 14 games over .500 at the time of the strike in 1994, the 1995 Orioles struggled from the beginning and were above .500 for only one day (July 30^th) the entire season.

However, even though the team wasn’t performing as hoped on the field, the Orioles were the one team whose attendance wasn’t seeing significant declines.

One example of the difference in how various places across the country accepted the return of baseball occurred in mid-May. Following a six-game homestand against Cleveland and Detroit during which 230,793 (38,466 per game) fans went through the turnstiles at Camden Yards, the Birds went on a 12-game road trip against the Yankees, A’s, Mariners and Angels where the total attendance was 198,927 (16,557 per game).

One reason for the quick recovery in Baltimore was the magic of Camden Yards, which opened in 1992 and was widely hailed as the first of the “retro parks.”

The other was a Baltimore player who with every game was taking one step closer to baseball immortality.

With every person he touched during his lap around the field, Ripken seemed to be bringing countless people across the nation back to the game of baseball.

Cal Ripken Jr., first put on a Baltimore Oriole uniform in 1981 and beginning during his rookie season in 1982, began an improbable streak of consecutive games played that by 1995 was nearing a record that many believed would never be broken.

Lou Gehrig had played 2,130 consecutive games during his career for the New York Yankees. In fact, it took a fatal disease to end the streak of the player known affectionately as the “Iron Horse.”

In the decades since his retirement in 1939, no player had come significantly close to challenging Gehrig… until Ripken.

During the 14 years it had taken Ripken to near the record, he had won two league MVP awards and revolutionized the position of shortstop in the major leagues.

Typically, when Ripken came into the league shortstops were slick fielding little guys with limited offensive prowess and generally no power production.

The 6-foot-4 inch Ripken seemed better suited to be a third baseman and that was indeed the position he played during his early days in the majors. However, during his rookie campaign manager Earl Weaver decided to move Ripken to shortstop and, as they say, the rest is history.

By 1995, Ripken was a 13-time All-Star and one of the most popular players in the league. Though much of his notoriety was simply for doing his job every day, at a time when sports fans were starting to see professional athletes as ungrateful millionaires who played for money instead of love of the game, Ripken seemed to be a throwback to a by-gone era when work ethic and love of the game were at the forefront.

As Ripken drew closer and closer to the record, the interest started to take hold across the country. The Orioles were regularly featured on national television and the crowds at both home and away games were increasing.

Ripken was set to tie the record in a game at Camden Yards on September 5^th in a game against the California Angels. He would then pass the record the following night against the Angels in the final game of a homestand for the Orioles.

The entire 9-game homestand was a celebration of Ripken’s drive toward the record. Each night the number of consecutive games was emblazoned in large numbers across the B&O warehouse adjacent to the stadium and when the game became official the next number would be revealed in a brief ceremony.

The celebration reached a crescendo during the final two games against California when the electric atmosphere seemed more like that of a World Series than a mid-week series in early September.

On September 5^th, the Orioles recognized the record tying game with a ceremony that included several of Ripken’s former teammates and other sports dignitaries. Ripken marked the occasion by recording three hits, including a home run in the sixth inning.

The following night, the entire baseball world was watching as Ripken hit a home run in the fourth inning. When the game became official halfway through the fifth inning, the magical number 2,131 was unveiled on the warehouse wall while the music from the movie “The Natural” blared over the sound system.

What followed was a 22-minute ovation that arguably started the healing process between major league baseball and its fans.

Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007.

Though obviously a bit embarrassed by the ovation, Ripken acknowledged the cheers and then started to return to the dugout to prepare for the bottom of the fifth. However, his teammates pushed Ripken back out of the dugout and soon he began a slow trot around the edge of the field that included handshakes and high fives with hundreds of fans who were lucky enough to be part of the special moment.

With every hand he touched, Ripken seemed to bring not just that fan back to the game, but countless other fans that were watching across the country and connecting with the moment. By the end of his trek, you couldn’t help but sense that baseball had turned a corner and was going to be okay.

Ripken went on to play in 2,632 consecutive games before sitting out a September game at Yankee Stadium in 1998. His retirement in 2001 included a series of special ceremonies at stadiums across the league as fans across the baseball world thanked Cal for his 20 years of greatness.

Though it has now been 15 years, Ripken’s memorable games still bring a chill and are unquestionably among the greatest moments in baseball history.

Unlike the home run chase three years later between Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire that evoked similar emotions at the time, but have been proven over time to have been built on deception, there is nothing that has tarnished Ripken’s accomplishments.

In fact, if anything, some of the actions that have happened in baseball may make Ripken’s accomplishment even more significant today than it was 15 years ago.

Ripken didn’t take the easy route to greatness. He did it one day, one hit and one game at a time. Though he wasn’t the greatest player in baseball history, Ripken made himself into a superstar and ultimately a Hall of Famer.

Koji Uehara has emerged as the closer for the Orioles.

Buck Showalter was hired to turn around the struggling Baltimore Orioles, but no one could have predicted the immediate impact the new manager would have on the team. After winning 32 times in their first 105 games, Showalter, who took over on August 3rd, guided the O’s to 17 victories in the month of August and into the role of spoiler in the American League playoff race.

The winning month for Baltimore was the first for the franchise since June 2008 and marked the first time the Orioles have had a winning record in the month of August since the 1997 season.

But the Orioles haven’t moved into a position to avoid the worst record in baseball and a 100 loss season by beating bad teams at home. The Orioles have become legitimate spoilers in the American League playoff race.

Of their 17 wins, six came at the expense of the Los Angeles Angels to basically knock the defending AL West champions out of contention in their division.

Baltimore also won four of seven against the Chicago White Sox and split a four-game series with the AL West leading Texas Rangers.

They finished the month with a 5-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox that further erodes the chances for the perennial playoff contender.

There is no secret to the success of the Orioles in August. Quite simply, since Showalter’s arrival they have increased their offensive production while decreasing the number of runs they allow.

After allowing 5.5 runs per game through the first 105 games, the Orioles have allowed only 3.5 runs per contest since Showalter’s arrival. Starting pitchers who were struggling to get through five innings while registering an era of 5.50 have suddenly become workhorses averaging nearly seven innings per start in August with an ERA of 3.20.

The turnaround has been most pronounced for two of the young guns that ultimately must consistently perform at a top level over the long haul if the Orioles want to maintain success and return to contention in the AL East.

Left-hander Brian Matusz posted a 4-1 record in August with a 2.43 ERA in six starts. With the exception of a rough outing against Tampa Bay where he allowed five runs in four innings, Matusz was nearly untouchable in August. He allowed Boston two runs in the final game of the month, registered three games in which he allowed only one run and pitched eight shutout innings against Texas.

Providing the right-handed complement to Matusz has been Brad Bergeson. The best pitcher for Baltimore in 2009 before his season ended early after being hit by a batted ball in late July, Bergeson struggled early in 2010 and even made a brief trip back to the minors.

He has finally regained his 2009 form during the month of August. His 3-0 record and 2.72 ERA in August include three games in which he surrendered just a single run.

Baltimore also has received solid production from a pair of relievers who certainly appear to be making a case for their inclusion on the 2010 roster.

Koji Uehara has five saves and has allowed only one earned run over the last month. He was originally brought to Baltimore to be a starting pitcher, but after nearly two seasons seems to have finally found his niche.

Mike Gonzalez came to Baltimore to be the closer at the start of this season, but a disappointing start and then long stint on the disabled list derailed those plans. Though not closing, Gonzalez has regained his previous form as a top relief pitcher and allowed only two earned runs in 11 appearances in August.

Offensively, the Orioles are still not tearing up the league, averaging four runs per game in August, but that average is higher than the 3.5 runs per game they were posting in the previous four months of the season.

Luke Scott and Felix Pie, two players looking to secure roster spots for 2011, were the top offensive performers for the O’s in August.

Scott hit .314 with nine home runs and 20 RBI. He has posted a solid season for the Birds and demonstrated that he can provide consistent power from the left side of the plate. The question moving forward is where to play him as Scott has seen little action in left field and been used primarily as the designated hitter and occasionally at first base.

The jury is still out as to whether Pie can be an everyday player in the majors, but he is making his case with a strong showing since returning from the disabled list. He hit .308 with three home runs and 11 RBI in August. He also stole four bases and scored 13 runs.

After 13 months of disappointment, one month is not enough of a sample to definitely say that the Orioles have turned the corner, but if they can follow up with another strong month in September, they could be building toward a run in 2011.

They need look no further than two examples from this season’s playoff race to see how a late season surge one year can carry over to the next.

Last season the Cincinnati Reds finished the year going 27-13 in their final 40 games. The San Diego Padres closed with a 23-13 finish. This season both teams are winning their divisions and appear headed toward the playoffs.

Can the Orioles make similar gains in 2011? Only time will tell, but Buck Showalter sure seems to have them moving in the right direction.

Brian Matusz and the other Baltimore starters have been magical since the arrival of Buck Showalter.

Buck Showalter has made a great early impression on the Baltimore Orioles during his first weeks on the job already guiding the O’s to more wins in August than they have registered in any previous month this season. As we look toward the long-term future for the Orioles, there are five keys that Showalter will have a chance to evaluate over the final 40 games.

1.Starting pitching – The biggest reason for the turnaround during the month of August has been the performance of the starting pitchers. After barely averaging five innings per outing and posting an ERA above 5 for the first 100 games of the season, the starting pitcher has pitched at least six innings in 15 of the first 18 games for Showalter with an ERA under 3.

The question moving forward is whether Showalter and crew have found the key to pitching success or if at some point the starters will return to their old ways. With three of the five starters in just their first or second season in the majors, the hope is that they are building for long-term success.

Though veteran Kevin Millwood has pitched better in August, if the Orioles hope to make significant improvement in 2011 they will need to add at least one additional proven winning pitcher to the starting rotation.

2.Corner Infield – When the Orioles were the best team in baseball in the early 1970s they had superstars at both third base in Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson and at first base in 1970 league MVP Boog Powell.

In 2010, those two positions are significant weaknesses for the Birds. Showalter will have the next six weeks to see if rookie third baseman Josh Bell can be the long-term answer for the Orioles. So far, Bell has definitely not earned the spot for next season as he is hitting just .216 with no home runs and 4 RBI in 23 games. With the Orioles out of contention it doesn’t hurt to give him a long look. However, if he doesn’t turn things around soon the Orioles will definitely need to address the position in the off season.

At first base, Ty Wiggington has been seeing most of the action lately. Though he earned an All-Star trip, Wiggington has been inconsistent over the last couple months. He has a .252 average with 18 home runs and 61 RBI, but since the All-Star game he has only four home runs and 16 RBI. While Wiggington is a good utility player to have on the squad, if he is the regular first baseman for the Orioles in 2011 they will not be a contender in the American League East.

The Orioles have had a lot more to celebrate in August, including a game-winning home run by Brian Roberts against the White Sox.

3.Closer – You get the sense that of all the Orioles auditioning for a spot on the team in 2011, reliever Alfredo Simon is getting a very hard look from Showalter. He has pitched in nine of Showalter’s first 18 games and registered two saves and one blown save. However, since blowing a save against the White Sox on August 9th, all four of his appearances have been in non-save situations and as early in the game as the seventh inning.

The hard-throwing right-hander has a 3-2 record with 17 saves and 32 strikeouts and a 4.50 ERA in 40 appearances since joining the Birds in late April. Though he is 29-years old and has been in professional ball since 1999, Simon has little more than a year of major league experience, is earning $450,000 this season and is not arbitration eligible in 2011. So, I think Showalter is trying to assess if Simon can be a quality set-up man or closer for the O’s in 2011.

4.Leftfield – The Orioles have players in center and rightfield that should be anchors of the team for years to come. However, they have not been able to find the same consistency in leftfield. Entering the season many thought that Nolan Reimold would build on his solid rookie season and join Adam Jones and Nick Markakis in forming one of the best young outfields in the game.

Unfortunately, Reimold struggled from the beginning and was demoted after hitting only .205 with two home runs in 29 games. If he does return to the Orioles it could possibly be at first base instead of in the outfield.

Corey Patterson has had a solid season seeing significant action at the position, but at 30-years-old Patterson makes the team stronger if he is the fourth outfielder and not an everyday player.

The 25-year-old Felix Pie could still become that third regular starter, but injuries have hampered his season. He is hitting .284 with four home runs, 15 RBI and 21 runs scored in 46 games, but will have to put up greater production if he wants to play every day. If he can remain healthy over the final 40 games he should get plenty of chances to prove to Showalter that he deserves a spot in 2011.

5.Designated Hitter – One player who is definitely making the most of his audition for Showalter is Luke Scott. Seeing action primarily as the designated hitter, Scott is hitting .353 with five home runs in the month of August. He has seen some action at both first base and leftfield this season, but has primarily been used as the designated hitter.

Scott is earning $4.05 million in 2010 and is eligible for arbitration in 2011, but is not eligible for free agency until 2013. A good sign of whether the Orioles think they can contend in 2011 could be what they do with Scott. He will likely get another raise, so if they are willing to pay him and not deal him in the off-season it would be an indication that they are looking to make significant improvement in 2011.

The final six weeks should be interesting for the Orioles as they prepare for 2011. Showalter has certainly resuscitated a floundering franchise, but the question remains whether he can keep that momentum over the long term.

Baltimore seems to have components in place to start making major strides, but they will still have to make some big decisions regarding payroll and free agency before they are ready to compete in baseball’s toughest division.

Jeremy Guthrie has been brilliant in his first two performances since Buck SHowalter arrived in Baltimore.

In his first week as manager of the Baltimore Orioles, Buck Showalter has proven not simply to be a great baseball mind, but also a pitching guru. After more than 100 games of borderline ineptitude, the starting pitchers for the Orioles responded to their new manager with seven straight quality starts and the results are six wins in seven games and perhaps a new attitude in Charm City.

After 13 years of disappointments Orioles fans have to be careful not to get carried away after winning six of seven games against two teams fighting for playoff positions in the American League. However, the immediate change in performance both offensively and defensively is a hopeful sign that the Orioles have some of the right players in place and simply needed a manager capable of pushing the buttons.

Team president Andy MacPhail said at the beginning of the season that he believed the Orioles were ready to stop rebuilding and start playing to win. A 32-73 record in their first 105 games hardly supported his statement.

However, since Showalter’s arrival, along with the return from injuries of starting second baseman Brian Roberts and starting catcher Matt Wieters, the O’s have definitely played at a different level.

The Orioles have averaged 4.4 runs per game (compared to 3.6 for the first 105 games) and have allowed only 3.4 (compared to 5.5) per contest.

A big reason for the reversal is the performance of the starting pitchers. After averaging barely five inning per start with an ERA of 5.5 for the first 105 games, they have turned things completely around in the last seven contests.

In registering seven straight quality starts for the first time since 2003, the Baltimore starters each went at least six innings while allowing two or fewer runs and every pitcher could have easily registered a victory. Unfortunately, the bullpen cost Jake Arrieta, Kevin Millwood and Brian Matusz victories while Brad Bergesen didn’t get enough run support while allowing just one run in his start.

If it continues, the increased performance by the starting pitchers should help a bullpen that has been over-worked throughout the year.

The pitching also helps the team in the field as shorter innings and fewer large deficits will ultimately help the Baltimore hitters improve their performance.

Sure it only took God a week to create our world, but it will take a lot more weeks like this past one before the Orioles can truly be considered back to a level of respectability. However, Buck Showalter and the O’s are certainly off to a good start.