Wheels Coming Off

The Orioles have battled valiantly this year so far but the last two weeks have been a struggle. During the last ten years of losing, when things have gotten off to a good start, there is always one moment that has turned the tide for the worse.

Last year, the Mother's Day Massacre footed the bill. Blowing a 4-run lead in the ninth at Fenway drove the dagger in for good. Three years ago, on June 1st, BJ Ryan in his last season with Baltimore gave up a two-run game winner to David Ortiz--season over.

This year, it may have already happened. On June 29th against the Nationals, with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, George Sherrill thought he had strike three on a pitch to Ronnie Belliard.

Belliard crushed the next pitch just inside the foul pole, a glorious bomb that traveled high into the waning sunlight of a humid DC afternoon, and with it went any aspirations of contention for the 2008 Orioles.