A statement - of faith, or just of their sense of history - could have been made by too-long-suffering Orioles fans in this final weekend of another lost season. But long before today's regular-season closer against the Toronto Blue Jays, the biggest statement already had been made.
Only huge crowds, more than 35,000 each, for the last three scheduled dates would have prevented the first season with attendance below 2 million in Camden Yards' 17-year existence.
Attribute a little of that to bad weather ultimately reducing the total dates - but it still is a dubious record well-earned. It also takes them very close to another dubious mark: half the attendance of 3.7 million the year they last made the playoffs in 1997, gone in 11 years.
On many fronts, the Orioles are better off now than at this point last season. But that's not saying much. The record (61-63 on Aug. 17, then 6-28 the next six weeks) and dwindling crowds speak volumes.
And now, more than at any time since Andy MacPhail and Co. took over in June 2007, it's crystal clear how long the rebuilding will take. It won't be overnight. Don't hold your breath waiting for next year's version of the Tampa Bay Rays.
So ... after voting with your feet and your wallets this year, do you cast the same vote next year, and possibly the year after, while the Orioles slowly fill the gaping holes all over the organization that took years to be gouged open?
Here's hoping that you do keep casting those empty-seat votes. And here's hoping that the Orioles understand that nothing will bring you back except winning - real winning, not part-time winning, not brief-spurt winning, not showing-signs-of-winning-soon.
They do seem to get that. They seem to have no stomach for the old quick fixes. On Wednesday, manager Dave Trembley indicated that the franchise is going to evaluate every minute detail of how it brings pitchers along at every level. Trembley began his pre-game comments with a straight minute and a half of injury updates, nearly all about the latest wounded arms.
"I have no problem with effort," the manager said. "I think for the most part, it hasn't been because these guys haven't given us what they've got. I think we've reached the point where there's only so much you can give."
That night against Tampa Bay, the Orioles lost No. 9 in a row, blowing another big lead. Just 13,632 showed; by the end, maybe 2,000 remained, and most of them were cheering the Rays.
