This might make your buddies gag on their Cheerios this morning, but fair is fair. Some might subscribe to the theory that unless you have something negative to say, it's best to not say anything at all. But not you. Half full or half empty, you've always been able to drink whatever's in front of you.
Which is why this morning, you're able to recognize - albeit uncomfortably - an important turning point for the Orioles.
Today marks a mini-culmination of sorts. We probably could've presented the larger hypothesis several months ago, but with some things, you have to see it to appreciate it. Are you sitting down? OK, here goes:
Of late, Orioles steward Peter Angelos has been doing some pretty decent stewarding.
Whew. That wasn't so tough, was it? (And fret not, jinxes don't apply to the offseason.)
After years of pleading, the Orioles are expected to reveal today new uniforms that feature "Baltimore" on their road jerseys. Endorsed by years of fans begging and pleading, it was a move personally handled by the team's owner. Given that, there's probably no better time to recognize that recently Angelos has successfully and with little fanfare done exactly what's expected of him. I'll try not to get too technical here, but I've synthesized the myriad gripes and requests into a brief one-point presentation:
* Stay out of the way.
For years, it seemed, Angelos had his heels dug so deep into the earth they had sprouted roots. Finally relenting and returning "Baltimore" to the road jerseys is a symbolic gesture that tells us not that he is open to change - but more importantly, that he's capable of it.
The uniforms are small potatoes. It's what's in those uniforms that matters most, which is why the true verdict has always hinged on Andy MacPhail's ability to remake this franchise without Angelos' interference, a grievance repeated by MacPhail's predecessors.
MacPhail was brought in in June 2007 and by all accounts has had free rein. He's taking a sensible, patient and deliberate approach to rebuilding the Orioles. This means a man with a pedigree in baseball is making the baseball decisions, while the man who bought his way into baseball has finally - and wisely - put faith in others.
No one's celebrating 11 straight losing seasons, and no one's suggesting the Orioles are within sneezing distance of a single division rival. But for years, one of the biggest obstacles was the guy who signed the checks. Feel free to say otherwise three months from now, but that no longer appears to be the case.
