Test lies ahead for O's in form of Rays

Well here we are again.

The Orioles just swept the A's -- for the first time since 1998 -- and have crawled back to a 29-31 record.

We know what's happened in the past. Whenever the Orioles have taken a few steps forward, they immediately took a few steps back. Especially when it came against better teams.

So the O's have beaten up on the lesser competition and choked against the AL's better team. The A's are in a tailspin. They just fired their manager and have the league's worst offense. But they were a team that routinely gave the Orioles fits, even when they were mediocre. So one can take some pride in sending them home licking their wounds.

And now here come the Tampa Bay Rays, 32-29, 3 games out of first place. To date, the Orioles have actually played well against them, sweeping the opening series in Tampa, then getting swept in Baltimore in early May before taking two of three from them back in Tampa for a 5-4 record.

But with the O's having just accomplished something in sweeping Oakland, and reaching spitting distance of .500, you have to wonder if the floor will give way again and the Orioles will erase the positive steps they have taken.

They've done it like this all season.

So a test awaits the Orioles this weekend. Let's hope they studied hard, had a good night's sleep and ate a healthy breakfast.

Because if the Orioles are ever going to make the 2011 season interesting -- in a good way -- now is their chance.