Connect Four

The Orioles erased any momentum they gained from their 4-game sweep of the first place Texas Rangers before the All Star break with a 4-game losing streak. They were swept by the Blue Jays and a lost last night to the Rays. All of the losses came at home.

And after they'd turned into a competitive team for the last 20 or so games before the All Star break, the Orioles are back in their sleepwalking mode. They've been outscored in the last 2 games, 18-2.

And they haven't fared any better against the AL East, either.

So far in 2010, the O's are 0-9 against the Blue Jays and 1-6 against the Rays. Somehow, they've managed to go 6-6 against the Red Sox, but have no fear, I am sure the O's will change that soon.

Should we really be surprised by all of this?

The 4-game sweep of the Rangers included some fluke events -- like a Corey Patterson grand-slam to tie the game with 2 outs and 2 strikes in the 9th inning -- and a Chris Tillman no-hitter into the 7th inning. It was just the universe playing another mean trick on Orioles fans.

Just when you thought they were dead, they show signs of life. Now they are dead again.

So what now?

You got me.

Brian Matusz hasn't made it out of the 3rd inning in his last 2 starts. Chris Tillman went from dominating the slugging Rangers to getting chased out of the game against the Rays last night, 8 ER in 2.2 IP. The Orioles suddenly can't hit their way out of a wet paper bag with scissors in their hands, to borrow a gem from the RZA.

I foolishly thought that the second half of the 2010 season could contain the O's best baseball, since they pretty much treated April and May like it was August and September. But silly me.

This team is on pace to lose 111 games for a reason.

Abandon hope, ye who enter here.