Did any fans really see this collapse coming? (plus more from Cal Ripken Jr.)

As the Orioles' free fall continues, I read some comments here on the blog where fans say they knew this was coming and that this was always a flawed team.

I see that as bravado in some cases and venting in others. I wonder if some fans are truly being honest here. If they are, then great. You called it.

But, less than two weeks ago on Aug. 19, Henry Urrutia hit a walk-off homer in the ninth and the Orioles beat the Mets 5-4. At that point, they were 5-1 on a 10-game homestand. They had won 16 of 24 games. The Orioles were 39-28 since June 3, which is .582 baseball.

They were five games out in the American League East and 1/2 game behind for the second AL wild card. Did some really see this collapse coming then? Were some honestly certain this was not a playoff team at that point? The Orioles had recorded three walk-off wins in six games then and looked like they were putting some things together.

If you did, I won't say you are not being truthful. And you are really good by the way. I would think most fans, even some of the doom-and-gloomers, had some optimistic thoughts right about that time.

But the Orioles then lost four straight to Minnesota, and they have lost 12 of 13 now to fall way back in the division and wild card races. In less than two weeks, they've done major damage to their season.

Maybe some of you knew it when they were just 1/2 game out of a wild card spot. But I didn't it. I didn't see a collapse like this coming at all.

More from the Iron Man:

Here are a few more quotes from Cal Ripken Jr.'s pregame press conference at Camden Yards last night. He threw out the first pitch as fans celebrated the 20th anniversary of 2,131.

Is your streak of playing in 2,632 consecutive games an unbreakable record?: "From where I sit, people say it's an unbreakable record, but I did it. Because I did it, somebody else can do it. The set of circumstances and maybe how you evaluate an everyday player now might have changed a little bit. But, still there are plenty of guys that can play 162. Really, it's a streak of consecutive seasons of playing 162. I don't look at it as an unbreakable record."

You are involved a lot with youth baseball. Do kids ask you about your streak?: "Yeah, I think they do. Sometimes they ask me if I used to play. I just met Carlos Correa down in Houston. The first thing he asked me was, 'How did you play all those games?' But yeah, kids are educated about it. Sometimes I have to get them to go Google me."

With all your other baseball accomplishments and credentials, are you OK being remembered mostly for The Streak?: "I think people see you had 3,000 hits, some home runs and were an MVP twice and think The Streak overshadows those accomplishments. But I don't look at it that way. People will be judged for any number of things.

"During the process of the celebration of the streak, many people related their own streaks, which I thought was phenomenal. They might say, 'I haven't missed a day at the plant in 31 years.' Now, that is a real streak. It's all year long with no offseason, and that is work and I'm playing a game. If you are remembered for The Streak, so be it."

Ripken says current O's trainer Richie Bancells was an unsung hero for The Streak: "I didn't have many needs in the training room, but I had a back that would go out every once in a while. Richie learned through a chiropractor how to adjust it and keep my back well. If the back stayed out, then it would spasm and you couldn't even tie your shoes and you certainly couldn't play.

"So Richie was always my savior whenever that happened. I owe a big debt of gratitude to Richie. Our friendship and his willingness to learn things really helped keep me on the field. But I was a pretty good healer and only wanted to go in there to say hello to guys and not get worked on."