In the chase for a playoff spot, the Orioles are going in the wrong direction

Plenty of teams have come back from 4 1/2 games out to make the playoffs this late in the year. Teams have come from 7 1/2 back this late in the year. Those are the margins the Orioles are behind right now in the wild card and AL East races. Teams have come back from those deficits, but the 2013 Orioles don't look like they will be one of those teams right now. Last night, Boston won the kind of a game the 2012 Orioles won. Come from behind late and then shut the other team down in the ninth after you've gotten the lead. The Orioles made the playoffs last season after winning 69 the year before. Now, Boston looks headed for the postseason after a 69-win season. They now have the late-season magic we saw the O's have a year ago. The Orioles are 5-9 over their last 14 games. That is the opposite of a late-season charge. We keep waiting for the Orioles to make that run. They still have time, but at this point it is looking like that may never come. The Orioles won nine of 12 AL East road series in 2012. Now they are 2-5-1 in division road series. They won their first two in April but have not won one since. They are 2-10 in their last 12 AL East road games. Seeing the Orioles lose the first two games of the recent Tampa Bay series and now the first two games of this series is terribly disappointing. This was their chance to gain on the division teams ahead of them. They will lose both series. A month ago, some fans were gloating about how the Orioles owned the Red Sox. They have now lost four in a row to Boston. All of this is depressing me, so I'll sign off for now. Later tonight, I'll check in from Bowie where Jason Hammel is pitching and I'll have some Baysox news and notes. Before then, how are you feeling this morning Birdland?