O's momentum hits a brick wall at Fenway Park

It seemed that a group of fired-up Orioles got on the plane after the game in Washington on Thursday. They swept the Nationals. They hit huge homers. They played great defense and were making a late charge to try and keep playoff hopes alive.

But just which players got off the plane in Boston? We've seen a group playing without the same passion and fire, it sure seems. Hard to not look flat and disinterested when you have seven hits and no runs in this series, and give up six unearned runs. The O's have lost by 7-0 and 8-0 the last two days. This was not expected coming off the series at Nats Park.

It almost looked like an on-field concession speech by the Orioles during the late innings yesterday in Boston. Houston lost Friday night, and had the Orioles won on Friday, they would have begun yesterday's game 2 1/2 out for the second wild card. Now they are 4 1/2 games out with eight to play. They are mathematically alive but realistically not in any other way at this point.

A 96-win year is going to be followed by possibly a losing season, and the Toronto Blue Jays are on their way to suceeding the Orioles as American League East champs.

Since I've been asked about 100 times since Thursday night for my reaction to the Foxsports.com story on Dan Duquette and Buck Showalter, I'll share some thoughts here now.

I truly don't know if there is any dissension, problems or challenges for the working environment in the O's front office. I have not seen or heard direct evidence of any of this either, even one time. Under Duquette and Showalter, the Orioles have done pretty well with two playoff appearances since 2012. I'm sure many managers and GMs disagree and don't always get along.

The bottom line to me is this: If anything that happens in the Warehouse ever gets in the way of the Orioles winning, it must be addressed. The team comes first - always, ahead of every individual, no matter how high up in the organization they are.

In the end, these national stories - and there have been a few now - mirror each other. It could be that where there is smoke there is fire. It could also be that they make great headlines about a team having a disappointing season.

The Orioles have come too far since 2012 to fall back now. This year is a major step back. But it doesn't mean 2016 can't be better. Stories like the one that came out this week are embarrassing for the organization, I would imagine. Showalter said you address them by winning. That is the only way.

The Orioles need to get back to winning in 2016. If something is happening or not happening in the front office that makes that harder, it has to be changed.