One for the books

After editing Jim Hunter's latest blog (The prospect is exciting), and after having posted entries from Rick Dempsey (The possibilities for a better second half) and Amber Theorharis (Bergesen's contributions loom large), I'd spent a fair amount of time in the Orioles' photo system looking for pictures of one guy or another from the O's group of promising pitching prospects. Say that five times fast. But one picture that struck me was this one of the whole group together. Barring injuries or the inevitable (hopefully not) guy or two who doesn't live up to expectations, this picture from Orioles Team Photographer Todd Olszewski will be a gem one day. It's exciting to look at this picture now and wonder what might be. It's exciting to look at this picture now and think of what's already been in Brad Bergesen and David Hernandez. It's exciting to think of one day looking at this picture hung on the walls in the club level or in Pastimes Cafe and being able to remember this group as one of the great ones in Orioles history. You're right, we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves. We don't know what the future will hold, and these young men already have more than enough pressure heaped upon them. But I'd like to know what you think of when you look at this photo? Can you help thinking great things, beyond what we can know and beyond what it might even be fair to ask of these men? I keep hearing people say, "It's good to be an Orioles fan again." But what they've forgotten is that it always has been. But good starting pitching doesn't hurt one bit in helping fans believe it again...