Our weekly look at one item tying together each of the Red Sox' AL East opponents looks at the Baltimore Orioles, whose fast start has turned some heads.
Real: Simply put, the mindset has been altered in Baltimore. Whether it was manager Buck Showalter's tough talk or the infusion of veteran players or just an overall frustration with 13 straight losing seasons, the 6-2 beginning is a strong indication that the climate has shifted. The Orioles will not win six of every eight games, but a season spent above .500 could be in the cards if everyone stays healthy.
The club has raced out of the gate despite getting little production from a lineup that is expected to do some nice things. Once the bats get going, it will make up for any drop-off in other areas.
Fake: A rotation that has bordered on the horrendous for many years now is finally beginning to look up. However, the early success is beyond anything Orioles fans should expect down the road. Zach Britton will not finish the year with a 0.66 ERA. Jeremy Guthrie was exceptional in his debut, but will have to rebound from a bout of pneumonia. Chris Tillman has never thrown more than 65 innings at the major league level. Jake Arietta already came down to Earth when he gave up eight runs in 3 1/3 innings Saturday night against Texas. Brian Matusz will just be beginning a rehab stint this coming week.
Essentially, the chances that the 2.10 ERA that the rotation had in the first week of the year holding up for any significant period of time is slim to none.
