A Letter to O's Fans

Dear O's Fans:

I am a lifetime Orioles fan. I was born and raised just a few blocks from Camden Yards(albeit, it wasn't there when I was born) and I understand the pain that you have all been going to. This team and I have a lot of good memories, and you probably do too. So I'll share a few of mine to remind you of some of the good times.

I remember going to Memorial Stadium with my Dad as a girl and remember sitting in the bleachers and cheering on Cal Ripken, Mike Mussina, Brady Anderson, and others with everyone else. I remember Camden Yards opening and the All Star Game celebration. I remember the night I was there and saw Chris Hoiles hit a grand slam home run in the bottom of the ninth with two outs and a full count, still the coolest thing I've ever seen in sports. I was there when Cal tied the streak and watching the lights of the cameras go off forever. I love Uncle Teddy's pretzels. And now I love going to Pickles or Sliders before the game to hang out with friends.

And I remember the bad times too. I remember the pain when Jeffery Maier stole that home run during the "96 playoffs. But most off all I know the pain we have suffered through for 10 losing seasons. Asking friends if the O's won and getting the response "They were up by 5 in the 9th, so I really don't know." The ten losing seasons, and the crushed hope a few years ago in '05 when we collapsed after the All Star game. I remember the blown saves and the feeling that even when we were doing well that the other shoe was always about to drop.

But think of all the memories, a lifetime of memories. So now I'm pleading to all you die hard O's fans out there ---COME BACK!!!!

I know its hard to have faith with the prince of darkness's minion running the team. (Lets be honest, if he really was the devil then we'd probably have had a winning season more recently) I know that the O's have bungled through the last ten years with bad decisions and bad records. I mean signing Albert Belle or Sammy Sosa or Bobby Bonilla way past their prime for way too much money. I know we haven't invested in good pitching and have squandered any prospects. I know Angelos has alienated all of us. But that doesn't mean we should give up on the team. Especially not this team.

For the first time in years there is hope again. We have a lot of young prospects including Adam Jones. We are making smart trades to get these young players. I mean Tejada was traded at his peak value, right before the Mitchell Report and this age scandal. And Bedard has been injured for most of this season, yes its only early May, but still. You have to think so far we've got the better end. These players are playing their hearts out, some would say above their heads, but isn't that something we should support. I mean even Daniel Cabrera seems to have turned a corner and become the dominant pitcher we all hoped he could be.

So please O's fans, come back to Camden Yards, support our team again and believe in the Orioles Magic. Show them we really are the best fans in baseball. That we'll be there through the hard times so that we can enjoy the good times even more. This is a team full of memories for all of us. So give them another chance to do right by us. Their trying desperately to change their ways. And after so much time and so many good memories don't we owe them that much. And if not for them do it for the city and for us. We are a great fan base and we should stand by and cheer our team. Lets go back to being the best fans in baseball.

See you at the Yard,
Meghan