O's....really?

With the MLB opening weekend solidly in the books, it's safe to say that things are looking verrrrryyyy interesting.

You know, if the season ended like.....tomorrow. 

There are some surprise basement dwellers: 2010 World Series Champs SF Giants are sitting at 0-3, while perennial powerhouses NY Yankees and Boston Red Sox were both swept by Tampa Bay and Detroit, respectively.

And at, or near, the top? The Washington Nationals, Pittsburgh Pirates, and yes, Baltimore Orioles....all of whom took their opening series.

Hard to believe, right?

Ah yes, the Orioles. I don't know what to make of the Birds, because this seems to be their M.O. year after year. Remember one of my first blog posts? The Os started hot and heavy last season only to have officially crashed and burned before the month of April was even over.

So, it's not surprising that a day after losing to Triple A club Norfolk Tides and two days after losing to the State College of Florida, Baltimore convincingly beat the Minnesota Twins 4-2, 8-2, and 3-1.

Catcher Matt Weiters and OF Adam Jones celebrating a run.

Cause that's just how they roll.

Granted, the Twins haven't been doing very well against the Os as of late, losing their last seven against the Birds. Still, Baltimore can point to a few key gems that may FINALLY make the difference for 2012.

One, all three starting pitchers went 7+ innings in their outings. The last time that happened? 2001, with Pat Hentgen, Sidney Ponson, and Jason Johnson all doing so.

Two, the 2011 roster addition J.J. Hardy looks to be a solid hitter for the line-up, complementing OFs Adam Jones and Nick Markakis. Hardy's solo homer in the first inning Sunday helped establish the early lead, allowing the defense to rally around pitcher Jason Hammels near no-hit effort.

And three, the Os have gone to the old "bird" logo, harkening back to the days when Baltimore was...you know...good. The logo, which combines elements of the two used from 1966-1988, gives an almost Woody Woodpecker feel-good look.

In all seriousness, while the new "old" logo may not be a turning point, outstanding pitching and consistent hitting are what's going to propel the Os from their consistently sub .500 mire. 

And who knows...maybe they'll make it to the All-Star break this year before being mathematically eliminated. At least, a girl can always dream. 

Image provided by washingtonpost and the washingtonpost.