Not too long ago, scoreboard watching was a fruitless exercise for Orioles fans. During the particularly ugly eras of noncompetitive O’s baseball, there was never much reason to care how other teams were doing, as their success or failure made no difference to an Orioles team that was destined for last place. The only reason to consult the division standings was to calculate how soon the O’s were mathematically eliminated.
Those times, thankfully, are behind us. With the Orioles now in the midst of a grand new era as perennial contenders, fans can’t help but track their journey toward another postseason appearance.