Despite recent wobble, Orioles’ first half was a huge success

The Orioles aren’t going into the All-Star break in the best of form. They lost six of their final eight games, which trimmed their AL East lead from three games to just one. On top of that, there are legitimate concerns going forward about a thin pitching staff and a lineup that slowed down considerably going into the break, But if you step back for just a moment to get some perspective you realize that the “first half” the Orioles just put together was pretty darn impressive.

Despite all of the recent struggles, the reality is this: The Orioles have sole possession of first place in the AL East. They are on their way to having the head-to-head tiebreaker against both the Yankees and the…