It was just a happy coincidence that Manny Machado arrived on our doorstep this week to remind us where this sapling of an Orioles team sprouted and why.
This is no nostalgia piece. Things were certainly not better a year ago at this time, when it was dawning on Orioles fans that the talk of a major teardown and the imminent departure of one of the biggest stars in the history of the franchise was no longer just informed speculation.
The O’s were in full tailspin by then and Machado was all but out the door.