Not sure where to start with Baltimore's baseball team.  The first game of the season, they took a lead against Tampa (now the Major's best team) into the ninth inning at Tropicana Ball Park.  Newly acquired closer Mike Gonzalez blows the save, the Orioles feel an all too familar sting, and go on to lose 14 of their next 17 games.

Thats where it started for the O's this season, still not sure where it will end, but barring a miracle run, it's most likely going to be in fourth or fifth place.

Statistically the team is below the league average in most offensive and pitching categories.  To me it goes beyond the stats.  It's the young unproven leaders of this team pressing and feeling the heat of a lousy start.  A manager who is a "great guy" but has literally thrown his hands in the air...looking to the baseball gods for answers that he'll never find.  And just a lack of grit, this flock is hitting 0 -for the century with runners in scoring position this year.

The Nats are a completely different story, a team that was picked across the board to finish dead last in the NL East (and they very well still could) but are giving fans a very pleasant surprise enjoying taking a winning record past April.

Pudge Rodriguez has been a great addition, a productive bat albeit as mostly a singles hitter.  The starting pitching has held itself together as we prepare for Stephen Strasburg's debut in early June.  And they can come up with clutch hits seemingly on a nightly basis.

Funny how just about everything wrong with the Orioles is what's right about the Nats.  Two teams on opposite ends of the spectrum now, but I have a feeling they'll meet in the center eventually.