5 Reasons Baltimore Orioles Fans Can Be Optimistic about 2012

For many Baltimore Orioles fans, the proudest day is the one after the team wins on Opening Day. Due to the laws of alphabetical order, the Baltimore Orioles are listed in first place for that one magical day at 1-0. After that, it's been downhill.

Fret not orange and black fans, as with each season there are always reasons to be excited––no matter what the so-called experts say.

Here are the five reasons I foresee 2012 being a season that's not completely doom and gloom for Charm City.

The Smiling Bird Is Back

What O's fan doesn't feel affinity toward that grinning bird of the '80's? Sure, some of those years were just as bad, but let's not forget that the last time the birds won the World Series, their hats featured that same (well, very similar) smiling mascot.

It's no secret that many teams who can't seem to right the ship have tried this retro-logo method to change culture and fortune. Perhaps it will help the fans and players leave its dark past behind.

The Orioles Own "Why Not"

For those fans old enough to remember, 1989 was the year one expert said the Orioles would finish last because there was no place lower to finish.

The no-name Orioles proved the experts wrong by playing amazingly entertaining ball and nearly winning the division––losing it to the Toronto Blue Jays in the final days of the season in a playoff like atmosphere.

The '88 birds were terrible, and the '87 and '86 clubs were almost as bad. The '89 birds came out of nowhere. Sounds familiar ... just replace Frank Robinson's picture with Buck Showalter's and change '89 to '12.

The Pitching Staff May Surprise You

The Orioles take a lot of heat about their pitching staff. Rightfully so. But this year, should health not become an issue, the staff is full of untapped potential.

The Knowns:

Brian Matusz showed signs of greatness before falling apart last year. If he can get back to form, he could be a solid ace or No. 2 starter.

Zach Britton has the stuff of an ace. If he can put it all together, and of course stay healthy, he could be a star.

Jake Arrietta is decent and should fill his role dutifully as a fourth or fifth starter.

The New Guys:

The signings of Tsuyoshi Wada and Wei-Yen Chen are both exciting. Mainly because they are both unknown qualities who rival batters have never seen. Should one of these guys shine, this staff should elevate to an above-average level.

Best of all, all of these pitchers are young and last year's rookie mistakes have been reset to zero.

No Long Bathroom Lines

Camden Yards is one of the most beautiful baseball parks in the world. This season you can enjoy it to its fullest with cheap, spacious seating and convenient access to concessions and bathrooms. Apart from Opening Day, the ballpark is your oyster.

To get the most from your experience, be sure to attend when the Kansas City Royals, Tampa Bay Rays or Oakland A's are in town.

The Orioles Could Spoil Another Rival's Season

Should the Orioles again find themselves in the basement, the bright side is the team plays three teams that are always in the thick of it. Which means the team can play a part in meaningful games.

All Orioles fans remember the last day of the season 2011. Robert Andino's go-ahead single in the bottom of the ninth to destroy the Boston Red Sox season was definitely the highlight of the entire year. For O's fans, it felt great to be relevant, even for just 24 hours.

When you've been bad this long, playing spoiler is as high as it gets.

And as always, there's always next year...