Baltimore Orioles: Ranking the Toughest Series Remaining on the Orioles Schedule

Who would have thought that the Baltimore Orioles (60-52) would be vying for a playoff spot this late in the season. Believe it or not, the black and orange have a shot, but the rest of their schedule could derail them.

Of the remaining 50 games, 31 are against AL East opponents, including the last four series (12 games). Of those division rivals, even the Toronto Blue Jays, who may or may not finish over .500, still give the Orioles fits.

Since the Yankees seem to have wrapped up the East, the Orioles have been battling back and forth with the Tampa Bay Rays in the hunt for one of the two wild-card berths in the AL.

I’ve ranked Baltimore’s top-five final series. Let me know whether you agree or not.

Oakland Series, September 14-16

Since 2000, the Oakland Athletics (60-51) have been one of the toughest opponents for the Orioles. They’ve played 106 times since the start of that year, and over that stretch, the Birds are just 33-73, which is a .311 winning percentage.

It doesn’t matter the venue, the A’s have dominated the Birds at both parks, but even more so at the Coliseum by the bay. At Camden Yards, the O’s sport a 19-37 record, but on the road, they’ve earned a 14-36 mark.

This series just happens to be in Oakland. These teams hooked up just one time in Baltimore this year.

On the year, the Birds took two of three when they visited Oakland at the beginning of the year, when the Athletics were not moving in the same direction. The A’s countered by taking two of three in their only visit to Baltimore in mid-July.

This series is important for the Orioles. The Athletics could be the team the Orioles will have to beat if they want to make it into the playoffs come October.

Chris Davis is batting .426 against the A’s after going 10-for-21 with two home runs and six RBI over his six games. Adam Jones is 7-for-23 with one home run, six RBI and has a .360 on-base percentage. Newcomer Omar Quintanilla got off to a strong start against the A's. He went seven-for-13 in his only series against Oakland.

Detroit Tigers Series, August 17-19

The next troubling series is next week when the Orioles visit the Detroit Tigers (60-52), who have been near the top of the AL Central for the last couple of months.

The Tigers were the first series coming off back from the All-Star break, and they proved then how competitive and tough they can be.

The Orioles’ offense struggled to push across runs in two of the three games. In the second contest, the Birds stormed back and sent the game into extra innings. That’s when the Taylor Teagarden smashed his first home run of his career, a walk-off three-run shot, for the Orioles' lone win. The Tigers's Justin Verlander pitched a shutout in the rubber game.

Since 2000, the Orioles and Tigers have split the 92 games they’ve played (46-46) and even split the records at home (25-25) and on the road (21-21). Those early years in Detroit include the Orioles' rebuilding seasons, one in which they set the AL record for losses in a season with 119 in 2003.

However, since 2007 when the Tigers began to play more competitively, the Birds are 19-25 against Detroit. They’ve played well at home, going 12-12 over the stretch. But playing at Comerica Park has proved to be difficult. They are just 7-13 over their last 20 games there.

This is an important series for the Birds. It is time for the Orioles to shine and prove they can hang with the big dogs.

Texas Rangers Series, August 20-22

The next most difficult series is the one following the Tigers. After the Birds leave Detroit next week, they fly to Arlington, Texas, to take on the AL West-leading Rangers (65-45) for the second and final time this year.

At the beginning of May, the Rangers made their only visit to Camden Yards. At the time, the Orioles were playing great baseball, leading the AL East with a record of 19-9.

However, Texas stopped them in their tracks, winning three of the four games, including a split in a non-scheduled doubleheader due to a rainout.

J.J. Hardy batted .400 in the series. He went 6-for-15 with two home runs, two RBI and two doubles. Wilson Betemit and Nick Markakis each added a couple of home runs. However, other than Hardy, no one hit well.

Currently, the Rangers have a healthy five-and-a-half game lead over those pesky Athletics. At home, they are 34-21.

Over the last 12 seasons, the Birds have gone 51-63 against the Rangers, including a 20-35 mark at The Ballpark in Arlington. Since 2007, Baltimore is 44-58 with a 22-29 record while visiting Texas.

This series is definitely going to be a difficult battle for the Birds. However, the Orioles have played better on the road this year (28-27 at home, 32-25 on the road).

New York Yankees (Two Series Left)

the Yankees (65-46) are always one of the toughest teams in the major leagues. This year has been no exception as they continue to lead the AL East, seeminly on their way to another pennant.

However, as of late, they have been struggling and the Birds have been gaining ground.

Currently, the Yanks hold a five-and-a-half game lead on Baltimore and a six-game lead on those pesky Rays.

So far this season, the Birds are 5-6 against the Yankees, which is not bad considering they were swept in the first series in April. Surprisingly, the Birds have won four of six in New York and overall, they have won two of the four series, split one and lost the other.

The Orioles have played the Bronx Bombers tough this year, and they need to continue. There are two series left, a three-game series at New York and a four-game set in Baltimore.

Even though they have played the Yankees well so far, historically, the scales favor New York. Since 2000, the Bronx Bombers have owned the Birds, who have a record of 77-148, a .342 winning percentage, against the Yankees. The Orioles are 39-73 at home and 38-75 in New York over the last 12 seasons.

Since 2007, they have played a bit more competitively against the Yankees, compiling a record of 36-65. At home, they are 19-31. At Yankee Stadium, they are 17-34.

Yes, the odds are in favor of the Yankees, but this year has been a surprise for the Orioles and you never know what might happen.

Matt Wieters is batting .429 on the year against New York, including two home runs, three RBI and two doubles. Adam Jones is 14-for-43 with two home runs, four RBI and five doubles. Hardy is batting .314, one of his highest averages against a particular team, with four home runs and 10 RBI.

So, the Orioles hitters have not had a tough time hitting Yankee pitching this year. They have found ways to score runs. It’s about the Orioles ability to pitch well and consistently.

New York has rolled over the Orioles the last decade. It’s time for the Orioles to show the Yankees that they can be in the pennant race until the end.

Final Series Against the Rays, October 1-3

This is the most difficult series remaining on the Orioles schedule. The Birds will be in Tampa (59-52), squaring off in what could be a decisive series for both teams.

What better way to finish off the year than to have it all come down to the last day of the season.

Well, we’ll see if that’s how it turns out.

This season, the Birds and Rays have split their 12 games and have two more three-game series, one at Oriole Park and the last one at Tropicana Field.

Historically, since 2000, the Orioles have fared well against the Rays. They are 116-112 over that stretch, going 62-51 at home and 54-61 in Tampa.

However, as you know, the Rays are an expansion team. Their first season was in 1997, and they took a while to come into their own.

Since 2007, the Orioles are just 44-58 against the Rays, going 22-29 on the road and at home. Under manager Joe Maddon, Tampa Bay has evolved into a much better team. They’ve played the O’s tough the last five seasons.

Adam Jones leads the Orioles with a .298 batting average against the Rays, including two home runs and six RBI.

The Rays feature one of the AL's best starting rotations, and they have pitched the Orioles tough this year. But so far, the Birds have been able to battle and keep the race close.

Obviously, this is the most important series of the year for the Orioles as everything could rest on this final weekend. It’s shaping up to be a very interesting September and October around Major League Baseball.

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