Larry Bigbie, 2005 Topps Heritage #94

Good news! The 2012 Orioles are now ahead of the pace of the 2005 team, which was the last incarnation of the O's to remain in the playoff hunt into the second half of the season. All through the current season, Baltimore fans have been haunted by comparisons to that ill-fated gang who went from first to fourth place in 30 games, lost in a quagmire of steroid suspensions, DUIs, and bad baseball. But yesterday, the present-day Birds picked up win number 51 in their 95th contest. The 2005 Orioles also happened to play game 95 on July 22, and they dropped to 50-45 with a 7-5 road loss to the Devil Rays. Bruce Chen's five-run second inning doomed them that day, and among the position players only Larry Bigbie (3-for-4 with a home run) had more than one hit. It was the third consecutive loss in an eventual six-game skid, so the O's didn't earn their 51st win until game 99. They immediately began an eight-game slide, running their record to 51-56 with a 10.5 game deficit in the division.

I've got my tongue firmly planted in cheek here, but it's nice to be able to say that the 2012 Orioles are superior to their fluky, weary predecessors.

Miguel Tejada, 2005 Topps Heritage #15

Just five days after I posted about Miguel Tejada and his unsigned status for the 2010 season, he came back to Baltimore. News broke during yesterday's FanFest that the soon-to-be third baseman, who was a three-time All-Star in his first go-round with the Birds, had agreed to a one-year contract pending a physical. Despite his shortcomings (doesn't take walks, switching to a new position, losing his power stroke, has a reputation for pouting when the losses pile up), I think he's as good as the Orioles could do if they were determined to bridge the gap to third base prospect Josh Bell via free agency. He's still likely to hit near .300 and play every day, and no matter what the media may have reported about his behavior, his once and future teammates Nick Markakis and Brian Roberts have spoken in positive terms about him.

I certainly feel better about penciling him into this year's lineup than other rumored targets like Joe Crede (whose back is so bad that he's practically in traction) and Hank Blalock (whose picture has been on milk cartons since about 2005). This also appeals to the sentimentalist in me. For all of the good that Tejada did in an Orioles uniform for his four seasons here, he deserved a better ending than he got. Sure, there might not be many happy endings in baseball, but now he at least has a shot at one.

So welcome back to Charm City, Miggy. Make it count.