During this past weekend's series in Oakland, the Orioles struggled to get moving offensively during the first two games. It was a concerning turn of events for a team that had played so spectacularly during recent weeks against some of baseball's best teams.

The Orioles woke up during the Oakland series finale, scoring nine runs during a win. The Birds followed that up with 10 runs against the Mariners last night, sending a signal that the team might be ready to catch fire again. Leading the way has been Matt Wieters, who on Sunday became the fifth player on the roster to hit 20 home runs this season.

During the next week, the Orioles will try to steal first place from the Yankees. The Birds, especially against the Yankees, showed they could be a power-hitting club with everything on the line. Some people jokingly like to say that manager Buck Showalter is channeling former Orioles manager Earl Weaver's three-run home run philosphy this season.

If ever there was a time to revel in that, it's now. The Orioles aren't known as a big-play team around the league, but they have been playing like one recently. They're a team that has taken on the identity of individual players, such as Adam Jones. They feel the moment collectively and seize it.

Many people wondered how the club would respond to playoff pressure. The answer, so far, is just fine.

Posted Sept. 18, 2012