"Oh, Orioles."

That's been my exasperated sigh for every baseball season I can remember. Still, every April, I dress in orange and black and expect things to be different. There's optimism in those first few games of the season, an optimism I can't explain. Will this be our year? No, probably not. But it could be.

Today is Opening Day at Camden Yards. Sports bloggers, journalists, and commentators don't expect much from our Orioles. Fans don't expect much from our Orioles. But even though we're mostly pessimistic (realistic?) about their chances for a winning record, let alone a playoff spot, many of us ignore the stats and get caught up in speculative optimism on Opening Day. Maybe, just maybe, things will click, the team will come together as a cohesive unit, and we'll see the birds embody greatness. Maybe.

You know the feeling you get when you buy a lottery ticket for a huge jackpot? You know how you make imaginary plans to buy a mansion, quit your job, and throw backyard BBQs for friends on your own private island? When you're an Orioles fan, there's something about the clean slate of a new season that awakens similar irrational optimism.

The lottery fantasy collapses when someone else wins the jackpot, and a few weeks' worth of losses break the spell cast by Orioles magic.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Today, at 3:05 p.m., the Toronto Blue Jays step up to bat to Camden Yards. The Orioles' record from last year will been forgiven. They played hard and rallied for a win over the Rays last night. We saw flashes of brilliance. They looked refreshed, energetic, and hungry to win.

Will this be our year? No, if you're realistic, probably not.

But it could be.