20 reasons to fall (back) in love with the Orioles [Pictures]

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Last year represented one of the worst statistical seasons for the right fielder, as he hit only .284 (he's a career .293 hitter) and had a paltry .406 slugging percentage. Making things worse, Markakis had to go under the knife during the off-season to repair a torn muscle in his abdomen. But the first two months of the 2012 season have seen Markakis bounce back. He's once again hitting for power (nine doubles and eight home runs) and showing discipline at the plate (20 walks to 33 strikeouts) If the Orioles are ever going to be a winner, they will need the Nick Markakis of old to figure prominently in their plans, and that's just what they're getting.

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The Orioles brought in Buck Showalter knowing his history of developing young teams and helping them become contenders. From his track record with the New York Yankees and Arizona Diamondbacks, Showalter usually takes two years to turn around a team. Sure, people around Baltimore were plenty disappointed seeing the 2011 Orioles go 69-93 after Showalter came in late in the 2010 season to lead the Birds to a 34-23 record. But hey, it's his second full year with the O's, and the proof is in the pudding.

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As Matt Wieters soared through the minor leagues, putting up monster numbers every stop of the way, Orioles fans were told they could expect a "Joe Mauer with power." The switch-hitting catcher arrived in 2009 and immediately wowed with his ability to handle a pitching staff and gun down runners stealing second base. But the offense never quite matched the hype -- so much so that a Baseball Prospectus writer labeled Wieters one of the most disappointing prospects of all time before the start of the 2011 season. Wieters answered by hitting .262 with 22 HR and 68 RBIs. Though he has scuffled a bit in May, hitting just .208, Wieters has shown signs he can be a more consistent power hitter. He is on pace to hit 26 doubles, 30 home runs and 79 RBIs. And with the way he handles the pitching staff from behind the plate, it's hard to be really disappointed.

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Even though taking two out of three from the Bronx Bombers in an early May series at Yankee Stadium was impressive, a two-game series split with the Yankees at Camden Yards showed a newfound resilience for the O's. In years past, after hanging tough with the Yankees in a game and managing to find some new, heartbreaking way to let it slip away, the Orioles would come out the next day and get demolished. After losing a rain-soaked game to the Yankees on May 14, the Orioles came out the next day and battled against Yankees ace C.C. Sabathia, ending in a 5-2 win. The Yankees are still 5-3 in the season series, with many games still to play, but the O's have been competitive every time out.

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Baltimore is a great baseball town, always has been. Alas, the past 14 years of losing have clearly taken their toll, especially after the many different ways the O's have raised our hopes only to break our hearts. But when the Orioles are playing the kind of baseball they¿re playing now, a buzz builds in this city. People start sneaking glances at the box scores. People start tuning in on TV or the radio. People want to believe it's real. It's too early to tell if the 2012 Orioles can finally do right by this town, but it certainly feels like they're capable of doing it.

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The hot start has gotten the attention of many national writers: the O's are the talk of baseball. Will it be like 2005 again, when they were in the thick of the AL East race only to fall flat on their faces after the All-Star break? That's probably what most, fans and writers alike, expect to happen. A key difference between the '05 team and this year's squad is youth: the 2012 Baltimore Orioles are a young group that is gelling and learning to win together. Now that they've gotten off to an incredible start, maybe as they continue to grown and develop together, they can keep the pace. Why not?

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Looking at the Orioles Opening Day lineup, there isn't a single player, save for second baseman Robert Andino (sorry, Dino), who doesn't have the potential to hit at least 20 home runs. With 65 bombs, the Orioles lead major league baseball in home runs. Yes, even over Josh Hamilton and the Rangers.

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Perhaps the biggest surprise -- and one of the biggest reasons behind the Orioles' early success -- is the downright dominant performance of the bullpen. Closer Jim Johnson is 15-for-15 in save opportunities and has given up only two runs on the season. And middle relievers Pedro Strop, Luis Ayala, Matt Lindstrom and Darren O'Day have built a nearly unbreakable bridge to Johnson, all registering ERAs under 2.00. Even the much-maligned Kevin Gregg has been terrific, having just allowed his first runs in May after a shaky April. It will be hard for this group to maintain this level of performance, but there's little doubt this group is very talented.

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Of the various free agent signings made by first-year Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations Dan Duquette, few have paid off like the signing of Taiwanese pitcher Wei-Yin Chen. The 26-year-old, formerly a player in Japan, has used great control to become one of the most effective and reliable pitchers in the Orioles rotation. In three of his past five starts, Chen has pitched at least seven innings, surrendering two runs or less. If this keeps up, the southpaw could prove to be a fixture in the rotation for years to come.

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When the Orioles traded starting pitcher Jeremy Guthrie to the Colorado Rockies for pitchers Jason Hammel and Lindstrom, many wondered how the team would carry on without Guthrie, who was their ace -- mostly by default -- for five years. Turns out Hammel is a more than capable replacement, using a newly honed two-seam fastball to put up a 5-1 record and 3.12 ERA. Is it the case of a guy with a career 4.86 ERA getting lucky? So far Hammel has struck out 46 batters in 49 innings, a rate that shows there may be a little more than luck involved.

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In the still-young 2012 season, the Orioles have already faced a few two really tough road trips, facing off against AL East foes the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays, and heading to Los Angeles for a series against the Angels, a team many consider one of the best in the American League. And they've done more than held their own; they've dominated, including the first sweep of the Red Sox in Fenway Park since 1994. The Birds are 15-6 on the road this year, putting them almost halfway to their win total on the road in 2011, when they went a lousy 30-51.

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Ever since the Orioles made him the centerpiece in their haul for starting pitcher Erik Bedard, big things have been expected from Adam Jones. Up to now, he's shown plenty of talent, winning a Gold Glove in 2009 and hitting 25 homers in 2011. This season, he's putting it all together and looking like a future star, a force in the middle of the lineup. Jones has already smacked 14 home runs, including shots that put the Orioles ahead in their marathon extra-inning games against Boston and Kansas City.

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If the superb play on the field doesn't convince you, a ticket can still be had for cheap. On most nights, a Left Field Upper Reserve ticket costs $9. And, to mark the 20th anniversary of the stadium, some tickets on select nights will be rolled back to 1992 prices.