There werent too many, if any prognosticators, who picked the Baltimore Orioles to win the American League East. Authentic Sam Darnold Jersey . But the last two-and-a-half months of the season, they have been far and away the best team in the division, if not the entire American League, and have built the largest division lead of any team in baseball at 14 games over the New York Yankees. The Os arent really an overnight success. Buck Showalter took over as manager about two-thirds of the way through the 2010 season replacing the fired Dave Trembley. They showed signs of a turnaround going 34-24 under their new skipper, but the next year, 2011, they tumbled to a 69-93 mark and were starting to look like a team trapped in its own mediocrity. Enter Dan Duquette who was hired in early November of 2011 to take over as general manager. Buck Showalter was actually part of the committee that chose him. But Duquette wasnt necessarily their first choice. Toronto Blue Jays assistant GM Tony LaCava reportedly turned them down and three other current general managers, Andrew Friedman (Tampa Bay Rays)Jerry DiPoto (Los Angeles Angels) and Rick Hahn (Chicago White Sox) were at least approached. All were said to questionthe commitment to spending what it took to win of the sometimes tempestuous owner, Peter Angelos. Under the Duquette-Showalter combo, the Orioles made a 24-game improvement from 2011 to 2012, finishing that 2012 season at 93-69 and earning a Wild Card berth to end a string of 14-straight losing season. There was a bit of a slip back in 2013 to 85-77 and the team missed the playoffs. Then came the big breakthrough this year with 92 wins, and still 10 games to go, and the second-highest victory total in the MLB to the Angels 95. So, how was this team put together? Well, lets stress off the top that a number of key pieces were in place before Duquette and Showalter even arrived, but the Orioles have crafted meticulously with a combination of top draft picks, sharp trades, international signings and even Rule 5 draft picks. The Os, at my count, have five of their own first-round picks either on their roster or on the DL right now, includingright-hander Kevin Gausman (fourth overall in 2012,) lefty reliever Brian Matusz (the fourth-overall pick in 2008,) long-time right fielder Nick Markakis (seventh overall in 2003,) injured third baseman Manny Machado (third overall in 2010) and catcher Matt Wieters (the fifth-overall pick in 2007), who is recovering from Tommy John surgery. Thats quality drafting, but expected of a team that finished so low in the standings for so long. They also have former first-round picks aquired from other organizations, such as utility man Kelly Johnson, infielder Ryan Flaherty and journeyman outfielder Delmon Young, who went first overall to the Tampa Bay Rays in 2003 On the international front, the Os signed 22-year-old second baseman Jonathan Schoop out of Curacao as a free agent in 2008. They landed right-hander Miguel Gonzalez, who was pitching in Mexico, in March of 2012 as a free agent. Then, the best international signing of the bunch, left-hander Wei-Yin Chen, a 16-game-winner this season, who came over Taiwan later in 2012. Reliever T.J. McFarland was a Rule 5 draft pick-up from the Cleveland Indians in 2012 and the aforementioned Flaherty was a Rule 5 claim from the Cubs in 2011. Steve Pearce, who destroyed the Blue Jays in two games this week, was a waiver claim from the New York Yankees in 2012. Relievers Evan Meek and Ryan Webb were both unsung free agent pick-ups over the past two off-seasons. Then, there are the key trades. In February of 2008, the Os shipped Canadian-born lefty Erik Bedard to the Seattle Mariners for a package of five players, that included Adam Jones, whos blossomed into a star centrefielder, and right-hander Chris Tillman, whos done a stellar job in the Orioles rotation this year. That deal was a steal and easily one of the worst in Mariners history. Last year at the July 31st deadline, they picked up right-hander Bud Norris from the Houston Astros for two prospects and a competitive balance draft pick. Norris, who looked like a back of the rotation pitcher with the Astros, has won 14 this season at Baltimore. Then there was this one - in late July 2011, the Os sent lefty closer Koji Uehara to the Texas Rangers for now suspendedslugger Chris Davis and reliever and sometimes closer Tommy Hunter. There have been other lesser deals including picking up outfielders David Lough and Alejandro De Aza and reliever Brad Brach and then things like having a third-round draft pick from 2006, Zach Britton, turn into a top-notch closer this season. Finally, we come to the two big free agents signing the Os made back in the spring. Sure, signing veteran right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez (5-9) looks like a horrible decision now, but Baltimore more than made up for that by signing OF/DH Nelson Cruz to a one-year, $8 million pact. He should be right in the running with the Angels Mike Trout for the American League MVP. When you boil all of this down and throw in that Showalter wins wherever he goes and Duquettes teamshave made the post-season five of the 11 years, maybe we shouldnt be asking why the Orioles won the East. But why not? Showalter is a solid choice for American League Manager of the Year for a third time and Duquette could well be Executive of the Year, an award he also won in 1992 with the Montreal Expos and in 1995 with the Boston Red Sox. - The Angels have to be holding their breath over the condition of rookie right-hander Matt Shoemaker. He has an oblique strain and having already lost righty Garrett Richards for the season, losing Shoemaker could seriously damage their World Series hopes. Interesting that the plug in guy in the rotation right now for skipper Mike Scioscia is Colby Rasmuss brother, Cory. - The other night, the Kansas City Royals played the longest nine-inning game in franchise history at four hours and 16 minutes, losing 7-5 to the White Sox, ut the amazing thing about that game was two of KCs flame-throwing relievers, Kelvin Herrera and Wade Davis, both had lengthy scoreless innings streaks broken. Herrera had gone 31 innings without giving up a run and Davis was at 31-2/3 innings. That bullpen, anchored by closer Greg Holland, is a big part of the reason why the Royals are now holding the first Wild Card slot in the American League, a half-game up on the crumbling Oakland As. The Royals, of course, have the longest post-season drought in the MLB, not having made it since they beat the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Ser Wholesale Jets Jerseys . Patty Mills scored 15 points, Tim Duncan had 10 points and 11 rebounds in limited minutes, and San Antonio trailed for only 11 seconds late in the first quarter of a 103-90 victory over Portland on Wednesday night. Authentic Chris Herndon Jersey . -- Jack Del Rio only wanted to talk about the Cowboys, not the Trojans. http://www.cheapnewyorkjetsjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=authentic-folorunso-fatukasi-jersey . Born in Berkeley and raised in Oakland, where he later pitched for the As, Ross beat the Giants for the first time in six career appearances by throwing eight scoreless innings to lead the San Diego Padres to a 2-1 victory Friday night.PHILADELPHIA -- Ryan Howard made the Houston Astros pay for pitching to him. Howard singled in the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the 15th inning to lift the Philadelphia Phillies to a 2-1 victory over Houston on Tuesday night. The interleague matchup between teams with two of the four worst records in the majors lasted 5 hours, 5 minutes. Hector Neris (1-0) tossed a perfect inning to earn the win in his major league debut. Grady Sizemore led off the inning against Jake Buchanan (1-2) with a hard one-hop single under second baseman Jose Altuves glove. After Ben Revere sacrificed, Jimmy Rollins flied out and Chase Utley was intentionally walked. Howard then ripped a 1-2 pitch to right and Sizemore slid in safely ahead of right fielder Robbie Grossmans throw. "You go up there with a chip on your shoulder," Howard said. "Them walking Chase, I wanted to get it done." It was the fifth game of at least 14 innings for the Phillies this season, tying a franchise-record first set in 1958. Both starters -- Philadelphias Kyle Kendrick and Houstons Dallas Keuchel -- allowed one run in seven innings. Howard led off the bottom of the second with an opposite-field homer that just cleared the wall in left-centre, giving the Phillies a 1-0 lead. The run snapped a 22-inning scoreless streak for Philadelphia, which was shut out in Washington on Saturday and Sunday. Howards homer was his seventh off lefties in 97 at-bats. He has only 10 against right-handers in 308 at-bats. Howard, who faces an extreme shift to right in all of his at-bats, still hasnt pulled a homer. The struggling slugger is batting just .217 and was benched three straight games last month. "You guys forget what Ive done," the former NL MVP said. "People look at right now. Ive hit balls hard over stretches. All you can do is hit balls hard and once it leaves the bat, its out of your hands." Jon Singletons RBI single in the seventh tied it at 1. The Astros had runners at first and third with no out, but couldnt get the go-ahead run. Matt Dominguez flied out to shallow right and Jake Marisnick grounded into a double play. "A really touggh game," Astros manager Bo Porter said. Authentic Nathan Shepherd Jersey. "We just couldnt get the offence going." TRAINERS ROOM Astros: Outfielder George Springer, on the disabled list since July 20 with a strained left quad, made his second rehab appearance at Single-A Quad Cities. Springer could be called up before the series ends Thursday. Phillies: Cliff Lee still hasnt had an MRI on his injured left elbow. ... Left fielder Domonic Brown has an infection in his tonsils and wasnt in the lineup for the fourth straight game. ... UP NEXT Astros: Right-hander Brad Peacock (3-7, 4.93) will come up from Triple-A Oklahoma City to start Wednesday night. Hes replacing Jarred Cosart, who was traded to Miami last week. Peacock gave up seven runs in 3 2-3 innings in his last start on July 23, a 9-7 loss at Oakland. Phillies: Righty David Buchanan (5-5, 4.40) will be recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to take Lees spot. Buchanan has allowed three earned runs or less in his last six major-league starts STARTING TIME Keuchel (10-7) has allowed just two earned runs in his last three starts, but is only 1-1 in that span. The lefty lowered his ERA to 2.89. Kendrick remained 5-11 after giving up five hits in his first quality start in six outings since July 3. Kendrick lowered his ERA to 4.74. HUNTER PENCE HAUNTS The Phillies acquired Pence, an All-Star outfielder, from the Astros on July 29, 2011 for Singleton, Cosart, outfielder Domingo Santana and right-hander Josh Zeid. They were 50-30 at the time and finished with a club-record 102 wins before losing to St. Louis in the NLDS. Pence was traded the following July to San Francisco for outfielder Nate Schierholtz, pitcher Seth Rosin and catcher Tommy Joseph. Clearly, the Astros and Giants were big winners in both trades with the Phillies. SAVE THAT BALL Santana walked with two outs in the 10th, reaching safely for the first time in his career on his 22nd birthday. He was 0 for 13 with 11 strikeouts before drawing a walk. NASTY STUFF Phillies lefty Antonio Bastardo struck out six of the seven batters he faced in the 11th and 12th innings and the Astros fanned a season-high 17 times. 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