Why The Baltimore Orioles Are Worth Watching In 2007

Until the sad news that Kris Benson needs shoulder surgery and will miss the entire season, the obvious number one reason to watch the O's was Anna Benson. Let's face it, the majority of baseball wives are hot, but Anna thrives in the role and spices it up with her ex-stripper mentality and outspokenness. How can you not want to get a look at the girl who threatened to sleep with the entire New York Mets organization if she found out Kris cheated on her? Karim Garcia and Art Howe should have been sending hookers up to his room every night hoping she was sincere in her threat.

For a serious baseball reason to watch the Orioles, check out Erik Bedard. A 15-game winner last season on a poor Baltimore club with a 3.76 ERA in the heavy-hitting AL East is nothing to sneeze at. Bedard is a southpaw with absolutely filthy stuff. If he can master his control of the curve and cut down on base-on-balls, he's a potential 20-game winner. On the other side of the pitching coin you've got Jaret Wright. Could be fun watching him pitch against his former 'mates in pinstripes. Not to mention him pitching in Fenway Park, where he was rattled badly in the post-season while with Cleveland when the fans started chanting JA-RET, JA-RET.

Oriole fan or not, Camden Yards is a trip worth taking to enjoy a ballgame. It is a new ballpark with the old-time feel. It has great sight lines and really does not have a bad seat in the house. If you're not an Orioles fan, even if you're a fan of the opposing team, fear not: Oriole fans are often outnumbered by migrant fans of the opposing team. In addition to the great park, the Inner Harbor area of Baltimore features great restaurants, an aquarium, Duck Boat tours, and it's just a short trip to Washington, DC.

Finally, you've got Kevin Millar. Not an all-star by any standards, but just an all-around fun guy to have on your club. While with the Red Sox, he boasted of doing shots of Jack Daniels in the club house before games, invented the "Cowboy Up" slogan, and was featured nightly on the big screen at Fenway doing karaoke - a clip from his college days.