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The future has finally arrived for the Baltimore Orioles.

Life isn’t easy for AL East co-tenants not named the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox, who account for eight World Series titles since 1996.

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But another cycle of rebuilding, some savvy moves by general manager Dan Duquette, dashes of genius by manager Buck Showalter, and of course, some great play on the diamond, have delivered the Orioles from then to now.

Maybe life for the Orioles fan wasn’t quite as trying as it was for Royals faithfuls; Baltimore’s team enjoyed the Cal Ripken Iron Man era and playoff appearances in 1996, 1997 and 2012. But outside of that, since winning the World Series in 1983, Camden Yards (beginning in 1992) became a pretty reliable bet for October solitude and, during much of the other months, ineptitude.

So, same for Royals fans who will be utterly giddy for this fascinating ALCS matchup of postseason uncommons, Orioles Nation is going to be be pretty jacked up for the next week-plus. Here are some of the biggest lowlights that make this season’s run so special.

From 1998 to 2011, the Orioles had zero winning seasons. Zero. Poor young fans born in 1994 grew from kindergarteners to high school graduates and never saw their team finish above .500.

Losing is losing, but the 2002 O’s version of it was particularly noxious: Of the team’s final 36 games, they won four. Four! Also, the bunch lost the final 12 games. The brutal 36-game conclusion to 2002 was the worst ever since 1901.

"When we lost David Segui [in May], we tried to compete and came back to .500," Orioles second baseman Jerry Hairston said in the spring of 2003. "When [Jeff] Conine was out [for 45 games at midseason], we played hard and still competed. But when we lost Gary Matthews [on Aug. 23], that was the straw that broke the camel’s back."

"We’re all pretty good about taking a bigger view about the season," said Mike Flanagan, who took over baseball operations after the 2002 season. "If the 4-32 had happened at the beginning part of the season and they ended with that record [67-95], everybody would say that was a pretty good turnaround."

Small comfort. The 2003 O’s lost 91 games and finished 4th in the AL East again.

Baltimore fans endured a very trying streak in 1988, when the team lost an American League record 21 consecutive ball games. But not just any 21 in a row — the first 21 games they played.

The #ALCS is here so my tweets will be very #Orioles centric the next few weeks. Mute, block, unfollow, or buckle the f*&k up. Thanks, JC — Josh Charles (@MrJoshCharles) October 6, 2014

Imagine how hard it must be for Buck Showalter to continually go though airport security with his steel balls. #Orioles #ALCS #WeWontStop — Josh Charles (@MrJoshCharles) October 6, 2014

It’s still hard to believe baseball fans remember the name of a 12-year-old kid who happened to catch a baseball at a playoff game in 1996.

Remember when Derek Jeter tied Game 1 of the ALCS at 4-4 with this shot?

Most teams have scars from the steroid era, but the one left by Orioles star Palmeiro was particularly cutting because of the Lance Armstrong-esque manner in which it formed.

"Let me start by telling you this," Palmeiro said at a March 2005 hearing concerning steroids in baseball. "I have never used steroids, period. I don’t know how to say it any more clearly than that. Never."

And then on Aug. 1, 2005, the league suspended Palmeiro for 10 days after he positive for the anabolic steroid stanozolol.

The slugger released a statement of denial, saying in part, "Ultimately, although I never intentionally put a banned substance into my body, the independent arbitrator ruled that I had to be suspended under the terms of the program."

Palmeiro returned to the club 10 days later on Aug. 11, which was supposed to be ""Rafael Palmeiro Appreciation Day" to celebrate his joining the 3,000-hit and 500-home run clubs. After the suspension, the event was canceled, and Palmeiro was out of baseball the next year.