I never wanted to see this season end. I loved every second of watching this team play and I cannot wait until Opening Day 2015, so I can see them again.

The way it ended most definitely hurt, but for most of my life I expected the losses, it only hurts because I have a team to expect wins from.

In 2012, my heart broke into a million pieces at the end of the ALDS, I didn’t know how handle that defeat, especially to the Yankees. I didn’t remember the Orioles reaching the playoffs, I was only 3, and so losing was all I knew.

In 2013, it hurt when we didn’t make the playoffs but not nearly as much as 2012. We had put together 2 consecutive winning seasons and the outlook for the future was very bright.

Now, its 2014 and “experts” are predicting the Orioles to finish with a below .500 record and back in the AL East’s basement. There were moments in the season that the team made this look like a possibility. That was until the all-star break. The team was looking at a tough stretch of West Coast games and it felt like fans didn’t think they could do it. But they did, they just kept winning. And to help make matters better, the Blue Jays and Yankees were losing. And by the time August rolled around, I felt pretty confident that this team was not only making the playoffs but will win the division.

The magic was strong this season. The Orioles went 14-6 in extra inning games, not as magical as 2012 but the magic was there. Not to mention, the clutch hits, the big innings and the walk off celebrations; pure magic.

I loved every minute of this season, and the loss at the end didn’t hurt nearly as much as 2012, because I still have so much hope for this team. The things they achieved even without Wieters, Machado and Davis surpassed expectations. Now in 2015, with all three of those players back in the line-up I only except more and better things from this team.

They have the talent, the commitment, and the heart to win it all and I will be cheering for them the entire way. I will be counting the days until the 2015 season starts but until then here are some early off-season thoughts.

JJ Hardy was signed to an extension and like Adam Jones and Buck Showalter he is signed through 2018. But there are other’s that were key parts, or had a decent sized role in this season who are free agents this offseason.

First, Nick Markakis. A guy who was a first round draft pick by the Orioles, albeit as a pitcher, he has been with the team since day one and I’d like to see it stay that way. There is talk that the option in his contract may not be picked up but I have a feeling Nick wants to stay in Baltimore as much we want him to and a deal will be made.

Next, Nelson Cruz. Many considered him a bargain signing last off-season but it was probably one of the smartest moves made by Dan Duquette so far in his time with the Orioles. Negotiations began before the season concluded and Cruz has been vocal about wanting to stay an Oriole so I have a strong feeling that although the league’s leader in home runs for 2014 will get plenty of offers, he will continue to play in orange and black for years to come.

Delmon Young. Young, or Delmonster as redditors referred to him, was not an everyday player for the Orioles but he definitely had an impact. While I’d like to see him come back he’d only continue to be a bench player with the occasional start and I feel his performance this past season will lead to better offers and possibly a starting job on teams that are in need of a DH or possibly an outfielder.

Now both Andrew Miller and Kelly Johnson are true free agents this off-season. While they both had a role in the second half of the season, Miller has made comments of wanted to return to Boston and Johnson could possibly resign but he’s a “floater” and will probably receive a handful of offers.

I can’t wait for the season to start again, and I hope that I can be apart of the organization. I graduate in December and my goal is to work for a Major League team and I will do what I can to be there, may that be trying to get into the MLB Fan Cave or even as a ball girl; I will achieve my dream one day, but for now I’m just a fan giving her POV.