"They're a very, very tight group. It's fun right now." - Baltimore Orioles manager emphasizes chemistry as  O's sweep Angels for 8th straight win

The Baltimore Orioles are the best thing on television right now. A team that was synonymous with playing dismal baseball for half a decade (some would argue longer), is on the hottest streak in baseball. History will always remember the winners, but there is no greater story in baseball than that of the underdog.

Not since Cal Ripken Jr. was chasing Lou Gehrig's consecutive game record in 1995 have we felt this kind of energy in Baltimore. The Orioles have won eight straight games and are tied with the Seattle Mariners for the longest winning streak in the league. The last time they won eight straight was in 2005.

"They're a very, very tight group. It's fun right now," said manager Brandon Hyde.

Earlier in the season, it would have been hard to convince even the most die-hard Orioles fan a playoff run was even possible.

The Baltimore Orioles are winning consistently with the lowest payroll in the league

Jorge Lopez and Adley Rutschman celebrate a 4-1 win against the Los Angeles Angels at Oriole Park.

The Orioles started the season losing five of their first six games and it looked like the same old story. Not counting the shortened 2020 season, the Orioles have averaged a whopping 111 losses a season between 2018 and 2021. The 115 losses in 2018 were the worst in franchise history since moving to Baltimore in 1953.

In three of the last four seasons, they have had the worst ERA in the entire league.

"In the zone Our current 8-game win streak is our first in a single season since 2005!" - Baltimore Orioles

The team is still in the middle of a rebuild and currently has the lowest payroll in Major League Baseball. It is a mix of young up-and-comers and veterans who were passed up by most other organizations. That's what makes this achievement so remarkable.

According to "Spotrac," the Baltimore Orioles' total payroll of $45.5 million is the lowest in the majors. Compare that to division rivals the New York Yankees ($250.5 million) and the Boston Red Sox ($203 million), and it's astonishing that we are even using the word playoffs when discussing the Orioles.

The Oakland Athletics created the concept of "Moneyball" in 2002. A 2011 film by the same title was made about the team's success with the strategy. In essence, the general manager utilized computer-generated player analysis to acquire new players on a very low budget.

What we are seeing today is the modern day Moneyball concept in effect in Baltimore. To give you a better idea, below is what some of the competitors are paying per win this season:

Philadelphia Phillies 46 wins - $5.10 million per win

Los Angeles Dodgers, 56 wins - $4.66 million per win

Boston Red Sox, 47 wins - $4.33 million per win

New York Yankees, 61 wins - $4.10 million per win

Baltimore Orioles, 43 wins - $1.06 million per win

"2022 Baltimore Orioles payroll: $45.2 million 2022 Los Angeles Angels payroll: $190.6 million 2022 Mike Trout salary: $37.1 million Orioles sweep the Angels.(according to Spotrac)" - Danny Vietti

The organization is widely renowned for having the best minor league system in the majors. The youth prospects on this team are exciting to watch.

Adley Rutschman, 24, was the number one overall pick in 2019 and has not disappointed. Austin Hays, 26, was considered for the All-Star Game this season. First baseman Ryan Mountcastle, 25, is hitting .277/.314/.491 with 11 home runs and 45 RBIs.

On the pitching side, Dean Kremer, 26, is 3-1 with a 2.15 ERA. Their best pitching prospect, Grayson Rodriguez, 22, was the number 11 pick in the 2018 draft. Though he is yet to start a game in the majors, there is a lot of buzz around the Houston native.

The Orioles don't have any heavy hitters. They do not lead the league in ERA or stolen bases. They are currently 17 in the league in home runs, 26 in batting average, and 16 in team ERA.

"Sammy Sosa started in RF for the Orioles the last time they had an 8-game winning streak" - The Game Day MLB

Their success has come from doing the little things and having great team chemistry.

There is still a lot of work to be done. The Orioles are two games behind the Toronto Blue Jays and 4.5 games behind the Red Sox for the Wild Card.

The Baltimore Orioles metamorphis from the poor cousin of the American League East to playoff contenders has been a joy to watch.