BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JULY 25: Jackson Holliday #7 of the Baltimore Orioles prepares for a pitch during a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 25, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty ImagesWhats the definition of not going well? How about playing a series against a team that came in on a 12-game losing streak, and getting swept? The series against the Marlins showed that its not just one thing plaguing the Phillies at the moment, its everything. Each loss came in a different fashion, with the one common thread being poor defense.Next, the Phillies will travel to Baltimore to take on an Orioles team that theoretically should provide some opportunities for victories. However, considering how poorly the team has played since the All-Star Game, any future opponents could say the same thing.Opposition research: Jackson HollidayJackson Holliday was a cant miss prospect. The son of a former All-Star and first overall pick of the 2022 draft, Holliday was rated as the top prospect in baseball prior to the 2024 season. When he was called up to the majors in April of that year, it was expected that the middle infielder would become an instant star.For every Phillies fan who complains that the team is too slow to promote their young players, just remember that not every prospect, no matter how touted they are, is going to be succeed immediately upon reaching the majors. Holliday struggled so much that the team quickly demoted him. (For the fans who want to trade every prospect, this is some ammunition for your case.)Jackson Holliday has a negative war. Dare I say bust??? pic.twitter.com/GWemsLeFaM nick (@nickfilaa) April 16, 2024He returned to the majors at the end of July that year, and while he wasnt awful, he certainly didnt look anything like the star that was promised. 2025 was slightly better as he hit 17 home runs, but his defense was subpar and his OPS was only .690.His 2026 season got off to a poor start when he suffered a fractured hamate bone in February that required surgery and delayed the start of his season to mid-May. He started slowly after returning and was batting .200 at the end of June. However, hes had an excellent month of July so far.Jackson July Holliday!Cutting your strikeout rate nearly in half while boosting your wRC+ by 99 points in just 30 days is absurd.June:.179/.253/.373 (.626 OPS)9.3% BB | 30.7% K-2.7 wRAA73 wRC+July:.370/.500/.426 (.926 OPS)21.4% BB | 15.7% K5.6 wRAA172 wRC+ pic.twitter.com/55tVUwxXwv Jason Moore (@mooformoore5) July 30, 2026At age 22, its far too early to write off Hollidays chances of living up to the hype. Hes so talented that it seems like its only a matter of time before he becomes a consistently good player.There have also been rumors that hes on the trade block, but I dont understand how that makes sense. The Orioles shouldnt be buyers, and giving up on a top prospect at age 22 feels insane.Hating on the OriolesI attended one of the Orioles games in Philadelphia last year, and I taunted one of my friends who is an Orioles fan that their team was getting wrecked by Taijuan Walker and Max Kepler. (For some odd reason, Kepler did very well whenever I was in attendance. Obviously, I didnt attend nearly enough games last year.) He said that was pretty much par for the course.The Orioles hoped that after a playoff appearance in 2024, last years down season was just a temporary setback. But it seems like 2025 is far more representative of the state of the franchise since they are currently mired in fourth place and dont appear to be headed back to the postseason.The Orioles roster isnt all that impressive with both the pitching staff and offense being mediocre at best. Two years ago, Gunnar Henderson looked like a real contender for the unofficial title of best shortstop in baseball but hes got a sub-.300 on-base percentage this season. Adley Rutschman hasnt built upon his promising first two seasons. Taylor Ward walks a lot, but he wont come close to approaching the 36 home runs he hit last year. Their best hitter has been free agent import Pete Alonso, but hes signed for four more years, and theres little chance that contract doesnt feel like an albatross by the end.Pete Alonso's #Orioles ContractSigning Bonus: $12.5M2026: $18.5M2027: $31M2028: $31M2029: $31M2030: $31MAlonso also secures an annual 8-team no trade clause, as well as various award bonuses. Spotrac (@spotrac) January 21, 2026The Orioles as a franchise are a lot like the Cincinnati Reds in that they were a powerhouse in the 70s and early 80s and havent really done much of note since then. The closest thing theyve had to relevance since then is when a young fan deflected a ball into the stands for a home run.Today In 1996: 12-year-old Jeffrey Maier causes an uproar when he reaches over the wall and turns Derek Jeter's fly ball into a HR in Game 1 of the ALCS at Yankee Stadium! #MLB#Yankees#Orioles#Postseasonpic.twitter.com/DcPpdpO2h5 Baseball by BSmile (@BSmile) October 9, 2023After sweeping the Tigers in the 2014 NLDS, theyve lost ten straight playoff games. Youd think they could luck their way into at least one playoff win in 12 years, but apparently not.TriviaLast weeks answer: Granny Hamner batted .429 in the 1950 World Series. dirkniblick was correct.This weeks question: In the 1983 World Series between the Phillies and Orioles, who was the only Phillie to hit more than one home run?Additional thought about the seriesIve been out of the country for a few days, and for whatever reason, the Phillies play awful baseball whenever I leave the United States. (I watched game six of the 2022 World Series in Cancun.) I return on Saturday night, so if youre the type who likes to bet on the Phillies to win, Sunday might be your play.As for the other games, considering the funk the Phillies are mired in, its tough to have much confidence. This core has gone through similar stretches in recent seasons, and eventually come out of it, so I dont think this is a permanently broken team or anything. But until they do emerge, maybe everyone should do themselves a favor and take a vacation of their own.