By Max Prinz

Baseball fans, rejoice. October baseball is finally upon us. What’s that you say? Your favorite team didn’t make the postseason and you need a team to root for? Well, I’m here to help.

Look no further than the magical, fun-loving Baltimore Orioles.

The Orioles won the American League this season for the first time since 1997. They opened the season with a 24-25 record and then proceeded to finish 72-41, a winning percentage of .637. Some might chalk that up to luck. Fans call it “Orioles Magic.”

The best part of being an Orioles fan is the fantastic stories surrounding the players who wear orange and black. First and foremost, there’s the face of the franchise, Adam Jones. No player was more excited when the team clinched the division. Jones grabbed an Orioles flag from the team’s mascot and lapped the field, high-fiving fans. He even brought out a few of his celebratory pies and stuffed them in the face of joyous Oriole fans.

The Orioles’ leading slugger, Nelson Cruz, was an afterthought in the offseason and struggled to get the kind of money he wanted. The Orioles took a chance on him and he proceeded to hit 40 home runs, leading the league.

Miguel Gonzalez, discovered by an Orioles scout in the Mexican League, made his debut in 2012 as a 28-year-old rookie. Gonzalez has posted a 7-4 record with a 2.34 ERA since July.

Steve Pearce, a first baseman and occasional outfielder, was designated for assignment earlier in the year and then resigned by the Orioles in May. Pearce hit three home runs in his first 10 games back with the team and finished the month with a .309 average. Then, he hit .361 in June.

“All I wanted to do is play for the Orioles,’’ Pearce told Sports Illustrated in September. “I love it here.’’

Catcher Caleb Joseph, who took over for injured All-Star Matt Wieters, broke an Orioles record, becoming the first Orioles catcher and the first rookie to hit a home run in five consecutive games.

Chris Davis, just days after being suspended, was one of several people who lifted an overturned truck to help accident victims on I-295. I could go on, and on and on.

Back when Jones signed his contract extension in 2012, he talked about wanting to become part of the city. He wanted to bring winning back to Baltimore.

“I fit here in this city. I fit here on this team. I fit in Camden Yards,” Jones told ESPN at the time. “I’m not from Baltimore. This is now my town.”

No one is more excited for back in October than Orioles fans. Their town has spent too many years looking up at the Yankees and the Red Sox. They haven’t felt this level of excitement in a long, long time.

If you need a team for this October, the excited, magical town of Baltimore is the place to be.