BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 21: Pedro Severino #28 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates with Hanser Alberto #57 after scoring in the second inning against the Seattle Mariners at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 21, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland.

The Baltimore Orioles lost 100 games in consecutive seasons for the first time since arriving in Baltimore in 1954.

Attendance was down almost 19 percent from last year and the lowest for a non-strike shortened season since 1978.

Those setbacks have not dampened the spirits of Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias.

He has seen progress over the first year of a complete rebuild. Elias said the franchise is in position to edge forward with its plan to become a perennial playoff contender.

Weve got a lot of areas to get better in, Elias said prior to the teams home finale against the Seattle Mariners. I think thats no secret, but overall when we sit back and look at what happened around the organization this year, it was a very positive year, a lot accomplished across the organization.

When we came in here, the big league team had the worst record in the league last year. The farm system was ranked in the 20s, the low 20s, depending on where you were reading. We had no real international scouting function, a minimalist analytics group. All of thats changed.

The Orioles enter the final week of the season 51-105. Baltimore, however, will not earn the first overall selection in the Major League Baseball Draft for a second consecutive year. The Orioles selected Oregon State catcher Adley Rutschman with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 Major League Baseball draft. The Detroit Tigers will likely have that honor of choosing first with the leagues worst record at 46-109.

The Orioles struggles over the past two seasons have dampened interest among the fans. The club drew 1.3 million fans to Camden Yards this season, compared to 1.6 million last year.

Still, franchise has done a solid job infusing the minor-league affiliates with young talent. the Double-A Bowie Baysox and Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds each qualified for the postseason. The Rookie-level Gulf Coast League team also made the playoffs before the season was cut short because of Hurricane Dorian.

Weve got our program going internationally, Elias said. Were signing players, were competing for players out there. Were building towards a bigger analytics staff. The farm systems taking a huge jump this year. Some of that was the draft with the No. 1 pick. Most of it was what happened with players already in the system, the player development improvements that we made, the changes that, the step forward we continue to take.

Elias said the 2019 season was devoted to evaluating talent, rather than wins and losses. Several players, such as outfielder Anthony Santander, infielder Hanser Alberto and starting pitcher John Means, took advantage of their extended playing time and are in position to make a bigger impact in 2020.

BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 22: Chris Davis #19 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates a solo home run in the eighth inning during a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 22, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland.

Slugger Chris Davis had another disappointing season, but he will also have an opportunity to turn things around next season and regain the form that made him a two-time home run champion.

The Orioles likely wont be competing for a division title next season, but Elias sees progress and is confident the franchise is on the right track for future success.

Here at the big league level, were still losing games, way more than we want to, Elias said. This is not fun. Its not easy to crawl out of. Almost all the players that were on the team last year got better this year. I think this team has played its butt off all year.

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Orioles See Progress Amid Another 100-Loss Season - Forbes