Despite playing .500 ball through the season's midpoint, the Orioles have slowly drifted back toward reality. Injuries caught up to them. The Tampa Bay Rays seem for real. The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees aren't going anywhere. To think the Orioles would contend come September is either fantasy or, I suppose, ESPN-endorsed expertise.
So what should the Orioles be doing? Well, the answer is simple, and it's the exact opposite of what Morgan (who could not be reached for comment) told Brian in College Park. They attempt to prey on the teams who think they're near contention; in a sense, they must take aim at their former selves, similar to the way Orioles president Andy MacPhail fleeced Seattle during the offseason.
At this point in the rebuilding process (which is still near the ground floor, mind you), you don't take your prospects and acquire veterans; you can continue trading away the vets in exchange for prospects.
The successful first half to the season didn't reveal that the Orioles were closer to the World Series than previously thought. In fact, it highlighted how thin the minor league talent might really be.
That means there still aren't a lot of untouchables on the Orioles roster. If you're being realistic, the Orioles' best pieces of trade bait the next several weeks are Jay Payton, Chad Bradford, George Sherrill and Kevin Millar. You also have to at least listen to offers for Brian Roberts and Daniel Cabrera. (And if anyone wants Aubrey Huff's contract, the Orioles should offer to pay for his in-room movies the rest of his career.)
The focus these next few weeks isn't simply on what can you get rid of.
The key is what you can get in return. The Orioles can surely find several takers for Sherrill, but they need a team that recognizes his value. They need a team that wants to part with closer-quality talent, not setup-man talent.
The same applies to Roberts and Cabrera. The Orioles have a luxury in that they're not desperate to ship these two off. They can wait for the right offer to come along. And if the right offer doesn't, then there's a decent chance both are still valued contributors whenever MacPhail's plan reaches its maturation date.
An aging second baseman still has his place and still has some value.
Unless, of course, he's in the broadcast booth.
rick.maese@baltsun.com
