It's not trade time just yet, but the recent upturn in the fortunes of the Orioles has created just enough buzz to start wondering which direction the team should go when Andy MacPhail's phone starts ringing in July.
The midseason market will open in earnest early next month and - depending on factors beyond the scope of my well-known power to predict the future - contribute some additional excitement and intrigue to an Orioles season that is shaping up to be the most interesting in a decade.
(OK, let me define my terms. Obviously, there have been some pretty interesting seasons around here, if you enjoy managerial speculation and the occasional steroid scandal, but I'm talking about actual interest in the players and what they might accomplish on the field over the next year or two.)
I can't remember a season this century that held more promise for the future and featured a more attractive cast of characters, much of which is a tribute to MacPhail's leadership, though it's also fair to reserve some credit for the previous administrations that developed the likes of Nick Markakis and Brian Roberts and drafted Matt Wieters.
Pardon the long preamble, but it is against this backdrop that MacPhail and his staff are preparing for the trading period that leads up to the July 31 deadline for making deals without passing players through waivers.
The front office must decide whether the Orioles will be buyers or sellers - or both - and determine which of the older players might fit into a future that is approaching fast.
Of course, it takes at least two teams to make a deal, so the ability to get something done always depends on what's being offered, but here are a few suggestions just in case something good comes along:
* Keep Aubrey Huff.
This probably would have seemed like a ridiculous concept 15 months ago, but Huff has done a great job of rehabilitating his image both on and off the field. He's a fit if he stays productive the rest of the season and MacPhail can talk him into a reasonable two-year extension.
Obviously, if some contender needs him badly enough to give up a couple of strong prospects, MacPhail would have to consider that, but Huff probably will not command that kind of value for a second-half rental.
* Listen to offers for closer George Sherrill.
