News flash:  The Yankees are winning the AL East.  That’s a done deal.  But the rest of the division?  Not as easy to figure out.  The Red Sox can’t string together three wins in a row, let alone get themselves back in the AL East race.  Toronto’s pitching staff is auditioning for a role in an upcoming M*A*S*H* movie.  Tampa Bay seems to be in one of those ruts where they just don’t have what it takes.

In other words —  it’s July 8th and the Orioles are firmly alive and well in the American League East.  They’re so alive, in fact, that it’s not out of the question that our beloved Birds might be legitimate wild card contenders come Labor Day.

I know, that’s as rare as summer temps in the 100′s in Baltimore.  Oh, wait…

Anyway, it’s not a joking matter when the All Star Game approaches and the Orioles aren’t already cooked for the summer.

The next few weeks are going to be very interesting for the Orioles, for they’re about to enter unchartered territory.  Since 1997, this team has never headed to the trading deadline with a legitimate chance to be a player in the post-season race.  Sure, they got off to a great start in 2005 and were just 2.5 games back at the All-Star Game, but that edition of the Orioles was taking on water by mid-June and lumbered into the All-Star break with a collapse all but guaranteed.

This Orioles team, while also blemished with plenty of pot holes, looks much different to me than the Lee Mazzilli-managed squad of ’05.  This team, for what it’s worth, looks like they actually want to win.  The ’05 team was winning by accident.  This team, even with no real left-fielder, no regular 3rd baseman, a bunch of guys at first base who are there only because they can’t play anywhere else, and a starting rotation in tatters…well…that sure sounds like a last place team — not a team on the verge of competing for a wild card spot in the American League.  But that’s your 2012 Orioles.  Full of question marks?  Absolutely.  In the race?  You bet.

So…now what?

That’s the question.

Now what?

Fourteen straight years of losing in Baltimore.

Fourteen.

Bill Clinton was the President the last time we saw September baseball that mattered.

Remember him?

Yep, it’s been (such) a long time, as the band “Boston” once said.

The next three weeks will be a great litmus test for the Orioles and their commitment – if it exists – to winning.  Will they try and pry Zack Greinke from Milwaukee and bolster a pitching staff that sorely needs a high quality arm?  What about Matt Garza or Ryan Dempster in Chicago?  Would the Orioles give up whatever is necessary to get one of those two?  How about another bat, preferably one that works when runners are on the bases?

Are the Orioles prepared to live life like the Yankees and Red Sox have lived it for the last decade or so?  Are they ready to trade away a high-level prospect or two and gamble that such a move helps push them over the top and give their fans playoff baseball for the first time in 15 years?  The Yankees and Red Sox are always nibbling at the deadline…mainly because they’re always in the hunt every July.  But those two franchises rarely let a chance to improve get away without trying to get better.  Lance Berkman didn’t exactly light it up for the Yanks a few years back, but it was a good thought at the time.  Sometimes those moves work, sometimes they don’t.

The Orioles are not a gambling franchise.  The owner certainly feels much more comfortable holding on to what he has rather than raising the ante and making the game more interesting.  And we all know, in Baltimore at least, money is always the final question when any type of move is considered.

(Please see next page)

The All-Star break is upon us. And, if the season ended today, the Orioles would be headed to the playoffs. Thursday’s disaster with the Angels notwithstanding, the Orioles have reached halftime without completely faceplanting as most of us expected they would. The bullpen has been the most pleasant surprise, with an ERA still close to the best in baseball. The offense (long balls in particular) has also been a big reason for the success, with Adam Jones on pace for 40 homeruns and several others flirting with 30.

However, just like last year, the most glaring weakness has been the defense. Unfortunately, the O’s also lead the league in errors, which has cost them at least three or four winnable games already this season. The other coin flip has been the starting pitching, which lately seems to always be either stellar or awful on any given night. Jason Hammel and Wei-Yin Chen are aces more often than not, but the other three rotation spots have been consistently shaky with occasional flashes of brilliance.

The Orioles have already made a splash in the trade market this year by acquiring DH Jim Thome from the struggling Phillies for a pair of minor leaguers. For awhile now, I’d been wondering if they were really serious about being buyers this year like Dan Duquette said, and if, to that end, they would be looking to pick up another legitimate starting pitcher. Today when I checked my fantasy team (the Mercersburg Rebels, currently in 1^st place), the news feed told me that the Orioles are trying to make a trade with the Brewers for RHP Zack Greinke. It also mentioned that the O’s have two highly-touted prospects in Dylan Bundy and Manny Machado that might be part of such a deal.

For the last few years, I’ve always made it a point to have Greinke on my fantasy team. He routinely goes deep into games, puts up lots of strikeouts, and has a very good ERA and WHIP. He won the 2009 AL Cy Young with the Royals, no easy feat when one considers that they’ve been about as bad as the Orioles over the last decade. This year, his record is 9-2, while his team is currently under .500 by five games.

So, all indications are that he would be an excellent pickup if the Orioles can pull this off. However, I would not part with Bundy or Machado to make it happen. Since Milwaukee lost Prince Fielder, they’re in need of a firstbaseman. Perhaps Mark Reynolds could be part of this trade? True, he’s not crushing the ball like he was last year, but Miller Park is definitely hitter-friendly. And now that the Orioles have Chris Davis, there isn’t a tremendous need for Reynolds here anymore. It would also make a big dent in that error rate.

Another thing to consider here is that the era of Brian Roberts is, regrettably, over. He’s given us some tremendous years, but unfortunately the Orioles simply cannot depend on him as an everyday player anymore. Therefore, letting go of Manny Machado would be unwise, because he will be coming of age right about the time when Roberts is officially finished. I don’t think I even need to elaborate on why trading Dylan Bundy would be a bad move, unless of course the Brewers are offering significantly more than just Greinke.

I have to admit, it’s a VERY nice thought that the Orioles’ rotation could eventually consist of Hammel, Chen, Greinke, Britton, and whoever gets their act together. That, coupled with Jones, Wieters, Davis, Markakis, Hardy, and our current bullpen would almost have to be a serious contender.

However, I must reiterate that even if this becomes reality, we are not yet free of Peter The Terrible, and I still remain unconvinced that the Orioles have truly turned the corner as long as he remains in the warehouse.

What do you think? Should the Orioles trade for Greinke? Is there someone else out there you’d like to see them pursue? Comments are always welcome.

Dan Duquette is already bringing back that Oriole Magic

November 8, 2011 started a new era for the Baltimore Orioles. Andy MacPhail was gone after a long 4 1/2 years that did nothing but see the Orioles finish in last place. In comes Dan Duquette, former general manager of the Expos and Red Sox.

Duquette had been out of the business since 2002 when he was fired from the Sox, so bringing in somebody who had been away from the big leagues for nearly a decade had me a little worried, despite his past success.

Right from the get-go I heard rumors about the O’s bringing in the washed up circus known as Manny Ramirez. Was this what Duquette was going to bring to the table? A move that would all but mirror something MacPhail would do? Would there really be much change in the philosophy of the front office or would the team keep bringing in washed-up veterans.

No. Luckily for Baltimore, this move did not happen. Instead, Jason Hammel, Wei-Yin Chen, Luis Ayala, and Wilson Betemit were brought in. None of these moves were flashy, and none of the moves seemed as if they would make immediate impacts.

While these transactions were going on, many fans, including myself, wanted the team to bring in Prince Fielder. That, obviously, did not happen.

After countless years of misery as an O’s fan, I, along with others, were not thrilled off the bat with Duquette.

Fast forward to today, June 28, 2012.

The Orioles are a surprising 41-33, second in the AL-East. Hammel, despite last night’s debacle against the Angels, has been unstoppable, posting a record of 8-3, a 3.29 ERA and 89 strikeouts.

Chen has also been a pleasant surprise. He holds a 7-3 record (he will take the field tonight against the Indians), and has out-dueled the likes of C.C. Sabathia and Josh Beckett.

Ayala has helped the bullpen be surprisingly dominant, and Betemit, along with the rest of the team, has played well (despite the team’s recent struggles with RISP).

So, Dan Duquette, you’ve already surprised many with how well these transactions have panned out so far.

Even with the success so far, O’s fans are quickly realizing that Duquette and the rest of the front office still want to add to the team.

According to ESPN, the O’s are in serious contention to land starting pitchers Matt Garza and Ryan Dempster. With the inconsistencies of Jake Arrieta and Brian Matusz, these moves would all but give Baltimore a starting rotation that could definitely keep up with that of the Yanks and Rays.

Yes, Garza is only 3-6 this season, but he has shown before he has what it takes to be a big league pitcher. And despite Dempster’s age (he’s 35), he’s allowing a remarkable 2.11 runs per game, the best of his career.

Although the Cubs would want more than just Arrieta and Matusz, giving up Xavier Avery or another young prospect may be worth it, because, as we know all too well, you can only survive for so long in the AL East with two-three solid starting pitchers.

Duquette has already made strides in winning fans over in his short time in Baltimore, and bringing in Garza and/or Dempster would without a doubt help Duquette establish himself as the right man for the job in Baltimore.

Twitter: @RealJohnSears

I am a believer in the Orioles.  There I said it.  I have been putting it off throughout the season because I didn’t want to get my heart broken again, but look at them!  They are in second place in the A.L. East (the toughest division in baseball, if not all of sports); only 2.5 games behind the Yankees.  And they own the first wildcard spot.  It seems every series we say, “Oh, this will show a lot about the team if they can win this series” and they do.  They have proven time and time again that they can do it.

There are two things that the Orioles can do at this point.  They can stand pat and see how the season unfolds…or they can be aggressive and go after players like Matt Garza and Alfonso Soriano, who have been rumored as possible targets for the team. 

The franchise owes it to the fans to at least try.  Just show some effort towards making a run at this thing.  The team now is only a few pieces away. 

Brian Roberts’ return was much needed and has added a proven lead-off hitter to the lineup.  In only 11 games back from having not played in over year he is batting .250 with an on base percentage of .292.  These numbers should only improve as he gets back into the swing of things but they are already better than Robert Andino who was the everyday second basemen till Roberts came back.

Nick Markakis returning to the lineup soon is also very encouraging.  The Orioles will get a much needed spark in an offense that has been somewhat anemic lately.  Once Markakis returns, the Orioles would be best be served to bat him in the two spot and move Hardy down to the five.  Hardy’s OBP is lower than previous years but his power numbers are still pretty decent.  He would be best fitted to drive in runs lower in the order rather than relying on him to get on base, at the 2 spot, which he simply has not done on a consistent basis this year.

With the news of Nolan Reimold likely being done for the season, left field now becomes a whole that needs to be addressed by some other means.  This is where a trade for Alfonso Soriano would do wonders.  While he isn’t what he once was, he is still better than any option we currently have.  He is batting .273 with a .326 OBP, which is better than anyone who we have thrown out there this year.  Not to mention how fun it would be for me to watch him play in person.  He has always been one of my favorite players.

(Side note: I feel bad for Adam Jones at this point.  With Nick Markakis being hurt the last couple of weeks, he has had a myriad of players out there next to him.  It seems like it’s someone different every day.  I wouldn’t even blame him for not bothering to learn their names.  If they traded for Soriano they would have an everyday outfield.  Barring any further injuries.)

Outside of Hammel and Chen, the Orioles starting pitching has been a dice roll this year.  Matusz has shown improvement but in my opinion still shouldn’t be on a major league roster and Arietta has been painful to watch more often than not.  This is where a Matt Garza would do wonders.  Having a proven, consistent pitcher such as him could stabilize an otherwise tumultuous rotation.  He is posting the lowest WHIP of his career at 1.091 and his lowest BB/9 innings total as well at 2.5.  Having another quality starter would also benefit the bullpen in the long run.  Matt Garza can be used in a Jeremy Guthrie type role where, at the very least, he can out there and give you six or seven solid innings.

The corner infield spots have frustrating so far this year.  Betemit and Reynolds are downright awful fielders (a combined .886 fielding percentage…excuse me while I throw up) and haven’t made it easy to keep them in there either, with their below average performances at the plate.  Watching Reynolds strike out is glorious at times though, so there’s that.  Chris Davis is mired in a slump at the plate which isn’t encouraging for one of the most consistent hitters on the team at this point.  Hopefully they will get it together on the field and their bats will start heating up because there aren’t many options out there to address this problem.  I suggest throwing Betemit into a trade at the deadline for one of my earlier suggestions and putting Andino at third and Reynolds at DH.  I simply cannot bear to watch Reynolds try to field and throw a baseball ever again.

Of course, all this is predicated on whether Duquette can convince Mr. Angelos to pull the trigger on some of these deals.  The only sure fire way the Orioles are going to be able to pull off trades are if there is some cash thrown in.  They just do not have the depth in the minor leagues to be giving up many players. 

I think Duquette has earned our trust at this point.  Whether he has gotten lucky with some of these moves or he knew what was going to happen, remains to be seen.  I hope for the teams sake he continues to make himself look like a genius though.  Wouldn’t it be fun to see the O’s in the playoffs  again, or at the very least playing meaningful games in September?

If I were headed in the direction of Las Vegas soon, I’d be at least interested enough to stop by the MGM Grand Sportsbook.

I can’t fathom they have odds set for “Do the Baltimore Orioles make a significant move before the July 31 Major League Baseball trade deadline?”, but I would think I could convince someone to let me place a bet. I don’t think it will surprise anyone that my bet would almost certainly be placed on “no.”

During my show “The Reality Check” (afternoons 2-6pm AM1570 WNST.net), I like to point out that if an entity has typically shown a certain type of behavior I will assume that behavior continues until proven wrong. It could be more easily defined as “a leopard does not change his spots”, but it might not totally be fair.

I have a doubt that the Birds will make a significant acquisition at the trade deadline because they have a history of not making such moves under the watch of owner Peter Angelos. Perhaps the last time the O’s made a significant trade deadline acquisition was when they dealt P Jimmy Haynes to the Oakland Athletics for RF/DH Geronimo Berroa in 1997.

Wait…that CAN’T be right. Can it?

It’s not totally fair for me to go down the “a leopard does not change his spots” road with this team because new General Manager Dan Duquette has never been in this position. Even if the Orioles have shown the propensity to be sellers more frequently than buyers over the years, Duquette hasn’t had the chance to show whether or not deadline deals are a possibility during his tenure in Charm City.

There are certainly other reasons why the Orioles might not add a major piece before August. As rumors/reports swirled last week about the team’s interest in Chicago Cubs OF Alfonso Soriano and P’s Matt Garza & Ryan Dempster, we received a painful reminder that the organization simply does not have an overwhelming amount of young talent at its disposal with which to use as bait. The organization’s most valuable commodities (P Dylan Bundy and INF Manny Machado) are players so highly regarded it’s hard to imagine a willingness to discuss their availability. Other young INF’s (Jonathan Schoop, Nick Delmonico and Jason Esposito) as well as P’s (Parker Bidwell, Mike Wright, Bobby Bundy and Oliver Drake) seem unlikely to net a player of significant consequence.

With these topics swirling, Duquette fielded questions from season ticket holders at the annual “State of the Team” event Saturday at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. When asked about the immediate future of the 2012 Orioles, Duquette delivered a line (according to the Baltimore Sun) that would easily draw roaring applause and look pretty in headlines everywhere.

“We are in contention, so we are going to do whatever we can to make the playoffs.”

Bravo sir. Bravo.

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No one around here is used to the feeling.

With the Orioles hovering right around 10 games above .500 in late June for the first time in seven years, the question has been asked for several weeks and becomes louder with the Fourth of July just around the corner.

Should they be buyers at the trade deadline to not only aid in their push to produce their first winning season since 1997 but also augment the dream of postseason baseball in Baltimore?

We all know the realities.

Entering the season with few expectations, the Orioles continue to play over their heads – statistically speaking, anyway – despite injuries leaving them with one true starting outfielder and a rotation with only two consistent starting pitchers on which to depend. On paper, Baltimore doesn’t pass the eyeball test of a club that’s supposed to be in contention or even entertaining the thoughts of buying at the deadline.

But they’re still right there, creating a difficult but enjoyable decision.

A shallow farm system has few attractive pieces beyond blue-chip prospects Dylan Bundy and Manny Machado. The possibility of dealing the likes of Chris Tillman or Xavier Avery or even lesser talents makes for fun discussion on talk radio and message boards, but opposing teams aren’t parting with impact players without trying to improve in their own right — even down the road. Second-tier prospects still have value, but there isn’t much in the system to really get other clubs salivating beyond Bundy, Machado, or infielder Jonathan Schoop.

To make matters worse, the introduction of a second wild card in each league this year has predictably increased the number of teams believing they have a chance to play in October if they can add a talented player or two for the final two months of the season. Entering Thursday, only seven major league teams were more than six games behind the second wild card spot in their respective leagues.

As strange as it sounds considering the second wild card gives teams like the Orioles a greater chance to taste the postseason, it could also work to the club’s disadvantage in trying to make trades.

The deadline is more than a month away, but it’s all but certain to be a seller’s market with fewer teams considering themselves out of the race and ready to dangle valuable commodities. Contending teams with deep farm systems and a willingness to add payroll will see the best potential deals at their disposal.

So, where does this leave the Orioles?

In order to acquire any notable commodities at the deadline, the Orioles will likely need to take on expensive contracts or two-month rentals. They’re not trading Bundy or Machado and would have to receive something special to part with Schoop. The playoff possibility in 2012 isn’t strong enough to justify selling off their top prospects and turning blind eyes toward the next few years when it seems like the Orioles finally have components of a solid-to-good team on which to build with a potential ace and an impact shortstop in the not-too-distant future.

As dissatisfying as it might sound to fans after waiting the last 14 years for a winning product in Baltimore, executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette should allow the next four weeks to play out before deciding to do anything of note.

Some have argued the Orioles will fall out of the race by late July if they don’t try to add players now, but doesn’t that simply support the idea that they’re not ready to be true contenders? There isn’t a single player in baseball the club might add who would be dynamic enough to prevent the potential struggles that would cause them to fall out of contention over a month’s time.

The Orioles have done it for 2 1/2 months, so it isn’t unreasonable to ask for another month of solid play before making a decision to try to pull the trigger.

But let’s pretend the Orioles can remain where they are and stand roughly 10 games above .500 on July 20.

Then, you have to try to make a trade or two to better your club.

After 14 years of disappointment, standing pat would be a tough decision to defend and would send a deflating message to a fan base the Orioles are trying to rebuild after dramatic atrophy over the last decade. At the same time, even the most optimistic supporters of these 2012 Orioles would have a difficult time convincing anyone they’re serious World Series contenders, so some restraint is in order when trying to wheel and deal.

As the roster – and its current performance level — stands now and assuming an early-July return by right fielder Nick Markakis, I can’t envision the Orioles staying in the thick of the race for six months without the addition of at least two starting pitchers and a left fielder. Considering the current state of the farm system and keeping 2013 and beyond in mind, that just isn’t happening.

But some improvement could come from within.

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After being optioned to Triple-A Norfolk prior to Tuesday’s game in Toronto, 22-year-old outfielder Xavier Avery became the latest in a long list of candidates to fall short in stabilizing the Orioles’ leadoff spot over the last two seasons.

Since second baseman Brian Roberts exited a game with concussion-related symptoms on May 16, 2011, the Orioles have been without a bona fide hitter at the top of the order despite trying a number of candidates in the role.

Shortstop J.J. Hardy had a higher degree of success than others last season, but his .295 on-base percentage while batting in the leadoff spot — to go along with a career .320 on-base percentage — didn’t exactly scream top-of-the-order hitter. In fact, Hardy’s power numbers (40 home runs in 176 games with the Orioles) suggest a player better suited to hit in the middle of the order than at the top.

This season, left fielder Nolan Reimold appeared to be an intriguing — but unconventional — choice with his career .338 on-base percentage, but a herniated disc in his neck has sidelined him after a fast start. In his absence, the combination of Endy Chavez, Robert Andino, Ryan Flaherty, and Avery has not been able to produce and set the table for the middle of the order.

Avery shows promise for the future, but his extended audition exposed the need for him to improve against off-speed pitches and develop further at Norfolk before he’s ready to assume the leadoff role on a permanent basis.

In 2011, the No. 1 spot in the order accounted for a .240 batting average and a .290 on-base percentage, the worst figures of any spot in the batting order. The numbers have been even worse this season as the top spot in the order has produced an anemic .213 average to go along with a .258 on-base percentage.

While many place too much emphasis on the batting order, the leadoff spot is expected to be occupied by a player with a strong ability to get on base and speed — a combination that has eluded the Orioles.

So, who might manager Buck Showalter turn to?

Ironically, it might be the man the Orioles have been trying to replace for over a year.

Five games into his minor league rehabilitation assignment, Roberts has yet to experience any setbacks while collecting two hits and two walks in 12 plate appearances at Double-A Bowie. Even if his rehab stint goes off without a hitch, it would be ambitious to expect Roberts to return to the form of a career .353 on-base hitter, but the 34-year-old infielder would easily become the most viable option in the top spot if he’s even remotely close to the player he was prior to the injury.

The debate will continue over how Showalter should handle Roberts’ workload and what it means for current second baseman Robert Andino, but the Orioles desperately need more production from the leadoff spot.

And with Roberts’ return looking more realistic every day, he would be as close to the ideal candidate as the Orioles have had since his exit over a year ago.

Starting pitching woes

The news of veteran pitcher Roy Oswalt signing a one-year deal with the Texas Rangers stole some of the thunder of this topic, but it’s become clear the Orioles need better starting pitching if they hope to maintain anything close to the 29-20 pace that’s put them in first place for much of the first two months of the season.

The current 4.31 earned run average from the starting rotation is just above the league average of 4.30, but that number becomes more concerning when you consider starters pitched to a 3.63 ERA in April but have posted a 4.94 mark so far in May.

Left-hander Zach Britton is expected to take the place of the struggling Tommy Hunter, who was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk on Tuesday with his ERA ballooning to 5.59 after another poor start in Toronto on Monday. However, the in-house options are few and far between after that, making the idea of Oswalt so appealing before he decided to sign with the defending American League champions.

The Orioles have few pieces in their system to warrant anything better than what they already have in making a trade, meaning they will likely have no choice but to depend on the continued success of Jason Hammel and Wei-Yin Chen and hope for more consistency from Jake Arrieta and Brian Matusz to prevent too much wear and tear on the bullpen.

While the health of Britton’s left shoulder remains the priority over any short-term results, the Orioles can only hope the 24-year-old more closely resembles the pitcher who was 5-2 with a 2.35 ERA in his first 10 starts last season than the one posting a 6.25 mark over his final 18 starts, which included a demotion and a trip to the disabled list with that sore shoulder.

With two days off during the current nine-game road trip, the Orioles will not need a fifth starter again until June 9. Barring any setbacks, Britton should be ready to join the starting rotation by that point in time.

Given Oswalt’s preference to play for a winner, Baltimore was an extreme long-shot, but his veteran presence for one season — without a long-term financial commitment — would have brought some much-needed stability and a veteran presence to the rotation.

Carrying Flaherty becoming burdensome?

Showalter has said how impressed he is with Rule 5 selection Ryan Flaherty on several occasions this season, but you have to wonder if the 25-year-old is becoming too great a burden on the 25-man roster for a first-place team.

Injuries provided the utility player more playing time in the early stages of May, but his .143 batting average (7-for-49) has led to less playing time over the last two weeks. Since going 0-for-4 in Kansas City on May 17, Flaherty has received only one start and four plate appearances while being relegated to the bench.

The idea of a Rule 5 player on a team projected to be in last place sounds like an acceptable situation, but carrying a player like Flaherty when you’re trying to win is a dicey proposition, especially when the Orioles have elected to go with a three-man bench and 13 pitchers at times when the bullpen has been overworked.

In addition to Flaherty, infielder Steve Tolleson doesn’t have a strong hold on his roster spot, so it will be interesting to see what executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette decides to do if and when Roberts is ready to be activated on June 12. Regardless of whether Roberts takes Andino’s starting job or not, his addition will take away another roster spot and make you wonder if the Orioles can keep Flaherty around much longer if he isn’t going to produce.

BALTIMORE — Sunday was a tremendous day for the Orioles and their fans with the announcement of center fielder Adam Jones signing a six-year contract to remain in Baltimore through the 2018 season.

There’s plenty to smile about these days at Camden Yards with the club sitting in first place and off to its best start since 2005. Jones is off to the hottest start of his seven-year career in the big leagues after hitting 14 home runs in the first 48 games of the season.

It was that blistering production that pushed the Orioles’ hand in accelerating contract talks and presenting an $85.5 million contract to the 26-year-old center fielder, even though executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette had repeatedly stated his preference not to negotiate contracts during the season.

“The dude rang the cash register every time he hit a home run,” executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette said. “Adam really forced the issue, didn’t he? We’re glad to have him for a long time.”

The deal not only makes Jones the second-highest-paid current center fielder in baseball — behind the Dodgers’ Matt Kemp — but it includes a no-trade clause, signifying an even bigger commitment by the Orioles to keep him in Baltimore.

Though he was acquired from the Seattle Mariners in the Erik Bedard trade prior to the 2008 season, Jones feels much like a homegrown player and identifies with Baltimore as his city after playing here for over four years.

“I really don’t see myself wearing another white uniform that doesn’t have Orioles across the chest,” Jones said. “After I put that in perspective, if I won here — if we win here — this is my championship. This is our championship. I’m not part of someone else’s championship [by signing elsewhere].”

Jones has expressed a strong desire to win over the last couple seasons, speaking with more volume and conviction than any of his teammates. There’s little disputing the Orioles’ 29-18 start had a major effect on both sides to get a deal done.

If you would flip the win and loss totals, we’d likely be talking about the Orioles trading Jones by the deadline instead of reacting to a long-term extension and wondering whether Duquette and the Orioles will be buyers in late July.

It’s amazing what two great months of baseball can do for an organization.

Nonetheless, the decision to keep Jones is an encouraging one for the fan base and should signal the Orioles are in win-now mode — not just in 2012, but in the next couple seasons. Locking up your best trade chip doesn’t make much sense if you still consider yourself years away from contention.

“We are telling Oriole fans we are committed to this player,” Duquette said. “We are committed to putting a winning team on the field and we’re committing to providing hope to rebuilding our fan base.”

Where do the Orioles go from here?

In terms of addressing contracts for players already in the organization, the club will likely shift its attention to All-Star catcher Matt Wieters over the next year to 18 months. Though he doesn’t become a free agent until after the 2015 season, the backstop will be a difficult signing since he’s represented by super agent Scott Boras.

Whether you’re buying into the Orioles’ first two months in 2012 or not, it’s difficult envisioning the club having a great chance to make the postseason consistently over the next few years without adding more talent from outside the organization. However, a limited number of prospects in the farm system makes the reality of a trade a difficult — and unwise — one.

Does the steep financial commitment to Jones mean the Orioles will show more aggression in adding prime free-agent talent should it become available in the off-season?

“I don’t think the way to build a team is through free agency,” Duquette said. “I think the way to build a team is through an organizational approach where you sign and develop good players and then you keep the best players on your team, like we’re doing today.”

This answer was nothing new from Duquette, who has repeatedly echoed the sentiment since taking the Baltimore job last fall. However, it’s not the answer most fans want to hear, and it does make you wonder if the Orioles suddenly think they’re good enough to win solely with what they already have.

With no disrespect meant to Jones, who has clearly been the club’s best player this season and one of the best since his time in Baltimore, the Orioles’ decision to keep him in Baltimore doesn’t suddenly make them any better. It guarantees he’ll remain for the next six years, but it doesn’t push them closer to winning than where they already stood.

“It’s to be continued,” said manager Buck Showalter in describing the push to field a championship team. “I think everyone here is driven to put something together that stands the test of time.”

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These first two months of 2012 have been really, really fun here in Baltimore. As I’ve said numerous times before, I was seven years old the last time the Orioles had a winning season in 1997. Since then, we’ve all been teased by hot starts and promising prospects, only for the losses to mount during the summer and the players to depart over the winter.

For a few weeks now, I’ve wanted to believe that this organization has finally turned the corner. I’ve wanted to believe that Buck Showalter was finally the right manager to lead this team back to contention, and that Dan Duquette was finally the right general manager to make the aggressive, smart moves needed to contend in the toughest division in all of sports. The notion that this young, talented core assembled by Andy MacPhail and supplemented by Dan Duquette was finally good enough to take on the beasts in the American League has certainly crossed my mind. Some days, I believe it to be true. Other days, I remain skeptical.

After all, even if all of this does come together and 2012 turns out to be a magical year here in Birdland, will it continue?

Will the increased revenue generated from the added attendance that the coming months will undoubtedly bring barring a complete meltdown be put back into the team? Will it allow Dan Duquette to go out and not only add pieces, but keep his own? Would this version of the organization that is finally getting a taste of what it feels like to win in Baltimore have the drive to keep building, rather than constantly crossing their collective fingers hoping that 90 percent of the puzzle falls into the correct places in order to contend?

The Orioles are winning, and quite honestly, they aren’t showing many signs of slowing down. But how would this organization, led by an owner who has shown absolutely no commitment to winning consistently in this market and a general manager who was both highly successful and out of baseball for nearly a decade, handle success? How would they handle, well, not sucking?

I wasn’t sure. I was, and still am, more skeptical about the long-term relevance of the Baltimore Orioles than 2012. Once a team starts to win and gets that taste in their collective mouths, it’s often very tough to slow them down. Whether or not this team contends for a World Championship in 2012 is certainly up in the air, but I have a hard time envisioning this team not being at least in the top half of the baseball world come October. Even that would have to be considered a successful season given the bleak outlook of both the present and future just two months ago.

However, with an Adam Jones extension seemingly inevitable at this point, I have to say I am extremely surprised, impressed, and excited about where this organization is headed.

Peter Angelos is still the owner, and all that comes from that is not going to change. But the fact that the decision makers in the organization recognized the necessity of doing SOMETHING with Adam Jones prior to the trade deadline is a very good sign.

The fact that the decision was to extend Jones rather than trade him is an even better sign.

This organization has claimed to be rebuilding ever since Syd Thrift traded the likes of B.J. Surhoff, Mike Bordick, Charles Johnson, and the rest of the mediocre crew back in 2000. They’ve claimed that they have been building for the future each and every year of this decade and a half losing streak. We’ve heard the same tune from Jim Beattie, Mike Flanagan, Jim Duquette, and Andy MacPhail. Unfortunately for Orioles fans, the “building” never got past the ground level and they were using some pretty inferior hammers in the process.

When Buck Showalter was hired, he referenced the movie Braveheart and talked about how there would come a point in time when the organization would decide to release the spears and “go for it.” At this time, it would be determined that the core in place at the time was ready to contend, and at that point, it would be time to open the checkbook and make the moves necessary to contend for a championship, not just for one year but each and every year.

(Saturday 6:45 p.m. update — The Orioles have completed the deal and will announce it on Sunday, according to MASNSports.com. Jones’ agent Nez Balelo remained in Baltimore over the weekend to finalize details with executive vice president of baseball operations.)

In what would be a benchmark moment for the future of the organization, the Orioles are reportedly close to a club record long-term extension with star center fielder Adam Jones.

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported Baltimore was closing in on a six-year agreement for money in the neighborhood of $85 million as of Friday morning. That contract would trump the franchise record $72 million contract the  Orioles offered to Miguel Tejada prior to the start of the 2004 season. A new agreement would buy out Jones’ final year of arbitration before he was scheduled to become a free agent following the 2013 season.

Executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette has remained mum on the topic of a Jones extension, dodging questions about it in several local interviews, but it appears the Orioles will make a long-term commitment to the 26-year-old outfielder.

Jones is hitting .311 with 14 home runs (tied for second in the American League) and 29 runs batted in this season in what’s easily been his most productive start to a season in his seven-year career in the big leagues.

Reports indicate Jones has already taken a physical as the two sides iron out final details for the deal on Friday morning.

The center fielder is making $6.15 million this season and would likely become the highest paid player on the team with a deal certain to surpass the six-year, $66.1 million extension signed by right fielder Nick Markakis prior to the start of the 2009 season.

With the Orioles set to welcome the Kansas City Royals to town to begin a three-game set, Friday could prove to be a memorable night in the history of the organization.