Thom Loverro: Angelos rests, but Lerners shouldn't

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By Thom Loverro

If you have a scorecard from one of last weekend's games between the Nationals and Orioles, you might want to keep it for posterity - these two teams could look very different when they meet again next season.

For the sake of the fans, they BETTER look different.

This month is important for the future of both teams. Each faces different challenges in its effort to get to the same place - a baseball operation set up to succeed for the long term, to compete consistently for postseason play from the major leagues to the rookie leagues.

The consensus before the season was that the Nats were closer to that goal than the Orioles. They were basking in rave reviews for their 2007 draft. They had assembled a team that appeared stronger than the one that battled to 73 wins last year.

Now, though, the Orioles seem closer, particularly given the position they are in to capitalize at the trading deadline and stock up on more young talent.

Team president Andy MacPhail did a masterful job of infusing some young (and not-so-young) and energetic players into the organization this winter with deals that sent Erik Bedard to Seattle and Miguel Tejada to Houston.

The Orioles got 10 players in the trades, highly touted prospects like Adam Jones and others like reliever George Sherrill who could be parlayed into even more young talent if the club goes in that direction this month.

That's the challenge facing the Orioles: After 10 straight losing seasons and with a record of 42-40 entering Wednesday night, do they give up on a competitive season to look to the future? They have at least three valuable commodities for any postseason contender: Sherrill, Brian Roberts and Aubrey Huff.

Roberts, 30, remains an attractive target, an All-Star second baseman and nearly perfect leadoff hitter. Relievers are valuable in postseason play, and Sherrill, 31, has been one of the best this year.

Huff, 31, still has a year left on his contract but not for an outrageous amount (a little more than $6 million in 2009). He could give a team a solid bat.