On September 1, the Orioles had a problem.
Over the previous two days, the O’s had dismantled a major chunk of the bullpen, dealing former closer Mychal Givens to the Rockies and emerging setup man Miguel Castro to the Mets after previously trading Richard Bleier to Miami on Aug. 1.
The trades themselves weren’t the problem, of course. Dealing live-armed but inessential veteran relievers for prospects is a perfectly understandable move for a rebuilding club like the Birds, all part of Mike Elias’ long-term vision for bolstering the talent level throughout the organization.