Even for a rebuilding club like the Orioles that is more invested in the future than the present, there’s a need for at least some validation that the plan is taking hold and results will come.
After all, the Orioles organization that executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias took over in November 2018 was one that had just enjoyed a five-year competitive window, but still wore the scars of nearly two decades of futility.
There have been plans before, so it’s fair to wonder just how this particular one is going. Elias promised an “elite talent pipeline” upon his introduction three falls ago and has gone about building one through the draft, trades, player development and international scouting.