Orioles’ puzzle is just missing a few pieces

Andy MacPhail, the team’s president of baseball operations, pulled off major trades that clearly showed this wayward organization had committed to an actual rebuilding course.

If the Orioles had not sent shortstop Miguel Tejada to Houston and pitcher Erik Bedard to Seattle — each brought five players in return — there is no chance the Birds would be threatening to join the rarefied air of the .500 club this season.

Besides the pitching prospects that came east, led by 6-feet-5 Bowie Baysox and possible 2009 major league starter Chris Tillman, the Orioles reaped immediate juice from the deal. Five of the combined 10 players — or 20 percent of the team’s current roster — have been instrumental in turning second-year manager Dave Trembley’s operation into an interesting, likable, competitive product.

The Orioles have a possible, five-tool, star-to-be in center fielder Adam Jones, whose speed and defense help Trembley live with his painful learning experiences at the plate.

Left fielder Luke Scott swings a left-handed bat with decent pop.

And all closer George Sherrill, who is second in the American League with 25 saves, and middle relievers Matt Albers and Dennis Sarfate have done is transform the bullpen into the team’s No. 1 strength.

It’s almost enough to make fans forget that the Orioles aren’t done with a makeover that could prove to be massive. It’s almost enough to make fans forget MacPhail may be warming up to make another splash in the trade market that could cement the franchise’s foundation.

The no-waiver trade deadline of July 31 is fast approaching, and there is a good chance this hustling, competitive group of players could be broken up significantly.

How much will the face of the team change in the next two months? Maybe second baseman Brian Roberts, in the prime of his career and still playing at an All-Star caliber, will command three of four players in a deal with a championship contender.

Maybe Scott or Aubrey Huff, another veteran, left-handed hitter capable of a hot streak or two, will fit somewhere else and bring more young talent to add to the stockpile. Maybe Sherrill, who at age 31 is a first-time closer with no shortage of guts and composure, will attract several prospects from a team in need of a veteran who knows how to get the last out.

Who would have thought the Orioles potentially could face such encouraging “problems” so soon?

Amazingly, after just one year, MacPhail could be riding a seller’s market with a number of attractive ornaments on his tree. Incredibly, he might be weighing multiple offers next month.

Trading either Huff, 31, or Scott, 30, needs to happen. Each player has been hot at various times this year. Each could be attractive to a team in need of productive bat against right-handed pitching. Each could bring at least one strong prospect, maybe two.

The players with the most trade value are Roberts and Sherrill. As much as they have contributed to the surge this season — Roberts is hitting .290 with a team-high 36 extra-base hits and 21 steals, Sherrill is 25-for-28 in save chances — each of them could bring back memories of those Tejada and Bedard deals.

Then again, each could be Baltimore anchors for several years. Each could push this team into serious playoff contention sooner than later.

Roberts, the subject of endless trade rumors surrounding the Chicago Cubs in the offseason, is by far the team’s premier table-setter, and still plays great defense. Along with outfielder Nick Markakis, Roberts is the face of the franchise.

Sherrill’s sore left shoulder is a troubling sign for a guy who has never been overworked in the big leagues. Yet, there is no guarantee Chris Ray’s recovery from ligament replacement surgery will be a success.

The puzzle for MacPhail has numerous pieces yet to be fitted. But at this early stage of rebuilding, he is working from a position of strength with some potentially intriguing options.

After 10 straight losing seasons in Baltimore, a decade of the ship being adrift without a plan or even a philosophy, that’s called major progress.

Gary Lambrecht writes about the NFL, Major League Baseball and college sports. He can be reached at glambrecht@baltimoreexaminer.com