Baltimore Sun: Walker: Roster reality check shouldn’t dampen fun

From the mouth of Childs (and Joe “High Standards” Sheehan): enjoy the ride, just don’t become an irrationally exuberant b**** over this .500-ish Baltimore Orioles team.

The hints of passion sounded lovely in a town that had been forced to shut its heart to baseball during 10 long years of losing. But the dispassionate side of my brain couldn’t quite accept everything I heard from newly charmed Orioles fans. They talked about “kids” and the joys of seeing a reborn team on the field.

That’s not what I see when I watch the Orioles. [...]

As I sorted through the roster last week, I sought an outside take from Joe Sheehan, who writes for BaseballProspectus.com, one of my favorite analytical Web sites.

“I think the optimism should be for the long term rather than the short term,” he said.

He listed Jones and Markakis as the only sure-thing members of the next contending Orioles, adding that some of the current pitchers will stick around as assets.

“Most of the roster, though, is trade bait,” he said. “Nothing more.”