Showalter on trade talk as non-waiver deadline approaches

By Steve Melewski

Orioles

July 31, 2016, 8:32am

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TORONTO - The non-waiver trade deadline is now just over 24 hours away. It hits at 4 p.m. Eastern time on Monday. Manager Buck Showalter was asked again today if he feels the Orioles will make a deal.

"We've talked about some different things that are out there," he said. "If it fits and is a good move for us now and the future, I'm sure we will. But if not, sometimes the best deals you make are the ones you don't make, too. I have a lot of confidence in our people and I'm trying to stay focused (on the games) here."

Showalter was asked about the fact that the O's farm system is ranked near the bottom in the majors. Does that hinder the O's from making any deals?

"Jon Schoop is from our system," he said. "Manny Machado is from our system, so are (Dylan) Bundy, (Mychal) Givens, (Kevin) Gausman, (Zach) Britton, (Matt) Wieters and I'm probably missing three or four. We've acquired players like J.J. Hardy with players from our system. It's a big part of what we're doing here.

"I know one thing: We're getting asked a lot about them. It all comes out in the end. What do they base prospects on? If you look at the track record of the people that project that, it's a lot worse than scouts, I can tell you that. Kind of like trade rumors. If you kept with everything they've said, you'd really see how wrong they are.

"More importantly it's what we think. And our players believe that too. I spend a lot more time looking at our minor league reports and talking to those guys than I do coveting other people's players. I covet our players."