Random trade deadline thoughts

Orioles manager Buck Showalter still needs one more win to tie Wilbert Robinson for 28th place on the all-time list with 1,399 and Paul Richards for second place on the club's all-time list with 517.

With the non-waiver trade deadline arriving Monday at 4 p.m., it's important to note again that it's a flimsy deadline. That the Orioles make deals beyond it. That opportunities to improve the roster don't die at 4:01 p.m.

The deadline simply means that trades made beyond it require a player to first pass through waivers, which still happens with regularity. And a player on waivers can be pulled back if claimed, so there's no reason to react strongly if names begin to leak. Teams always want to gauge outside interest.

The Orioles acquired Alejandro De Aza from the White Sox on Aug. 30, 2014. They acquired Michael Morse from the Mariners on Aug. 30, 2013. They acquired Joe Saunders from the Diamondbacks on Aug. 26, 2012. They acquired Pedro Strop from the Rangers as the player to be named in an Aug. 31, 2011 deal involving reliever Michael Gonzalez.

I was traveling with the team on Aug. 31, 2003 when the Orioles traded Jeff Conine to the Marlins for minor league pitchers Denny Bautista and Don Levinski. This has been going on for years.

The Orioles were sellers back then, quite different than what we've witnessed under Showalter and executive vice president Dan Duquette.

I scanned Twitter this morning and found fans accusing Duquette of "sitting on his hands." It's a flawed perception. No deals have been struck, but Duquette isn't on a ski trip.

Ask the Padres, who were in heavy negotiations involving Ubaldo Jimenez and Melvin Upton Jr. Two pitching prospects also were involved, but the money didn't work out.

The Orioles are scouting pitchers across the majors, hoping to find a match. They're talking to the Mariners about left-hander Wade Miley, as first reported by Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports. They probably don't have the pieces needed to pry Jeremy Hellickson from the Phillies.

As you've heard, it's a shallow pitching pool and too many teams are fishing. And Hellickson's price goes up as more arms come off the board.

I also read arguments that the Orioles never "go for it." Except, of course, that they went for it while trading for Scott Feldman, Bud Norris, Andrew Miller and Gerardo Parra.

I also read criticism that the Orioles gave up too much and now have nothing to show for it. That's "going for it." They traded for pending free agents while trying to win a World Series. That's life on this side of the non-waiver deadline.

Would you prefer Denny Bautista and Don Levinski?

The Orioles still could land a starter before 4 p.m. Monday. If not, they'll try to grab one or two who slip through waivers.

They'll also continue to lean heavily on pitchers already in the organization. Pitchers who need to step up, especially with the offense in such a collective funk.

Note: Triple-A Norfolk left-hander Ashur Tolliver has been placed on the disabled list with a left hamstring injury.