http://tinyurl.com/3sqvf2 Orioles ponder Roberts' future Second baseman is Baltimore's most attractive trade bait By Amanda Comak / MLB.com BALTIMORE -- There is still one day left in the regular season, but much of the attention of the Orioles' front office has already turned to the offseason. It's expected to be a particularly interesting winter for Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts. Roberts, who was the topic of several trade rumors last offseason, is signed through the 2009 season, but with the Orioles going through their second offseason of rebuilding, the Orioles' leadoff hitter could very well hear his name come up again this winter in regards to potential trades. Manager Dave Trembley said Friday that he fully expects Roberts to be in an Orioles uniform next season. "I don't see Brian Roberts going anywhere," Trembley said. "Brian Roberts, to me, is a Baltimore Oriole. I have said that all winter. People said, 'What were your plans on Brian Roberts?' I said, 'He is my leadoff hitter.' "I fully expect Brian Roberts is going to be the leadoff hitter on this ballclub for a long time because of what he means to this team, what he means to this community. He is a guy that is a Baltimore Oriole. [It's] that simple. I don't see him going anywhere. I don't think he wants to go anywhere, which is good for us." And yet Roberts could be the most enticing veteran player the Orioles have to use as a trading chip in order to get viable prospects for the future, as they did in trading marquee players Miguel Tejada and Erik Bedard last year, a topic that Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail addressed on Saturday afternoon. "We certainly entertained conversations [regarding trading Roberts last offseason]," MacPhail said. "I never got my arms around what it is we could get back [or] really felt satisfied with what we were giving up. ... Part of that was because, after the first two trades were done, I had a different shopping list than maybe I would have had had that one come first, but it didn't. "We already had 10 new players in the fold, and I was fairly specific about what it is I felt we had to have at that particular point. I could never get satisfied that that's what was coming back, and I understood then and I think I understand now that [Roberts is] a good player and he's an important player, and there should be no surprise that other clubs are interested." As the Orioles prepare for their second offseason of rebuilding, MacPhail said that this winter's moves will likely walk a fine line between working towards a brighter future and filling needs that need to be met in the present. "You have some more immediate needs that you might have to address as well," MacPhail said. "You can't ignore some of the short-term needs you [have] as well. I think you have an obligation to try to fill some of your short-term needs as well, but not at the expense of what the plan is and what we've continued to implement from our start last year." --

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