You can buy time? Really?

That's what the Orioles are doing...for their prospects...including Chris Tillman ('07).

Orioles trying to buy time for prospects
With eye toward future, team rebuilding rotation for now

Now, Baltimore's main goal is to sign enough veteran arms to allow its pitching prospects time to develop. The Orioles have a wave of highly touted arms -- including but not limited to first-round draftee Brian Matusz, trade acquisition Chris Tillman and fast-rising prospect Jake Arrieta -- that could begin to make their presence felt either late next season or early in 2010.

Andy MacPhail, Baltimore's president of baseball operations, has said on multiple occasions that he doesn't want to force any of his prospects onto the big league staff until he's sure they're ready. That newfound prudence is perhaps a reflection of last season, when young arms like Brian Burres, Radhames Liz and Garrett Olson experienced major growing pains in the Majors.

Sounds like a plan. They need one in the same division as the Yankees...the Red Sox...the defending AL champion Rays...and the Blue Jays.