Peter Schmuck: Sadly, Orioles continue to avoid investing in the future

The long-awaited midseason trade deadline finally passed on Monday and Dan Duquette could honestly say the Orioles are measurably better than they were before the non-waiver trading period began in earnest a couple of weeks ago.

He acquired a decent starting pitcher and a shortstop who is under club control through 2020. He also picked up a solid Double-A pitching prospect from the Yankees, making good – to a small extent – on his intention of improving the team for the present and the future.

What he did not do was break off a big piece of that present and deal it for a basket of prospects who might actually change the long-term outlook of the franchise. That is either good news or bad news,…