Q: Are my Orioles ever going to attempt to seriously compete again? Going with youth is fine, but they need several stars on the field now who give us long-term fans a reason to spend money to sit in the seats.
— Chuck Roberts, Camp Hill, Pa.

A: The O’s are making some moves this offseason, but realistically, they’re a few years away from contending, especially in the tough AL East.

So what president Andy MacPhail is looking to do is make moves with both the present and future in mind — not to mention the payroll. For instance, the Ramon Hernandez deal with Cincinnati.

Besides Ryan Freel, who can be a scrappy and speedy presence in the leadoff spot when healthy, the O’s got two prospects Justin Miller and Brandon Waring.

Miller, who finished last season at Double-A Chattanooga, projects as a big-league second baseman or possibly utility player.

But in talking about the deal, MacPhail said it also cleared the way for the club’s catcher (and they hope, star) of the future: Matt Wieters.

So you can look down the road a year or so, and see a team built around Wieters (Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year), Adam Jones, Nick Markakis — and hopefully some quality pitching.

But in the meantime, you’ll see more deals like the Hernandez one — adding a part for the present, and maybe another part for the future. I look for Brian Roberts to be moved in a similar deal soon — but one that will net the O’s better quality than Hernandez. (They also have signed Cesar Izturis as a potential regular shortstop.)

But the Orioles also will have to rely on their own system to produce, because until they are contenders again, it’s going to be very difficult to attract any free-agent stars.

They’re trying — with offers to Teixeira and Burnett — but not succeeding.

Q: Why didn’t the Yankees get involved in a trade for Jake Peavy? He makes more sense to me than even CC Sabathia, except that Sabathia is a left-hander, and their rotation certainly could use one.
— Robert Wilderman, Bridgeport, W. Va.

A: It has been GM Brian Cashman’s plan for a couple of years now to hang onto the organization’s top prospects, and promote them to the big leagues, rather than deal them.

That’s why you still see Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes in Yankees uniforms — and why there isn’t a match with the Padres, who are looking for young pitching in return for Peavy.

The Yankees’ vast financial resources let them operate a bit differently than everybody else, and for them, spending up to $160 million on Sabathia is possible. Not to mention maybe $80 million more for A.J. Burnett.

But Cashman realizes that the lifeblood of any organization is the player development system. The last Yankees dynasty was built mostly from within — Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada, Bernie Williams, etc. — all came from the Yankees’ system.

Q: The Indians have about $20 million to spend. Who do you think they would have to trade to the Orioles to acquire Brian Roberts? Who would you go after as a closer, and for how long a contract?
— Joe Eversole, Pelham, Ala.

A: The Indians are set to agree on a two-year deal with Kerry Wood, and I think it’s a good move. First, Wood will be a dramatic upgrade at closer — which as I’m sure you know, was a trouble spot in 2008. Secondly, a two-year deal offers some protection against Wood getting hurt again.

He stayed healthy last season (65 games, 66 1/3 innings), and if used carefully, could do so again. Cubs manager Lou Piniella took steps to protect him — giving him occasional days off and by not pitching him on too many consecutive days — and I’m sure Eric Wedge will do the same.

As for the rest of the Indians’ plans, they looked into bringing back Casey Blake but wouldn’t match the Dodgers’ three-year offer. So they became part of the three-team deal that netted them second base prospect Luis Valbuena, as well as reliever Joe Smith.

The cost was Franklin Gutierrez, but the Indians are fairly set with Ben Francisco, Shin-Soo Choo and David Dellucci as corner outfielders flanking Grady Sizemore.

Valbuena hit a combined .303 with 11 homers, 60 RBI and 18 steals at Double-A and Triple-A before a September recall. If he wins the second-base job, Asdrubal Cabrera will move to short, and Peralta to third, which should improve the infield defense.

Given their strong finish in 2008, and assuming Victor Martinez, Travis Hafner and Jake Westbrook come back healthy, it isn’t a stretch to think the Indians can be strong contenders in the AL Central in 2009.

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