Jon Meoli: 5 years in, Orioles GM Mike Elias has a new task: enhancing a division winner

There was no question five years ago this week why the Orioles hired Mike Elias to head up baseball operations and shepherd a rebuild that felt long overdue: for his scouting and player development acumen. Orioles’ ownership said as much when Elias was introduced, on a day when he promised an “elite talent pipeline” that would support the organization’s goals for years to come.