If the Orioles want someone who has held the proverbial big office and run all of that setting the philosophy and another executive to learn to do that and execute the day-to-day, Cherington's experience will prove vital. And with nothing else for most of the baseball world to do starting Monday other than look at what the Orioles are going to do and begin the offseason in earnest, the Orioles should be looking at how the last team standing got that way — and seeing whether Cherington's role in all that fits with their vision.