BALTIMORE — Much of the Baltimore Orioles organization — some with perfectly knotted ties, some in sweaty practice shirts and slides — piled into the modest news conference room under Camden Yards on Saturday afternoon to celebrate a moment that did not feel quite right.

No one there could argue that signing 21-year-old catching super prospect Samuel Basallo a week removed from his major league debut was anything but momentous: The promise of homegrown stars worth keeping was the beacon that lit the darkest years of this rebuild led by executive Mike Elias. The willingness and financial ability to keep them are what made the arrival of David Rubenstein’s eager ownership group two years ago so rejuvenating.

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