The Northwest League is a short-season Single-A league with eight teams located in Idaho, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. The Orioles aren’t represented in the league, so I’ll just examine the championship and top players.

The Spokane Indians, an affiliate of the Texas Rangers, finished 51-25 and won the East Division by eight games over the Boise Hawks. The Hawks are an affiliate of the Chicago Cubs.

The Salem-Keizer Volcanoes and the Eugene Emeralds both ended the season at 40-36, but the Volcanoes earned the right to represent the West Division in the championship. Salem-Keizer is an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants and Eugene represents the San Diego Padres.

The Arizona Diamondbacks (Yakima Bears), Colorado Rockies (Tri-City Dust Devils), Oakland Athletics (Vancouver Canadians) and Seattle Mariners (Everett AquaSox) also have affiliates in the league.

Championship

Volcanoes starting pitcher Andy Reichard pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings in the first game and Salem-Keizer defeated Spokane, 5-3, to take a one-game lead in the best-of-five series. Designated hitter Jose Flores was 2-for-5 with two RBIs to lead the Volcanoes.

Catcher Doug Hogan hit a walk-off home run in the 10th inning of the second game and the Indians evened the series with an 11-10 victory. Designated hitter Eric Fry had a home run and three RBIs for Spokane.

Spokane defeated Salem-Keizer, 11-10, in the third game to take a 2-1 series lead. Spokane scored 11 runs on only five hits in the game, but 14 walks and four errors by the Volcanoes helped the Indians to come back from a 10-2 deficit. Fry had another home run and three RBIs in the game for the Indians.

In the fourth game, the Indians clinched the championship by collecting their third straight one-run victory, 6-5, over Salem-Keizer. The Volcanoes had won the title in the past two seasons, but they couldn’t overcome Spokane’s clutch performance in the playoffs. Hogan picked up his second game-winning hit of the championship when he hit a go-ahead RBI single in the top of the 10th inning.

Top players

Josh Vitters, Boise Hawks – Vitters, who was selected by the Cubs with the third overall pick in the 2007 draft, batted .328 with five home runs and 37 RBIs in 61 games for Boise. He led the league in doubles (25) and finished third in hits (85). The 19-year-old third baseman was 3-for-14 (.214) with three doubles in four games for the Single-A Peoria Chiefs of the Midwest League in April before being sidelined with tendinitis in his left hand.

Dan Robertson, Eugene Emeralds – Robertson dominated the league in most of the hitting categories. The 23-year-old center fielder led the league in batting average (.377), hits (114), total bases (150) and runs scored (59). Robertson also had 45 RBIs, which was second in the league, and he finished third in the league with 20 stolen bases and tied for third with 21 doubles.

Tyson Gillies, Everett AquaSox – Gillies batted .313 with six doubles, five triples and 22 RBIs in 61 games for Everett. The 19-year-old center fielder, who was selected by the Mariners in the 25th round of the 2006 draft, finished second in the league with 22 stolen bases.

Mike Loree, Salem-Keizer Volcanoes – Loree was the best pitcher for Salem-Keizer in their march to the championship series. The 22-year-old right-hander was only 4-3 in 15 starts, but he had a 2.44 ERA in 81 innings. Loree, who was drafted in the 50th round of the 2007 draft by the Giants, finished third in the league with 75 strikeouts and he only walked seven hitters.

Wilfredo Boscan, Spokane Indians – Boscan finished with a 9-1 record and 3.12 ERA in 15 games (12 starts) for Spokane. The 18-year-old right-hander finished fourth in the league with 70 strikeouts in 69 1/3 innings. Boscan was 2-1 with a 1.75 ERA in 13 games (eight starts) for the Rangers’ affiliate in the Dominican Summer League in 2007.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 4:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: 2008 season recap
        

With Adam Jones in center field, it’s obvious that the Orioles hope they won’t need anyone from the minor leagues to fill that position for a long time. The 23-year-old center fielder batted .270 with nine home runs and 57 RBIs in his first full season in the major leagues. He had 21 doubles, seven triples and 61 runs scored in 131 games.

The offensive numbers were solid, but his defensive ability adds another element to his overall game. Jones finished the season with a .991 fielding percentage. He had four outfield assists and only made three errors in 2008.

You’ve seen his talent for tracking the baseball in center field if you watched the Orioles this season. Jones didn’t always throw to the proper place from the outfield this year – hit your cutoff man, Adam! – but that should improve with more experience.

It’s clear that Jones has a lot of physical talent, but his best characteristic has nothing to do with his ability. His willingness to learn and calm demeanor, in my opinion, will allow the center fielder to continue to improve. That’s definitely encouraging for a team that needs help finding as many positive signs as possible.

I know O’s on Deck is supposed to be about minor league baseball, so that’s enough about the center fielder who is already in the major leagues.

Basically, my point is that it’s not as important that the Orioles have promising prospects at this position since they already have a talented young center fielder. The good news, however, is that there were two center fielders in the Orioles’ minor league system who showed that they could play a role in the major leagues someday.

Matt Angle, who was selected by the Orioles in the seventh round of the 2007 draft, batted .287 with 22 doubles, four home runs and 35 RBIs in 126 games for the Delmarva Shorebirds. He finished sixth in the South Atlantic League with 37 stolen bases and eighth in the league with 82 runs scored.

The Orioles drafted Xavier Avery out of high school with their second-round pick this year. The 18-year-old center fielder made an impressive professional debut with the Gulf Coast League Orioles. He batted .280 with 13 stolen bases and 27 runs scored in 47 games this season.

Based on this season’s statistics, I’d rank the center fielders in the organization in this order:

1. Matt Angle
2. Xavier Avery
3. Jeff Fiorentino
4. Danny Figueroa
5. Kraig Binick

Kyle Hudson, who was the Orioles’ fourth-round selection in this year’s draft, would likely be on this list if he didn’t miss most of the season with a broken hand. The 21-year-old center fielder was 8-for-37 (.216) with four stolen bases in 11 games for the Aberdeen IronBirds before he was injured.

An interesting tidbit about Hudson is that he played three years at wide receiver for the University of Illinois. Hudson batted .398 with 40 stolen bases in 53 games for the baseball team during his junior season in the spring.

Angle hit .301 with 60 runs scored and 34 stolen bases in 66 games for the IronBirds last season. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound center fielder is extremely quick and makes solid contact. Angle could have a future in the major leagues if he’s able to continue to his steady progression through the minors.

As I stated earlier, Avery had solid numbers in his first professional season. The biggest flaw is that he had 51 strikeouts and only walked 10 times. It’s not something to cause tremendous alarm, however, because he’s still young and inexperienced. Let’s stick with the positives for now and re-evaluate his status after he plays more games in the minor leagues.

Fiorentino had an eventful season of professional baseball in 2008. The Cincinnati Reds claimed the 25-year-old outfielder from the Orioles on Jan. 4 and the Oakland Athletics grabbed him off waivers from the Reds on Jan. 25. He appeared in two games for the Athletics against the Boston Red Sox in Japan.

The Orioles claimed Fiorentino off waivers from the Athletics on June 5 and he appeared in 68 games for the Norfolk Tides. He’s no longer a prospect, but Fiorentino batted .268 with 12 doubles, two home runs and 25 RBIs in 68 games for the Tides in 2008. It didn’t help Fiorentino, in my opinion, that the Orioles rushed him to the major leagues in 2005. Hopefully they’ve learned a valuable lesson and will use caution in promoting their prospects in the future.

Figueroa only batted .239 in 104 games for the Frederick Keys, but he’s on this list because of his speed. The 25-year-old outfielder finished tied for third in the Carolina League with 33 stolen bases this season. He also scored 66 runs and committed only three errors for Frederick.

Binick batted .253 with 23 runs scored and 22 RBIs in 39 games for the IronBirds. He also played well defensively, which earned him the final spot in my list.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 1:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: O's minor leaguers in '08
        

There’s no question that the best left fielder in the Orioles’ minor league system in 2008 was Lou Montanez. The 26-year-old outfielder won the Triple Crown in the Eastern League – and he accomplished the feat despite being in the major leagues for the final three weeks of the minor league season.

Since being promoted to the Orioles in early August, Montanez has batted .299 with three home runs, 14 RBIs and 18 runs scored in 36 games. While he’s still learning how to play defensively in left field, it looks like Montanez will play a role in the future of the organization.

The Chicago Cubs originally drafted Montanez as a shortstop out of high school in the 2000 MLB draft. He had a .282 career batting average with 85 home runs and 495 RBIs in nine minor league seasons before getting an opportunity to play in the major leagues.

Montanez batted .335 with 26 home runs and 97 RBIs in 116 games for the Bowie Baysox. He had 32 doubles, five triples and scored 90 runs. Montanez committed four errors and had eight outfield assists for the Baysox this season.

Although Montanez stole most of the spotlight at the position, a couple of players with major league experience had solid seasons in left field for the Norfolk Tides.

Luis Terrero, who played for the Orioles in 2006, batted .274 with 13 home runs and 88 RBIs for the Tides. Tike Redman, who was a member of the Orioles last season, hit .292 with 13 stolen bases and 77 runs scored in 116 games for Norfolk.

I don’t think there will be any disagreement over the first player in my list of left fielders, but how do you think the others should be ranked? Here’s how I’d order the left fielders in the Orioles’ minor league system based on this season’s statistics:

1. Lou Montanez
2. Luis Terrero
3. Tike Redman
4. Robbie Widlansky
5. Chris Amador

Prior to this year, Montanez had his best season in 2005 when he hit .293 with 14 home runs and 62 RBIs while splitting time between the Single-A Peoria Chiefs and the Double-A West Tenn Diamond Jaxx.

Terrero finished tied for third in the International League in RBIs and finished tied with Oscar Salazar for the most home runs on the team. He also had the most triples (eight) for Norfolk and trailed only Salazar in doubles (31).

Redman had 19 doubles and 36 RBIs for Norfolk. It’s unlikely that the 31-year-old outfielder will make a significant impact in the major leagues, but he deserves credit for putting together a solid season for the Tides. Redman split time between left field, center field and designated hitter in 2008. He played the most games (57) in left field, so that’s why I listed him in this set of rankings.

Widlansky played well for the Aberdeen IronBirds this season, but the 23-year-old outfielder struggled in 12 games with the Delmarva Shorebirds. Widlansky, who was selected by the Orioles in the 11th round of the 2007 draft, batted .279 with four home runs, 10 doubles and 29 RBIs in 43 games for Aberdeen. He only hit .222 with three doubles and two RBIs for Delmarva.

Amador, who the Orioles acquired from the Chicago Cubs during the 2007 season, batted .241 with nine home runs and 62 RBIs in 112 games for the Frederick Keys. He had 21 doubles and 15 stolen bases, which helped him to edge out Delmarva left fielder Kieron Pope in my rankings. Pope batted .232 with 12 home runs and 45 RBIs in 107 games for the Shorebirds.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 2:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: O's minor leaguers in '08
        

The Appalachian League is a rookie-level league with 10 teams located in North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. The Orioles are represented in the league by the Bluefield Orioles.

Bluefield has been an affiliate of the Orioles since 1958, which is the longest current connection in professional baseball. The most notable player for Bluefield, as many Orioles fans know, was Cal Ripken Jr. in 1978. Former Orioles first baseman Eddie Murray played for the Baby Birds, as they are often called, in 1973. Orioles starting pitcher Daniel Cabrera played there in 2002.

The Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins, New York Mets, Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays are also represented in the league.

The Baby Birds finished in third place in the East Division with a 29-36 record. They were 10 games behind the Pulaski Mariners, who finished 40-27 and won the division. The Elizabethton Twins won the West Division with a 41-25 record.

Elvin Polanco led the Orioles by hitting .311 with 10 home runs and 42 RBIs in 62 games. The 21-year-old switch-hitting first baseman had 16 doubles and 36 runs scored. Ronnie Welty hit .314 with three home runs and 34 RBIs in 55 games for Bluefield. The 20-year-old outfielder, who was selected by the Orioles in the 20th round of this year’s draft, had 13 doubles and 26 runs scored.

Levi Carolus hit .275 with seven home runs and 29 RBIs. The 21-year-old third baseman committed 20 errors in 49 games for Bluefield. Brian Conley, who played for Towson University, batted .248 with two home runs and 10 RBIs in 38 games. The Orioles drafted Conley in the 17th round of this year’s draft.

Starting pitcher Kenny Moreland was 6-4 with a 2.93 ERA in 13 starts for Bluefield. The 22-year-old right-hander had 65 strikeouts and only walked six hitters in 67 2/3 innings. Relief pitcher Jose Barajas was 1-0 with a 2.75 ERA and seven saves in 17 appearances. The 20-year-old right-hander had 26 strikeouts in 19 2/3 innings.

Moreland allowed two runs in two innings and Barajas gave up three runs and four hits in four innings for the Frederick Keys after Bluefield’s season ended.

Championship

Elizabethton swept Pulaski in two games to repeat as champions of the Appalachian League. The Twins also won the title in 2005, so they’ve won three of the past four championships.

Left fielder Evan Bigley was 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs to lead Elizabethton to a 7-4 victory in the first game. Third baseman Nick Romero had three RBIs and shortstop James Beresford had two hits for the Twins.

In the second game, starting pitcher Dan Osterbrock struck out 11 hitters in seven scoreless innings to lead the Twins over the Mariners, 7-0. First baseman Jonathan Waltenbury was 3-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs for Elizabethton. Second baseman Dominic de la Osa had two RBIs and Romero was 2-for-5 with an RBI.

Elizabethton became the first team to win two consecutive championships since Bluefield won in 1996 and 1997. The Twins have won five titles since 2000.

Top players

Jonathan Waltenbury, Elizabethton Twins – The 20-year-old first baseman batted .319 with 10 home runs and 45 RBIs in 63 games for Elizabethton. Waltenbury finished second in the league in doubles (22), hits (84) and runs scored (49). He led the league with 142 total bases.

Curt Smith, Johnson City Cardinals – Smith led the league with a .378 batting average. The 22-year-old first baseman had eight home runs, 14 doubles and 49 RBIs in 47 games for the Cardinals. He hit .244 with 10 RBIs in 11 games for the Quad Cities River Bandits after being promoted to the Single-A Midwest League.

Jon Gilmore, Danville Braves – Gilmore had the most hits in the league (87). The 20-year-old third baseman also led the league with 23 doubles. He batted .337 with four home runs and 31 RBIs. After being promoted to the Rome Braves of the Single-A South Atlantic League, Gilmore only hit .186 in 27 games.

Dan Osterbrock, Elizabethton Twins – Osterbrock dominated the Appalachian League while leading Elizabethton to the championship. He pitched the most innings in the league (75) and finished 7-2 with a 3.00 ERA in 13 starts. Osterbrock, who was the Twins’ seventh-round draft pick in this year’s draft, had a league-leading 104 strikeouts with only eight walks.

Matthew Moore, Princeton Devil Rays – Moore was only 2-2 in 12 starts, but he led the league with a 1.66 ERA. The Tampa Bay Rays selected the 19-year-old left-hander in the eighth round of the 2007 draft. He had 77 strikeouts and didn’t allow a home run in 54 1/3 innings.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 4:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: 2008 season recap
        

I’ve got a feeling that people aren’t going to like my rankings for third basemen in the Orioles’ minor league system, but it’s not my fault that the team’s top prospect at the position struggled to hit consistently in 2008.

Frederick Keys third baseman Billy Rowell is the most recognizable third baseman in the organization, but the 20-year-old took a step backward this season. He only batted .248 with seven home runs and 50 RBIs in 111 games.

It’s still way too early to give up on Rowell, obviously, but it’d be a lot more comforting to fans if he showed improvement each year. The Orioles’ first-round draft pick in 2006 is still the most promising third baseman in the organization, but there were a few others who had better statistical seasons in 2008.

In fact, the top third baseman in the organization this year was a 29-year-old infielder who has split the past 11 seasons between affiliated baseball and the independent leagues.

Bowie Baysox third baseman Jeff Nettles batted .253 with 24 home runs and 78 RBIs in 134 games. Nettles, who is the son of former major league third baseman Graig Nettles, had never hit more than eight home runs in a season in the minor leagues before this year.

Given the opportunity to play on a consistent basis in Bowie, the third baseman thrived. It’s not clear if he’ll ever make it to the major leagues, but Nettles certainly had the best offensive numbers of any third baseman in the organization in 2008.

Where does everyone else think Rowell fits in the rankings after his disappointing season? Here’s how I’d rank the third basemen in the O's system based on this season, as well as their chances of making an impact in the major leagues:

1. Jeff Nettles
2. Tyler Henson
3. Tyler Kolodny
4. Billy Rowell
5. Mike Costanzo

Nettles ranks among the biggest surprises in the minor leagues this season. He finished fourth in the Eastern League in home runs -- thanks to Lou Montanez and Nolan Reimold, it was also third on the Baysox -- and tied for seventh in the league in RBIs.

Henson batted .265 with 11 home runs and 62 RBIs in 127 games for the Delmarva Shorebirds. The 20-year-old infielder, who was selected by the Orioles in the fifth round of the 2006 draft, also had 25 doubles and 20 stolen bases this season. I don’t think the Orioles have decided which position is best for him, but they’ll find a place for Henson as long as he continues to develop offensively.

Kolodny established two franchise records for the Aberdeen IronBirds in 2008 – one good and one bad. The 20-year-old third baseman hit 10 home runs this season, which is the most in team history, but he also struck out a club-record 83 times in 72 games. Kolodny, who was the Orioles’ 16th-round draft pick in 2007, also led the IronBirds in runs scored (38), triples (four), total bases (107) and walks (34), but he only batted .240.

There’s a possibility, in my opinion, that Kolodny or Henson could surpass Rowell in the organizational hierarchy if they’re able to show improvement in 2009 and Rowell remains stagnant.

As I mentioned earlier, Rowell is still the team’s top prospect at third base. But that label won't last if Rowell continues to show that he can’t live up to the hype.

The best plan for Rowell, in my opinion, is to have him play another season at Frederick to prove that he’s able to put up the offensive numbers that are expected. Where do you think Rowell should start next year? Does anyone really think he’s earned the right to play at Bowie in 2009?

Costanzo, who was acquired in the offseason trade that sent shortstop Miguel Tejada to the Houston Astros, hit .261 with 11 home runs and 63 RBIs in 129 games for the Norfolk Tides. The 25-year-old third baseman strikes out too often -- 159 times in 483 at-bats -- but he shouldn’t be ruled out as a potential contributor for the Orioles in the future.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 4:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (20)
Categories: O's minor leaguers in '08
        

The Arizona League, which shouldn’t be confused with the Arizona Fall League, is a rookie-level league with teams located in -- you guessed it -- Arizona.

The Chicago Cubs, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers are all represented in the league.

The nine teams play at the spring training complexes in the state. The Orioles don’t have a team in the league because they don’t train in Arizona.

The Angels went 21-7 and won the first-half title by three games over the Cubs. The Giants were 21-7 in the second half and clinched a spot in the championship.

Championship

The Angels and Giants met on Aug. 31 to decide the overall champion of the Arizona League. The Giants won, 4-2, to capture their second league championship in the past four years. They won the title in 2005 by finishing with the best record in both halves of the regular season.

Giants starting pitcher Javier Hernandez allowed one run and five hits in eight innings to earn the victory. The 20-year-old right-hander had five strikeouts and walked two in the game. Reliever Chris Wilson gave up an unearned run in the ninth inning before picking up the save.

First baseman C.J. Ziegler was 2-for-4 with a solo home run to lead the Giants and designated hitter Brooks Lindsley was 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Giants left fielder Jose Medina was 2-for-4 with an RBI triple.

Buster Posey, the Giants’ first-round selection in this year’s draft, was 0-for-3 with a strikeout. The 21-year-old catcher was 10-for-26 with one home run, four RBIs and eight runs scored in seven games during the regular season.

Following the championship game, Posey was promoted to the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes of the Northwest League. He went 3-for-11 with two doubles and two RBIs in three games. Posey will play in the Hawaii Winter League for the Waikiki BeachBoys.

Top players

Nelson Perez, AZL Cubs -- Perez finished tied for the league lead in home runs (nine) and triples (10). The 20-year-old right fielder was second in the league in total bases (101), but he only appeared in 39 games. He also had seven doubles and 37 RBIs. Perez would have had better statistics, but he only batted .207 in nine games in August.

Alexia Amarista, AZL Angels -- Amarista batted .332 with two home runs, six doubles, four triples and 21 RBIs in 51 games for the Angels. The 19-year-old outfielder finished second in the league in runs scored (46) and tied for first in stolen bases (22). It should be noted that he was caught stealing 14 times, which was also the most in the league.

C.J. Ziegler, AZL Giants -- It wasn’t a fluke that the 22-year-old first baseman hit a home run to lead the Giants in the championship game. Ziegler led the league in RBIs (43) and finished tied for the league lead with 17 doubles. He batted .262 with seven home runs and 26 runs scored in 53 games. The Giants selected Ziegler in the 16th round of this year’s draft.

Kyle Nicholson, AZL Giants -- Nicholson dominated the Arizona League for the Giants in 2008. The 23-year-old starting pitcher was 6-1 with a 1.15 ERA in 11 starts. He had 54 strikeouts and only walked three hitters in 62 2/3 innings. Nicholson, who was the Giants’ seventh-round draft pick in 2007, only allowed eight earned runs and 34 hits this season.

Manuarys Correa, AZL Angels -- Correa was 5-1 with a 2.65 ERA in 10 games (eight starts) for the Angels before being promoted to the Orem Owlz in August. Despite only pitching in 57 2/3 innings, the 19-year-old right-hander finished with the most strikeouts in the Arizona League (67). Following his move to the Owlz, Correa was 2-0 with a 6.20 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 20 1/3 innings.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 5:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: 2008 season recap
        

The Orioles received five players in the offseason trade that sent shortstop Miguel Tejada to the Houston Astros. Three of the players in the deal made contributions in the major leagues this season and there’s potential for a bigger payoff in the future.

Left fielder Luke Scott is hitting .264 with 23 home runs and 62 RBIs in 142 games for the Orioles. Relief pitchers Matt Albers and Dennis Sarfate showed flashes of potential before both were injured. Albers was 3-3 with a 3.49 ERA in 28 games before suffering a shoulder injury. Sarfate was 4-3 with a 4.74 ERA in 57 games. He had 86 strikeouts in 79 2/3 innings.

The trade could become more valuable for the Orioles if pitching prospect Troy Patton is able to successfully return from a torn labrum. Mike Costanzo, the fifth player in the deal, hit .261 with 11 home runs and 63 RBIs in 129 games for the Norfolk Tides.

What the Orioles failed to find this season was a replacement for Tejada.

Luis Hernandez couldn’t capitalize on his opportunity to replace Tejada and the 24-year-old shortstop was eventually demoted to Norfolk. Hernandez batted .241 in 36 games with the Orioles. After being sent down, he hit .185 in 57 games for the Tides. Hernandez has a .245 batting average in seven minor league seasons, so it’s pretty clear that he’s not a long-term solution.

The Orioles have also used Juan Castro, Freddie Bynum, Alex Cintron, Brandon Fahey and Eider Torres at shortstop this season. None of them had much success at the position in 2008. Melvin Mora and Oscar Salazar both played an inning there, but they were just filling the spot when needed.

By using so many different players at shortstop this year, the Orioles obviously have already exhausted their available options in Triple-A. There are a few promising prospects in the organization, as you’ll see below, but they are all likely a couple years away -- at the earliest.

Bowie Baysox shortstop Blake Davis was the best in the Orioles’ minor league system this season, in my opinion. The 24-year-old infielder only batted .185 in April, but he rebounded to finish the year with a .284 batting average. He hit .367 (36-for-98) in the final month of the regular season.

The most intriguing player in the organization -- at any position, in my opinion -- is Greg Miclat. He was 2-for-4 in one game for the Gulf Coast League Orioles before being promoted to the Aberdeen IronBirds. The 21-year-old shortstop hit .291 with six RBIs, three stolen bases and nine runs scored in 16 games for the IronBirds.

Miclat’s biggest flaw is his lack of power. He didn’t have any home runs in three seasons at the University of Virginia before the Orioles selected him in the fifth round of this year’s draft. I’m not sure how much power he’ll develop, but Miclat is extremely fast. He had 91 stolen bases in 168 games at Virginia.

I know there are other players who could switch positions in the future, including Delmarva Shorebirds third baseman Tyler Henson, but here is my list of the best shortstops in the organization in 2008:

1. Blake Davis
2. Greg Miclat
3. Garabez Rosa
4. Jedidiah Stephen
5. Rodolfo Cardona

The Orioles should let Davis show what he can do as the starting shortstop at Norfolk in 2009. Davis will need to prove that he’s defensively capable of playing in the major leagues because he’s had at least 17 errors in each of his three professional seasons. He should be on his way to the majors if he’s able to play well for the Tides.

I watched Miclat play several times at Aberdeen this year and the 5-foot-9, 175-pound shortstop has a lot of similar qualities to Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts. Miclat, who is a switch-hitter, was able to effectively hit into the gaps on several occasions. He didn’t get much professional experience this season, so it will be interesting to see how he performs in 2009.

Rosa has a lot of potential and he’s still young enough that the Orioles can patiently march him through the organization. The 18-year-old shortstop hit .330 with four home runs, 29 RBIs and 24 runs scored in 49 games for the GCL Orioles before being promoted to Aberdeen. He was 5-for-20 with 11 strikeouts in six games for the IronBirds.

Rosa hit .283 with 17 RBIs and 30 runs scored in 56 games in the Dominican Summer League in 2007. His defense needs a lot of work, however, because Rosa has committed 49 errors in 103 games in his professional career.

Stephen started the season with the IronBirds. He batted .243 with eight home runs, 29 RBIs and 24 runs scored before being promoted to Delmarva. The 24-year-old shortstop was 1-for-25 with 13 strikeouts for the Shorebirds.

Cardona played well for the Bluefield Orioles in 2008. The 21-year-old infielder batted .283 with 10 doubles, three home runs, 28 RBIs and 25 runs scored in 49 games.

Cardona split time between shortstop and second base for Bluefield. I included him in this set of rankings because he played more games at shortstop and there really aren’t that many other candidates, in my opinion, to create a list of five.

Your thoughts?

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 2:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)
Categories: O's minor leaguers in '08
        

Before I jump into the rankings for the second basemen in the Orioles’ minor league system, I’d like to thank the readers who suggested that I also discuss defense in these posts.

It’s ironic because, as you’ll see at the bottom of this entry, defense will play a big role in the order of the second basemen in the organization. As I’ve stated several times since O's on Deck launched, feel free to offer ideas for ways to improve the blog. Including defensive statistics will definitely improve these rankings, so thanks again.

Matt Wieters threw out 37 of the 92 runners (40%) that attempted stolen bases against him this season. He made nine errors in 93 games as a catcher for the Frederick Keys and Bowie Baysox. Caleb Joseph, who caught 45 games for the Aberdeen IronBirds in 2008, was 29 of 67 (43%) in throwing out runners. Joseph had six errors as a catcher and three in seven games as a first baseman. Omir Santos had two errors in 81 games for the Norfolk Tides. He threw out 27 of 101 runners (27%) attempting to steal.

Frederick’s Brandon Snyder had 11 errors in 83 games at first base (.986 fielding percentage) and one error in six games at third. Oscar Salazar made seven errors in 84 games at first base for Norfolk (.991). Aberdeen’s T.J. Baxter had six errors in 28 games (.974) and Bluefield Orioles first baseman Elvin Polanco had 14 errors in 60 games (.975).

I’m interested to find out what people think about my rankings for second basemen in the organization. I’d like to have L.J. Hoes of the Gulf Coast League Orioles graded higher, but it’s hard to move him above Delmarva Shorebirds second baseman Ryan Adams.

With that said, I can’t put Adams at the top of the list because, as I mentioned earlier, defense should play a role in these rankings. The 21-year-old second baseman was terrible with the glove in 2008. He had 52 errors this season, including 46 in 96 games at second base. I like his offensive statistics, but I just can’t put him first in the rankings because of the defensive miscues.

Enter Norfolk’s Eider Torres. The 25-year-old second baseman hit .307 with 28 stolen bases and 69 runs scored in 115 games this season. He was 2-for-9 during a brief stretch with the Orioles in the beginning of the year. I’m not saying that Torres is the answer for the Orioles at second base if they need a replacement for Brian Roberts, but he had the best overall season in the organization, in my opinion.

What do you think? Did I penalize Adams too much for his horrendous defensive play?

I’d also like to see Hoes play a full season before figuring out where he fits in the organization, but he’s off to a good start.

So, I’d put the second basemen in this order if I had to rank them based on this season, while considering their future outlook in the major leagues:

1. Eider Torres
2. Ryan Adams
3. L.J. Hoes
4. Miguel Abreu
5. Buck Britton

As I mentioned above, Torres had a solid season for the Tides. He finished tied for seventh in the International League in batting average, 10th in hits and 11th in stolen bases. Torres also ended up fifth on the team with 20 doubles.

Adams was the best offensive second baseman in the Orioles’ minor league system in 2008. He hit .308 with 26 doubles, 11 home runs and 57 RBIs. The Orioles’ second-round draft pick in the 2006 MLB draft also had 12 stolen bases and 68 runs scored. It’s worth noting that Adams struck out 109 times in 448 at-bats, however.

The second baseman that intrigues me the most is Hoes. The Orioles selected the 18-year-old infielder in the third round of this year’s draft and he hit .308 with 36 runs scored and 18 RBIs in 48 games for the GCL Orioles. Hoes also had 10 stolen bases and he wasn’t caught stealing once. His defense needs some work because he committed 15 errors in 48 games, but it’s not necessary to panic at this stage in his career.

Abreu hit .275 with six home runs and 43 RBIs in 116 games for Frederick in 2008. He had 24 doubles and 21 stolen bases. The Orioles drafted the 23-year-old second baseman in the 28th round in 2005.

Britton is the older brother of Delmarva starting pitcher Zach Britton. The Orioles picked him in the 35th round of this year’s draft and the 22-year-old second baseman hit .289 with 14 RBIs and 19 runs scored in 47 games for Bluefield.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 1:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (14)
Categories: O's minor leaguers in '08
        

The Pioneer League is a rookie-level league with teams located in the Pacific Northwest. The Orioles don’t have an affiliate in the league, so I’ll just review the championship and select some of the top players.

The Billings Mustangs, an affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, were 23-15 and won the first-half championship in the North Division. The Great Falls Voyagers, an affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, finished 20-17 in the second half to earn the second berth in the playoffs from the division.

The Orem Owlz, an affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels, finished 25-13 in the first half to secure a berth in the playoffs from the South Division. Orem was 27-10 in the second half and ran away with the division title, so the Ogden Raptors earned the second spot. Ogden is an affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Great Falls beat Billings in the first two games of their playoff series to capture the North Division title. Orem defeated Ogden in the deciding game of the best-of-three series to advance to the championship as the representative from the South Division.

Championship

The Voyagers were able to get some revenge in the championship series against the Owlz, who defeated Great Falls for the 2007 title in the Pioneer League.

Starting pitcher Dan Hudson had 12 strikeouts in six innings during the third game to lead Great Falls over Orem, 8-5, for the 2008 championship. The Chicago White Sox selected the 21-year-old right-hander in the fifth round of this year’s MLB draft. He was 5-4 with a 3.36 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 69 2/3 innings during the regular season.

Mike Grace had two home runs and five RBIs in five games during the playoffs to lead the Voyagers and infielder Lee Fischer was 7-for-18 with four RBIs in four playoff games. Starting pitcher Kevin Skogley only allowed two earned runs in 15 innings during two playoff starts for Great Falls.

Top players

Roberto Lopez, Orem Owlz – Lopez excelled for the Angels’ rookie-level affiliate in 2008. The 22-year-old utility player was named as the league’s Most Valuable Player after being among the leaders in several offensive categories. Lopez hit .400 in 67 games to lead the Pioneer League. He also led the league in hits (108), runs scored (68), RBIs (72) and total bases (180), while finishing tied for first in doubles (28) and tied for second in home runs (14).

Luis Jimenez, Orem Owlz – The 20-year-old third baseman had a tremendous season, but Lopez often overshadowed him in the final offensive statistics. Jimenez led the league in home runs (15), shared the league lead with 28 doubles and finished tied for second in RBIs (65). He was also tied for third in the league in batting average (.331).

Brock Kjeldgaard, Helena Brewers – Kjeldgaard deserves recognition for the remarkable his remarkable transition this season. Perhaps Adam Loewen should get in contact with Kjeldgaard because the 22-year-old first baseman was 0-1 with a 5.91 ERA in 17 appearances (one start) for Helena as a pitcher in 2007. After two seasons as a pitcher with the Brewers, he became the team’s regular first baseman in 2008 and hit .278 with 14 home runs and 65 RBIs in 75 games.

Jayson Miller, Orem Owlz – Miller helped show that the Owlz were as good at pitching as they were at hitting. The 22-year-old left-hander, who was selected by the Angels in the 30th round of this year’s draft, was chosen as the league’s Pitcher of the Year after going 8-2 with a 2.33 ERA in 15 games (13 starts). He had 68 strikeouts in 81 innings.

Dexter Carter, Great Falls Voyagers – Hudson was the star of the championship series for Great Falls, but Carter played a big part in getting the Voyagers into the playoffs. Hudson led the league in strikeouts and Carter finished second with 89 in 68 2/3 innings. The 21-year-old right-hander, who was drafted by the White Sox in the 13th round of this year’s draft, was 6-1 with a 2.23 ERA in 15 games (12 starts).

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 4:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: 2008 season recap
        

It’s easy to pick the top catcher in the Orioles' minor league system. Most of the people who commented on the entry about catchers agreed with my picks, but I think we might have some disagreement with today’s topic.

The first basemen in the organization are more difficult to rank because several players at different levels had solid seasons. None of them were worthy of being selected as Minor League Player of the Year, however, like catcher Matt Wieters.

Two players, in my opinion, should be mentioned at the top of the list in any conversation about the best player at the position in the Orioles' minor league system. Remember that my argument is based on this season’s statistics, as well as each player’s status as a potential contributor to the Orioles in the future.

With that said, the best two first basemen in the organization are Norfolk’s Oscar Salazar and Frederick’s Brandon Snyder. Both players had similar offensive seasons, so it’s hard to differentiate between them.

Salazar hit .316 with 13 home runs and 85 RBIs in 112 games for the Tides. He led the International League with 42 doubles. Snyder hit .315 with 13 home runs in 116 games this season and he led the Keys in several offensive categories, including runs scored (70), hits (137), doubles (33), RBIs (80) and total bases (213).

Salazar has had moderate success for the Orioles this season. In 22 games in the major leagues, he is hitting .244 with five home runs and 13 RBIs. Salazar was able to put up similar offensive numbers to Snyder at a higher level this season, but he’s also almost nine full years older than the Frederick first baseman.

I’m going to pull the prospect card here and give the edge to Snyder for this season because I think there is still hope that he’ll be a solid performer for the Orioles in the future. Salazar has played well in the minors during the past two seasons, but it’s unlikely that he’ll be a substantial part of the team’s future.

I’d put the first basemen in this order if I had to rank them based on this season’s numbers, as well as the future outlook in the major leagues:

1. Brandon Snyder
2. Oscar Salazar
3. T.J. Baxter
4. Elvin Polanco
5. Chris Vinyard

Like I said, it was tough to pick between Snyder and Salazar. I’d take Snyder if I were building a team from the minor leagues because he has more potential. I know that he hasn’t played above Single-A and a lot of people might think Salazar’s season was better because he played at Triple-A.

Salazar is a 30-year-old first baseman, however, so it’s not likely that he’ll improve much. Snyder needs to stay healthy, but his versatility could help him earn a ticket to the major leagues. He played six games at third base for the Keys in 2008, so the 21-year-old infielder might be able to play multiple positions for the Orioles in the future.

Baxter performed well in his first professional season for the Aberdeen IronBirds. The Orioles drafted the 22-year-old first baseman in the 24th round of this year’s draft. He hit .279 with 25 RBIs and 25 runs scored in 52 games. The biggest problem with Baxter is that he struck out 65 times in 183 at-bats. It will be interesting to see if he can reduce the number of strikeouts next season.

Polanco was the biggest offensive star for the Bluefield Orioles. The 21-year-old first baseman hit .311 with 10 home runs, 16 doubles and 42 RBIs in 62 games. He also led the team with 36 runs scored. Polanco batted .318 with five home runs, 18 doubles and 37 RBIs in 54 games for the Gulf Coast League Orioles in 2007.

Vinyard only hit .240 for the Keys in 2008, but he had 16 home runs and 65 RBIs in 123 games. He was the team’s primary designated hitter, but the 22-year-old infielder played 55 games at first base as Snyder’s backup. He has tremendous power, but he also needs to reduce his strikeouts. Vinyard had 102 strikeouts in 430 at-bats this season and he struck out 115 times in 480 at-bats for the Delmarva Shorebirds in 2007.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 4:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (11)
Categories: O's minor leaguers in '08
        

For the most part, the 2008 minor league baseball season has finished.

The Bricktown Showdown, which features the Triple-A champions from the International League and the Pacific Coast League, will be played tonight in Oklahoma City. This year’s game will be televised on ESPN2 at 8:00 p.m. and will include the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (International League champions) and the Sacramento River Cats (Pacific Coast League champions).

The 2008 minor league baseball season will be in the books following the conclusion of the one-game playoff for the honor of being the top team in Triple-A.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll give a summary of each league and discuss the champions, as well as players who made a significant impact. Like a traditional minor leaguer, I’ll start with the rookie leagues and finish with Triple-A.

Let’s begin with the Gulf Coast League because it’s one of the two rookie-level leagues with an Orioles affiliate.

The GCL Orioles finished 14-41, which was the worst record in the league. The team started the season with a 1-13 record, lost its final six games and 15 of the last 16.

The team was led by 18-year-old shortstop Garabez Rosa, who hit .330 with four home runs, 29 RBIs and 24 runs scored in 49 games. Rosa was 5-for-20 in six games with the Aberdeen IronBirds after the Gulf Coast League ended. Edinho Meyer, a 20-year-old first baseman, hit .317 with three home runs and 17 RBIs in 42 games for the Orioles.

The Orioles’ second-round draft pick in 2008, Xavier Avery, hit .280 with 27 runs scored and 13 stolen bases. The 18-year-old center fielder struck out 51 times in 175 at-bats. L.J. Hoes, the team’s third-round draft pick in this year’s draft, hit .308 with 18 RBIs and 10 stolen bases in 48 games. The 18-year-old second baseman finished tied for third in the league with 36 runs scored.

Right-handed pitcher Justin Moore, the Orioles’ 26th-round draft pick in 2007, was 1-4 with a 2.98 ERA in 12 games (11 starts). He finished with 51 strikeouts in 57 1/3 innings, which was tied for sixth in the league.

Championship

The GCL Phillies defeated the GCL Nationals in both games of a doubleheader on Aug. 31 to win the championship. The Nationals won the first game of the best-of-three series on Aug. 29, so the Phillies needed to win both games in order to become champions.

Catcher Sebastian Valle led the Phillies with two RBIs in the first game of the doubleheader and a two-run home run in the first inning of the second game. Starting pitcher Reginal Simon pitched six scoreless innings in the second game to capture the championship for the Phillies. The 18-year-old pitcher was 4-4 with a 5.07 ERA in 11 starts during the regular season.

The Phillies won the GCL North Division with a 33-25 record and the Nationals were the champions of the GCL East Division with a 33-22 record. The GCL Pirates had the league’s best record (37-19) and won the GCL South Division, but the Phillies knocked them out in the semifinals.

Top players

Esmailyn Gonzalez, GCL Nationals – Gonzalez led the Gulf Coast League with a .343 batting average in 51 games. The 18-year-old shortstop finished second in the league with 42 runs scored, tied for third in the league with 33 RBIs and tied for 10th in the league with 12 doubles.

Wilfred Pichardo, GCL Red Sox – The 18-year-old center fielder hit .297 with 36 runs scored in 52 games. Pichardo led the Gulf Coast League with 42 stolen bases and he was only caught stealing nine times. Adenson Chourio of the GCL Pirates finished in second place in stolen bases with 30. Only four players had more than 20 stolen bases in the league, so it was quite an accomplishment for Pichardo to have 42.

Chris Curran, GCL Nationals – The 20-year-old center fielder led the Gulf Coast League with 55 runs scored in 55 games, which was 13 runs better than any other player in the league. Curran also led the league with 65 hits. He hit .311 with 22 RBIs and 14 stolen bases.

Nelson Pereira, GCL Pirates – The 19-year-old pitcher was 6-2 with a 1.62 ERA in 13 games (six starts) this season. He had 46 strikeouts and allowed only nine earned runs in 50 innings. In his final six appearances of the regular season, Pereira was 5-0 and gave up five earned runs in 26 innings.

Jack McGeary, GCL Nationals – McGeary was 2-2 with a 4.07 ERA in 12 starts for the Nationals. That’s not spectacular, but the 19-year-old left-hander led the league with 64 strikeouts in 59 2/3 innings. After the Gulf Coast League ended, he made one start for the Vermont Lake Monsters in the New York-Penn League. McGeary allowed two runs and had five strikeouts in four innings during the start.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: 2008 season recap
        

Over the next few weeks, I’m going to analyze the Orioles minor league system. I’ll look at each position and share my thoughts on the top players.

You might agree with my picks, but you’ll likely have a different opinion about a lot of the positions. Feel free to post your comments and we can debate which players are best.

Please keep in mind that this isn’t necessarily about picking players based on their potential to play in the major leagues or their status as a prospect.

Those factors will obviously play a role in the discussion, but they won’t be the only reason why one player is listed ahead of another. A player that has spent several years in the minor leagues may still be listed in front of one of the team’s top prospects because he had a great season in 2008.

The greatest part about having this conversation on the blog is that you’ll be able to share your thoughts. Make sure your comments are clean and I’ll be happy to approve them so others can participate in the conversation about which players had the best seasons in 2008.

I’ll start the discussion today with probably the easiest position to rank in the Orioles minor league system this year – catcher.

The best catcher in the organization is obvious. There’s a reason why Baseball America selected Matt Wieters as the 2008 Minor League Player of the Year. But that doesn’t mean he’s the only catcher in the organization who had a quality season.

Wieters hit .355 with 27 home runs and 91 RBIs in 130 games split between Single-A Frederick and Double-A Bowie. He had 22 doubles and 89 runs scored.

The 22-year-old catcher made an impressive professional debut by hitting .345 with 15 home runs and 40 RBIs in 69 games for the Keys. Following a promotion, the former standout at Georgia Tech hit .365 with 12 home runs and 51 RBIs in 61 games for the Baysox.

Caleb Joseph, the Orioles’ seventh-round draft pick in this year’s draft, hit .261 with eight home runs and 34 RBIs in 63 games for Aberdeen. The 22-year-old catcher finished with 19 doubles, which was tied for third in the New York-Penn League. He was also named to the league’s All-Star team.

After those two players, there wasn’t a lot of success among the catchers in the organization. Delmarva’s Wally Crancer hit .287 with 20 doubles, six home runs and 39 RBIs in 83 games, but he was only a part-time catcher. Omir Santos hit .269 for the Norfolk Tides, but he only had one home run and 36 RBIs in 84 games.

Bowie’s Steve Torrealba, who has been in the minor leagues since 1995, played well in limited action. The 30-year-old catcher hit .283 with eight home runs and 26 RBIs in 37 games for the Baysox. Brian Valichka, who is from Frederick, hit .263 with two home runs and 16 RBIs in 41 games split between the Baysox, Keys and Shorebirds this season. He hit .272 with 12 RBIs and 12 runs scored in 30 games for Delmarva.

I’d put the catchers in the following order if I had to rank them based on this season’s numbers, as well as the potential that they’ll contribute in the major leagues in the future:

1. Matt Wieters
2. Caleb Joseph
3. Omir Santos
4. Steve Torrealba
5. Wally Crancer

Wieters is definitely the top catcher in the organization and he’s one of the best overall prospects in the minor leagues. I know many fans think he could be the starting catcher for the Orioles in 2009. We’ll see if that happens, but there’s no doubt that he’s the top catcher in the Orioles minor league system.

Joseph has the potential to play in the major leagues. I saw him a few times in person at Aberdeen and he seems to do a good job of hitting the ball into the gaps. I’d like to see what he does in a full-season league next year, but he played well for the IronBirds in 2008.

Santos hasn’t had too much success in eight years in the minor leagues, but he had a decent season for the Tides. The Orioles haven’t given the 27-year-old catcher too much playing time since he was called up earlier this month, but he was among the best catchers in the organization this season.

Like I said earlier, Torrealba played well in the small amount of games he appeared in this season. It’s unlikely that he’ll make an impact in the major leagues, but he did well as the backup catcher to Wieters at Bowie.

Crancer is my sleeper pick in the catcher rankings. He was an outfielder in college and spent all of his time there for the IronBirds in 2007. The Shorebirds used him as a catcher in 38 games this season, however, and he played well. He still has a lot of work to do if he hopes to make it to the majors, but I was impressed by his statistics this season.

How would you rank the catchers in the Orioles minor league system?

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 10:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)
Categories: O's minor leaguers in '08
        

The Orioles selected catcher Brian Bent in the 44th round of the 2005 MLB draft from the Community College of Baltimore County at Catonsville.

Bent hit .164 (12-for-73) in 22 games for the Aberdeen IronBirds this season. He had three doubles and four RBIs, but struck out 28 times. Last season, Bent had a .172 batting average in 22 games for Aberdeen. He batted .283 with six RBIs and nine runs scored in 16 games for the Bluefield Orioles during his first professional season in 2006.

The 6-foot-2, 205-pound catcher played in junior college for two years before being drafted. Bent, who is celebrating his 23rd birthday today, attended Delaware Tech and Catonsville for one season each.

Before playing in junior college, the Ellicott City native starred for Mount St. Joseph High School. Bent played at the varsity level during all four years of high school and he was a teammate of Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Gavin Floyd during his first two seasons with the Gaels.

As a senior in high school, Bent was a first-team All-Metro selection by The Baltimore Sun. He was 7-1 with a 0.84 ERA in 58 1/3 innings for the Gaels in 2003. Offensively, Bent led Mount St. Joseph with five home runs and 31 RBIs.

Don’t forget to keep checking back for more ‘Surveying the minors’ features about your favorite minor league players in the future.

General information

Name: Brian Bent
Age: 23
Height: 6-2
Weight: 205 lbs.
Hometown: Ellicott City
Nicknames: Bri
Position: Catcher
High school/college: Mount St. Joseph High School / CCBC-Catonsville
Time in professional baseball: Three years

Favorites

Current MLB player: Ken Griffey Jr.
All-time MLB player: Ken Griffey Jr.
MLB team: Orioles
Sport (other than baseball): Golf
Food: Chicken pot pie
Music: R&B
TV show: Spike TV / Ninja Warrior
Movie: 3 Ninjas
Hobbies: Fishing / basketball / video games

Other questions

1. At this point in your career, what has been your favorite moment?

Our trip to Cooperstown for Cal Ripken Jr.’s induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame with the IronBirds in 2007.

2. Who is your role model?

My parents.

3. In the minor leagues, what do you do for fun on a road trip?

Mess around on the Internet, play PSP and hang out with the guys.

4. If you could play any other position, what would it be and why?

Pitcher, because I used to pitch in high school.

The survey was distributed and returned by Aberdeen’s media relations department. Check out other ‘Surveying the minors’ features about the O’s minor leaguers here.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 4:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Surveying the minors
        

The Orioles selected starting pitcher Brian Matusz from the University of San Diego with the fourth overall pick in this year’s MLB draft.

Matusz was named the Pitcher of the Year in the West Coast Conference during the spring. The 21-year-old left-hander was 12-2 with a 1.71 ERA and three complete-game shutouts in 15 games (14 starts) as a junior for the Toreros. In 105 innings, Matusz had 141 strikeouts with only 22 walks.

Last season, Matusz was 10-3 with a 2.85 ERA and 163 strikeouts in 123 innings. As a freshman in 2006, the 6-foot-4, 200-pound pitcher was 4-3 with a 4.25 ERA in 89 innings. He had 93 strikeouts in 89 innings that season.

For the second year in a row, contract negotiations between the Orioles and the team’s first-round draft pick went down to the Aug. 15 deadline. Last year, the O’s signed catcher Matt Wieters on the final day of talks.

Matusz worked out with the Aberdeen IronBirds before their season ended. He wasn't on the team’s active roster, but Matusz still received valuable exposure to the minor leagues. He’ll be pitching in the Arizona Fall League beginning in October.

I spoke with Matusz on the phone last week and asked him about his experiences with the IronBirds:

How is everything going now that the contract situation is settled?

Matusz: I’m excited to actually start playing baseball now. That’s what I love to do most. It’s definitely a relief to have the contract done and to be out here in Aberdeen working out with the team. I’m getting along with all the guys really well. It’s just great to experience the minor league life a little bit and to see what it’s like, so next year it’s nothing new when I’m going into spring training. That way I’ll know a lot of guys and I can get going with my career.

What are your plans for the near future? Have the Orioles told you where you’ll be working out in the fall or winter?

Matusz: As of right now, I’m not definite on where I’m going to go. The plans are to be working out here with Aberdeen... head out to [the instructional league] in Florida for a short amount of time and then hopefully get into the Arizona Fall League. If not the Arizona Fall League, then it’ll definitely be the [Hawaiian Winter League]. [Editor’s note: It was announced after this interview that Matusz would be pitching in the Arizona Fall League.]

How are the workouts going at Aberdeen?

Matusz: I’ve been working with Scott McGregor, the [Aberdeen] pitching coach, a little bit. I haven’t thrown any bullpens yet, but I have one scheduled. Hopefully I can just get back into the groove and get a good feel for all of my pitches again.

Which pitchers in the major leagues do you think you resemble?

Matusz: One guy I kind of emulate a little bit is [Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher] Cole Hamels. He’s a lefty like myself. He works in the low 90s, works off his changeup, his breaking ball a lot and I think we have a lot of similar qualities. Hopefully someday I can be pitching in the major leagues like he is.

Do you have any sort of timetable for progressing through the minor leagues?

Matusz: That’s up to the ballclub to decide where they want to move me, at what level and what track they want to put me on. I want to get to the major leagues as soon as possible, but I have to prove myself. Basically my thoughts are just to develop, to get better every day and to put myself into a situation where if I keep working hard I can be in the major leagues as soon as possible, so that I can have a long career.

With the contract negotiations going right down to the Aug. 15 deadline, were you prepared to return to the University of San Diego for your senior year?

Matusz: Absolutely. Honestly, I wanted to go pro. I felt like I was ready, but if the negotiations weren’t going well then I was definitely going to have that as an option to go back to San Diego for my senior year. But things went really well. I know it went down to the deadline, but I knew all along that we’d get a deal done. Both sides were working hard -- [Orioles president of baseball operations] Andy MacPhail and [scouting director] Joe Jordan with the club and then on my side with my agent and myself. Things just wound up working out really well for me.

You were introduced at Camden Yards during the Aug. 22 game against the New York Yankees. Describe your impressions of the stadium.

Matusz: It’s awesome. Camden Yards is really the best stadium I’ve ever been to. It’s just a gorgeous ballpark and the fans are great. I had a great time that day and I’m really looking forward to playing at that stadium.

In three years at San Diego, you had a pretty successful career with a lot of accolades. What do you need to do to translate that success to the professional level?

Matusz: It’s all about just getting better every day, making adjustments. It’s going to be different throwing to wooden bats and bigger, stronger hitters. I’m just really excited to get out there in order to see what it’s going to take to improve each and every day and put myself in a situation where I can make it up to the major leagues as soon as possible.

To view a photo gallery of Brian Matusz, click here.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 10:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Q&As
        

With an abundance of pitching prospects scattered throughout the Orioles’ minor league system, it would be easy to overlook Delmarva Shorebirds starting pitcher Nathan Nery.

The 23-year-old left-handed pitcher was 7-3 with a 3.39 ERA in 15 starts for Delmarva this season. Nery didn’t suffer a loss after July 26. In his final seven starts, the Orioles’ 18th-round pick in the 2006 draft only gave up five earned runs in 43 innings. He didn’t allow an earned run in his final three starts, spanning 21 2/3 innings.

Nery was also selected by the Orioles in the eighth round of the 2003 draft out of high school, but he opted to attend Stetson University instead of signing with the team. The 6-foot-5, 215-pound pitcher was 7-5 with a 4.53 ERA in 26 games (12 starts) during his junior year at Stetson in 2006. He had 76 strikeouts in 87 1/3 innings.

Prior to joining the Shorebirds in 2008, Nery was 8-8 with a 4.54 ERA in two seasons with the Aberdeen IronBirds. He appeared in 36 games for Aberdeen in 2006 and 2007, including 17 starts.

Don’t forget to keep checking back for more ‘Surveying the minors’ features about your favorite minor league players in the future.

General information

Name: Nathan Nery
Age: 23
Height: 6-5
Weight: 215 lbs.
Hometown: Moon Township, Pa.
Nicknames: Nate
Position: Left-handed pitcher
High school/college: Moon Area (Pa.) High School / Stetson University
Time in professional baseball: Three years

Favorites

Current MLB player: Chipper Jones
All-time MLB player: Nolan Ryan
MLB team: Atlanta Braves
Sport (other than baseball): Hockey
Food: Filet mignon
Music: Rock
TV show: SportsCenter
Movie: Super Troopers
Hobbies: Golf / fishing

Other questions

1. What is one thing that you’d like the fans to know about you?

I was born in Atlanta, Ga.

2. At this point in your career, what has been your favorite moment?

Walking onto the field during my first day of professional baseball.

3. Who is your role model?

My parents.

4. In the minor leagues, what do you do for fun on a road trip?

Sleep, eat and watch television.

5. If you could play any other position, what would it be and why?

First base. I like the position and used to play there. Being left-handed, it’s the only infield position that I can play.

The survey was distributed and returned by Delmarva’s media relations department. Check out other ‘Surveying the minors’ features about the O’s minor leaguers here.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 6:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Surveying the minors
        

Score: Akron Aeros 5, Bowie Baysox 1

Recap: After finishing four games ahead of Akron in the Southern Division of the Eastern League during the regular season, Bowie's season has ended in the first round of the playoffs. The Aeros defeated the Baysox, 5-1, to clinch a spot in the league's championship series against the Trenton Thunder.

Designated hitter Travis Hafner, who is on a rehab assignment from the Cleveland Indians, hit a two-run home run to lead the Aeros. He also picked up another RBI when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the third inning by Baysox relief pitcher Ryan Keefer.

Keefer replaced Bowie starting pitcher Chris Tillman after Akron left fielder Matt LaPorta hit Tillman with a line drive. Tillman suffered the loss after allowing four runs and three hits in 2 1/3 innings. I'll pass along any further information about his injury as soon as I learn more.

Second baseman Carlos Rojas was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored for the Baysox, who managed only three hits in the loss. Right fielder Nolan Reimold was 0-for-3 in the game. Catcher Matt Wieters was hitless in three at-bats. He hit .133 in the four-game series.

LaPorta finished 2-for-3 with a solo home run and two runs scored for the Aeros.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Game recaps
        

The final game of the regular season in the New York-Penn League between the Aberdeen IronBirds and Brooklyn Cyclones was rained out tonight due to Tropical Storm Hanna. It will not be made up because the game's result wouldn't change the standings.

The IronBirds finished with a 36-39 record this season. They finished in last place in the McNamara Division, 13 games behind the first-place Staten Island Yankees.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

No one was able to hit four home runs in last night’s game, but there were still plenty of fireworks in Game 3 of the Eastern League playoffs between the Bowie Baysox and Akron Aeros.

The first base umpire ejected Baysox starting pitcher David Hernandez in the top of the third inning -- while his team was hitting -- for arguing about the strike zone from the dugout.

The biggest moment of last night’s game, however, came moments earlier when Cleveland Indians slugger Travis Hafner, who is on a rehab assignment with the Aeros, hit a grand slam in the second inning against Hernandez. The home run gave Akron a 6-0 lead over the Baysox and wound up being the deciding margin in the game after Baysox right fielder Nolan Reimold picked up two RBIs in the eighth inning of the 6-2 loss.

I’ve had a few e-mails about Hafner’s presence in the game and I’m not exactly sure that it’s fair for Hafner to be playing in -- and influencing in a major way -- a playoff series that might be the best opportunity for a lot of the Bowie players to win a championship on the professional level. It’s apparently within the rules of the league, however, so it’s not really an issue as far as I’m concerned.

It does seem like a tough way for the Baysox to lose, but no one would be talking about it if Hernandez had not given up the grand slam. The 23-year-old starting pitcher is going to need to learn how to get hitters like Hafner out if he plans on playing in the major leagues someday.

The Aeros could wrap up a berth in the Eastern League championship with a victory in the 6:05 p.m. game. The two teams will head back to Bowie on Sunday for the deciding game if the Baysox win tonight.

Here are the tentative pitching matchups for the rest of the playoff series between Bowie and Akron:

Game 4 -- Tonight, 6:05 p.m., at Akron

Bowie: Chris Tillman (11-4, 3.18 ERA)
Akron: Frank Herrmann (11-6, 4.10 ERA)

Game 5 -- Tomorrow, 5:05 p.m., at Bowie (if necessary)

Bowie: Zach Clark (4-2, 3.60 ERA)
Akron: Kevin Dixon (9-11, 4.41 ERA)

Tonight’s notes

* In seven starts against Akron this season, Tillman was 0-2 with a 3.86 ERA. He had 27 strikeouts and 17 walks in 30 1/3 innings against the Aeros. The 20-year-old starting pitcher has won his past four starts, allowing only two earned runs in 23 innings during that span. He had 30 strikeouts and eight walks in the four games.

* Herrmann was 1-1 with a 3.68 ERA in four games against the Baysox in 2008. He struck out 20 hitters and only allowed one walk in 22 innings during those four games. Herrmann picked up the victory in his last start against the Erie SeaWolves on Aug. 30 although he gave up four earned runs and seven hits in six innings.

* Hafner was 7-for-22 (.318) with three doubles, no home runs and four RBIs in seven games for the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons before their season ended. He has been out of the major leagues since May because of a right shoulder strain. Hafner is expected to play again tonight, but he’s unlikely to travel to Bowie for tomorrow’s game if the Baysox win.

* Baysox shortstop Blake Davis was only 2-for-11 in the first three games of the playoff series. He hit .282 with six RBIs and eight runs scored in 21 games against Akron during the regular season. Davis hit .367 with 14 RBIs and 15 runs scored in 27 games during the final month of the season.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 12:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Game previews
        

The Aberdeen IronBirds conclude their season tonight on the road against the Brooklyn Cyclones. Aberdeen won last night against Brooklyn, 5-3, after scoring two runs in the top of the 11th inning. The IronBirds are currently 36-39 and will finish in last place in the McNamara Division of the New York-Penn League.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Opponent

Brooklyn Cyclones

Probable pitchers

Aberdeen: Pat Egan (5-6, 3.24 ERA)
Brooklyn: Brad Holt (5-3, 1.87 ERA)

Notes

* Egan and Holt also faced each other in Aberdeen on Sept. 1. Brooklyn won the game, 5-2, after the IronBirds struck out 18 times in the game. Egan suffered the loss after allowing five runs (one earned) and six hits in six innings. Holt had 12 strikeouts and gave up only two runs and two hits in 5 2/3 innings to pick up the victory in that game.

* Last night’s victory in Brooklyn was the first win on the road for the IronBirds since Aug. 14. Aberdeen was 14-14 away from Ripken Stadium before losing eight consecutive away games.

* IronBirds left-hander Rick Zagone finished the season with 79 strikeouts after collecting four in last night’s game against Brooklyn. Zagone came up just shy of the franchise record of 82, which was set by current Orioles starting pitcher Radhames Liz in 2005.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Game previews
        

Score: Akron Aeros 6, Bowie Baysox 2

Recap: Designated hitter Travis Hafner, who was on a rehab assignment from the Cleveland Indians, hit a grand slam to lead the Aeros to the 6-2 victory over the Baysox.

Baysox starting pitcher David Hernandez was ejected by first base umpire Mark Buchanon for arguing about the strike zone while Bowie was hitting in the top of the third inning. Hernandez gave up six runs and five hits in two innings. He walked three and only had one strikeout.

The Baysox bullpen pitched six scoreless innings, allowing only two hits, after Hernandez was ejected. The offense couldn't come back from the early deficit, however.

Right fielder Nolan Reimold remained hot for the Baysox. He had a two-run double in the eighth inning and went 2-for-4 in the game. Bowie shortstop Blake Davis was 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored.

The Aeros are now one win away from advancing to the Eastern League championship series. Starting pitcher Chris Tillman (11-4, 3.18 ERA) will start for the Baysox as the team looks to extend the best-of-five series tomorrow night in Akron. Frank Herrman (11-6, 4.10 ERA) gets the start for the Aeros.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Game recaps
        

The Aberdeen IronBirds scored twice in the 11th inning to beat the Brooklyn Cyclones tonight. Aberdeen improved to 36-39 with the win. The two teams will meet again tomorrow night for the final game of the New York-Penn League regular season.

Score: Aberdeen IronBirds 5, Brooklyn Cyclones 3, 11 innings

Recap: The IronBirds scored two runs in the top of the 11th inning to pick up a 5-3 extra-inning win over Brooklyn. Designated hitter T.J. Baxter had an RBI single and shortstop Greg Miclat walked to force in a run in the 11th.

Aberdeen fell behind, 3-0, before scoring three runs in the fourth inning to tie the game. After back-to-back singles by catcher Caleb Joseph and first baseman Paul Chmiel, third baseman Tyler Kolodny had an RBI double. Another run scored on a passed ball and Baxter drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

Starting pitcher Rick Zagone gave up three runs (two earned) and seven hits in six innings, but he didn't factor in the decision. IronBirds relief pitcher Ryan O'Shea (2-1) tossed three scoreless innings to earn the victory. Baxter, Chmiel and right fielder Jacob Julius all had two hits for the IronBirds.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Game recaps
        

After the past two nights, what type of fireworks will happen tonight in the best-of-five Eastern League playoff series between the Bowie Baysox and Akron Aeros?

In the first game of the series, outfielder Matt LaPorta stole the show with two home runs and four RBIs to lead Akron over the Baysox, 6-5, in 12 innings. Bowie outfielder Nolan Reimold overshadowed LaPorta last night in the second game by hitting three home runs and collecting eight RBIs in his team’s 11-3 victory over the Aeros.

At this rate, someone should hit four home runs in tonight’s game. That’s unlikely, but I wouldn’t be surprised if LaPorta or Reimold accomplished the feat. Akron third baseman Wes Hodges and Bowie third baseman Jeff Nettles are also both capable of hitting multiple home runs in a game. And you can’t leave Baysox catcher Matt Wieters out of any discussion about home runs.

Anyway, the series shifts to Akron for a 7:05 p.m. game tonight. The Baysox and Aeros will play again tomorrow in Akron. If the two teams split, they’ll head back to Bowie on Sunday for the deciding game.

Here are the tentative pitching matchups for the rest of the playoff series between Bowie and Akron:

Game 3 -- Tonight, 7:05 p.m., at Akron

Bowie: David Hernandez (10-4, 2.68 ERA)
Akron: Ryan Edell (7-8, 3.80 ERA)

Game 4 -- Tomorrow, 6:05 p.m., at Akron

Bowie: Chris Tillman (11-4, 3.18 ERA)
Akron: Frank Herrmann (11-6, 4.10 ERA)

Game 5 -- Sunday, 5:05 p.m., at Bowie (if necessary)

Bowie: Zach Clark (4-2, 3.60 ERA)
Akron: Kevin Dixon (9-11, 4.41 ERA)

Tonight’s notes

* Hernandez was 2-0 with a 2.04 ERA in three starts against Akron this season. He had 18 strikeouts and walked seven hitters in 17 2/3 innings. The 23-year-old starting pitcher has won five straight decisions. He allowed three earned runs and six hits in five innings during his last start on Aug. 30 against the Harrisburg Senators.

* Edell was 0-1 with a 5.49 ERA in four games against the Baysox in 2008. He struck out 17 hitters and walked six in 19 2/3 innings. The 25-year-old left-hander is 3-3 with a 2.44 ERA in his past 10 starts. He picked up the victory in his last start against the Altoona Curve on Aug. 28 by giving up only three hits and no earned runs in 5 2/3 innings.

* Reimold only hit .230 against Akron during the regular season. He had three home runs, 12 RBIs and 13 runs scored in 24 games. In two playoff games, Reimold is 5-for-10 with four home runs, nine RBIs and four runs scored.

* The Baysox were 39-32 on the road this season and the Aeros were 39-31 at home in 2008. Akron won eight of the 14 meetings between the two teams in Akron this year.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Game previews
        

The Aberdeen IronBirds begin their final series of the season today against the Brooklyn Cyclones. The IronBirds will play two games against the Cyclones to conclude their season. With a 35-39 record and two games left, Aberdeen is guaranteed to finish below .500 for the fifth time in seven seasons.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Opponent

Brooklyn Cyclones

Probable pitchers

Aberdeen: Rick Zagone (7-1, 2.88 ERA)
Brooklyn: Scott Shaw (6-3, 2.70 ERA)

Notes

* Zagone was 4-1 with a 2.75 ERA in six August starts. He had 45 strikeouts and only walked seven hitters in 36 innings during the month. The 21-year-old left-hander had ten strikeouts and allowed only three hits in seven innings during his last start on Aug. 31 against the Staten Island Yankees.

* Catcher Caleb Joseph hit his eighth home run of the season yesterday against Staten Island, but he’s among the league leaders in doubles in 2008. The Orioles’ seventh-round pick in this year’s MLB draft is currently tied for third in the New York-Penn League with 19 doubles.

* Center fielder Calvin Lester currently ranks fifth in the league in stolen bases with 18. The 24-year-old outfielder only has two stolen bases in his past 10 games, however. He is hitting .238 with 31 runs scored for the IronBirds this season.

* Aberdeen has lost eight straight games away from Ripken Stadium. The IronBirds finished the season with a 21-17 record at home, but they are only 14-22 on the road.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 10:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Game previews
        

Score: Bowie Baysox 11, Akron Aeros 3

Recap: It was the Nolan Reimold show tonight in Bowie. That's the only way to describe the display of power put on by the Baysox right fielder. Reimold had three home runs and eight RBIs as the Baysox defeated Akron, 11-3, to even the best-of-five series.

Starting pitcher Brad Bergesen pitched eight innings for the Baysox, allowing three runs (two earned) and four hits. He had six strikeouts and walked one. Bowie reliever Julio Manon closed out the victory with a scoreless ninth.

Reimold hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning to put the Baysox ahead, 2-1. He added a solo shot in the fourth inning, but the biggest blow came in the eighth inning. After the first three Baysox hitters reached base, the 24-year-old outfielder hit a grand slam to center field to put the game out of reach for Akron. Reimold went 4-for-5 in the game.

Third baseman Jeff Nettles was 3-for-3 with an RBI and designated hitter Steve Torrealba also hit a solo home run for the Baysox.

The two teams will now head to Akron to play two games on Friday and Saturday. Baysox starting pitcher David Hernandez (10-4, 2.68 ERA) will face Aeros left-hander Ryan Edell (7-8, 3.80 ERA) in tomorrow night's game.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Game recaps
        

The Aberdeen IronBirds lost to the Staten Island Yankees, 4-2, earlier today. Aberdeen scored two runs in the first inning, but they failed to score for the rest of the game. They'll play the Brooklyn Cyclones twice before their season concludes.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Score: Staten Island Yankees 4, Aberdeen IronBirds 2

Recap: Designated hitter Caleb Joseph hit a two-run home run for the IronBirds in the top of the first inning, but the team managed only two more hits for the rest of the game. Staten Island picked up the 4-2 victory in the final meeting between the two teams this season.

IronBirds starting pitcher Nathan Moreau (1-2) allowed three runs and five hits in 4 2/3 innings. He had six strikeouts and one walk in the game. First baseman Paul Chmiel had a double for the IronBirds.

Orioles relief pitcher Matt Albers pitched a scoreless inning of rehab for Aberdeen. He gave up one hit and struck out two.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Game recaps
        

The Bowie Baysox and Akron Aeros will meet tonight at Prince George’s Stadium for the second game of the best-of-five playoff series. Aeros outfielder Matt LaPorta had two home runs to help Akron beat the Baysox, 6-5, in 12 innings last night.

The Baysox battled back to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth inning, but LaPorta’s RBI single in the 12th inning gave Akron the 1-0 series lead.

Bowie will start 15-game winner Brad Bergesen in tonight’s game and Akron will send J.D. Martin to the mound.

Here are the tentative pitching matchups for the rest of the playoff series between Bowie and Akron:

Game 2 -- Tonight, 7:05 p.m., at Bowie

Bowie: Brad Bergesen (15-6, 3.22 ERA)
Akron: J.D. Martin (11-3, 2.49 ERA)

Game 3 -- Tomorrow, 7:05 p.m., at Akron

Bowie: David Hernandez (10-4, 2.68 ERA)
Akron: Ryan Edell (7-8, 3.80 ERA)

Game 4 -- Saturday, 7:05 p.m., at Akron (if necessary)

Bowie: Chris Tillman (11-4, 3.18 ERA)
Akron: Frank Herrmann (11-6, 4.10 ERA)

Game 5 -- Sunday, 4:05 p.m., at Bowie (if necessary)

Bowie: Zach Clark (4-2, 3.60 ERA)
Akron: Kevin Dixon (9-11, 4.41 ERA)

Tonight’s notes

* Bergesen won both starts against Akron this season, but the 22-year-old starting pitcher has lost three consecutive games. He has allowed nine earned runs and 16 hits in 16 innings during those three starts. Bergesen was only 2-3 with a 5.28 ERA in August.

* Martin is 1-0 with a 0.63 ERA in six appearances, including one start, against the Baysox in 2008. The 25-year-old right-hander is 3-0 in five starts since moving into Akron’s starting rotation. In those five games, Martin has only allowed one earned run and 14 hits in 21 2/3 innings.

* Baysox right fielder Nolan Reimold hit a solo home run in the first inning of last night’s playoff game. He now has seven home runs and 11 RBIs in his past 10 games. Reimold has homered in three straight games and four of his past five.

* LaPorta only hit .233 with two home runs and eight RBIs in 17 games after coming to the Cleveland Indians’ affiliate from the Milwaukee Brewers in a midseason trade for CC Sabathia. He made an impressive playoff debut, however, by going 4-for-5 with two home runs and four RBIs to lead the Aeros over Bowie in the first game of the best-of-five series last night.

* Bowie catcher Steve Torrealba had two doubles and two RBIs in four games against Akron during the regular season. He was 2-for-3 with a run scored as the designated hitter in last night’s game.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Game previews
        

The Aberdeen IronBirds and Staten Island Yankees will meet for the final time today at 1:05 p.m. They’ll play the Brooklyn Cyclones in the final two games of the season beginning tomorrow night.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Opponent

Staten Island Yankees

Probable pitchers

Aberdeen: Nathan Moreau (1-1, 5.68 ERA)
Staten Island: Nick Montgomery (1-2, 4.33 ERA)

Notes

* Moreau allowed four earned runs and five hits in his last start against Staten Island on Aug. 30. The 21-year-old left-hander had five strikeouts and walked one, but he didn’t factor in the decision.

* T.J. Baxter is hitting .280 with 23 RBIs and 25 runs scored in 50 games for the IronBirds this season. He hit his second home run of the season last night in Aberdeen’s 9-8 loss to Staten Island. Baxter is hitting .326 with both home runs and 16 RBIs in 25 games on the road, but he only hit .225 in 25 games at Ripken Stadium in 2008.

* The IronBirds released right-handed pitcher Josh Tamba after Tuesday night’s final home game. He only pitched in one game this season, but the 23-year-old pitcher holds the franchise record for career starts with 26. He also pitched for Aberdeen in 2006 and 2007, finishing with a 6-10 overall record.

* Aberdeen finished with a paid attendance of 248,134 at Ripken Stadium this season, which is the most in the seven years of the franchise. The team also won 21 games at home in 2008, which is also the best in franchise history.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Game previews
        

It’s been about 2 1/2 years since Jeff Fiorentino made his major league debut for the Orioles on May 12, 2005. As a 22-year-old rookie who was promoted directly from Single-A Frederick, Fiorentino quickly made an impact for the Orioles.

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound outfielder singled in his first four at-bats and went 6-for-10 in his first three games in the majors. He was 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored in the Orioles’ 9-6 victory over the Chicago White Sox in his second professional game.

His success didn’t last long, however, and Fiorentino was sent back to Frederick by the end of May. The Orioles’ third-round pick in the 2004 MLB draft was 11-for-44 with two doubles, a home run, five RBIs and seven runs scored in 13 games that season.

Fiorentino didn’t return to the Orioles until after the rosters expanded in September of the following season. He was 10-for-39 with two doubles, seven RBIs and eight runs scored in 19 games.

The Cincinnati Reds claimed Fiorentino off waivers from the Orioles at the beginning of this year. About three weeks later, the Oakland Athletics acquired the 25-year-old outfielder by claiming him from the Reds.

Fiorentino played in two games earlier this season for the Athletics, but he didn’t have a big opportunity to prove himself. He was one of the extra players that Oakland was permitted to take with the team for the season-opening series against the Boston Red Sox in Japan. Fiorentino was 1-for-1 with an RBI single in his only at-bat.

The Orioles reacquired Fiorentino by claiming him off waivers from the Athletics in early June. He hit .268 with 12 doubles, two home runs and 25 RBIs in 68 games for the Norfolk Tides this season.

Don’t forget to keep checking back for more ‘Surveying the minors’ features about your favorite minor league players in the future.

General information

Name: Jeff Fiorentino
Age: 25
Height: 6-1
Weight: 190 lbs.
Hometown: Hollywood, Fla.
Nicknames: Marv
Position: Outfielder
High school/college: Nova High School (Davie, Fla.) / Florida Atlantic University
Time in professional baseball: Five years

Favorites

Current MLB player: Chipper Jones
All-time MLB player: Deion Sanders
MLB team: Atlanta Braves
Sport (other than baseball): Ping pong
Food: Chicken fingers
Music: Rap / R&B
TV show: Two and a Half Men
Movie: The Departed
Hobbies: Golf / Video games

Other questions

1. At this point in your career, what has been your favorite moment?

Playing in the major leagues has definitely been my favorite moment so far.

2. Who is your role model?

My parents.

3. In the minor leagues, what do you do for fun on a road trip?

Play cards.

4. If you could play any other position, what would it be and why?

I’d want to play shortstop because you get the most action there.

The survey was distributed and returned by Norfolk’s media relations department. Check out other ‘Surveying the minors’ features about the O’s minor leaguers here.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 5:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Surveying the minors
        

Score: Akron Aeros 6, Bowie Baysox 5, 12 innings

Recap: Akron left fielder Matt LaPorta was the star of the first game of the Eastern League playoffs at Prince George’s Stadium. The 23-year-old outfielder was 4-for-5 with two home runs and four RBIs in Akron’s 6-5 victory in 12 innings against the Baysox. He drove in the go-ahead run with an RBI single in the top of the 12th inning against Baysox reliever Chad Thall to give Akron a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series.

The Baysox had tied the game in the bottom of the eighth inning with an RBI single by first baseman Ryan Finan, but Aeros catcher Wyatt Toregas hit a home run off of Baysox reliever Gerardo Casadiego with one out in the top of the ninth to put Akron back in front.

Bowie wasn’t finished scoring, however, and left fielder Jonathan Tucker crossed the plate on a groundout by third baseman Jeff Nettles to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth. The Baysox stranded runners on the corners and the game headed to extra innings.

The Aeros hit three consecutive singles in the top of the 12th to score the go-ahead run. Akron outfielder Bronson Sardinha and third baseman Wes Hodges both had base hits to right field before LaPorta knocked in Sardinha with a single.

Baysox starting pitcher Jason Berken allowed four runs (three earned) and six hits in six innings. He had six strikeouts and walked two. Nettles and right fielder Nolan Reimold both hit solo home runs for the Baysox. Tucker was 3-for-6 with a run scored for Bowie.

The two teams will meet again at Prince George’s Stadium tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Game recaps
        

The Aberdeen IronBirds staged a late comeback against the Staten Island Yankees tonight, but it fell short. With two runs already scored in the ninth inning, the IronBirds had runners on the corners with no outs and they couldn’t score the tying run.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Score: Staten Island Yankees 9, Aberdeen IronBirds 8

Recap: The IronBirds scored two unearned runs in the top of the ninth inning against Staten Island closer Pat Venditte, but it wasn’t enough to win. Staten Island scored four runs in the first two innings against IronBirds starting pitcher Aaron Odom (3-6) and held on for the 9-8 victory.

Odom allowed seven runs (three earned) and five hits in 4 1/3 innings. He walked five and had five strikeouts in the game. IronBirds relief pitcher Oliver Drake pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings with three strikeouts. He has 13 strikeouts in 8 1/3 innings since being promoted to Aberdeen.

Venditte, the 23-year-old Staten Island reliever who pitches with both hands, has now given up five total runs in 31 2/3 innings in 2008. He picked up his 22nd save of the season.

IronBirds left fielder T.J. Baxter was 2-for-4 with a three-run home run in the game. First baseman Paul Chmiel had two hits and three RBIs for Aberdeen. Shortstop Garabez Rosa also had two hits for the IronBirds and designated hitter Greg Miclat had two RBIs in the loss.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Game recaps
        

Baseball fans in the area have been waiting 11 years for this moment. I’m not talking about the Orioles’ return to the postseason, but it’s pretty close if you’re a fan of the team’s minor league affiliates.

The Bowie Baysox return to the postseason tonight for the first time since 1997 with a game against the Akron Aeros. The two teams will play a best-of-five series and the winner will advance to play either the Trenton Thunder or Portland Sea Dogs in the championship series.

Bowie and Akron met 24 times during the regular season, but the two teams haven’t played each other since July 10. The Aeros won 13 games and the Baysox had 11 victories.

For the people that asked, here are the tentative pitching matchups for the playoff series between Bowie and Akron:

Game 1 -- Tonight, 7:05 p.m., at Bowie

Bowie: Jason Berken (12-4, 3.58 ERA)
Akron: Scott Lewis (6-2, 2.33 ERA)

Game 2 -- Tomorrow, 7:05 p.m., at Bowie

Bowie: Brad Bergesen (15-5, 3.11 ERA)
Akron: J.D. Martin (11-3, 2.49 ERA)

Game 3 -- Friday, 7:05 p.m., at Akron

Bowie: David Hernandez (10-4, 2.68 ERA)
Akron: Ryan Edell (7-8, 3.80 ERA)

Game 4 -- Saturday, 7:05 p.m., at Akron (if necessary)

Bowie: Chris Tillman (11-4, 3.18 ERA)
Akron: Frank Herrmann (11-6, 4.10 ERA)

Game 5 -- Sunday, 4:05 p.m., at Bowie (if necessary)

Bowie: Zach Clark (4-2, 3.60 ERA)
Akron: Kevin Dixon (9-11, 4.41 ERA)

Tonight’s notes

* Berken was 2-2 with a 1.71 ERA in six starts against the Aeros this season. He suffered the loss in his last start against the Trenton Thunder on Aug. 28 after allowing six runs (five earned) and seven hits in four innings. Prior to that outing, Berken had pitched 14 consecutive scoreless innings.

* Lewis was 2-0 with a 5.02 ERA in three starts against the Baysox in 2008. In the two victories, he only allowed eight hits in 10 scoreless innings. The Baysox scored eight runs, however, in 3 1/3 innings against Lewis on June 23 in Akron.

* Baysox third baseman Jeff Nettles hit .313 with three doubles, four home runs, 13 RBIs and 16 runs scored in 24 games against the Aeros in 2008. Baysox right fielder Nolan Reimold hit .230 with five doubles, three home runs, 12 RBIs and 13 runs scored in 24 games against Akron.

* Bowie outfielder Jonathan Tucker had a .397 batting average with four doubles, four RBIs and 14 runs scored in 20 games against the Aeros. Bowie catcher Matt Wieters only played in three games against Akron this year, but he hit .400 with two doubles, one home run, four RBIs and two runs scored against the Aeros.

* Akron third baseman Wes Hodges, who tied former Baysox outfielder Lou Montanez for the most RBIs in the Eastern League (97), hit .256 with two home runs and 17 RBIs in 23 games against Bowie in 2008. Aeros shortstop Josh Rodriguez hit four of his seven home runs in 2008 against the Baysox. He had a .261 batting average with seven doubles, four home runs, nine RBIs and 13 runs scored in 24 games against Bowie. Akron left fielder Nathan Panther had 11 RBIs and nine runs scored in 15 games against the Baysox. He is hitting .255 with six doubles against them.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 4:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Game previews
        

The Aberdeen IronBirds begin their final road trip of the season tonight against the Staten Island Yankees. They’ll play two games against the Yankees before finishing their season this weekend with two games against the Brooklyn Cyclones.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Opponent

Staten Island Yankees

Probable pitchers

Aberdeen: Aaron Odom (3-5, 4.05 ERA)
Staten Island: Hector Noesi (0-1, 3.00 ERA)

Notes

* Odom earned a victory in his last start against the Vermont Lake Monsters on Aug. 29. He allowed one earned run and four hits in five innings. Odom had five strikeouts and walked three in the game.

* Third baseman Tyler Kolodny established a franchise record for Aberdeen last night when he hit his 10th home run of the season. It’s the most home runs in a season by anyone in franchise history. He also struck out twice in the game, which ties him with former IronBirds outfielder Tim Gilhooly for the most strikeouts in a single season in the history of the team.

* Aberdeen pitchers combined for 11 strikeouts in last night’s game, which helped the team to break the franchise record for most strikeouts in a single season. The IronBirds have now struck out 646 hitters in 2008, which tops the previous record of 636 in 2003.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 3:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Game previews
        

Make sure you break out the orange clothing if you're planning to attend the game between the Akron Aeros and Bowie Baysox tonight at Prince George's Stadium. It's the first playoff game for the Baysox since the 1997 season and the team wants fans to wear orange to show their support.

The Baysox will play tonight at 7:05 p.m. against the Aeros and the second game is scheduled for tomorrow at the same time. The two teams will play the third and fourth games in Akron and return to Bowie, if necessary, for the decisive game of the best-of-five series on Sunday at 5:05 p.m.

I'll provide a preview of each game in the series on O's on Deck, so make sure you keep checking back for that.

If you're attending the game, be sure to send me an e-mail (or post a comment to any of the entries about the Baysox) and I'll try to work your comments into a post. The Baysox are playing well this season and I think it's good to share some thoughts from the fans about their accomplishments.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 10:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

The Aberdeen IronBirds established a franchise record with their 21st victory at Ripken Stadium by defeating the Brooklyn Cyclones tonight. It marks the most wins at home for the team in a single season. Aberdeen has only lost the final home game in one of the seven years as a franchise.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Score: Aberdeen IronBirds 5, Brooklyn Cyclones 1

Recap: Third baseman Tyler Kolodny and left fielder Kraig Binick both hit solo home runs in the IronBirds’ 5-1 victory over Brooklyn in the team’s final game at Ripken Stadium in 2008. Starting pitcher Cole McCurry (8-3) won for the first time since July 30. He had eight strikeouts and allowed two hits in six scoreless innings.

Relief pitcher Ryan O’Shea gave up one run and one hit in two innings for the IronBirds. He had two strikeouts and walked one. Brandon Cooney pitched a scoreless inning to close out the game for Aberdeen. Catcher Caleb Joseph hit his 19th double of the season, which ties him for second in the New York-Penn League.

IronBirds designated hitter T.J. Baxter and manager Gary Kendall were both ejected in the fifth inning after arguing a close play at first base.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 10:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Game recaps
        

The Aberdeen IronBirds will play their final home game of the 2008 season tonight against the Brooklyn Cyclones at Ripken Stadium. The Bowie Baysox are off today and begin the Eastern League playoffs tomorrow night at Prince George’s Stadium.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Opponent

Brooklyn Cyclones

Probable pitchers

Aberdeen: Cole McCurry (7-3, 2.97 ERA)
Brooklyn: Jenrry Mejia (3-1, 3.26 ERA)

Notes

* McCurry was 0-3 with a 4.85 ERA in August after beginning the season with a 7-0 record. He allowed 16 runs (14 earned) and 24 hits in 26 innings during the month. McCurry gave up three earned runs and four hits in five innings against the Vermont Lake Monsters in his last start on Aug. 28.

* IronBirds first baseman Paul Chmiel was 0-for-4 with four strikeouts last night. Aberdeen established a franchise record with 18 strikeouts as a team in the 5-2 loss to Brooklyn. Ten different hitters registered strikeouts in the game. Cyclones starting pitcher Brad Holt had 12 strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.

* The IronBirds need two more strikeouts from their pitching staff to establish a record for the most in a single season in franchise history. The current record of 636 was set in 2003. Ironically, that team included relief pitchers Chris Ray and Fredy Deza, who have both pitched in rehab stints for the IronBirds in 2008. Ray and Deza combined for 113 strikeouts in 2003 and 13 so far this season.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 4:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Game previews
        

Orioles minor league prospects Brandon Erbe, Nolan Reimold and Brandon Snyder were all honored by their respective leagues for their recent accomplishments.

The Frederick Keys announced today that Erbe and Snyder received awards from the Carolina League. Erbe was selected as the league's Pitcher of the Week, while Snyder was named the Player of the Month for August.

Erbe pitched seven shutout innings with nine strikeouts against the Lynchburg Hillcats on Aug. 26 to earn the weekly honors for the league's top pitcher. He didn’t allow a run in three of his five starts in August. Snyder led the league with a .388 batting average in August. He had seven doubles, three home runs and 18 RBIs in the month.

Reimold was named Player of the Week by the Eastern League for his performance during the final week of the regular season. The 24-year-old outfielder had a home run in four of the seven games during the week. He was 8-for-25 (.320) with five home runs, nine RBIs and seven runs scored in the seven games.

Also, in case you missed it, former Baysox outfielder Lou Montanez became the first player since 1976 to win the Triple Crown in the Eastern League. He led the league with a .335 batting average and 26 home runs. The 26-year-old outfielder, who is currently with the Orioles, tied for the lead with 97 RBIs, officially qualifying for the Triple Crown. He also led the league in extra-base hits (63) and runs scored (90).

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 3:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Starting pitcher Tim Bascom appears to finally be on the correct path to the major leagues. The 23-year-old right-hander finished the 2008 season with a 6-5 record and a 5.78 ERA for the Frederick Keys, but he was 3-0 with a 3.44 ERA in six starts during the final month.

Bascom excelled during three seasons at the University of Central Florida, where he made 21 relief appearances as a freshman. Bascom had his best season after becoming a starter during his sophomore year in 2005. He was 10-2 with a 3.10 ERA and three complete games. As a junior, Bascom was 5-6 with a 2.48 ERA. He finished his collegiate career with 225 strikeouts in 221 innings.

The San Diego Padres originally selected Bascom in the sixth round of the 2006 MLB draft. Bascom and the Padres never agreed to terms, however, because the pitcher failed a physical due to a knee injury.

Since he had already hired an agent, Bascom was unable to return to UCF for his senior season. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound pitcher decided to sign with the Bradenton Juice of the independent South Coast League. He didn’t allow a run in 10 innings for Bradenton at the beginning of the 2007 season.

After his impressive performance in the independent league, the Orioles selected Bascom in the fourth round of the 2007 draft. Bascom made his professional debut for the Delmarva Shorebirds on June 25, 2007 and had nine strikeouts. He retired all 15 hitters in the game.

He was 3-3 with a 3.74 ERA in 12 starts for the Shorebirds before earning a promotion to Frederick. Bascom finished the 2007 season by appearing in two games for the Keys. He gave up two runs and six hits in six innings.

Don’t forget to keep checking back for more Surveying the minors features about your favorite minor league players in the future.

General information

Name: Tim Bascom
Age: 23
Height: 6-2
Weight: 210
Hometown: Dunedin, Fla.
Nicknames: Timbo Slice / Ronaldinho
Position: Right-handed pitcher
High school/college: Dunedin (Fla.) High School / University of Central Florida
Time in professional baseball: Two years

Favorites

Current MLB player: David Eckstein
All-time MLB player: “Crime Dog” Fred McGriff
MLB team: Orioles
Sport (other than baseball): Golf / water polo
Food: Porterhouse steak (medium well) with garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus
Music: Country / classical / no rap
TV show: Home Improvement / Food Network shows with Bobby Flay
Movie: The Big Lebowski / The Cable Guy / Kingpin
Hobbies: Fishing / collecting train sets

Other questions

1. What is one thing that you’d like the fans to know about you?

I am a competitor. Also, I am single and looking.

2. At this point in your career, what has been your favorite moment?

My favorite moments have been my first start with the Orioles organization [as a member of the Shorebirds in 2007] and winning the Mills Cup [Carolina League championship] with the Keys in 2007.

3. Who is your role model?

My Daddy.

4. In the minor leagues, what do you do for fun on a road trip?

Play cards.

5. If you could play any other position, what would it be and why?

Designated hitter, so I won’t have to field.

The survey was distributed and returned by Frederick’s media relations department. Check out other ‘Surveying the minors’ features about the O’s minor leaguers here.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 12:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Surveying the minors
        

Three of the five affiliates wrapped up their seasons today. The Norfolk Tides finished the season with a 64-78 record after losing to the Richmond Braves. The Frederick Keys lost to the Winston-Salem Warthogs. They finished the second half with a 29-40 record and were 63-76 overall.

The Delmarva Shorebirds beat the Lakewood BlueClaws for their 24th one-run victory of the season. They finished 40-30 during the second half. The Shorebirds were 78-61 overall, which was the most wins for the team since 1998 (81 wins).

The Bowie Baysox lost the final game of the regular season to the Harrisburg Senators, but they’ll begin the playoffs on Wednesday. The Aberdeen IronBirds lost to the Brooklyn Cyclones and will play their final home game of the season tomorrow night.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Score: Richmond Braves 9, Norfolk Tides 3

Recap: In his first start for the Tides, Alfredo Simon (0-1) surrendered seven runs (three earned) and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings during the 9-3 loss to Richmond in the final game of the season. He had five strikeouts and two walks in the game.

Right fielder Chris Roberson had a double and two RBIs for Norfolk. Designated hitter Jeff Fiorentino was 2-for-5 with a double and a run scored. Third baseman Brandon Fahey and second baseman Freddie Bynum also had two hits each for the Tides.

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Score: Harrisburg Senators 13, Bowie Baysox 7

Recap: Right fielder Nolan Reimold hit his 25th home run of the season, but it wasn’t enough for the Baysox to win. Starting pitcher Zach Clark was roughed up for seven runs and seven hits in 2 2/3 innings in the 13-7 loss to Harrisburg. The Senators hit four home runs in the game, including two by shortstop Ian Desmond.

Second baseman Carlos Rojas was 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored for the Baysox. Catcher Matt Wieters was 2-for-5 with a triple and an RBI single. Shortstop Blake Davis was 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBIs.

Although they lost in the final game of the regular season, the Baysox tied a franchise record by winning 84 games in 2008. Bowie begins the Eastern League playoffs on Wednesday night against the Akron Aeros at Prince George’s Stadium.

Frederick Keys (A)

Score: Winston-Salem Warthogs 6, Frederick Keys 4

Recap: Keys relief pitcher Ryan Rodriguez (5-3) gave up a two-run home run to Winston-Salem first baseman Brett Bonvechio in the ninth inning, which allowed the Warthogs to beat the Keys, 6-4, at Harry Grove Stadium in the final game of the season. The Warthogs had 16 hits in the game, including three by Bonvechio.

Second baseman Miguel Abreu was 4-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored for the Keys in the loss. First baseman Chris Vinyard was 3-for-4 with a double. Brandon Snyder was 1-for-4 with a double and a sacrifice fly. He finished the season with a .315 batting average, 33 doubles, 13 home runs and 80 RBIs in 116 games.

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Score: Delmarva Shorebirds 2, Lakewood BlueClaws 1

Recap: Starting pitcher Nathan Nery (7-3) gave up one unearned run and five hits in 7 2/3 innings and the Shorebirds beat Lakewood, 2-1. Third baseman Jedidiah Stephen was 1-for-3 with a run scored for Delmarva. It was his first hit in 25 at-bats since being called up from Aberdeen on Aug. 22.

Shortstop Pedro Florimon Jr. was 2-for-2 with a double and a run scored for the Shorebirds. First baseman Anthony Martinez was 2-for-4 and center fielder Joe Nowicki had an RBI single. Shorebirds reliever Hank Williamson pitched the final 1 1/3 innings to earn his second save.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Score: Brooklyn Cyclones 5, Aberdeen IronBirds 2

Recap: Starting pitcher Pat Egan allowed five runs (one earned) and six hits in six innings and the IronBirds lost to Brooklyn, 5-2, at Ripken Stadium. Designated hitter Greg Miclat was 2-for-3 and left fielder Kraig Binick had a triple and a sacrifice fly for the IronBirds.

Orioles relievers Chris Ray and Matt Albers each pitched an inning of rehab for the IronBirds tonight. Ray gave up a single and had one strikeout in one scoreless inning. Albers had two strikeouts and walked one in an inning of work.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 10:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Game recaps
        

The Norfolk Tides conclude their season on the road against the Richmond Braves. The Bowie Baysox need a victory today against the Harrisburg Senators in the final game of the regular season to establish a franchise record.

The Frederick Keys wrap up their season against the Winston-Salem Warthogs and the Delmarva Shorebirds host the Lakewood BlueClaws in the final game of 2008.

The Aberdeen IronBirds will continue playing for the rest of the week, but they begin the final series at Ripken Stadium tonight against the Brooklyn Cyclones.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Opponent

Richmond Braves

Probable pitchers

Norfolk: Alfredo Simon (NR)
Richmond: Brian Lawrence (5-6, 5.60 ERA)

Notes

* Simon is making his first appearance for the Tides after being added to the team’s roster. He was 7-2 with a 2.67 ERA in 15 games (11 starts) for Sultanes de Monterrey in the Mexican League this season. The 27-year-old pitcher had 61 strikeouts in 81 innings.

* Yesterday, Mike Costanzo made his fifth career appearance as a catcher. Costanzo worked out with the Orioles during spring training at the position.

* Eider Torres leads the International League second basemen with a .990 fielding percentage. He has four errors in 417 total chances.

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Opponent

Harrisburg Senators

Probable pitchers

Bowie: Zach Clark (4-1, 2.67 ERA)
Harrisburg: Zach Segovia (3-2, 7.49 ERA)

Notes

* Clark has pitched at least seven innings in each of his past three starts. He has allowed three runs and 14 hits in 22 innings during that stretch. Clark has won three consecutive decisions. He gave up three runs and four hits in five innings against Harrisburg on July 21.

* The Baysox tied a franchise record with the team’s 84th win in yesterday’s game. Bowie will establish a new record if they can win their 85th game today against Harrisburg.

* The Eastern League playoffs will begin on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. at Prince George’s Stadium. The Baysox will host the Akron Aeros and Jason Berken will get the start. Berken is 12-4 with a 3.58 ERA this season.

Frederick Keys (A)

Opponent

Winston-Salem Warthogs

Probable pitchers

Frederick: Jeff Moore (5-3, 3.75 ERA)
Winston-Salem: Anthony Carter (6-5, 4.85 ERA)

Notes

* Starting pitcher Brandon Erbe was originally scheduled to make today’s start, but he was scratched. The team said Erbe is not injured, but the Orioles have decided to not have him pitch again this season for the Keys. Erbe finishes the 2008 season at 10-12 with a 4.30 ERA. He currently leads the Carolina League with 151 strikeouts in 150 2/3 innings.

* Moore has pitched primarily as a reliever for the Keys this season, but he was a starter for Delmarva last season. He is 4-1 with a 2.25 ERA in his past 10 appearances. Moore is likely to pitch about two innings in today’s game before the bullpen takes over.

* The Keys won’t be participating in the Carolina League playoffs for the first time since 2004. Frederick won the championship in 2005 and 2007.

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Opponent

Lakewood BlueClaws

Probable pitchers

Delmarva: Nathan Nery (6-3, 3.74 ERA)
Lakewood: Chance Chapman (7-6, 2.96 ERA)

Notes

* Nery pitched seven innings in his last start against Lakewood on Aug. 27, allowing no runs and four hits to earn the victory. The 23-year-old starting pitcher was 4-0 in August and he only gave up five earned runs in 30 1/3 innings in the month.

* Joe Nowicki is among the leaders in the South Atlantic League in several offensive categories. The 25-year-old outfielder is third in doubles (36), tied for fourth in triples (six) and tied for fifth in home runs (19). Nowicki is also fifth in total bases (240) and he has 14 stolen bases this season.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Opponent

Brooklyn Cyclones

Probable pitchers

Aberdeen: Cole McCurry (7-3, 2.97 ERA)
Brooklyn: Jenrry Mejia (3-1, 3.26 ERA)

Notes

* McCurry was 0-3 with a 4.85 ERA in August after beginning the season with a 7-0 record. He allowed 16 runs (14 earned) and 24 hits in 26 innings during the month. McCurry gave up three earned runs and four hits in five innings against the Vermont Lake Monsters in his last start on Aug. 28.

* Starting pitcher Rick Zagone had 10 strikeouts in last night’s victory over the Staten Island Yankees. He has 75 strikeouts in 59 1/3 innings this season, which is tied for fourth in the New York-Penn League.

* The IronBirds are approaching a team record for strikeouts in a single season. Through last night’s game, Aberdeen pitchers have 627 strikeouts, which is second in the league this year. The team needs 10 strikeouts over the final six games to surpass the record of 636 in 2003.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Game previews