Through Wednesday, the West Oahu CaneFires are 12-11 and three games ahead of the North Shore Honu in the West Division. The Honolulu Sharks lead the East Division with a 13-9 record and the Waikiki BeachBoys are 11-11.

Here is an update, through Wednesday’s games, on the players in the Orioles’ minor league system who are with West Oahu in Hawaii Winter Baseball:

Tim Bascom, RHP – The 23-year-old right-hander hasn’t pitched since he struggled against Waikiki on Oct. 22. Bascom suffered his second loss of the winter after giving up seven runs (five earned) and six hits in 4 1/3 innings. He walked two hitters and had one strikeout in the game. The Orioles’ fourth-round pick in the 2007 draft is 1-2 with a 6.48 ERA in five starts for West Oahu. He has 12 strikeouts and seven walks in 16 2/3 innings in Hawaii.

Wally Crancer, C/1B/DH – On Wednesday, Crancer played for the first time in a week for the CaneFires. The 24-year-old utility player was 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout in the game against North Shore. Crancer is now hitting .205 with one home run and five RBIs in 13 games for West Oahu. Despite the low batting average, he has hit successfully in seven of his past nine games.

Cliff Flagello, RHP – Flagello has been one of the most reliable relievers for West Oahu this winter. The 23-year-old right-hander is 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA and three saves in seven appearances for the CaneFires. He has 11 strikeouts and five walks in 9 1/3 innings. Flagello, however, has allowed five runs (two earned) and four hits in 2 1/3 innings during his past two appearances.

Sean Gleason, RHP – The 23-year-old right-hander is third on the CaneFires with 19 2/3 innings, but he hasn’t been effective so far this winter. Gleason is 1-2 with a 7.32 ERA in five games (four starts) for West Oahu. He has given up four home runs and walked 11 hitters. Gleason allowed two runs and two hits in 1 2/3 innings during his last appearance against Waikiki on Oct. 22. He was 12-2 with a 2.63 ERA in 30 games for the Delmarva Shorebirds during the regular season.

Tyler Henson, 3B – Henson is only batting .139 (5-for-36) with 18 strikeouts in his past 10 games. Despite his recent struggles, the 20-year-old third baseman still leads the league in runs scored (20) and walks (20). He is also second in the league in doubles (10). Henson was 2-for-4 with a double and a triple during Wednesday’s game against North Shore, so maybe he’s on his way to escaping his recent slump. Overall, the Orioles’ fifth-round pick in the 2006 draft is hitting .238 with five RBIs and 28 strikeouts in 23 games for West Oahu.

Brian Parker, RHP – Parker tossed three straight scoreless appearances before giving up one run and two hits in two innings against North Shore on Oct. 28. He had one strikeout in the game. The 23-year-old reliever has a 3.55 ERA in 12 2/3 innings for West Oahu this season. The 6-foot-4, 195-pound right-hander has nine strikeouts and six walks in seven appearances.

Chris Salberg, LHP – The 24-year-old left-hander is 1-0 with a 4.40 ERA in 14 1/3 innings for the CaneFires. Salberg walked one and gave up one run against North Shore on Oct. 28. He has made nine appearances this winter for West Oahu, which is tied for the most on the team. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound pitcher has 13 strikeouts and nine walks.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 4:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

Several players from the Orioles’ minor league system are participating in the various Caribbean leagues. I’ve attempted to compile a list, but I may have missed some players because it’s difficult to acquire information about the leagues.

Also, some players on the list could be free agents and may not return to the organization in 2009. Feel free to get in touch with me if you think someone was inadvertently omitted and I’ll include them in next week’s entry.

Look for reports from the Caribbean leagues to appear on O’s on Deck every Wednesday for the remainder of the season.

Here are updates through Monday’s games on the players in the Orioles’ system:

Dominican Winter League

Fredy Deza, RHP – The 25-year-old relief pitcher showed improvement in his second appearance of the season for the Azucareros. After giving up three runs and two hits in 1 1/3 innings during his first game in the Dominican Republic, Deza didn’t allow any runs or hits against Licey on Oct. 26. He walked one hitter in the game.

Andy Mitchell, RHP – Mitchell has struggled with his command during his first two appearances of the season for Aguilas. The 30-year-old pitcher has walked nine hitters in 4 2/3 innings. He started the game against Licey on Oct. 23 and surrendered four runs and two hits in three innings. Mitchell walked five hitters in the game and struck out two. Opposing hitters are only hitting .188 against Mitchell, but the erratic control has really hurt him.

Wilfredo Perez, LHP – The 24-year-old left-hander has encountered mixed results in three games with the Estrellas. Perez had three strikeouts in two scoreless innings against the Gigantes on Oct. 17. He walked one and allowed a hit in 1/3 of an inning against Aguilas on Oct. 22. The roughest outing for Perez, however, occurred on Oct. 24 against Licey. He gave up two runs and one hit in 1/3 of an inning. Overall, Perez is 1-0 with a 6.75 ERA in 2 2/3 innings for the Estrellas.

Felix Romero, RHP – The 28-year-old relief pitcher didn’t pitch well in his first appearance against Escogido on Oct. 18, but he was more successful in his second game. Romero allowed one hit and had one strikeout in 1 1/3 innings against the Gigantes on Oct. 26. He is 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA for the Estrellas so far this season.

Luis Terrero, OF – Terrero is the starting center fielder for Aguilas this season. The 28-year-old outfielder is hitting .270 (10-for-37) with four RBIs in 10 games. He has hit successfully in his past six games. Terrero has two doubles and six runs scored, but he has struck out 11 times. He was 1-for-5 with a double and four strikeouts against the Estrellas on Oct. 22.

Venezuelan Winter League

Gerardo Casadiego, RHP – The 27-year-old relief pitcher has pitched well in two outings, but he’s also had two poor appearances for La Guaira. Casadiego tossed a scoreless inning against the Lara Cardenales on Oct. 17. He also didn’t allow any runs in an inning against the Magallanes on Oct. 24. In his worst performance so far this season, Casadiego gave up two runs and two hits in 2/3 of an inning against Caracas on Oct. 25. Overall, he has a 6.75 ERA and four strikeouts in four innings.

Victor Castillo, C – In his debut for La Guaira on Oct. 22, Castillo was 0-for-2 with a strikeout against Lara. He also walked once during the game. The 24-year-old catcher batted .231 with four home runs and 12 RBIs in 39 games for the Delmarva Shorebirds this season. He hit .294 with one home run and 27 RBIs in 81 games for Delmarva in 2007.

Cory Doyne, RHP – The 27-year-old relief pitcher has three saves in four appearances for La Guaira. Doyne has only allowed two hits in 4 1/3 scoreless innings so far this season. He earned his third straight save on Oct. 25 against Caracas. Doyne had two strikeouts, but he gave up two hits and a walk in 1 1/3 innings during the game. The 6-foot-2, 240-pound pitcher had a 3.43 ERA in 17 games while splitting time between the Gulf Coast League Orioles, Aberdeen IronBirds, Frederick Keys and Norfolk Tides in 2008.

Luis Hernandez, SS – Hernandez was the starting shortstop for the Orioles on Opening Day, but his season quickly went downhill from there. The 24-year-old infielder was demoted to Norfolk in June and he only batted .185 with 11 RBIs in 57 games for the Tides. Hernandez, however, is 6-for-12 with two RBIs in his first three games for La Guaira. He was 3-for-4 with a triple and a run scored against the Magallanes on Oct. 24.

Carlos Rojas, 2B/SS – The 24-year-old infielder has played sporadically for the Caribes so far this season. Rojas, who played second base for the Bowie Baysox in 2008, is 0-for-1 with a walk in four games. He walked against Margarita on Oct. 18 and popped out to end the game against Aragua on Oct. 24. Rojas batted .247 with two home runs and 38 RBIs in 120 games for Bowie this season.

Oscar Salazar, 1B/3B/LF – Salazar hit .284 with five home runs and 15 RBIs in 34 games for the Orioles this season. The 30-year-old utility player has continued that success for La Guaira in Venezuela. He has displayed versatility by playing first base, third base, left field and designated hitter in his first four games. Salazar was 4-for-5 with two RBIs in his first game against Lara on Oct. 22. He was 2-for-4 with a double and a home run against Caracas on Oct. 26. Overall, Salazar is 9-for-16 with four RBIs and five runs scored.

Steve Torrealba, C – The 30-year-old backup catcher is 0-for-7 in three games for the Caribes so far this season. Torrealba was 0-for-3 against Aragua on Oct. 25. He hit .283 with eight home runs, 26 RBIs and 16 runs scored in 37 games for the Baysox this season.

Mexican Pacific League

Jeff Nettles, SS/3B – Nettles is batting .229 with one home run and six RBIs in 14 games for the Mochis Caneros. The 30-year-old infielder was 2-for-4 with two RBIs against Hermosillo on Oct. 25. He also had two hits on the following day against the same team. Nettles is batting .375 (6-for-16) against left-handed pitchers, but he’s only hitting .156 (5-for-32) against right-handers.

Chris Roberson, OF – Roberson is currently third in the league in batting average (.400). The 29-year-old outfielder is 22-for-55 with six RBIs and 10 runs scored in 14 games for Hermosillo. He is second in stolen bases (six) and tied for fourth in doubles (five). Roberson is only 1-for-11 in his past three games, but he had five consecutive multi-hit games before this slump.

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Categories: Winter leagues
        

Through Sunday, the Surprise Rafters are 4-12 and in last place in the National Division of the Arizona Fall League. The Peoria Javelinas lead the division with a 9-7 record and the Phoenix Desert Dogs are 8-8. The Mesa Solar Sox and Peoria Saguaros are 11-5 and tied atop the American Division. The Scottsdale Scorpions are in last place at 5-11.

Surprise has lost five straight games, including a 28-1 setback against Mesa on Oct. 20. Left fielder Nolan Reimold hit a solo home run to give the Rafters a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning, but they committed eight errors and allowed 24 hits. Luckily, none of the Orioles’ pitching prospects appeared in the game for the Rafters.

Here are updates on the Orioles' prospects through Sunday:

Blake Davis, SS – The 24-year-old shortstop hasn’t played since collecting his first hit in Arizona against Phoenix on Oct. 18. Davis is 1-for-13 with an RBI and two runs scored in three games for the Rafters. He batted .284 with four home runs and 53 RBIs in 132 games for the Bowie Baysox during the regular season.

Ryan Keefer, RHP – Keefer hasn’t pitched for Surprise since injuring his arm on Oct. 15 against Scottsdale. He surrendered a leadoff home run in the eighth inning to Scorpions third baseman Ryan Rohlinger before leaving the game. The 27-year-old right-hander was 2-4 with a 4.80 ERA in 39 games for the Baysox in 2008.

Brian Matusz, LHP – The 21-year-old left-hander pitched in the league’s third annual Rising Stars Showcase on Oct. 24. He entered the game with a runner on second base and one out in the seventh inning. Matusz walked one hitter and had a strikeout in the outing. The Orioles’ first-round draft pick is 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in two starts for the Rafters. Matusz has nine strikeouts and he’s walked two hitters in seven innings in Arizona.

Bob McCrory, RHP – McCrory has started pitching again after experiencing discomfort in his right elbow earlier in the fall. The 26-year-old relief pitcher has struggled in three appearances for Surprise since returning from the injury. McCrory allowed two unearned runs and two hits in one inning against Mesa on Oct. 21. He surrendered a run, two hits and two walks in one inning on Oct. 23 against the Saguaros. McCrory also gave up two runs and three hits in an inning of work against Mesa on Oct. 25. The Orioles’ fourth-round pick in the 2003 draft has a 7.36 ERA in four games for Surprise. He has given up seven runs (three earned) in 3 2/3 innings.

Nolan Reimold, OF – It’s been difficult for Reimold to find some consistency in Arizona, but the 25-year-old outfielder has hit successfully and scored a run in each of his past four games. He hit his first home run in the blowout loss against Mesa on Oct. 20. Reimold connected for another solo shot on the following day. The Orioles’ second-round pick in the 2005 draft had a double against the Saguaros on Oct. 23. Reimold is hitting .167 (6-for-36) with two home runs and six RBIs in 10 games for Surprise. He has two doubles, two stolen bases and five runs scored.

Brandon Snyder, 1B – The 21-year-old first baseman is batting .375 (9-for-24) with four doubles, one home run and four RBIs in seven games. Snyder was 2-for-5 with two doubles and two RBIs against Phoenix on Oct. 18, but he had a rough day against the Saguaros on Oct. 23. He was 0-for-3 with a fielding error in the game. The Orioles’ first-round draft pick in 2005 has committed three errors for Surprise.

Chad Thall, LHP – With Matusz scheduled to pitch in the Rising Stars Showcase, Thall stepped into his spot in the rotation and started for Surprise on Oct. 23. The 23-year-old left-hander suffered the loss after giving up two runs and three hits in two innings. He is 0-1 with a 7.56 ERA in five games for the Rafters. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound pitcher has nine strikeouts and he’s walked two hitters in 8 1/3 innings.

Matt Wieters, C – Wieters joined Matusz to represent the National Division during the Rising Stars Showcase. As I mentioned in a previous post, the 22-year-old catcher threw out two base runners in the game. He was 0-for-1 with a walk and a strikeout. Wieters is batting .333 with five RBIs and eight runs scored in 10 games for Surprise, but he’s been slumping recently. In his past three games, the Orioles’ first-round draft pick in 2007 is 1-for-11 with three strikeouts.

If you’re interested, here are some archived photos of Matusz and Wieters, as well as some of the Orioles’ previous first-round draft picks.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 4:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

Orioles prospects Matt Wieters and Brian Matusz took part in the Arizona Fall League's third annual Rising Stars Showcase on Friday night. Their team, the National Rising Stars, scored six runs in the final two innings to edge the American Rising Stars, 7-6.

Wieters was the starting catcher and batted third for the National stars. While he had one of the best offensive seasons in the minor leagues in 2008, the Orioles' 2007 first-round draft pick showed off his defensive skills Friday night.

The 22-year-old catcher threw out two base runners during the game. In the first inning, he gunned down Daniel Murphy, who played in 49 games for the New York Mets in 2008. Wieters picked off shortstop Emmanuel Burriss at first base in the fifth. Burriss had 13 stolen bases in 95 games with the San Francisco Giants this season.

Offensively, Wieters had an uneventful night with a strikeout in the first inning and a walk in the fourth. He is batting .333 (11-for-33) with five RBIs and eight runs scored in 10 games in Arizona.

Matusz, who was selected by the Orioles in the first round of this year's draft, entered the game with a runner on second base and one out in the seventh inning. He retired Brian Bogusevic with a groundout and then walked Josh Thole to put runners on the corners. The 21-year-old left-hander struck out Logan Morrison to end the inning. Matusz threw 13 pitches (seven strikes) to get two outs before his night was finished. He is 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA and nine strikeouts in seven innings in the AFL.

The teams were selected by a vote of major league scouting and farm directors. Wieters and Matusz were joined on the National team by other players from the Peoria Javelinas, Phoenix Desert Dogs and Surprise Rafters. The American team was comprised of players from the Mesa Solar Sox, Peoria Saguaros and Scottsdale Scorpions.

If you’re interested, here are some archived photos of Matusz and Wieters, as well as some of the Orioles’ previous first-round draft picks.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 2:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

Through Wednesday, the West Oahu CaneFires are 10-10 and 2 1/2 games ahead of the North Shore Honu in the West Division. The Honolulu Sharks lead the East Division with a 13-6 record and Waikiki is 9-11.

I’ll be providing statistics from the players in the Orioles’ minor league system every Thursday for the rest of the season, so make sure to check O’s on Deck for future information. Please note that I’m not offering any type of analysis on the prospect status of these players. These reports are designed to give fans an idea of how the competitors in the system are performing.

Here is an update, through Wednesday’s games, on the players in the organization who are with West Oahu in Hawaii Winter Baseball:

Tim Bascom, RHP – The 23-year-old right-hander struggled in Wednesday’s start against Waikiki. Bascom picked up his second loss of the winter after giving up seven runs (five earned) and six hits in 4 1/3 innings. He walked two hitters and had one strikeout in the game. The Orioles’ fourth-round pick in the 2007 draft is 1-2 with a 6.48 ERA in five starts for West Oahu. He has 12 strikeouts and seven walks in 16 2/3 innings in Hawaii. If you’re looking for good news, Bascom has given up only one home run after allowing 15 in 95 innings for Frederick during the 2008 season.

Wally Crancer, C/1B/DH – Crancer has hit successfully in seven of his past eight games for West Oahu. The 24-year-old utility player had his first home run of the season against North Shore on Oct. 19. He was 2-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored against Waikiki during Wednesday’s game. After a slump to start the season, Crancer is now hitting .220 with one home run and five RBIs in 12 games.

Cliff Flagello, RHP – The 23-year-old relief pitcher tossed seven innings before finally allowing an earned run in Hawaii. Flagello gave up four runs (one earned) and three hits in one inning against North Shore on Oct. 19. He walked two hitters and had two strikeouts in the game. Flagello, who was selected by the Orioles in the 25th round of the 2007 draft, is 1-0 with a 1.13 ERA and two saves in Hawaii. He has 10 strikeouts and four walks in eight innings for West Oahu.

Sean Gleason, RHP – Gleason gave up two runs and two hits in 1 2/3 innings against Waikiki during Wednesday’s game. The 23-year-old right-hander was making his first appearance as a reliever after four starts for West Oahu. Gleason allowed three runs and two hits in five innings during his last start against North Shore on Oct. 17. He walked four hitters and had two strikeouts in the game. Gleason leads the team with 19 2/3 innings, but he is 1-2 with a 7.32 ERA.

Tyler Henson, 3B – Henson has cooled off considerably after a quick start in Hawaii, but the 20-year-old third baseman still leads the league in runs scored (19) and walks (18). Henson is also tied for the most doubles in Hawaii with nine, but he is 1-for-14 with 10 strikeouts in his past three games. The Orioles’ fifth-round pick in the 2006 draft is batting .243 with five RBIs and 23 strikeouts in 20 games for the CaneFires.

Brian Parker, RHP – Parker hasn’t given up any runs in his past three appearances in Hawaii. The 23-year-old reliever pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings against Honolulu on Oct. 16. He had two strikeouts and walked two hitters in the game. Parker gave up one hit and walked one during a scoreless inning against North Shore on Oct. 19. The 6-foot-4, 195-pound right-hander has a 3.38 ERA in 10 2/3 innings for the CaneFires.

Chris Salberg, LHP – Salberg has made eight appearances for the CaneFires. The 24-year-old left-hander is 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA in 14 innings. He started for the first time this winter on Oct. 19 against North Shore and earned the victory. Salberg gave up one run and two hits in 4 1/3 innings in the game. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound pitcher had two strikeouts and walked one in 1 2/3 innings against Honolulu on Oct. 16.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 4:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

Caribbean baseball is comprised of four different leagues – the Dominican Winter League, Mexican Pacific League, Puerto Rican Winter League and Venezuelan Winter League. Three of the four leagues have already started playing this year. The Puerto Rican Winter League is scheduled to begin on Nov. 6.

The 2009 Caribbean Series will take place in Mexicali, Mexico. The winner of each league will represent its respective country and each team will play six games. The team with the best record is declared the champion. Last year, the Licey Tigres from the Dominican Winter League captured the crown.

There are several players from the Orioles’ system who are participating in the Caribbean winter leagues. Several others, including third baseman Melvin Mora and catcher Ramon Hernandez, are listed on rosters, but they haven’t played yet.

Let me preface this entry by saying that I’ve done my best to compile a list of the different players who are currently in the Orioles’ system, but I may have missed some. Also, there might be some players who are included in the list that are free agents and may not return to the organization in 2009. It’s difficult to obtain a lot of information about the Caribbean leagues, so feel free to contact me if you think someone was inadvertently omitted and I’ll include them next week.

Look for reports from the Caribbean leagues to appear on O’s on Deck every Wednesday for the remainder of the season. Also, I forgot to mention on this week’s entry about the Arizona Fall League, but you can expect those posts every Monday.

Here are updates through Monday’s games on the players in the Orioles’ system:

Dominican Winter League

Fredy Deza, RHP – The 25-year-old relief pitcher allowed three runs and two hits in 1 1/3 innings during his only appearance of the season so far for the Azucareros. Deza also walked two hitters during the game against Estrellas on Oct. 19. He was 2-3 with a 3.32 ERA in 40 2/3 innings while splitting time between the Aberdeen IronBirds, Frederick Keys and Norfolk Tides this season.

Andy Mitchell, RHP – Mitchell couldn’t find the strike zone in his first appearance of the season for Aguilas. The 30-year-old pitcher walked four batters and gave up three runs in 1 1/3 innings against the Gigantes on Oct. 19. He was 12-8 with a 4.29 ERA in 32 games (21 starts) for the Tides in 2008.

Wilfredo Perez, LHP – The 24-year-old left-hander earned the victory after pitching two scoreless innings in his debut for the Estrellas on Oct. 17. Perez had three strikeouts, walked one and allowed one hit during the game against the Gigantes. He was 2-4 with a 2.71 ERA in 42 games split between Frederick and the Bowie Baysox in 2008.

Felix Romero, RHP – The 28-year-old relief pitcher gave up two runs and two hits in 2 1/3 innings for the Estrellas against Escogido on Oct. 18. Romero walked four hitters and had two strikeouts in the game. He had 100 strikeouts and only walked 19 hitters in 77 innings for the Baysox during the 2008 season.

Luis Terrero, OF – Terrero is 4-for-11 (.364) with an RBI and three runs scored in three games for the Aguilas this season. The 28-year-old outfielder was 2-for-4 with a double and a triple against Escogido on Oct. 17. He also had two hits against the Gigantes on Oct. 19. Terrero hit .274 with 31 doubles, 13 home runs and 88 RBIs in 129 games for Norfolk this season.

Venezuelan Winter League

Gerardo Casadiego, RHP – The 27-year-old relief pitcher has given up one run and one hit in 2 1/3 innings for La Guaira so far this season. Casadiego had one strikeout, but allowed one run in 1 1/3 innings against Magallanes on Oct. 14. He bounced back with a perfect inning against the Lara Cardenales on Oct. 17. Casadiego was 5-6 with a 3.18 ERA in 55 appearances for the Baysox in 2008.

Cory Doyne, RHP – Doyne has been nearly flawless in two appearances for the Tiburones. The 27-year-old relief pitcher had one strikeout and walked one in one inning against Margarita on Oct. 16. He picked up his first save of the season on Oct. 17 after pitching a scoreless inning against Lara. The 6-foot-2, 240-pound pitcher was recovering from rotator cuff surgery in 2008. He had a 3.43 ERA in 17 games while splitting time between the Gulf Coast League Orioles, Aberdeen, Frederick and Norfolk.

Carlos Rojas, 2B/SS – The 24-year-old infielder has only appeared briefly in three games for the Caribes. Rojas, who played second base for the Baysox during the 2008 season, has entered twice as a defensive replacement at shortstop and once as a pinch hitter. He walked in his only official plate appearance against Margarita on Oct. 18. Rojas batted .247 with two home runs and 38 RBIs in 120 games for Bowie this season.

Steve Torrealba, C – The 30-year-old backup catcher is 0-for-4 in two games for the Caribes so far this season. Torrealba was 0-for-3 with a strikeout in his only start on Oct. 17 against Margarita. He hit .283 with eight home runs, 26 RBIs and 16 runs scored in 37 games for the Baysox this season.

Mexican Pacific League

Jeff Nettles, 3B – The 30-year-old third baseman, who played for Bowie this season, is a member of the Mochis Caneros this winter. In eight games, Nettles is only hitting .185 (5-for-27) with one home run. He was 2-for-3 against the Mazatlan Venados on Oct. 18 and he hit a solo home run against the Mexicali Aguilas on Oct. 14. Nettles batted .253 with 24 home runs and 78 RBIs in 134 games for the Baysox in 2008.

Chris Roberson, OF – Roberson is off to a quick start for the Hermosillo Naranjeros so far this season. The 29-year-old outfielder is tied for first in runs scored (eight), second in doubles (five) and sixth in total bases (19). He is also second in batting average (.438) and stolen bases (four). Roberson has at least two hits in five of the eight games in which he’s played. In his past three games, Roberson is 8-for-15 with four doubles, four runs scored, three stolen bases and three RBIs.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 4:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

The Midwest League is a Single-A league with 14 teams located in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. The Orioles don’t have an affiliate in the league, so I’ll just take a look at the championship and the top players.

The Lansing Lugnuts, an affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, finished 39-31 in the Eastern Division during the first half and the West Michigan Whitecaps, an affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, were one game behind them (37-31). The two teams earned berths to represent the division in the playoffs for the first half.

The South Bend Silver Hawks, an affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, won the second-half title in the Eastern Division after finishing 43-27. The Dayton Dragons, an affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, earned the final playoff spot from the division with a 38-32 record in the second half.

In the Western Division, the Clinton LumberKings (41-26) and the Kane County Cougars (39-29) clinched spots in the playoffs for the first half. The LumberKings represented the Texas Rangers in 2008 – they will be a part of the Seattle Mariners’ minor league system beginning next season – and Kane County is an affiliate of the Oakland Athletics.

The Burlington Bees, who represented the Kansas City Royals in the league, finished 43-26 and won the Western Division title for the second half by 3 1/2 games. The Cedar Rapids Kernels, an affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels, picked up the final playoff spot by finishing 40-30 in the second half.

The Chicago Cubs (Peoria Chiefs), Los Angeles Dodgers (Great Lakes Loons), Minnesota Twins (Beloit Snappers), San Diego Padres (Fort Wayne Wizards) and St. Louis Cardinals (Quad Cities River Bandits) are also represented in the league. The Fort Wayne Wizards will be called the TinCaps beginning next season. The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers were an affiliate of the Mariners this season, but they’ll represent the Milwaukee Brewers beginning in 2009.

Dayton beat Lansing in the first two games of the best-of-three semifinal series to advance to the Eastern Division championship. South Bend knocked off West Michigan, who had won the past two league titles, in the other Eastern Division semifinal series. Burlington swept Kane County and Cedar Rapids took the first two games from Clinton in the Western Division semifinals.

Burlington beat Cedar Rapids in the Western Division finals to earn a spot in the championship game. South Bend completed a two-game sweep over Dayton to capture the Eastern Division title.

Championship

The champion of the Midwest League was supposed to be decided by a best-of-five series, but Burlington was declared the champion after winning the first two games by a combined score of 18-0. Rain forced the third game to be postponed twice and the decision was made by the league president to declare the Bees as champions because of the beginning of the various fall and instructional leagues.

In the first game, Bees starting pitcher Danny Gutierrez struck out 11 hitters and allowed only two hits in six innings as Burlington defeated South Bend, 6-0. The Bees hit three home runs in the game. Third baseman Mike Moustakas connected on a three-run shot in the third inning. Left fielder Jamar Walton and second baseman Johnny Giavotella both hit solo home runs.

Giavotella was 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBIs and three runs scored in Burlington’s 12-0 win over South Bend in the second game. The Bees had 16 hits in the game and scored all 12 runs in the first three innings. Walton also hit his second home run of the championship series and center fielder David Lough had a solo shot.

Burlington didn’t lose a game in the playoffs (6-0) and won its first league championship since 1999.

Top players

Mike Moustakas, Burlington Bees – Moustakas, who was selected by the Royals with the second overall pick in the 2007 draft, hit .272 with 22 home runs and 71 RBIs in 126 games. The 20-year-old infielder led the league in home runs, finished second in total bases (232) and tied for third in runs scored (77). Moustakas also had 25 doubles this season and he batted .321 after the All-Star break.

Engel Beltre, Clinton LumberKings – Beltre batted .283 with eight home runs and 47 RBIs in 130 games. The 18-year-old center fielder led the league with 87 runs scored and he finished third with 228 total bases. Beltre had 26 doubles, nine triples and 31 stolen bases this season. The 6-foot-1, 169-pound outfielder hit .295 with 22 stolen bases after the All-Star break.

Ben Revere, Beloit Snappers – The 20-year-old center fielder hit .379 with 17 doubles, 10 triples and 43 RBIs in 83 games for Beloit. Revere, who was drafted by the Twins with the 28th overall pick in the 2007 draft, was second in the league with 44 stolen bases. The 5-foot-9, 166-pound outfielder batted .325 with 10 triples, 29 RBIs and 21 stolen bases in 50 games for the Gulf Coast League Twins in 2007.

Jarrod Parker, South Bend Silver Hawks – Parker, who was selected by the Diamondbacks with the ninth overall pick in the 2007 draft, had a 12-5 record with a 3.44 ERA in 24 starts for South Bend this season. The 19-year-old right-hander had 117 strikeouts and walked 33 hitters in 117 2/3 innings. Parker was 7-2 with a 3.26 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 13 starts for the Silver Hawks following the All-Star break.

Danny Duffy, Burlington Bees – The 19-year-old left-hander was 8-4 with a 2.20 ERA in 17 starts for Burlington this season. Duffy, who was picked by the Royals in the third round of the 2007 draft, had 102 strikeouts and walked 25 hitters in 81 2/3 innings. In his last six starts, the 6-foot-2, 185-pound starting pitcher allowed only one earned run in 29 1/3 innings.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 4:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: 2008 season recap
        

Through Sunday, the Surprise Rafters are 4-7 and in last place in the National Division of the Arizona Fall League. The Peoria Javelinas lead the division with a 6-5 record and the Phoenix Desert Dogs are 5-6. The Peoria Saguaros are 8-3 and leading the American Division by two games over the Mesa Solar Sox. The Scottsdale Scorpions are in last place with a 4-7 record.

Here are updates on the Orioles' prospects through Sunday:

Blake Davis, SS – After going 0-for-9 in his first two games in Arizona, Davis finally collected his first hit against Phoenix on Oct. 18. As the leadoff hitter for Surprise, the 24-year-old shortstop was 1-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored in the game.

Ryan Keefer, RHP – The 27-year-old right-hander finally made his debut for Surprise on Oct. 15 against Scottsdale, but he’d probably like to forget it. Keefer surrendered a leadoff home run in the eighth inning to Scorpions third baseman Ryan Rohlinger and then he left the game with an apparent arm injury. It’s not believed to be serious, but I’ll let you know if I receive any updates about the relief pitcher.

Brian Matusz, LHP – There’s good news and bad news to take from the 21-year-old left-hander’s second start on Oct. 17 against Phoenix. The bad news is that Matusz wasn’t unhittable like in the first start against Mesa on Oct. 11. He gave up three runs (one earned) and three hits in four innings. What is the good news? Matusz had eight strikeouts and only walked one hitter in the game. The Orioles’ first-round draft pick is 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA and nine strikeouts in seven innings in Arizona.

Bob McCrory, RHP – The 26-year-old relief pitcher hasn’t pitched in Arizona since allowing two unearned runs in 2/3 of an inning against Scottsdale on Oct. 9. McCrory hit a batter, walked one and had one strikeout in the game. He has been diagnosed with a sore elbow, so the injury will be something to monitor during the offseason.

Nolan Reimold, OF – Reimold is continuing to struggle for Surprise so far this season. The 25-year-old outfielder is 3-for-25 (.120) with four RBIs and two runs scored in seven games. He was 1-for-5 with a double and two RBIs against the Saguaros on Oct. 13. Reimold batted .245 in 29 games last season in Arizona. He led the league with 23 RBIs and finished tied for first in home runs (six), but he was also tied for the most strikeouts (33).

Brandon Snyder, 1B – Snyder became the first Orioles prospect to hit a home run in Arizona on Oct. 13 against the Saguaros. The 21-year-old first baseman connected for a solo home run off Saguaros left-hander Cory VanAllen in the second inning. Snyder has played in five games for Surprise and he’s had at least two hits in three of those games. The former first-round draft pick is 8-for-18 (.444) with a home run and four RBIs in Arizona. He also has four doubles and four runs scored.

Chad Thall, LHP – This week, the 23-year-old left-hander made two appearances for Surprise. Thall gave up one run and four hits in 1 2/3 innings against the Saguaros on Oct. 14. He had two strikeouts and walked one in the game. Thall pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings on Oct. 18 against Phoenix. He had four strikeouts and didn’t allow any base runners in the outing. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound reliever has a 7.11 ERA in 6 1/3 innings in Arizona.

Matt Wieters, C – Wieters is hitting .385 (10-for-26) with five RBIs and eight runs scored in eight games for Surprise. The 22-year-old catcher, however, is only 2-for-10 in his past three games. Wieters was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored against the Saguaros on Oct. 14. The former first-round pick – that seems like a common theme for the O’s prospects in Arizona this season, doesn’t it? – was 2-for-4 with an RBI against Phoenix on Oct. 17.

If you’re interested, here are some archived photos of Matusz and Wieters, as well as some of the Orioles’ previous first-round draft picks.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 4:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

Have you ever wondered how your favorite major leaguers performed on their journey through the minor leagues? It’s fun to look back at the statistics of different players before they became household names in professional baseball.

Boston Red Sox right fielder J.D. Drew was one of the primary catalysts in the defending World Series champions’ memorable comeback over the Tampa Bay Rays last night in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series. He was 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in the eighth inning and a game-winning RBI single in the ninth.

Drew has a .284 career batting average with 192 home runs and 637 RBIs in 11 seasons in the major leagues. Prior to playing for Boston, he was a member of the St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers.

The San Francisco Giants originally selected the 32-year-old outfielder in the 20th round of the 1994 MLB draft, but Drew decided to attend Florida State University instead of signing a professional contract. He was picked as a first-team freshman All-American outfielder in 1995 after hitting .325 with 17 home runs and 63 RBIs. Drew became the first player to hit three home runs in a single game during the College World Series on June 6, 1995 against USC.

Drew was a two-time All-American during his sophomore and junior seasons in 1996 and 1997. He batted .386 with 21 home runs and 94 RBIs as a sophomore. Drew won the Golden Spikes Award, as well as Baseball America’s Player of the Year award, after hitting .455 with 31 home runs, 100 RBIs and 32 stolen bases as a junior.

The Philadelphia Phillies drafted Drew with the second overall pick in the 1997 draft. The outfielder was reportedly asking for around $11 million to sign, but Philadelphia was only willing to offer approximately $2 million. So, Drew opted to play for the St. Paul Saints of the independent Northern League instead of starting his career in the Phillies’ organization. He earned the league’s Rookie of the Year award after hitting .341 with 18 home runs and 50 RBIs in 44 games for St. Paul.

Drew had a .386 batting average with nine home runs and 33 RBIs in 30 games for St. Paul in 1998 before the St. Louis Cardinals selected him with the fifth overall pick.

The outfielder signed with the Cardinals on July 3 and he was immediately assigned to the Double-A Arkansas Travelers in the Texas League. Drew batted .328 with five home runs and 11 RBIs in 19 games before he was promoted to the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds of the Pacific Coast League. He hit .316 with two home runs and 13 RBIs in 26 games for Memphis.

Drew was a September call-up for the Cardinals at the end of the 1998 season. He batted .417 with five home runs and 13 RBIs in 14 games, including a home run on Sept. 9 against the Cincinnati Reds for his first major-league hit.

The right fielder made the Cardinals’ roster to start the 1999 season. Although he has endured multiple injuries throughout his career, Drew has managed to have several successful years after his circuitous path to the majors.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 4:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Journey to the major leagues
        

Through Wednesday, the West Oahu CaneFires – the team with representatives from the Orioles’ minor league system in Hawaii Winter Baseball – were 7-7 and two games ahead of the North Shore Honu in the West Division. The Honolulu Sharks were on top of the East Division with a 10-4 record and the Waikiki BeachBoys were 6-8.

I’ll be providing information on the prospects in Hawaii on Thursdays for the rest of the season, so make sure you keep checking O’s on Deck for future news.

Here is an update on the players in the organization through Wednesday’s games:

Tim Bascom, RHP – After a rocky beginning in Hawaii, Bascom has excelled in his past two starts. On Wednesday, the 23-year-old right-hander tossed five perfect innings against Honolulu. He threw 51 pitches (39 strikes) and picked up his first victory while retiring all 15 hitters that he faced. Bascom had six strikeouts and only allowed four hits in four scoreless innings in his previous start against North Shore on Oct. 9. The Orioles’ fourth-round draft pick in the 2007 draft struggled in his start on Oct. 3, allowing eight runs (seven earned) and four hits in 1 1/3 innings against Honolulu. Bascom is 1-1 with a 5.11 ERA in four starts so far this season for West Oahu.

Wally Crancer, C/1B/DH – Crancer has continued to struggle for West Oahu early in the winter season, but he was 1-for-2 with a triple and three RBIs in Wednesday’s game against Honolulu. The 24-year-old utility player is hitting .154 (4-for-26) with four RBIs and three runs scored in eight games. Crancer was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and a walk on Oct. 11 against Waikiki. He has struck out eight total times in Hawaii.

Cliff Flagello, RHP – Flagello has not allowed an earned run in four appearances for West Oahu. The 23-year-old relief pitcher has six strikeouts and two walks in six innings this season. Flagello pitched two scoreless innings against Waikiki on Oct. 12. The Orioles’ 25th-round draft pick in the 2007 draft is 1-0 with a save in Hawaii.

Sean Gleason, RHP – The 23-year-old starting pitcher had back-to-back rough outings after allowing no runs and only two hits in four innings during his first start in Hawaii on Sept. 30 against Waikiki. Gleason suffered the loss against Honolulu on Oct. 5 after giving up four runs and four hits in four innings. He picked up his second loss of the season after surrendering seven earned runs and seven hits in five innings against Waikiki on Oct. 11. Gleason has walked six hitters and only struck out four in 13 innings in Hawaii. He is 1-2 with a 7.62 ERA.

Tyler Henson, 3B – The 20-year-old third baseman continues to lead the league in runs scored (16) and walks (16). Henson is hitting .326 with three RBIs in 14 games for West Oahu. He is also tied for first in the league in doubles (eight) and third in hits (15). The Orioles’ fifth-round pick in the 2006 draft has hit successfully in his past five games and he is 5-for-16 with five walks during that span.

Brian Parker, RHP – The 23-year-old relief pitcher has a 4.32 ERA in four games for West Oahu. He has struck out five hitters and walked three in 8 1/3 innings. In his last appearance, Parker pitched a scoreless inning against Waikiki on Oct. 12. The Orioles’ 19th-round selection in the 2007 draft gave up one earned run and three hits in 2 2/3 innings against North Shore on Oct. 7.

Chris Salberg, LHP – The 24-year-old left-hander has made six appearances as a reliever for West Oahu so far this season. Salberg has surrendered eight runs (five earned) and nine hits in 8 1/3 innings, which translates to a 5.40 ERA. He gave up four runs (three earned) and four hits in 3 2/3 innings against North Shore on Oct. 8. Salberg allowed two unearned runs and two hits in one inning against Waikiki on Oct. 11.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 4:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

In yesterday’s post about the Arizona Fall League, I mentioned infielder Nate Spears and asked if anyone knew how he was connected to the Orioles. No one came out and actually named the association, but the commenter “jj” hinted that he knew the answer.

Anyway, I decided that I was going to start a new feature for O’s on Deck that would talk about former players from the Orioles’ minor league system and how they’ve performed after they left the organization. Since I mentioned Spears yesterday, it’s only logical that he is the first player discussed.

Spears was traded along with minor league pitcher Carlos Perez to the Chicago Cubs before the 2006 season for outfielder Corey Patterson. Prior to the trade, Spears hit .294 with six home runs and 41 RBIs in 112 games for the Frederick Keys in 2005. He had 30 doubles and 64 runs scored during that season.

The 23-year-old second baseman struggled in his first season in the Cubs’ minor league system. He only hit .246 with one home run and 25 RBIs in 97 games for the Single-A Daytona Cubs during the 2006 season.

Spears hit .261 with one home run and 26 RBIs in 78 games for Daytona in 2007. He was promoted to the Double-A Tennessee Smokies in the middle of July. Spears, who was originally drafted by the Orioles in the fifth round of the 2003 MLB draft, hit .298 with four home runs, 11 RBIs and 22 runs scored in 38 games for the Smokies.

Spears played well for the Smokies this season. He hit .299 with seven home runs and 51 RBIs in 115 games. The 5-foot-11, 165-pound infielder had 22 doubles, five triples and 71 runs scored. Spears was named to the midseason and postseason All-Star teams in the Southern League. He was 5-for-18 with five runs scored in five games for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs at the end of the year.

Patterson hit .276 with 16 home runs and 53 RBIs for the Orioles in 2006. He had 45 stolen bases and 75 runs scored in 135 games during that season. The 29-year-old outfielder hit .269 with eight home runs and 45 RBIs in 2007. He had 26 doubles and 37 stolen bases in 132 games. Patterson, however, is no longer in the organization.

Perez pitched for the Cubs in Single-A during the 2006 season, but he returned to the Orioles’ minor league system and pitched for Frederick and the Bowie Baysox in 2007.

What’s everyone think of the deal that sent Spears to the Cubs for Patterson? Was it a good trade because Patterson helped the Orioles for two seasons? Do you believe it was a bad transaction because Patterson is no longer with the Orioles? Does it depend on how Spears progresses in the Cubs’ minor league system?

Let’s hear your thoughts. Also, feel free to let me know if you’d like to find out what happened to other players after they left the organization.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 4:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Former O's minor leaguers
        

As many fans know, the Orioles sent several prospects to participate in the Arizona Fall League this season. The league began play last Tuesday, so it’s a good time to take a look at how the players from the Orioles’ minor league system are performing.

The league has two divisions – American and National – with three teams in each division. The Mesa Solar Sox, Peoria Saguaros and Scottsdale Scorpions play in the American Division, while the Peoria Javelinas, Phoenix Desert Dogs and Surprise Rafters compete in the National Division.

The Orioles sent eight representatives to play in Arizona in 2008. Catcher Matt Wieters, infielders Blake Davis and Brandon Snyder, outfielder Nolan Reimold and pitchers Ryan Keefer, Brian Matusz, Bob McCrory and Chad Thall are all playing for Surprise.

Through Sunday, Surprise and Phoenix are both 2-3 and one game behind the Javelinas in the National Division. The Saguaros are 5-0 and leading the American Division, while Mesa is 2-3 and Scottsdale is 1-4.

Here are updates on the Orioles' prospects through Sunday:

Blake Davis, SS – Davis is still searching for his first hit in Arizona. The 24-year-old shortstop is 0-for-9 in two games so far with the Rafters. Davis, who was selected by the Orioles in the fourth round of the 2006 draft, hit .284 with 22 doubles, 57 runs scored and 53 RBIs in 132 games for the Bowie Baysox in 2008.

Ryan Keefer, RHP – The 27-year-old reliever hasn’t pitched for Surprise yet. I’m not sure if there’s something wrong with Keefer, but I’ll try to find out more information and pass it along as soon as possible. Keefer, who was the Orioles’ 13th-round draft pick in 2000, was 2-4 with a 4.80 ERA in 65 2/3 innings for Bowie this season.

Brian Matusz, LHP – Matusz pitched well in his professional debut on Saturday. The 21-year-old left-hander picked up the victory after throwing three scoreless innings against Mesa. Matusz retired the first seven hitters of the game before walking Nate Spears with one out in the third inning. Does that name sound familiar to anyone? You’re a true baseball fan – or pretty good at using search engines – if you know how Spears is connected to the Orioles. Anyway, Matusz is scheduled to pitch again on Friday. It will be interesting to see how he performs for the rest of the season.

Bob McCrory, RHP – The 26-year-old reliever gave up two unearned runs last Thursday against Scottsdale in 2/3 of an inning. McCrory hit a batter, walked one and had one strikeout in the game. He was 2-3 with a 3.80 ERA in 45 innings for Norfolk this season. The numbers in the major leagues were a lot worse for the Orioles’ fourth-round pick in the 2003 draft. He gave up 12 runs (11 earned) in 6 1/3 innings with the Orioles in 2008. It’s important that McCrory works on his command in the fall league if he plans on helping the Orioles next season.

Nolan Reimold, OF – Reimold, who celebrated his 25th birthday yesterday, is off to a slow start in the fall league. The outfielder is 1-for-10 with two strikeouts in three games for Surprise, but he had a game-tying RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning against Scottsdale on Oct. 9. Reimold is playing in Arizona for the third consecutive year. He had six home runs and 23 RBIs in the league last season.

Brandon Snyder, 1B – Snyder is 4-for-7 in two games for Surprise. The 21-year-old first baseman was 3-for-4 with two doubles, a run scored and an RBI against the Javelinas on Oct. 8. He was 1-for-3 with a run scored as the designated hitter last Friday against Mesa. Snyder, who was selected by the Orioles in the first round of the 2005 draft, hit .315 with 13 home runs and 80 RBIs in 116 games for the Frederick Keys in 2008.

Chad Thall, LHP – The 23-year-old left-hander allowed three runs and seven hits in one inning against the Javelinas on Oct. 7. Thall rebounded in his second appearance on Oct. 10 against Mesa with two strikeouts, but he still allowed one run and two hits in one inning during that game. In 45 games split between Frederick and Bowie in 2008, Thall was 1-0 with a 3.02 ERA and nine saves.

Matt Wieters, C – The Orioles’ first-round pick in last year’s draft is second in the fall league in batting average (.538) through the first week. Wieters is 7-for-13 with two doubles, one triple and five runs scored for Surprise. The 22-year-old catcher was 4-for-4 against Scottsdale on Oct. 9 and he has at least one hit in all four games that he’s played. Wieters hasn’t hit a home run yet, but there’s still plenty of time for the top prospect to display his power before the league ends.

If you’re interested, here are some archived photos of Matusz and Wieters, as well as some of the Orioles’ previous first-round draft picks.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 4:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

Starting pitcher Brian Matusz, who the Orioles selected with the fourth overall pick in this year's draft, made his debut in the Arizona Fall League today.

The 21-year-old left-hander didn't allow any hits in three scoreless innings for the Surprise Rafters in their game against the Mesa Solar Sox. Matusz walked one and had one strikeout. He threw 45 pitches (26 strikes) in the outing.

Look through some archived photos of Matusz here.

Also, check out the Q&A that I conducted with him in September.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 4:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (18)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

The New York-Penn League is a short-season Single-A league with 14 teams split into three different divisions – McNamara, Pinckney and Stedler.

Despite the name of the league, the teams aren’t exclusively located in New York and Pennsylvania. As many Orioles fans are aware, the Aberdeen IronBirds represent the organization in the league. There are also teams in Massachusetts, Ohio and Vermont.

The Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Florida Marlins, Houston Astros, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays and Washington Nationals also have affiliates in the league.

The IronBirds finished in last place in the McNamara Division with a 36-39 record. They were 13 games behind the Staten Island Yankees, who finished 49-26 and won the division.

The Batavia Muckdogs, who are an affiliate of the Cardinals, won the Pinckney Division with a 46-28 record and the Lowell Spinners, who represent the Red Sox in the league, finished in first place in the Stedler Division with a 40-33 record. The Jamestown Jammers, who represent the Marlins, finished 47-29 and earned the final berth in the playoffs as the wild-card team.

Jamestown swept the first two games against Staten Island to pick up the first spot in the championship series and Batavia beat Lowell in three games in the other semifinal.

Caleb Joseph led the IronBirds by hitting .261 with eight home runs and 34 RBIs in 63 games. The 22-year-old catcher finished tied for fifth in the league with 19 doubles and he was first on the team with 62 hits. Tyler Kolodny established a team record with 10 home runs in 72 games. The 20-year-old third baseman also led the team in RBIs (38), runs scored (38), triples (four) and total bases (107).

Shortstop Jedidiah Stephen had eight home runs and 29 RBIs in 46 games before being promoted to the Delmarva Shorebirds. His replacement, Greg Miclat, hit .291 with nine runs scored in 16 games.

Three starting pitchers each had over 70 strikeouts for Aberdeen this season. Rick Zagone, a 22-year-old left-hander, led the charge with 79 in 65 1/3 innings. Cole McCurry had 75 strikeouts in 81 2/3 innings and Pat Egan struck out 72 hitters in 77 2/3 innings. Zagone was 7-1 with a 2.89 ERA in 15 games (11 starts), while McCurry was 8-3 with a 2.76 ERA in 15 starts. Egan was 5-6 with a 3.24 ERA in 14 starts.

Championship

Third baseman Jermaine Curtis hit a two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning to help Batavia beat Jamestown, 4-3, in the first game of the championship series. The Jammers had taken the lead in the bottom of the eighth on a three-run home run by first baseman Ben Lasater before the Muckdogs pulled out the victory.

Curtis was 2-for-5 and designated hitter Edwin Gomez was 3-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs in the game. Catcher Charles Cutler and second baseman Colt Sedbrook each had two hits for the Muckdogs.

In the second game, Batavia scored four runs in the third inning and five in the eighth to capture the league championship with a 9-3 victory over Jamestown. Right fielder Shane Peterson was 3-for-5 with two RBIs to power the Muckdogs. Gomez had two RBIs and center fielder Frederick Parejo was 4-for-4 in the game.

Top players

Jason Castro, Tri-City ValleyCats – The 21-year-old catcher, who was selected by the Astros with the 10th overall pick in this year’s draft, batted .275 with two home runs and 12 RBIs in 39 games for Tri-City. Castro is 3-for-11 in five games for the North Shore Honu in Hawaii Winter Baseball.

Lonnie Chisenhall, Mahoning Valley Scrappers – The Indians selected the 20-year-old infielder with the 29th overall pick in this year’s draft. Chisenhall has had some off-the-field issues in the past – he pleaded guilty to burglary and grand larceny for taking electronics from a dorm room in college – but he hit .290 with 20 doubles, five home runs and 45 RBIs in 68 games for Mahoning Valley.

Jason Tweedy, Hudson Valley Renegades – The Rays didn’t select the 22-year-old infielder until the 20th round of this year’s draft, but he was one of the primary offensive catalysts for Hudson Valley in 2008. Tweedy batted .273 with 15 doubles, 37 runs scored and 24 RBIs in 68 games. He also had 24 stolen bases this season.

Brad Holt, Brooklyn Cyclones – Holt was 5-3 with a 1.87 ERA in 14 starts for Brooklyn. The 21-year-old right-hander led the league with 96 strikeouts in 72 1/3 innings. He struck out 14 hitters in six innings against the Vermont Lake Monsters on July 24. Holt, who was selected by the Mets in the first round of this year’s draft, had 12 strikeouts in his final start of the season against Aberdeen on Sept. 1.

Kyle Weiland, Lowell Spinners – The 22-year-old right-hander was only 3-3 in 15 games (10 starts) for Lowell, but he led the league with a 1.50 ERA. Weiland, who was picked by the Red Sox in the third round of this year’s draft, had 68 strikeouts and only walked 10 hitters in 60 innings.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 4:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: 2008 season recap
        

Throughout the offseason, I’ll provide updates on how the prospects from the Orioles’ minor league system are performing in the different winter leagues. The best way to do this, in my opinion, is to provide a weekly update on each league.

Hawaii Winter Baseball started on Sept. 27, so they’ve played enough games for me to provide information about the players from the organization.

There are four teams in Hawaii Winter Baseball – Honolulu Sharks, North Shore Honu, Waikiki BeachBoys and West Oahu CaneFires – which are comprised of players from the minor leagues, as well as Japan Professional Baseball and the Korea Baseball Organization. Each team in Hawaii Winter Baseball has 28 total players.

The Orioles sent seven representatives to West Oahu for this season. All of the team’s prospects are from the Delmarva Shorebirds except starting pitcher Tim Bascom, who played for the Frederick Keys in 2008. The other players from the organization are catcher Wally Crancer, infielder Tyler Henson and pitchers Cliff Flagello, Sean Gleason, Brian Parker and Chris Salberg.

Through Tuesday, West Oahu was 6-3 and 3 1/2 games ahead of North Shore in the West Division. Honolulu was on top of the East Division with a 6-3 record and Waikiki was 4-6.

Here is an update on the players in the Orioles’ minor league system through Tuesday’s games:

Tim Bascom, RHP – The 23-year-old starting pitcher was 6-5 with a 5.78 ERA in 19 starts for Frederick this season, so he could benefit from some extra work in Hawaii. In his first start on Sept. 27 against North Shore, Bascom allowed two unearned runs and three hits in two innings with one walk and one strikeout. During his second start of the season on Oct. 3 against Honolulu, things got ugly for the Orioles’ fourth-round pick in the 2007 draft. He surrendered eight runs (seven earned) and four hits in 1 1/3 innings.

Wally Crancer, C/1B/DH – Crancer has seen action as a catcher, first baseman and designated hitter for West Oahu. The 24-year-old utility player batted .287 with six home runs and 39 RBIs in 83 games for Delmarva this season. The Orioles’ 12th-round selection in the 2007 draft has been struggling, however, for West Oahu. In his first five games, Crancer was 2-for-17 with one run scored and one RBI.

Cliff Flagello, RHP – After pitching well for the Shorebirds in 2008, the 23-year-old relief pitcher has continued his success with West Oahu. Flagello was 5-3 with a 2.29 ERA and three saves in 39 games for Delmarva this season. The Orioles’ 25th-round draft pick in the 2007 draft is 1-0 with a save and he has allowed one unearned run and four hits in four innings for the CaneFires.

Sean Gleason, RHP – The 23-year-old starting pitcher had a breakout season for Delmarva this year. After starting the season in the bullpen, Gleason became the team’s ace and was 12-2 with a 2.63 ERA in 150 2/3 innings with the Shorebirds. The Orioles’ 20th-round selection in the 2007 draft has had mixed results in two starts for West Oahu. In his first start on Sept. 30 against Waikiki, Gleason earned the victory after allowing no runs and only two hits in four innings. He suffered the loss against Honolulu on Oct. 5 after giving up four runs and four hits in four innings.

Tyler Henson, 3B – After batting .265 with 11 home runs and 62 RBIs in 127 games for Delmarva, the 20-year-old third baseman is off to a quick start with the CaneFires. Henson is 10-for-30 (.333) with six doubles, one triple and three RBIs in nine games for West Oahu. He leads the league in runs scored (14), but it’s more impressive that the Orioles’ fifth-round pick in the 2006 draft is ranked first in Hawaii Winter Baseball with 11 walks. Henson only walked 25 times in 127 games for the Shorebirds and he’s already almost halfway to that total.

Brian Parker, RHP – The 23-year-old relief pitcher was 7-5 with a 3.65 ERA in 35 games for Delmarva in 2008. Parker currently has a 4.91 ERA in three games for West Oahu. He pitched two scoreless innings in his first game against North Shore on Sept. 28, but the Orioles’ 19th-round selection in the 2007 draft surrendered three runs and three hits in 2 2/3 innings against Waikiki on Oct. 2. He also gave up one earned run and three hits in 2 2/3 innings against North Shore on Oct. 7.

Chris Salberg, LHP – The 24-year-old left-hander was a starting pitcher while splitting time between the Aberdeen IronBirds and Delmarva this season, but he’s been used exclusively as a reliever for West Oahu. Salberg hasn’t allowed any runs in three of his four outings with the CaneFires, but he gave up two runs and two hits in two innings against Waikiki on Oct. 2.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 4:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

The lists of position players in the Orioles’ minor league system that I’ve compiled over the past few weeks haven’t had many encouraging signs for the future. There weren’t a lot of outstanding individual performances in the organization in 2008.

There is some good news for Orioles fans, however.

I’m going to wrap up my recap of the 2008 season by analyzing the starting pitching in the Orioles’ minor league system. The biggest strength in the organization, in my opinion, is the depth of the pitching.

It was difficult to assemble a list of only 10 starting pitchers, honestly. The first five pitchers in my rankings all could be considered the best starter in the organization in 2008.

It would be safe to pick Bowie Baysox right-hander Brad Bergesen in the top spot since the Orioles honored him as the Jim Palmer Minor League Pitcher of the Year.

Bergesen definitely deserves the award based on his accolades this season, which also included being picked as the Eastern League Pitcher of the Year, but I’d still select Frederick Keys right-hander Jake Arrieta above all of the other starting pitchers in the organization.

Arrieta also received plenty of recognition in 2008. The 22-year-old starting pitcher was selected as the Carolina League Pitcher of the Year and he also made a stop at Yankee Stadium in the MLB Futures Game during the All-Star break. Arrieta was chosen as the Pitcher of the Game in the California-Carolina All-Star Game and he pitched for the U.S. Olympic team in Beijing.

Thank you for sticking through all of the dismal rankings for the other positions in the Orioles’ minor league system. It’s always good to end on a positive note, so here’s how I’d rank the top 10 starting pitchers in the organization based on this season's statistics:

1. Jake Arrieta
2. Brad Bergesen
3. David Hernandez
4. Chris Tillman
5. Jason Berken
6. Brandon Erbe
7. Sean Gleason
8. Zach Britton
9. Rick Zagone
10. Luis Noel

Arrieta led the league with a 2.87 ERA in 20 starts for Frederick before heading overseas for the Olympics. Despite missing the final six weeks of the season, Arrieta finished fourth in the league with 120 strikeouts in 113 innings. The Orioles’ fifth-round pick in the 2007 MLB draft finished with a 6-5 record and opposing hitters only batted .199 against him.

Bergesen established a franchise record for wins in a season by going 15-6 with a 3.22 ERA in 24 games (23 starts) for the Baysox. The 23-year-old starting pitcher led the team with 148 innings and he tossed three complete games.

One of the most intriguing pitching prospects in the organization is Hernandez. The 23-year-old right-hander was first in the Eastern League in strikeouts (166), but also had the most walks in the league (71). Hernandez, who was drafted by the Orioles in the 16th round of the 2005 draft, was 10-4 at Bowie and he finished third in the league with a 2.68 ERA.

Tillman lived up to expectations in his first season in the Orioles’ system. The 20-year-old right-hander, who was acquired in the trade that sent left-hander Erik Bedard to the Seattle Mariners, had similar statistics to Hernandez. He was 11-4 for the Baysox and finished fifth in the league with a 3.18 ERA in 135 2/3 innings. Tillman was second in strikeouts (154), but he was also third in the league with 65 walks.

Berken completes the quartet of Baysox starting pitchers in the top five, but he could easily be ranked above the others on the list. The 24-year-old right-hander was 12-4 with a 3.58 ERA in 145 2/3 innings for Bowie. He finished fourth in the league with 125 strikeouts.

It’s difficult for me to put Erbe this low on the list, but there’s one statistic that makes the decision a little bit easier. The 20-year-old right-hander surrendered 21 home runs, which was the most in the Carolina League. The Orioles’ third-round draft pick in the 2005 draft led the league in strikeouts (151) and he was second with 150 2/3 innings, but he needs to reduce the amount of home runs allowed. Erbe finished 10-12 with a 4.30 ERA in 28 starts.

Gleason was the biggest surprise in the organization this year. The 23-year-old right-hander started in the bullpen for the Delmarva Shorebirds, but he finished as the team’s most dominant starter. Gleason was 12-2 with a 2.63 ERA, which was third in the South Atlantic League. He only allowed three home runs in 150 2/3 innings.

Britton continued his progression through the organization by going 12-7 with a 3.12 ERA in 27 starts for Delmarva. The 20-year-old left-hander had 114 strikeouts and walked 49 hitters in 147 1/3 innings. The other pitchers in the Orioles’ minor league system overshadowed Britton this season, but he shouldn’t be overlooked for the future.

A lot of analysts predict that Zagone will eventually become an effective relief pitcher, but he was pretty good as a starter for the Aberdeen IronBirds this season. The 22-year-old left-hander was 7-1 with a 2.89 ERA in 15 games (11 starts) for Aberdeen. He finished tied for fourth in the New York-Penn League with 79 strikeouts in 65 1/3 innings. The Orioles selected Zagone in the sixth round of this year’s draft.

Noel was 10-8 with a 3.96 ERA in 27 starts for Delmarva. The 21-year-old right-hander had 116 strikeouts in 138 2/3 innings, but he also walked 73 hitters. There’s still time for him to improve, so that’s why he’s included in this spot. It will be interesting to see how he performs in 2009.

From the comments on the other posts, it’s obvious that people couldn’t wait to discuss the starting pitching in the organization. What do you think about the rankings? How would you list the players? If you disagree with my list, tell me why.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 3:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (22)
Categories: O's minor leaguers in '08
        

In each of the eight rankings for position players, I listed the top five. For the two pitching lists, however, I’ll rank the top 10 because there is a bigger selection of players.

I’ll start with the list of relievers and the rankings for starting pitchers in the Orioles’ minor league system will be posted on Monday. There were a lot of solid individual performances for relief pitchers in the organization this season.

Despite the presence of several young relievers with potential in the system, a 35-year-old journeyman who pitched for the Bowie Baysox earned the top spot in my list. That’s right, I think Julio Manon had the finest statistics in the organization.

Manon led the Eastern League with 32 saves and he was one of the main reasons that Bowie made the playoffs for the first time since 1997. He had 80 strikeouts and a 3.39 ERA in 63 2/3 innings.

Let me clarify that it doesn’t mean Manon has any potential to help the Orioles in the future. They already attempted to use him in 2006 and he didn’t have much success. Manon was 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in 20 innings for the Orioles that year.

Still, Manon should be recognized for his great season in the Baysox bullpen. There were a lot of other players in Bowie who received more publicity than the closer, but he was just as important to their division title as anyone else.

I know that there will be plenty of objections to putting Manon ahead of some of the other relievers in the organization, so I’m curious to see who other people think should be at the top of the list.

Here are my rankings for the relief pitchers in the Orioles’ minor league system based on this season’s statistics:

1. Julio Manon
2. Jim Miller
3. Mick Mattaliano
4. Kam Mickolio
5. Wilfredo Perez
6. Jose Barajas
7. Cliff Flagello
8. Brandon Cooney
9. Oliver Drake
10. Chad Thall

Miller spent time with the Baysox and Norfolk Tides before being called up to the Orioles when rosters expanded in September. The 26-year-old reliever was 3-5 with a 3.09 ERA, 79 strikeouts and 10 saves in 67 innings for the Tides. He was 0-1 with a 3.46 ERA in seven games for Bowie. Miller was 0-2 with a 1.17 ERA in 7 2/3 innings for the Orioles after being promoted.

Mattaliano emerged as an exceptional reliever for the Delmarva Shorebirds in 2008. The 23-year-old right-hander was 2-2 with 27 saves and a 1.24 ERA for Delmarva before being promoted to the Frederick Keys in August. Mattaliano, who pitches with a submarine delivery, didn’t have much success in a short stint at Frederick. He allowed six runs (five earned) and 10 hits in seven innings.

Mickolio, who was acquired from the Seattle Mariners in the trade for Erik Bedard, climbed through the Orioles’ minor league system in 2008. The 24-year-old reliever was 2-1 with a 4.70 ERA in 38 1/3 innings at Bowie before being promoted to Norfolk. He pitched well for the Tides, allowing only four earned runs in 20 innings.

The 6-foot-9, 255-pound right-hander was 0-1 with a 5.87 ERA in nine games with the Orioles. Mickolio will need to work on his control – he walked 31 hitters in 58 1/3 innings in the minor leagues this season – if he wants to become an effective reliever in the major leagues.

Perez was 2-4 with a 2.71 ERA in 42 games for Frederick and Bowie in 2008. The 24-year-old relief pitcher had 92 strikeouts and walked 38 hitters in 79 2/3 innings.

Barajas could be someone to watch in the future. The 20-year-old relief pitcher had seven saves and 26 strikeouts in 19 2/3 innings for the Bluefield Orioles before finishing the season with Frederick. He allowed three runs in four innings with the Keys.

Flagello, who is pitching for the West Oahu CaneFires in the Hawaii Winter Baseball league, was 5-3 with a 2.29 ERA in 39 games for Delmarva this season. The 23-year-old right-hander had 82 strikeouts and surrendered only two home runs in 82 2/3 innings.

Cooney, who was selected by the Orioles in the 30th round of the 2007 MLB draft, had 10 saves for the Aberdeen IronBirds in 2008. The 6-foot-6, 240-pound right-hander was 1-3 with a 3.81 ERA in 26 innings as Aberdeen’s closer.

Drake looked impressive every time that I watched him pitch for the IronBirds this season. The 21-year-old right-hander, who left the Naval Academy after the Orioles selected him in the 43rd round of this year’s draft, was 1-0 with a 0.82 ERA in 12 games split between Bluefield and Aberdeen. Drake had 24 strikeouts and walked only three hitters in 22 innings.

Thall makes the list in the final spot because he had nine saves for Frederick before being promoted to Bowie. The 23-year-old left-hander struck out 55 hitters in 65 2/3 innings in 2008.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 4:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: O's minor leaguers in '08
        

Orioles fans hope that Nick Markakis will be playing right field at Camden Yards for at least the next 15 years. It remains to be seen if that will happen, but I’ll take a look at the right fielders in the Orioles’ minor league system in case the team needs a replacement for him in the near future.

The most important statistics, in my opinion, for the right fielders in the organization are their offensive numbers because they’ll likely be switching positions as long as Markakis is wearing an Orioles uniform.

The 24-year-old outfielder played well enough defensively that he should win a Gold Glove in the American League. Markakis led the major leagues in outfield assists (17) and he only committed three errors. Whether he actually wins the award is a completely different story, but this is my forum to petition for it to happen. I’m sure that a lot of Orioles fans share that sentiment, so it will be interesting to see if he’s honored.

Anyway, let’s get back to minor league baseball. There were several right fielders in the organization who performed well this season. Nolan Reimold of the Bowie Baysox is my choice for the top right fielder in 2008.

I think a lot of people will agree with that pick, but let me know if you would choose someone else. A lot of fans have shown their support for Delmarva Shorebirds right fielder Joe Nowicki in the comments section of previous entries. Does anyone think he should be ranked ahead of Reimold?

Reimold hit .284 with 25 home runs and 84 RBIs in 139 games for the Baysox. He finished tied for second in the Eastern League in home runs and fifth in RBIs. He ended the season with 29 doubles and 87 runs scored, which was second in the league behind teammate Lou Montanez.

Nowicki hit .276 with 19 home runs and 78 RBIs in 130 games for the Shorebirds. He finished third in the South Atlantic League with 36 doubles and tied for fifth in the league with 241 total bases. Nowicki also had six triples and 14 stolen bases this season.

If I had to rank the right fielders in the Orioles’ minor league system based on this season’s statistics, I’d list them in the following order:

1. Nolan Reimold
2. Joe Nowicki
3. Ronnie Welty
4. Brandon Tripp
5. Chris Roberson

My biggest concern with Reimold is that he’s getting to the point where he needs to be given the opportunity to perform in the major leagues or he’ll never have a successful career. He’s a month older than Markakis, so the window is slowly closing. I’m not sure what the Orioles’ plans are for the outfielder, but I’d like to see them give him a chance to make the team in spring training.

There are two things that are working against Nowicki – his age and his strikeout numbers in 2008. The 25-year-old outfielder – he’ll turn 26 on Nov. 12 – was old for his league, but that can be overlooked because he performed well in his third professional season. He needs to cut down on the strikeouts, however, if he wants to receive a considerable look from the Orioles. Nowicki struck out 142 times in 492 at-bats this season.

Welty, who the Orioles selected in the 20th round of this year’s MLB draft, led the Bluefield Orioles with a .314 batting average this season. The 20-year-old right fielder had 13 doubles, 26 runs scored and 34 RBIs in 55 games.

Tripp has shown a lot of power in the past two seasons, but he struck out more often than Nowicki in 2008. The Orioles’ 12th-round pick in the 2006 draft led the Carolina League with 145 strikeouts in 428 at-bats. The 23-year-old right fielder hit .236 with 17 home runs and 69 RBIs for the Frederick Keys this season.

Roberson isn’t going to help the Orioles, but he had a solid season for the Norfolk Tides. The 29-year-old outfielder hit .279 with 57 RBIs and 52 runs scored in 123 games for the Tides. He had 14 doubles and 20 stolen bases.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 4:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: O's minor leaguers in '08