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.