Several players from the Orioles’ minor league system are participating in the various Caribbean leagues. There is one new addition to this week’s list – infielder Rodolfo Cardona, who played for the Bluefield Orioles in 2008.

I’ve attempted to compile a complete list, but I may have missed some players because it’s difficult to acquire information about the leagues. 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 Tuesday’s games on the players in the Orioles’ system:

Dominican Winter League

Fredy Deza, RHP – The 26-year-old relief pitcher hasn’t pitched for the Azucareros in December. Deza didn’t allow any runs in his past two performances, but his ERA remains high. He tossed a scoreless inning against Escogido on Nov. 24, and he threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings against the Estrellas on Nov. 30. Overall, Deza has given up 12 runs (11 earned) and 19 hits in 13 innings. He has a 7.62 ERA in 11 appearances.

Radhames Liz, RHP – After two rough starts to begin the winter season with the Estrellas, Liz rebounded in his last game. The 25-year-old right-hander only gave up one hit and one walk in five innings against the Aguilas on Dec. 13. He had four strikeouts in the outing. Overall, Liz was 0-1 with a 5.73 ERA in 11 innings, but his performance might not be as bad as it looked on the surface. Opponents only hit .186 against Liz – left-handed hitters had a .348 batting average, while right-handed hitters didn’t have any hits against him. The Estrellas didn’t make the postseason, so Liz is likely finished for the winter.

Wilfredo Perez, LHP – Perez was 1-1 with a 4.26 ERA in 17 appearances for the Estrellas this season. He gave up six runs and 10 hits in 12 2/3 innings. Opponents batted .227 against Perez. The 24-year-old left-hander tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings against the Gigantes on Dec. 20. Perez had three strikeouts and gave up two hits in the outing. He was 2-4 with a 2.71 ERA in 42 games split between the Bowie Baysox and Frederick Keys in 2008.

Jose Reyes, C – The 25-year-old catcher started the winter season with the Estrellas, but he was transferred to the Azucareros at the end last month. Reyes was 0-for-2 against the Aguilas in his first game with the Azucareros on Nov. 28. He batted .222 (4-for-18) with two RBIs and two runs scored in 11 games for the Estrellas.

Alfredo Simon, RHP – Simon is 2-0 with a 4.57 ERA in five starts for the Gigantes this season. He has 17 strikeouts and five walks in 21 2/3 innings. The 27-year-old right-hander earned the victory against Carolina of the Puerto Rican Winter League after giving up one run and four hits in six innings on Dec. 6. Simon struggled in his last start, however, against Licey on Dec. 13. He allowed four runs and four hits in 1 1/3 innings.

Venezuelan Winter League

Gerardo Casadiego, RHP – The 27-year-old right-hander has received plenty of action for La Guaira. Casadiego has a 4.05 ERA and two saves in 21 appearances. He has surrendered 10 runs (nine earned) and 21 hits in 20 innings. Casadiego has only allowed two earned runs in his past 10 games. He was 5-6 with a 3.18 ERA in 55 games for the Bowie Baysox in 2008.

Rodolfo Cardona, 2B/SS – Cardona is 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in two games for Lara. The 22-year-old shortstop was 0-for-3 against Caracas on Tuesday. In 49 games for Bluefield in 2008, Cardona hit .283 with three home runs and 28 RBIs. He had 10 doubles and 25 runs scored. He batted .283 with two home runs and 30 RBIs in 40 games for the Gulf Coast League Orioles in 2007.

Victor Castillo, C – Castillo hasn’t played for La Guaira since going 0-for-2 with a strikeout against Lara on Oct. 22 in his only appearance. 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.

Cesar Izturis, SS – Although he is hitting .292 with three RBIs and nine runs scored in 16 games for Lara, Izturis has struggled recently. The 28-year-old shortstop is 1-for-12 in his past three games. He was 1-for-4 with two walks and a run scored against La Guaira on Dec. 27. Izturis batted .263 with 24 RBIs and 24 stolen bases for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2008.

Andy Mitchell, RHP – Mitchell started the winter season with the Aguilas in the Dominican Winter League, but he joined Magallanes at the end of November. In four appearances (three starts) with the Aguilas, the 30-year-old right-hander was 0-1 with an 11.12 ERA. He walked 15 hitters and allowed 14 runs in 11 1/3 innings. Since becoming a member of Magallanes, he has a 7.71 ERA in 2 1/3 innings. Mitchell hasn’t pitched in a game since Dec. 7. He was 12-8 with a 4.29 ERA in 32 games (21 starts) for the Norfolk Tides in 2008.

Guillermo Quiroz, C – In seven games with Zulia, Quiroz is hitting .111 (2-for-18) with three RBIs and eight strikeouts. The 27-year-old catcher was 0-for-1 against Aragua on Dec. 22. It was his first game since Nov. 26 against the Caribes, when Quiroz was 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts. He was 1-for-5 with a double, three RBIs and three strikeouts against La Guaira on Nov. 12. Quiroz batted .187 with two home runs and 14 RBIs in 56 games for the Orioles in 2008.

Raul Rivero, RHP – Rivero could be a pitcher to follow in the Orioles’ minor league system during the 2009 season. The 22-year-old right-hander is 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA in nine games (one start) for Lara. He gave up one run and four hits in three innings against Magallanes on Dec. 28. In his only start, Rivero earned the victory after allowing one run and five hits in five innings against Caracas on Dec. 23. He also tossed four scoreless innings against the Caribes in a 16-inning game on Dec. 14. Rivero was 1-5 with a 5.78 ERA in 13 starts for the Bluefield Orioles in 2008.

Guillermo Rodriguez, C – In 40 games for Lara, the 30-year-old catcher is hitting .296 with 13 RBIs and 25 runs scored. Rodriguez has slumped lately, however. He is batting .147 (5-for-34) with one RBI and seven strikeouts in his past 10 games. Rodriguez was 0-for-6 against La Guaira on Dec. 27. The Orioles signed Rodriguez to a minor league deal earlier this month. He batted .266 with two home runs and seven RBIs in 33 games for Triple-A Fresno in the San Francisco Giants’ minor league system during the 2008 season.

Carlos Rojas, 2B/SS – Rojas is hitting .211 (4-for-19) with three RBIs and two runs scored in 11 games for the Caribes. The 24-year-old infielder hasn’t played since he was 0-for-3 with a walk against La Guaira on Nov. 11. He batted .247 with two home runs and 38 RBIs in 120 games for the Bowie Baysox this season.

Oscar Salazar, UTIL – Salazar hit well during the first part of the winter season, but he has cooled off considerably. For the first few weeks, the 30-year-old utility player was hitting around .400. He remains second in the league in batting average, but it has dropped to .352 after 49 games for La Guaira. Salazar is batting .244 (10-for-41) with no home runs and one RBI in his past 10 games. He was 2-for-5 with a walk against Magallanes on Dec. 26. He is tied for seventh in the league with 15 doubles.

Steve Torrealba, C/1B – The 30-year-old backup catcher is batting .188 with seven RBIs and six runs scored in 20 games for the Caribes this season. Torrealba was 0-for-3 against Lara on Dec. 14. He has also received some playing time at first base in Venezuela. Torrealba hit .283 with eight home runs, 26 RBIs and 16 runs scored in 37 games for the Baysox in 2008.

Puerto Rican Winter League

Miguel Abreu, 2B – Abreu is hitting .211 with two RBIs and two runs scored in 16 games for Ponce. The 24-year-old infielder has two stolen bases so far this season. He was 0-for-4 with a strikeout on Tuesday against Carolina. Abreu hit .275 with six home runs and 43 RBIs in 116 games for the Frederick Keys in 2008. He had 24 doubles, 21 stolen bases and 55 runs scored for the Keys.

Mike Costanzo, 1B/3B – Costanzo is only hitting .220 with seven runs scored in 12 games for Caguas. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound third baseman has struck out seven times, and he has four walks. Costanzo was 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored against Licey on Dec. 7. The 25-year-old infielder doesn’t have any home runs or RBIs in Puerto Rico. While playing for the Norfolk Tides during the regular season, he was second in the International League with 159 strikeouts in 129 games.

Mexican Pacific League

Alberto Castillo, LHP – Castillo pitched 2/3 of an inning against Mexicali on Monday. The 33-year-old left-hander gave up one hit and had one strikeout. He suffered the loss after allowing five runs and four hits in 4 1/3 innings against Mazatlan on Dec. 21. Castillo is 0-4 with an 8.20 ERA in seven games (five starts) for Mochis. He has 19 strikeouts and 17 walks in 27 innings this winter. Castillo was 1-0 with a 3.81 ERA in 28 relief appearances for the Orioles during the regular season.

Scott Chiasson, RHP – Chiasson is 3-3 with a 3.24 ERA and six saves in 17 appearances for Navojoa this season. He has 22 strikeouts in 25 innings. The 31-year-old right-hander hasn’t pitched since tossing a scoreless inning against Obregon on Nov. 23. He posted a 3.38 ERA and one save in 10 games for the Norfolk Tides in 2008.

Jeff Nettles, SS/3B – The 30-year-old infielder batted .262 with one home run and six RBIs in 19 games for Mochis, but he hasn’t played since Nov. 2. Nettles hit successfully in eight of his last 10 games. During that span, he was 11-for-31 (.355) with five RBIs and three runs scored.

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

In a few days, the calendar will be changing to 2009.

The end of another year in the Orioles' rebuilding plan and one step closer to being competitive again.

The beginning of another year in the Orioles' losing streak and one more step into mediocrity.

It depends on your perspective.

Over the past few days, I've seen plenty of points on both sides of the discussion.

Watching the celebration around M&T Bank Stadium yesterday after the Ravens' 27-7 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars forced me to ponder one question -- how crazy will it be to live in Baltimore when the Orioles make the playoffs again?

All those years of disappointment will make it that much sweeter for the fans -- if they're not all gone by the time it happens.

OK, that's enough about the depressing topic of 11 consecutive losing seasons for the Orioles. They'll make it back to the playoffs sometime in the future. I promise.

Let's jump into a new feature on O's on Deck. I'm going to call it "Predict the future" because that's exactly what I want you to do.

Over the next few weeks -- we'll see how long we can run with this idea -- I'll name an Orioles prospect and my expectations for that player during the 2009 season. Your job is to tell me what you think the player will do. I want to hear your hopes for the upcoming season, but feel free to expand your thoughts beyond 2009.

Be sure to tell me if you think I'm completely incorrect. Keep it clean or I won't be able to publish the comment. It will be fun to keep our predictions until the end of the year and revisit them to see who was right and wrong.

It's probably easiest to start with the top prospect in the Orioles' minor league system -- catcher Matt Wieters. I know a lot of fans are pushing for him to start the season with the Orioles, but I don't think that is the plan of the organization.

Wieters could force the Orioles into a difficult decision if he plays extremely well in spring training, but I still think he's going to start the year with the Triple-A Norfolk Tides. However, I don't believe he'll be in the minor leagues for the entire season.

After hitting .355 with 27 home runs and 91 RBIs in 130 games while splitting the 2008 season between the Single-A Frederick Keys and Double-A Bowie Baysox, the Orioles' first-round draft pick in 2007 proved that he's ready for the next step -- a promotion to Triple-A.

I'm expecting the 22-year-old catcher to hit around .300 with 10-15 home runs and 45-55 RBIs with the Tides during the first three months of the 2009 season. Those numbers will force the Orioles to bring him up sometime in July.

At this point in his career, Wieters has excelled at every level -- from college to Single-A to Double-A -- so there's no reason to believe he won't continue the climb to the major leagues. In my opinion, the ideal scenario would have him in the major leagues before the trade deadline. It would still be a success, however, for Wieters to be promoted when rosters expand in the beginning of September.

I believe the logical expectation is to see Wieters in the major leagues at some point in 2009. It will surprise me if it's on Opening Day, but it will surprise me more if he spends the entire year in the minors.

What are your expectations for Wieters in 2009? Would you be mad if he spends the entire season in the minor leagues? Do you think he'll struggle if he plays with the Orioles at any point this season?

If you really want to be exact, leave your thoughts on his statistics at each level.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 5:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (45)
Categories: Predict the future
        

Yesterday's post showed that Orioles supporters are among the most passionate fans in professional sports.

The response to my take on the Orioles' inability to sign free-agent first baseman Mark Teixeira was remarkable. Many people agreed with my thoughts and added other perks of being a fan of the team, including the storied history and memories of players like Brooks Robinson, Cal Ripken Jr. and Eddie Murray.

Despite my request to keep a positive mood because of the holiday, several fans took a pessimistic approach while voicing their thoughts on the team. After 11 consecutive seasons of disappointment, I can't blame them. Almost every reader comment had excellent points on why it's frustrating to follow the Orioles, and I can't disagree with anything that was mentioned.

The Orioles are taking steps in the right direction. Like many readers pointed out, however, it would be nice for the organization to do something to prove that it's committed to winning.

It's difficult to compete with the spending habits of the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, but the Orioles seem to be making an effort to field a competitive team in the near future without distributing more money than most of us can even imagine.

They've acquired several young players through trades and the MLB draft. The foundation for success is being constructed. Patience is the virtue by which Orioles fans should live. Unfortunately, it's been 11 straight years of losing, and the tolerance of the fans only stretches so far.

All of this discussion about the Orioles' top prospects made me think about what's the best course for the organization going forward. If these players can live up to the hype, the Orioles should be able to win as soon as they all make it to the major leagues. Rushing Matt Wieters, Brian Matusz, Jake Arrieta, Chris Tillman and the rest of the prospects, however, could permanently destroy their future success.

As an Orioles fan, would you rather throw the prospects into the majors as soon as possible and see what they can do, or would you sacrifice the immediate future of the big league team and let them work their way through the minors?

If you promote them to the major leagues and they're successful, the Orioles would be set for several years of success. If they fail, however, the organization would sink even deeper into the land of mediocre baseball teams.

If you're patient and allow for the players to progress through the minors at their own pace, they could move too slowly and the window of success would close. Still, they could gain a lot of experience and knowledge in the depths of the organization that would improve their long-term success.

It's a risky choice, and the Orioles' future is directly affected by the decision.

Do you trust that Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail, owner Peter Angelos and the other executives are going to make the right choice? What would you do?

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 5:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (51)
        

A lot of Orioles fans will be waking up today without the biggest gift of the offseason -- Mount St. Joseph graduate Mark Teixeira -- under the Christmas tree. It may seem like the latest disappointment in 11 consecutive years of receiving only lumps of coal, but maybe there's hope that you'll be getting the Red Ryder BB gun you always wanted in the near future.

While it obviously would have been nice to have the free-agent first baseman on the Orioles roster for the next several years, fans should forget about the hypothetical situation and be thankful for the assets that are already in the organization.

Remember the Orioles have one of the best prospects in professional baseball -- catcher Matt Wieters -- and a surplus of quality pitchers in the minor leagues -- Brian Matusz, Chris Tillman, Jake Arrieta and the list goes on.

Remember the Orioles have two promising young position players who are already in the major leagues -- right fielder Nick Markakis and center fielder Adam Jones.

Remember the Orioles have a few solid veterans who can act as offensive catalysts -- second baseman Brian Roberts, third baseman Melvin Mora, left fielder Luke Scott and designated hitter Aubrey Huff.

Remember the Orioles have an executive -- Andy MacPhail -- who has led teams to success in the past. The Minnesota Twins won World Series championships in 1987 and 1991 under MacPhail's direction.

Remember the Orioles have a manager -- Dave Trembley -- who spent several years coaching in the minors before he was finally given an opportunity to lead at the highest level. He's an old-school baseball guy who provides the discipline that's needed for the young players, so will they continue to improve under his guidance?

Remember the Orioles have one of the best stadiums in baseball. Camden Yards is the model by which all of the new ballparks are measured. It's great to be able to watch a game during the middle of the summer while eating a sandwich from Boog's Barbecue.

Did I miss anything? As a fan of the Orioles, what do you like most about the organization? Let's keep the positive atmosphere going around here today.

There are plenty of good qualities about the organization, so fans shouldn't let one Grinch with local ties spoil the holiday festivities. Although it may seem like the heartache of being an Orioles fan will never end, the future is bright.

Just look at the team's minor league system if you need proof.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 5:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (109)
        

Several players from the Orioles’ minor league system are participating in the various Caribbean leagues. There are two new additions to this week’s list – shortstop Cesar Izturis, who recently signed a two-year contract with the team, and catcher Guillermo Rodriguez, who agreed to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training.

I’ve attempted to compile a complete list, but I may have missed some players because it’s difficult to acquire information about the leagues. 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 Tuesday’s games on the players in the Orioles’ system:

Dominican Winter League

Fredy Deza, RHP – The 26-year-old relief pitcher hasn’t pitched for the Azucareros in December. Deza didn’t allow any runs in his past two performances, but his ERA remains high. He tossed a scoreless inning against Escogido on Nov. 24, and he threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings against the Estrellas on Nov. 30. Overall, Deza has given up 12 runs (11 earned) and 19 hits in 13 innings. He has a 7.62 ERA in 11 appearances.

Radhames Liz, RHP – After two rough starts to begin the winter season with the Estrellas, Liz rebounded in his last game. The 25-year-old right-hander only gave up one hit and one walk in five innings against the Aguilas on Dec. 13. He had four strikeouts in the outing. Overall, Liz is 0-1 with a 5.73 ERA in 11 innings, but his performance might not be as bad as it looks on the surface. Opponents are only hitting .186 against Liz – left-handed hitters have a .348 batting average, while right-handed hitters don’t have any hits against him.

Wilfredo Perez, LHP – Perez is 1-1 with a 4.26 ERA in 17 appearances for the Estrellas this season. He has given up six runs and 10 hits in 12 2/3 innings. Opponents are batting .227 against Perez. The 24-year-old left-hander tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings against the Gigantes on Dec. 20. Perez had three strikeouts and gave up two hits in the outing. He was 2-4 with a 2.71 ERA in 42 games split between the Bowie Baysox and Frederick Keys in 2008.

Jose Reyes, C – The 25-year-old catcher started the winter season with the Estrellas, but he was transferred to the Azucareros at the end last month. Reyes was 0-for-2 against the Aguilas in his first game with the Azucareros on Nov. 28. He batted .222 (4-for-18) with two RBIs and two runs scored in 11 games for the Estrellas.

Alfredo Simon, RHP – Simon is 2-0 with a 4.57 ERA in five starts for the Gigantes this season. He has 17 strikeouts and five walks in 21 2/3 innings. The 27-year-old right-hander earned the victory against Carolina of the Puerto Rican Winter League after giving up one run and four hits in six innings on Dec. 6. Simon struggled in his last start, however, against Licey on Dec. 13. He allowed four runs and four hits in 1 1/3 innings.

Venezuelan Winter League

Gerardo Casadiego, RHP – The 27-year-old right-hander has received plenty of action for La Guaira. Casadiego has a 4.05 ERA and two saves in 21 appearances. He has surrendered 10 runs (nine earned) and 21 hits in 20 innings. Casadiego has only allowed two earned runs in his past 10 games. He was 5-6 with a 3.18 ERA in 55 games for the Bowie Baysox in 2008.

Victor Castillo, C – Castillo hasn’t played for La Guaira since going 0-for-2 with a strikeout against Lara on Oct. 22 in his only appearance. 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.

Cesar Izturis, SS – The 28-year-old shortstop is hitting .316 with five stolen bases and eight runs scored in 14 games for Lara. Izturis also has three doubles and three RBIs in Venezuela. He was 2-for-4 with a triple and a run scored against Aragua on Dec. 21. On Monday against the Caribes, Izturis was 1-for-2 with two walks and a run scored. He batted .263 with 24 RBIs and 24 stolen bases for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2008.

Andy Mitchell, RHP – Mitchell started the winter season with the Aguilas in the Dominican Winter League, but he joined Magallanes at the end of November. In four appearances (three starts) with the Aguilas, Mitchell was 0-1 with an 11.12 ERA. He walked 15 hitters and allowed 14 runs in 11 1/3 innings. Since becoming a member of Magallanes, he has a 7.71 ERA in 2 1/3 innings. The 30-year-old right-hander was 12-8 with a 4.29 ERA in 32 games (21 starts) for the Norfolk Tides in 2008.

Guillermo Quiroz, C – In six games with Zulia, Quiroz is hitting .111 (2-for-18) with three RBIs and eight strikeouts. The 27-year-old catcher was 0-for-1 against Aragua on Dec. 22. It was his first game since Nov. 26 against the Caribes, when Quiroz was 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts. He was 1-for-5 with a double, three RBIs and three strikeouts against La Guaira on Nov. 12. Quiroz batted .187 with two home runs and 14 RBIs in 56 games for the Orioles in 2008.

Raul Rivero, RHP – The 22-year-old right-hander made his first start of the winter season Tuesday against Caracas. Rivero earned the victory after allowing one run and five hits in five innings. He is 2-0 with a 2.21 ERA in eight appearances for Lara. Rivero tossed four scoreless innings against the Caribes in a 16-inning game on Dec. 14. He gave up two hits and three walks in the outing. Rivero also pitched two innings against Aragua on Dec. 18 without giving up a run. He was 1-5 with a 5.78 ERA in 13 starts for the Bluefield Orioles during the regular season.

Guillermo Rodriguez, C – Rodriguez is batting .308 with 13 RBIs and 25 runs scored in 38 games for Lara. He’s been struggling recently, however. The 30-year-old catcher is hitting .182 with six strikeouts and only two RBIs in his past 10 games. The Orioles signed Rodriguez to a minor league deal earlier this month. He batted .266 with two home runs and seven RBIs in 33 games for Triple-A Fresno in the San Francisco Giants’ minor league system during the 2008 season.

Carlos Rojas, 2B/SS – Rojas is hitting .211 (4-for-19) with three RBIs and two runs scored in 11 games for the Caribes. The 24-year-old infielder hasn’t played since he was 0-for-3 with a walk against La Guaira on Nov. 11. He batted .247 with two home runs and 38 RBIs in 120 games for the Bowie Baysox this season.

Oscar Salazar, UTIL – In 46 games for La Guaira, Salazar is hitting .359 with six home runs and 26 RBIs. The 30-year-old utility player has cooled off considerably, however, after a rapid start in Venezuela. He is only batting .220 with one RBI in his past 10 games. Salazar was 2-for-3 with two runs scored in Dec. 17 against Zulia. He is third in the league in batting average, tied for fifth in doubles (15) and seventh in runs scored (37).

Steve Torrealba, C/1B – The 30-year-old backup catcher is batting .188 with seven RBIs and six runs scored in 19 games for the Caribes this season. Torrealba was 0-for-3 against Lara on Dec. 14. He has also received some playing time at first base in Venezuela. Torrealba hit .283 with eight home runs, 26 RBIs and 16 runs scored in 37 games for the Baysox in 2008.

Puerto Rican Winter League

Miguel Abreu, 2B – Abreu is hitting .231 (3-for-13) in 13 games for Ponce. The 24-year-old infielder has two RBIs, two runs scored and two stolen bases so far this season. Abreu was 1-for-1 with an RBI against Carolina on Dec. 19. He hit .275 with six home runs and 43 RBIs in 116 games for the Frederick Keys in 2008. Abreu had 24 doubles, 21 stolen bases and 55 runs scored for the Keys.

Mike Costanzo, 1B/3B – Costanzo is only hitting .220 with seven runs scored in 12 games for Caguas. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound third baseman has struck out seven times, and he has four walks. Costanzo was 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored against Licey on Dec. 7. The 25-year-old infielder doesn’t have any home runs or RBIs so far in Puerto Rico. While playing for the Norfolk Tides during the regular season, he was second in the International League with 159 strikeouts in 129 games.

Mexican Pacific League

Alberto Castillo, LHP – Castillo suffered his fourth consecutive loss after giving up five runs and four hits in 4 1/3 innings against Mazatlan on Dec. 21. The 33-year-old left-hander walked six hitters and had three strikeouts in the game. Castillo allowed three runs and six hits in seven innings against Culiacan on Dec. 14. He is 0-4 with an 8.20 ERA in six games (five starts) for Mochis. He has 18 strikeouts and 17 walks in 26 1/3 innings this winter. Castillo was 1-0 with a 3.81 ERA in 28 relief appearances for the Orioles during the regular season.

Scott Chiasson, RHP – Chiasson is 3-3 with a 3.24 ERA and six saves in 17 appearances for Navojoa this season. He has 22 strikeouts in 25 innings. The 31-year-old right-hander hasn’t pitched since tossing a scoreless inning against Obregon on Nov. 23. He posted a 3.38 ERA and one save in 10 games for the Norfolk Tides in 2008.

Jeff Nettles, SS/3B – The 30-year-old infielder batted .262 with one home run and six RBIs in 19 games for Mochis, but he hasn’t played since Nov. 2. Nettles hit successfully in eight of his last 10 games. During that span, he was 11-for-31 (.355) with five RBIs and three runs scored.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 1:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

Some trades have burned the Orioles in the past, like the notorious deal that sent Steve Finley, Pete Harnisch and Curt Schilling to the Houston Astros for Glenn Davis.

Recently, they’ve had a lot of success in the trade department. Last offseason, they dealt Erik Bedard to the Seattle Mariners for Adam Jones, George Sherrill, Chris Tillman, Kam Mickolio and Tony Butler. They also shipped Miguel Tejada to the Astros for Luke Scott, Matt Albers, Dennis Sarfate, Troy Patton and Mike Costanzo.

While a number of trades have a definitive winner and loser, like the ones described above, the majority of deals don’t give an advantage to any of the participants. An example would be the exchange of Chris Britton for Jaret Wright between the Orioles and New York Yankees on Nov. 12, 2006.

I’m mentioning this trade because the Yankees recently parted ways with Britton when they didn’t tender him a contract for 2009. According to The San Diego Union-Tribune, the 6-foot-3, 278-pound relief pitcher signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres. He’s expected to compete for a spot in their bullpen during the upcoming season.

Wright only made three starts for the Orioles in 2007 before missing the remainder of the season due to a shoulder injury. He was 0-3 with a 6.97 ERA in 10 1/3 innings. The team released the right-handed pitcher at the end of the year, and he signed a minor league deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates prior to the 2008 season. He didn’t make the majors out of spring training and elected to become a free agent.

In two seasons with the Yankees, Britton split time between the majors and minors.

He was 0-1 with a 3.55 ERA in 11 appearances for the Yankees during the 2007 season. The Orioles’ eight-round pick in the 2001 MLB draft had five strikeouts and issued four walks in 12 2/3 innings. When he wasn’t pitching in the major leagues in 2007, Britton was 4-2 with a 2.51 ERA and eight saves in 37 games for the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees.

Britton wasn’t as successful in his second season with the Yankees. The 26-year-old reliever had a 5.09 ERA in 15 appearances in 2008. He walked 11 hitters and had 12 strikeouts in 23 innings. Britton was 3-1 with a 2.28 ERA in 21 games with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last season.

It’s obvious that the trade didn’t have a major effect on the Orioles or the Yankees, but there’s always the chance that Britton could develop into something in the future.

Does anyone have any strong feelings about this trade? While we’re on the topic, what do you think were the best trades in Orioles history? How about the worst deals?

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 8:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (17)
Categories: Former O's minor leaguers
        

Baseball America recently posted the latest set of minor league transactions, and the Orioles were involved in a couple of the moves on the list. The blog entry consists of all deals reported between Dec. 5 and Dec. 15.

The Orioles’ acquisition of utility player Ryan Freel, second baseman Justin Turner and third baseman Brandon Waring in exchange for catcher Ramon Hernandez is included. The two minor league players in that trade – Turner and Waring – were discussed in a previous entry on O’s on Deck.

According to Baseball America, the Orioles also signed Billy Killian to a minor league contract. Killian is a 22-year-old catcher who played for the Single-A Winston-Salem Warthogs, an affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, in 2008. He hit .206 with six RBIs in 47 games for Winston-Salem last season.

The San Diego Padres drafted Killian out of high school in the third round of the 2004 MLB draft, but he’s struggled in five seasons in the minors. Killian has a .235 batting average in 223 games, and he’s never hit a home run in his professional career.

Killian was traded from the Padres – along with starting pitcher Adam Eaton and relief pitcher Akinori Otsuka – to the Texas Rangers on Jan. 4, 2006 for starting pitcher Chris Young, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and outfielder Terrmel Sledge.

Killian has never played more than 55 games in a single season, so it looks like he was mainly signed to fill a roster spot at one of the lower levels of the organization.

Baseball America also notes that Eider Torres, who played in eight games for the Orioles during the 2008 season, signed with the Chicago White Sox. The 25-year-old infielder was 2-for-9 with two runs scored in his brief stint with the Orioles. Torres hit .307 with 28 stolen bases and 69 runs scored in 115 games for the Triple-A Norfolk Tides last season.

In related news, the Washington Nationals recently signed 13 players to minor league contracts. Why do I mention this on a blog named for the Orioles’ minor league system? The answer is simple – one of those players was former Orioles starting shortstop Freddie Bynum.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 9:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
        

Before I update the progress of the players in the Orioles’ system that are participating in the Caribbean winter leagues, I wanted to share another set of statistics from the Arizona Fall League.

Second baseman Justin Turner, who was acquired from the Cincinnati Reds in the trade for Ramon Hernandez, hit .337 with one home run and 15 RBIs in 23 games for the Peoria Javelinas. The 24-year-old infielder had three stolen bases in four attempts, and he scored 18 runs in Arizona.

Several players from the Orioles’ minor league system are participating in the various Caribbean leagues. There is one new addition to this week’s list – outfielder Ambiorix Concepcion, who recently signed a minor league contract with the team.

I’ve attempted to compile a complete list, but I may have missed some players because it’s difficult to acquire information about the leagues. 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 hasn’t pitched for the Azucareros in December. Deza didn’t allow any runs in his past two performances, but his ERA remains high. He tossed a scoreless inning against Escogido on Nov. 24, and he threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings against the Estrellas on Nov. 30. Overall, Deza has given up 12 runs (11 earned) and 19 hits in 13 innings. He has a 7.62 ERA in 11 appearances.

Radhames Liz, RHP – After two rough starts to begin the winter season with the Estrellas, Liz rebounded in his last game. The 25-year-old right-hander only gave up one hit and one walk in five innings against the Aguilas on Dec. 13. He had four strikeouts in the outing. Overall, Liz is 0-1 with a 5.73 ERA in 11 innings, but his performance might not be as bad as it looks on the surface. Opponents are only hitting .186 against Liz – left-handed hitters have a .348 batting average, while right-handed hitters don’t have any hits against him.

Wilfredo Perez, LHP – Perez is 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA in 15 appearances for the Estrellas this season. He has given up five runs and seven hits in 10 innings. The 24-year-old left-hander walked one hitter and didn’t retire anyone in each of his past three games. Perez had two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief against Licey on Nov. 28. He hasn’t pitched since Dec. 5.

Jose Reyes, C – The 25-year-old catcher started the winter season with the Estrellas, but he was transferred to the Azucareros at the end last month. Reyes was 0-for-2 against the Aguilas in his first game with the Azucareros on Nov. 28. He batted .222 (4-for-18) with two RBIs and two runs scored in 11 games for the Estrellas.

Alfredo Simon, RHP – Simon is 2-0 with a 4.57 ERA in five starts for the Gigantes this season. He has 17 strikeouts and five walks in 21 2/3 innings. The 27-year-old right-hander earned the victory against Carolina of the Puerto Rican Winter League after giving up one run and four hits in six innings on Dec. 6. Simon struggled in his last start, however, against Licey on Dec. 13. He allowed four runs and four hits in 1 1/3 innings.

Venezuelan Winter League

Gerardo Casadiego, RHP – The 27-year-old right-hander has received plenty of action for La Guaira. Casadiego has a 4.05 ERA and two saves in 21 appearances. He has surrendered 10 runs (nine earned) and 21 hits in 20 innings. Casadiego has only allowed two earned runs in his past 10 games. He was 5-6 with a 3.18 ERA in 55 games for the Bowie Baysox in 2008.

Victor Castillo, C – Castillo hasn’t played for La Guaira since going 0-for-2 with a strikeout against Lara on Oct. 22 in his only appearance. 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.

Andy Mitchell, RHP – Mitchell was 12-8 with a 4.29 ERA in 32 games (21 starts) for the Norfolk Tides in 2008. The 30-year-old right-hander started the winter season with the Aguilas in the Dominican Winter League, but he joined Magallanes at the end of November. In four appearances (three starts) with the Aguilas, Mitchell was 0-1 with an 11.12 ERA. He walked 15 hitters and allowed 14 runs in 11 1/3 innings. Since becoming a member of Magallanes, he has a 7.71 ERA in 2 1/3 innings.

Guillermo Quiroz, C – In six games with Zulia, Quiroz is hitting .118 (2-for-17) with three RBIs and eight strikeouts. The 27-year-old catcher hasn’t played since Nov. 26 against the Caribes. He was 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts in that game. Quiroz was 1-for-5 with a double, three RBIs and three strikeouts against La Guaira on Nov. 12. He batted .187 with two home runs and 14 RBIs in 56 games for the Orioles in 2008.

Raul Rivero, RHP – The 22-year-old right-hander is 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA in six appearances for Lara. Rivero tossed four scoreless innings against the Caribes in a 16-inning game on Dec. 14. He gave up two hits and three walks in the outing. Rivero also pitched 3 2/3 innings against Caracas on Dec. 12 without giving up a run. He was 1-5 with a 5.78 ERA in 13 starts for the Bluefield Orioles during the regular season.

Carlos Rojas, 2B/SS – Rojas is hitting .211 (4-for-19) with three RBIs and two runs scored in 11 games for the Caribes. The 24-year-old infielder hasn’t played since he was 0-for-3 with a walk against La Guaira on Nov. 11. He batted .247 with two home runs and 38 RBIs in 120 games for the Bowie Baysox this season.

Oscar Salazar, UTIL – In 43 games for La Guaira, Salazar is hitting .372 with six home runs and 26 RBIs. The 30-year-old utility player trails San Francisco Giants prospect Pablo Sandoval (.378) in batting average, but he continues to rank among the leaders in several offensive categories. Salazar is tied for third in the league with 30 walks, tied for fourth in doubles (15), fourth in total bases (95) and sixth in runs scored (35).

Steve Torrealba, C/1B – The 30-year-old backup catcher is batting .188 with seven RBIs and six runs scored in 19 games for the Caribes this season. Torrealba was 0-for-3 against Lara on Dec. 14. He has also received some playing time at first base in Venezuela. Torrealba hit .283 with eight home runs, 26 RBIs and 16 runs scored in 37 games for the Baysox in 2008.

Puerto Rican Winter League

Miguel Abreu, 2B – Abreu is hitting .182 (2-for-11) in 10 games for Ponce. The 24-year-old infielder has one RBI, two runs scored and two stolen bases so far this season. Abreu was 0-for-1 against Arecibo on Dec. 12. He hit .275 with six home runs and 43 RBIs in 116 games for the Frederick Keys in 2008. Abreu had 24 doubles, 21 stolen bases and 55 runs scored for the Keys.

Mike Costanzo, 1B/3B – Costanzo is only hitting .220 with seven runs scored in 12 games for Caguas. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound third baseman has struck out seven times, and he has four walks. Costanzo was 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored against Licey on Dec. 7. The 25-year-old infielder doesn’t have any home runs or RBIs so far in Puerto Rico. While playing for the Norfolk Tides during the regular season, he was second in the International League with 159 strikeouts in 129 games.

Mexican Pacific League

Alberto Castillo, LHP – Castillo only allowed three runs and six hits in seven innings against Culiacan on Dec. 14, but he suffered the loss. The 33-year-old left-hander is 0-3 with a 7.77 ERA in five games (four starts) for Mochis. He has 15 strikeouts and 11 walks in 22 innings this winter. Castillo was 1-0 with a 3.81 ERA in 28 relief appearances for the Orioles during the regular season.

Scott Chiasson, RHP – Chiasson is 3-3 with a 3.24 ERA and six saves in 17 appearances for Navojoa this season. He has 22 strikeouts in 25 innings. The 31-year-old right-hander hasn’t pitched since tossing a scoreless inning against Obregon on Nov. 23. He posted a 3.38 ERA and one save in 10 games for the Norfolk Tides in 2008.

Jeff Nettles, SS/3B – The 30-year-old infielder batted .262 with one home run and six RBIs in 19 games for Mochis, but he hasn’t played since Nov. 2. Nettles hit successfully in eight of his last 10 games. During that span, he was 11-for-31 (.355) with five RBIs and three runs scored.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

The Bowie Baysox will combine the holidays with the upcoming baseball season during the Baysox Holiday Open House, which will be held Thursday and Friday at Prince George's Stadium.

According to the team, there will be plenty of activities at the open house, which is free to the public. Children will be able to design arts and crafts and be photographed with Santa Claus and Louie, the Baysox mascot.

"We are excited to have our fans, especially the young ones, out at the ballpark during the holidays to visit with Santa and Louie," said Brandan Kaiser, Baysox director of marketing, in a news release from the team.

Regardless of the weather, the event will be held on the concourse level of the stadium. It will take place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday. The Baysox will offer free hot chocolate and cookies, and Christmas music will be played throughout the stadium.

At the team store, you'll be able to pick up discounted merchandise and ticket packages for the 2009 season. I don't know about anyone else, but tickets and cheap apparel seems like a great gift idea to this baseball blogger.

For more information about the event, go to the Baysox Web site or call the team at (301) 805-6000.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 1:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Major League Baseball wrapped up the winter meetings yesterday with the Rule 5 draft. As I’m sure you’ve heard by now, the Orioles selected catcher Lou Palmisano from the Milwaukee Brewers in the major league phase and traded him to the Houston Astros for cash considerations.

The Orioles lost relief pitcher Rocky Cherry to the New York Mets. It should be noted that the Mets made two Rule 5 selections during the major league part – they also chose right-handed pitcher Darren O’Day from the Los Angeles Angels – so Cherry might not be gone from the Orioles forever. The Mets need to keep him on the major league roster for the entire season or offer him back to the Orioles for $25,000.

In the Triple-A phase, the Orioles made two picks – shortstop Robert Valido from the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Chicago White Sox) and right-handed pitcher Josh Perrault from the Double-A Harrisburg Senators (Washington Nationals).

The Orioles were the only club to select a player in the Double-A segment of the draft. They picked right-handed pitcher Andrew Barb from the Seattle Mariners’ minor league system.

For the complete list of picks in the Rule 5 draft, check out the MLB.com Web site.

Valido hit .222 with three home runs and 27 RBIs in 112 games for Birmingham in 2008. He was also 1-for-24 (.042) in seven games with the Triple-A Charlotte Knights. The 23-year-old shortstop batted .212 with three home runs and 33 RBIs in 127 games split between the Single-A Winston-Salem Warthogs and Birmingham in 2007. He’ll be assigned to the Triple-A Norfolk Tides to start the 2009 season.

In six seasons in the minor leagues, Valido has a .246 career batting average and he’s never had more than eight home runs and 59 RBIs in a single year. It’s obvious that he’s not a power hitter, but one of Valido’s positive traits is his speed. The 23-year-old shortstop had 18 stolen bases last season. He established a career high with 52 stolen bases in 119 games for Winston-Salem in 2005. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound shortstop has averaged 25 stolen bases per season in the minors.

Perrault was 4-2 with a 4.48 ERA in 46 appearances for Harrisburg in 2008. He had 59 strikeouts and walked 17 hitters in 66 1/3 innings. In three games with the Columbus Clippers, Perrault had a 2.08 ERA and five strikeouts. While splitting time between the Single-A Potomac Nationals and Harrisburg during the 2007 season, the 26-year-old relief pitcher was 5-3 with a 3.63 ERA in 50 games. Perrault will join Valido with the Tides in 2009.

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound pitcher is 21-12 with 15 saves during six seasons in the minor leagues. Perrault has appeared in 230 games, but he’s only made 17 starts – none since 2005. He has a 3.38 career ERA in 389 1/3 innings.

Barb didn’t pitch last season in the Mariners’ organization. The 24-year-old relief pitcher was 3-1 with a 2.33 ERA in 32 games for the Single-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in 2007. He had 10 saves and 55 strikeouts in 38 2/3 innings for Wisconsin. Barb notched 18 saves in 38 games for the Single-A Lakewood BlueClaws, an affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, in 2006. He had a 2.21 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 61 innings.

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound pitcher is scheduled to play for the Double-A Bowie Baysox in 2009. While he could be considered old for that level of professional baseball, Barb seems to get a lot of strikeouts. In four seasons in the minors, he has 260 strikeouts in 212 2/3 innings. If nothing else, Barb will add depth to the bullpen for the Baysox as long as he’s able to make a successful return after a year away from baseball.

I’d like to make one final note about the Rule 5 draft. During the Triple-A phase, the Brewers selected shortstop Shane Justis from the Los Angeles Dodgers’ minor league system. The 25-year-old infielder went to high school at Bel Air, and he played college baseball for Mike Gottlieb at Towson University. The Dodgers chose Justis in the 21st round of the 2005 MLB draft. He has a .281 batting average in four minor league seasons. It’s always nice to see local players doing well in professional baseball. It’ll be interesting to see if Justis can succeed in a new organization.

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

Several players from the Orioles’ minor league system are participating in the various Caribbean leagues. There are three new additions to this week’s list – right-handed pitchers Gerardo Casadiego, Scott Chiasson and Andy Mitchell.

I’ve attempted to compile a complete list, but I may have missed some players because it’s difficult to acquire information about the leagues. 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 Tuesday’s games on the players in the Orioles’ system:

Dominican Winter League

Fredy Deza, RHP – The 25-year-old relief pitcher hasn’t pitched for the Azucareros in December. Deza didn’t allow any runs in his past two performances, but his ERA remains high. He tossed a scoreless inning against Escogido on Nov. 24, and he threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings against the Estrellas on Nov. 30. Overall, Deza has given up 12 runs (11 earned) and 19 hits in 13 innings. He has a 7.62 ERA in 11 appearances.

Radhames Liz, RHP – Liz was 6-6 with a 6.72 ERA in 17 starts for the Orioles in 2008, and he has continued to struggle in the Dominican Republic. The 25-year-old right-hander is 0-1 with a 10.50 ERA in two starts for the Estrellas. He allowed four runs (three earned) and three hits in 3 1/3 innings against Escogido on Dec. 5. Liz walked two hitters and had three strikeouts in the game.

Wilfredo Perez, LHP – Perez is 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA in 15 appearances for the Estrellas this season. He has given up five runs and seven hits in 10 innings. The 24-year-old left-hander walked one hitter and didn’t retire anyone in each of his past three games. Perez had two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief against Licey on Nov. 28.

Jose Reyes, C – The 25-year-old catcher started the winter season with the Estrellas, but he was transferred to the Azucareros at the end last month. Reyes was 0-for-2 against the Aguilas in his first game with the Azucareros on Nov. 28. He batted .222 (4-for-18) with two RBIs and two runs scored in 11 games for the Estrellas.

Alfredo Simon, RHP – In three of his four starts for the Gigantes, Simon has pitched extremely well. The 27-year-old right-hander is 2-0 with a 3.10 ERA and one complete game. He earned the victory on Dec. 6 against Carolina of the Puerto Rican Winter League after giving up one run and four hits in six innings. Simon struck out six hitters and issued two walks in the game.

Venezuelan Winter League

Gerardo Casadiego, RHP – The 27-year-old right-hander, who recently re-signed with the organization, has received plenty of action for La Guaira. Casadiego has a 4.05 ERA and two saves in 21 appearances. He has surrendered 10 runs (nine earned) and 21 hits in 20 innings. Casadiego has only allowed two earned runs in his past 10 games. He was 5-6 with a 3.18 ERA in 55 games for the Bowie Baysox in 2008.

Victor Castillo, C – Castillo hasn’t played for La Guaira since going 0-for-2 with a strikeout against Lara on Oct. 22 in his only appearance. 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.

Andy Mitchell, RHP – Mitchell recently signed a minor league contract to stay with the organization. The 30-year-old right-hander was 12-8 with a 4.29 ERA in 32 games (21 starts) for the Norfolk Tides in 2008. He started the winter season with the Aguilas in the Dominican Winter League, but he joined Magallanes at the end of November. In four appearances (three starts) with the Aguilas, Mitchell was 0-1 with an 11.12 ERA. He walked 15 hitters and allowed 14 runs in 11 1/3 innings. Since becoming a member of Magallanes, he has a 7.71 ERA in 2 1/3 innings.

Guillermo Quiroz, C – In six games with Zulia, Quiroz is hitting .118 (2-for-17) with three RBIs and eight strikeouts. The 27-year-old catcher hasn’t played since Nov. 26 against the Caribes. He was 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts in that game. Quiroz was 1-for-5 with a double, three RBIs and three strikeouts against La Guaira on Nov. 12. He batted .187 with two home runs and 14 RBIs in 56 games for the Orioles in 2008.

Raul Rivero, RHP – The 22-year-old right-hander has a 5.79 ERA in three appearances for Lara. Rivero retired one hitter without giving up a run on Dec. 5 against Margarita. He tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings against Aragua on Dec. 2. Rivero pitched for the Bluefield Orioles during the regular season. He was 1-5 with a 5.78 ERA in 13 starts for the rookie-level affiliate.

Carlos Rojas, 2B/SS – Rojas is hitting .211 (4-for-19) with three RBIs and two runs scored in 11 games for the Caribes. The 24-year-old infielder hasn’t played since he was 0-for-3 with a walk against La Guaira on Nov. 11. He batted .247 with two home runs and 38 RBIs in 120 games for the Bowie Baysox this season.

Oscar Salazar, UTIL – Although his batting average has finally dipped below .400, Salazar continues to lead the Venezuelan Winter League. The 30-year-old utility player, who has played multiple positions during the winter, is hitting .384 with six home runs and 25 RBIs in 39 games for La Guaira. Salazar is leading the league with 30 walks. He’s third in runs scored (34) and fifth in doubles (13). In his past 10 games, Salazar is only batting .273 with four RBIs and six runs scored.

Steve Torrealba, C/1B – The 30-year-old backup catcher is hitting .214 (6-for-28) with seven RBIs and six runs scored in 17 games for the Caribes this season. Torrealba, who batted .283 with eight home runs, 26 RBIs and 16 runs scored in 37 games for the Baysox in 2008, was 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs against Zulia on Dec. 4. He has also received some playing time at first base in Venezuela.

Puerto Rican Winter League

Miguel Abreu, 2B – Abreu is batting .200 (2-for-10) with one RBI and two runs scored in seven games for Ponce. The 24-year-old infielder was 1-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored against Caguas on Nov. 23. He hit .275 with six home runs and 43 RBIs in 116 games for the Frederick Keys in 2008. Abreu had 24 doubles, 21 stolen bases and 55 runs scored for the Keys.

Mike Costanzo, 1B/3B – The 25-year-old infielder is only hitting .220 with seven runs scored in 12 games for Caguas. Costanzo was 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored against Licey on Dec. 7. Costanzo has struck out seven times, and he has four walks. While playing for the Norfolk Tides during the regular season, he was second in the International League with 159 strikeouts in 129 games. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound third baseman doesn’t have any home runs or RBIs so far this season.

Mexican Pacific League

Alberto Castillo, LHP – Castillo is 0-2 with a 9.60 ERA in four games (three starts) for the Mochis Caneros. The 33-year-old left-hander has been roughed up in his past two starts. Castillo allowed five runs and six hits in 3 2/3 innings against Obregon on Dec. 3, and he gave up seven runs and seven hits in five innings against Hermosillo in Tuesday’s game. Castillo was 1-0 with a 3.81 ERA in 28 relief appearances for the Orioles during the regular season.

Scott Chiasson, RHP – Chiasson, who recently signed a minor league contract to stay with the organization, is 3-3 with a 3.24 ERA and six saves in 17 appearances for Navojoa this season. The 31-year-old right-hander hasn’t pitched since tossing a scoreless inning against Obregon on Nov. 23. He posted a 3.38 ERA and one save in 10 games for the Norfolk Tides in 2008.

Jeff Nettles, SS/3B – The 30-year-old infielder batted .262 with one home run and six RBIs in 19 games for the Mochis Caneros, but he hasn’t played since Nov. 2. Nettles hit successfully in eight of his last 10 games. During that span, he was 11-for-31 (.355) with five RBIs and three runs scored.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 2:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

The Orioles' ability to acquire utility player Ryan Freel from the Cincinnati Reds for catcher Ramon Hernandez was a solid move, but the trade was even better because they also obtained two minor leaguers in the deal.

Adding Freel to the mix in the outfield will help boost the energy on the Orioles, and it’s always a good thing to improve the depth in the minors. Furthermore, the trade allows the organization to free up a place for the much-anticipated debut of top prospect Matt Wieters, whether that’s at the beginning of the 2009 season or sometime in the middle of the year. It’s a win-win situation, in my opinion, even if Hernandez excels due to the change of scenery in Cincinnati.

I’m not sure of the specifics of the deal, but the money sent to the Reds to offset Hernandez’s salary in 2009 – reportedly about $2 million – appears to have helped the Orioles to land a couple more players for the organization. It’s a gamble worth taking, and the club hopes at least one of the two players will eventually contribute in the major leagues. Still, even if neither player makes it to the majors, the Orioles were able to rid themselves of Hernandez while gaining a quality role player.

As I’m sure you’re aware, the Orioles acquired 24-year-old second baseman Justin Turner and 22-year-old third baseman Brandon Waring in the transaction. Neither player was rated among the elite prospects in the Reds’ minor league system, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Turner split time between the Single-A Sarasota Reds and the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts in 2008. He hit .316 with 11 RBIs and 23 runs scored in 33 games for Sarasota. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound infielder batted .289 with eight home runs and 42 RBIs in 78 games for Chattanooga. Turner has primarily played second base throughout three seasons in the minor leagues, but he’s also received limited time at third base, shortstop and in the outfield.

During the 2007 season, Turner hit .311 with 10 home runs and 59 RBIs in 117 games for the Single-A Dayton Dragons of the Midwest League. He had 25 doubles, 12 stolen bases and 70 runs scored. The infielder received a brief promotion to Sarasota at the end of the season, and he was 4-for-20 with two runs scored in six games.

Prior to playing at the professional level, Turner was a four-year player at Cal State Fullerton. He was honored as a Freshman All-American after batting .326 with 39 RBIs, 13 stolen bases and 40 runs scored in 62 games in 2003.

Overall, Turner’s statistics dropped slightly during his sophomore season with the Titans in 2004, but he still hit .304 with 16 doubles, 34 RBIs and 45 runs scored in 64 games. Turner batted .324 with three home runs and 41 RBIs for Cal State Fullerton during the 2005 season. He had 11 stolen bases and 54 runs scored in 62 games.

After his junior season in 2005, the New York Yankees selected him in the 29th round of the MLB draft. Turner didn’t sign, however, and returned to hit .355 with four home runs and 43 RBIs in 65 games for the Titans as a senior in 2006. He also had 19 doubles, 20 stolen bases and 63 runs scored. Following the season, Turner shared Big West Player of the Year honors with Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria, who was playing for Long Beach State. The Reds picked Turner in the seventh round of the 2006 MLB draft.

Although he’s only in his second professional season, Waring seems to have a lot of power. The third baseman hit .270 with 20 home runs and 71 RBIs in 119 games for Dayton in 2008. It sounds pretty promising, but he also strikes out a lot. This season, Waring finished second in the Midwest League with 156 strikeouts.

Waring struck out 83 times in 68 games for the rookie-level Billings Mustangs during the 2007 season. He batted .311 with 20 home runs, 61 RBIs and 63 run scored.

Defensively, Waring struggled during his first two seasons in the Reds’ minor league system. He committed 29 errors in 153 games at third base. In 13 games as a first baseman, Waring made two defensive miscues. It looks like he might have a future at designated hitter, but the strikeouts will have to be reduced for Waring to have a career in the major leagues.

The 6-foot-4, 195-pound infielder played college baseball at Wofford in South Carolina. Waring didn’t emerge as a superstar until his junior season in 2007, when he batted .401 with 27 home runs and 74 RBIs in 63 games. He also had 12 stolen bases, 13 doubles and 73 runs scored. Cincinnati selected him with the 229th overall selection in the seventh round of the 2007 MLB draft.

What does everyone think of the trade? Does it depend on the success of the two minor leaguers, or are you just happy that the Orioles have cleared room for Wieters?

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 1:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (23)
        

Baseball America posted the most recent minor league transactions on The Prospects Blog yesterday. Although the Orioles haven’t added anyone, according to the list, there was a familiar player who recently signed with the Cincinnati Reds.

Raise your hand if you remember Darnell McDonald.

The Orioles selected the 5-foot-11, 210-pound outfielder during the first round of the 1997 MLB draft. McDonald showed flashes of potential in his tenure with the organization, but he was never able to prove that he was ready for an extended look in the major leagues.

McDonald received a brief chance during the 2004 season with the Orioles, but he struggled in his time with the team. In 17 games, the outfielder hit .156 (5-for-32) with one RBI, one stolen base and three runs scored.

Following the season, the Orioles cut ties with McDonald and he signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians. McDonald batted .270 with one home run and four RBIs in 26 games for the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, but the Indians released him on June 4, 2005.

Six days later, McDonald signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and was assigned to the Triple-A Durham Bulls. In 73 games with Durham, McDonald hit .284 with 12 home runs and 34 RBIs.

McDonald spent the entire 2006 season with the Bulls, and he put up impressive numbers. The outfielder batted .292 with 14 home runs and 57 RBIs in 136 games. He also had 33 doubles, 80 runs scored and 30 stolen bases. With the combination of power and speed, it was arguably his best season at the professional level. Tampa Bay didn’t give him an opportunity to prove himself in the majors, however, and McDonald left as a free agent following the season.

Prior to the 2007 season, McDonald signed with the Washington Nationals. He continued to play well for the Triple-A Columbus Clippers, hitting .315 with two home runs, 41 RBIs, 17 doubles and 14 stolen bases in 73 games. Washington traded the outfielder to the Minnesota Twins for right-hander Levale Speigner on June 24, 2007.

McDonald batted .277 with five home runs, 32 RBIs, 19 stolen bases and 32 runs scored in 61 games for the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings. The veteran outfielder received another chance in the major leagues when the Twins recalled him on July 20, 2007, but once again didn't shine during his brief stint. In four games, McDonald had only one hit in 10 at-bats. He struck out three times and walked once.

Last season, McDonald hit .268 with 11 home runs and 57 RBIs in 93 games for Rochester. He had 25 doubles and 19 stolen bases.

It’s unfortunate that McDonald never lived up to his billing as a first-round draft pick during his time with the Orioles. He was part of a long line of failed first-round selections for the organization, including Alvie Shepherd, Rick Elder, Mike Paradis, Richard Stahl, Keith Reed, Beau Hale and Chris Smith. Luckily for Orioles fans, the past few players picked in the first round look to be pretty special – so far.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 1:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)
Categories: Former O's minor leaguers
        

The Orioles received a lot of love in MLB.com's Top 50 Prospects list, which was released this week. The Web site announced 10 players on each day this week, starting at No. 50. Four players from the team's minor league system were selected, including catcher Matt Wieters at No. 2. Tampa Bay Rays left-hander David Price was picked in the top spot.

Joining Wieters in the rankings from the organization were pitchers Chris Tillman (No. 16), Brian Matusz (No. 20) and Jake Arrieta (No. 36). MLB.com completed a breakdown of each player in the rankings, including statistics, quotes, a scouting report and upside potential.

For Wieters, who was picked in the first round of the 2007 draft, MLB.com mentions the switch-hitting catcher's ability to excel from both sides of the plate, as well as his defensive skills. The report projects Wieters with an upside that should make Orioles fans happy -- an All-Star catcher who can contend for several MVP awards and become the best all-around player at his position.

The Web site discusses Tillman's impressive numbers in the Double-A Eastern League and projects him as a middle- to top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher. The 6-foot-5, 195-pound right-hander, who was acquired in the trade that sent Erik Bedard to the Seattle Mariners, was second among all Double-A pitchers with 154 strikeouts in 2008.

Matusz, who was selected with the fourth overall pick in this year's MLB draft, receives high praise from MLB.com even though he didn't pitch in the organization in 2008. The 21-year-old left-hander had 31 strikeouts and walked seven hitters in 26 2/3 innings during the Arizona Fall League. The report projects Matusz as a top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher in the near future. It should be noted that Matusz is ranked higher in the list than all three players selected above him in the 2008 draft, and San Francisco Giants prospect Buster Posey (No. 19) is the only player from this year's draft that is above him.

MLB.com talks about Arrieta's successful season, which included pitching for the U.S. Olympic team in Beijing. The Web site mentions that the 6-foot-4, 225-pound right-hander is working on his secondary pitches, and it ties his future success to the improvement of those pitches.

Switching gears a little bit, Baseball America recently picked its Top 20 prospects from the Arizona Fall League. There shouldn't be much surprise, but Wieters (No. 1) and Matusz (No. 3) were both selected. Wieters batted .301 with one home run and 12 RBIs in 20 games for the Surprise Rafters, and Matusz was 2-4 with a 4.73 ERA in seven games (six starts).

Finally, the Orioles signed several players to minor league contracts over the past couple weeks. Baseball America has the scoop on the players here. The organization re-signed pitchers Gerardo Casadiego, Scott Chiasson and Andy Mitchell, as well as outfielder Mike Rodriguez.

In my opinion, the most interesting signing, however, was 24-year-old catcher Adam Donachie. If your an Orioles fan, you'll remember that the team originally acquired Donachie from the Philadelphia Phillies after he was picked by Philadelphia in the 2006 Rule 5 draft from the Kansas City Royals. A lot of Orioles fans seemed to like him at the time, but the team sent him back to the Royals before the conclusion of spring training. So, is there any excitement that he's back in the organization now?

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

In his first two seasons of professional baseball, Matt Angle has displayed excellent speed. The Orioles picked the 5-foot-10, 175-pound center fielder in the seventh round of the 2007 MLB draft, and he has piled up stolen bases since joining the organization.

Angle finished sixth in the South Atlantic League with 37 stolen bases in 126 games for the Delmarva Shorebirds this season. He collected 34 stolen bases in 66 games as a member of the Aberdeen IronBirds in 2007.

The 23-year-old center fielder hit .287 for the Shorebirds, and he also finished eighth in the league with 82 runs scored. He had 22 doubles, four home runs and 35 RBIs in 2008. Last season, Angle batted .301 with 60 runs scored for the IronBirds.

Prior to being drafted by the Orioles, Angle played baseball for three years at Ohio State University. As a freshman in 2005, he hit .307 with 13 stolen bases and 35 runs scored in 54 games for the Buckeyes. He batted .369 with 25 stolen bases and 63 runs scored in 57 games as a sophomore during the 2006 season. Angle had a .366 batting average, 34 RBIs, 22 stolen bases and 53 runs scored in 59 games during his junior year in 2007.

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: Matt Angle
Age: 23
Height: 5-10
Weight: 175 lbs.
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
Nicknames: None
Position: Outfielder
High school/college: Whitehall-Yearling (Ohio) High School / Ohio State University
Time in professional baseball: 1 1/2 years

Favorites

Current MLB player: Ichiro Suzuki
All-time MLB player: Pete Rose
MLB team: Orioles
Sport (other than baseball): Football
Food: Filet mignon
Music: Country
TV show: SportsCenter
Movie: Bad Boys I and Bad Boys II

Other questions

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

The highlight of my career so far was when the Orioles drafted me [in the seventh round of the 2007 MLB draft].

2. Who is your role model?

My Mom.

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

I play cards with teammates.

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

Shortstop, because there is more action.

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 1:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Surveying the minors
        

Before diving into today’s update on the Caribbean leagues, I wanted to remark on Monday’s post about Luis Matos. The purpose of the entry was to let readers know how he’s been doing since the Orioles designated him for assignment in 2006. I also wanted to see if people thought another team in the major leagues should give him a chance to play.

The reactions from the numerous commenters definitely surprised me. As I expected, there were people who thought Matos shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near Camden Yards. I’ve got to say, however, I thought that sentiment would have been almost unanimous.

But that wasn’t the case. Many people thought it would be a good idea to start fitting Matos for another Orioles uniform. Others mentioned that he should get a shot with any organization except the Orioles. One person even chimed in about his good looks. I’m not going to comment on that one.

Let me make it clear that I wasn’t suggesting the Orioles should give the veteran outfielder another chance. It’d be nice to see him get an opportunity to make it back to the majors, but I don’t think it’s something that should happen in Baltimore.

By the way, I was sitting in the left field seats when he made that remarkable catch against Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz. I also recall several other highlight-reel plays during his tenure in Baltimore. Thanks for the memories, and good luck in the future. Just not with the Orioles.

Let’s switch gears now to the players from the organization in the Caribbean leagues. Several people from the Orioles’ minor league system are participating in the various leagues.

There are three new additions to this week’s list – right-handed pitcher Radhames Liz, who is playing for the Estrellas in the Dominican Winter League, left-handed pitcher Alberto Castillo, who is playing for the Mochis Caneros in the Mexican Pacific League and right-handed pitcher Raul Rivero, who is playing for Lara in the Venezuelan Winter League.

I’ve attempted to compile a complete list, but I may have missed some players because it’s difficult to acquire information about the leagues. 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 Tuesday’s games on the players in the Orioles’ system:

Dominican Winter League

Fredy Deza, RHP – The 25-year-old relief pitcher hasn’t allowed any runs in his past two performances for the Azucareros, but his ERA remains high. Deza tossed a scoreless inning against Escogido on Nov. 24, and he threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings against the Estrellas on Nov. 30. Overall, Deza has given up 12 runs (11 earned) and 19 hits in 13 innings. He has a 7.62 ERA in 11 appearances.

Radhames Liz, RHP – Liz didn’t have an impressive debut with the Estrellas. The 25-year-old right-hander gave up four runs and four hits in 2 2/3 innings against Licey on Nov. 28. He issued two walks and had one strikeout in the game. Liz was 6-6 with a 6.72 ERA in 17 starts for the Orioles in 2008.

Wilfredo Perez, LHP – After surrendering two runs without retiring a hitter against Licey on Nov. 18, Perez has thrown 3 2/3 scoreless innings in his past three appearances for the Estrellas. During that span, he has only surrendered one hit while picking up seven strikeouts. Perez is 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in 10 games so far this season.

Jose Reyes, C – Reyes is one of the latest additions to the organization. The 25-year-old catcher started the winter season with the Estrellas, but he was recently transferred to the Azucareros. Reyes was 0-for-2 against the Aguilas in his first game with the Azucareros on Nov. 28. He batted .222 (4-for-18) with two RBIs and two runs scored in 11 games for the Estrellas.

Alfredo Simon, RHP – The 27-year-old right-hander excelled in his first two starts for the Gigantes, but he ran into some trouble against the Aguilas on Nov. 30. In that game, Simon allowed five runs (four earned) and six hits in 3 2/3 innings. He had three strikeouts and walked one in the outing. Overall, Simon is 1-0 with a 3.77 ERA in 14 1/3 innings in the Dominican Republic.

Venezuelan Winter League

Victor Castillo, C – Castillo hasn’t played for La Guaira since going 0-for-2 with a strikeout against Lara on Oct. 22 in his only appearance. 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.

Raul Rivero, RHP – The 22-year-old right-hander has a 6.23 ERA in two appearances for Lara. Rivero gave up three runs and five hits in two innings against La Guaira on Nov. 27, but he bounced back with 2 1/3 scoreless innings against Aragua on Tuesday. Rivero pitched for the Bluefield Orioles during the regular season. He was 1-5 with a 5.78 ERA in 13 starts for the rookie-level affiliate.

Carlos Rojas, 2B/SS – Rojas is hitting .211 (4-for-19) with three RBIs and two runs scored in 11 games for the Caribes. The 24-year-old infielder hasn’t played since he was 0-for-3 with a walk against La Guaira on Nov. 11. He batted .247 with two home runs and 38 RBIs in 120 games for the Bowie Baysox this season.

Oscar Salazar, 1B/3B/LF – Salazar continues to lead the Venezuelan Winter League in batting average, but it’s not as high as it was last week. The 30-year-old utility player is the only person in the league who is hitting over .400 – he’s hitting .404 through 32 games for La Guaira – and he has six home runs and 22 RBIs. Salazar is tied for third in the league with 29 runs scored. He also has 10 doubles, two triples and three stolen bases. In his past 10 games, Salazar is 10-for-32 (.313) with four RBIs and eight runs scored.

Steve Torrealba, C/1B – The 30-year-old backup catcher is hitting .160 (4-for-25) with four RBIs and five runs scored in 14 games for the Caribes this season. Torrealba, who hit .283 with eight home runs, 26 RBIs and 16 runs scored in 37 games for the Baysox in 2008, was 0-for-2 with a walk against Zulia on Nov. 27. He has also received some playing time at first base in Venezuela.

Puerto Rican Winter League

Miguel Abreu, 2B – Abreu is batting .200 (2-for-10) with one RBI and two runs scored in five games for Ponce. The 24-year-old infielder was 1-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored against Caguas on Nov. 23. He hit .275 with six home runs and 43 RBIs in 116 games for the Frederick Keys in 2008. Abreu had 24 doubles, 21 stolen bases and 55 runs scored for the Keys.

Mike Costanzo, 1B/3B – The 25-year-old infielder is only hitting .222 (6-for-27) with four runs scored in eight games for Caguas. Costanzo, however, might be ready to break out of his slump because he has hit successfully in his past four games. He was 2-for-5 with a triple and two runs scored against Ponce on Tuesday. Costanzo has struck out seven times, and he has four walks. While playing for the Norfolk Tides during the regular season, he was second in the International League with 159 strikeouts in 129 games.

Mexican Pacific League

Alberto Castillo, LHP – Castillo has a 5.68 ERA in two games (one start) for the Mochis Caneros. The 33-year-old left-hander allowed three runs (two earned) and six hits in five innings against Obregon on Nov. 27. He struck out three hitters and issued two walks in the game. Castillo was 1-0 with a 3.81 ERA in 28 relief appearances for the Orioles during the regular season.

Jeff Nettles, SS/3B – The 30-year-old infielder batted .262 with one home run and six RBIs in 19 games for the Mochis Caneros, but he hasn’t played since Nov. 2. Nettles hit successfully in eight of his last 10 games. During that span, he was 11-for-31 (.355) with five RBIs and three runs scored.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 2:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

As the calendar turns to December, baseball fans know the offseason will soon be active with free-agent signings and trades.

While we’re waiting for major announcements in the baseball world, it seems like a good time to publish another update about how a former player from the Orioles’ minor league system has performed after leaving the organization.

Recently, I’ve been reading about the success of ex-Orioles center fielder Luis Matos in the Puerto Rican Winter League, so I thought people might want to know how he’s fared since leaving the club.

I know he played in the major leagues for parts of seven seasons with the Orioles and the topic of O’s on Deck is primarily the minor leagues, but I figured some fans might be interested in what he’s been doing since he left the organization.

After hitting .207 with two home runs and five RBIs in 55 games during the 2006 season, Matos was designated for assignment by the Orioles on July 6 of that year. The Washington Nationals signed Matos on July 14, but he was only 3-for-15 (.200) in 14 games before being released on Aug. 10.

Prior to the 2007 season, the Pittsburgh Pirates signed Matos to a minor league contract. The outfielder batted .257 with three home runs and 30 RBIs in 98 games for the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians. Matos also had 23 doubles and 46 runs scored for Indianapolis, but he was traded to the New York Mets for future considerations on Aug. 21, 2007. He hit .204 with one home run and four RBIs in 14 games for the Triple-A New Orleans Zephyrs before the season concluded.

The 30-year-old center fielder didn’t sign with a major league organization before the 2008 season, so he elected to play for the Yucatan Leones in the Mexican League. Matos played well for the Leones in 88 games, batting .289 with six home runs and 44 RBIs. He also had 16 doubles, 22 stolen bases and 58 runs scored.

Matos is currently playing for the Criollos de Caguas in the Puerto Rican Winter League. Through 16 games, he is second in the league with a .381 batting average, tied for first with six stolen bases, tied for third with five doubles and fifth with 35 total bases. Matos also has two home runs and nine RBIs, including a grand slam earlier this season.

While Matos was with the Orioles, it always seemed like injuries kept him from being a successful player. Another organization might be willing to give the veteran outfielder an opportunity if he’s able to continue his success in Puerto Rico.

What are your feelings about Matos? I’m assuming there aren’t too many positive memories of his time with the Orioles, but would you like to see him get back to the majors? Do you think he’ll be given another chance?

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 12:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (34)
Categories: Former O's minor leaguers