Make me fan #113 to join facebook fan.I think Snyder will make it to the majors and be a major contributor by 2010,and I'm not ready to give up on Billy Rowell yet either.Don't forget,he's only 2 years removed from high school and even if it takes another 3 years to get here he'll only be 23.Snyder has a good stroke and Rowell just has to learn more patience at the plate.Thanks for the blog and updates.

I hope Brandon Synder and Bill Rowell get an opportunity to play at AA this spring. They were both drafted as MLB prospects and most MLB players have played at the AA level. I wouldn't expect Synder to be able to help the Os at the major league level before early 2010. Rowell probably would be of no help at the major league level until late 2010.

he had a nice 2nd half of the season last yr. so he needs to continue to elavate his game this yr. looks like 1b/dh is going to be his positions. if he can improve his defense and continue to improve his bat he can play in the majors in a yr or two. huff is 32 so he can probably be effective for a couple of more yrs. snyder bats from the right side an area the orioles need in improvement in.

I have high hopes for Snyder ... and Rowell as well. It's not easy to be a top pick, be so young, have a signing bonus in addition to a lofty income while maintaining emotional balance and focus. He turned the corner last year. Hopefully his confidence will grow and his production continue to improve at AA Bowie in 2009. I'd like to see a better BB:K ratio to reflect better recognition at the plate.

If Snyder can stay healthy and continues to develop, he'll certainly have opportunity with the Orioles.

I'm quoting you here - "are my predictions for the upcoming season too optimistic?" Is this a rhetorical question? You're obviously...to put it nicely...a glass is half full sort of guy. Of course, I guess that is necessary if you want to keep your job.

On the other hand as an Oriole fan of 40 years...the last 11 of them, soon to be 12, not even remotely competitive...I see the glass as decidedly LESS than half full. Being an Orioles fan for the last 11 years is like being married to an abusive spouse...something HAS to change, because the status quo is not acceptable. I think McPhail is a solid baseball man and is making some progress, but I genuinely believe that as long the Angelos gang owns the club, we'll never again see postseason baseball at Camden Yards.

My bet is Snyder makes the major leagues, based on his bat. When at Delmarva he participated in many community activities. These are activities that players have to volunteer for and involve no pay.
I'm rooting for him...

I agree with your predictions for Snyder. I think one thing to remember for all of these guys is that they don't have so much pressure on them as in the past few years. When Rowell and Snyder were drafted, we didn't have anyone decent in the minors except for Markakis. Now the minors are stocked with talent so these guys can just worry about going out and playing their game, not turning around a franchise.

I think it also helps that every level of the system has a few sure future O's. This will allow those guys to become leaders while the rest of the guys will see how the top prospects prepare and it will help all of them learn to be winners. hopefully.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but it would seem that the big difference between Snyder and Rowell is that Snyder had to deal with injuries. Once his health improved, he hit. Rowell just seems like a bust. If he doesn't hit in the next few years, someone will take him in the Rule 5 Draft.

Snyder is going to be a beast when it comes to hitting the ball. I see him as a younger version of Huff. He just needs to keep working on that 1st base play. So will see him in 2010 at the yard!

What a difference a year or two makes. Last year Snyder was not much more highly regarded then Rowell is now by some fans.

Snyder's got a nice swing, time will tell if he can develop the real pop in his bat to make him a corner infield guy. He got better as the year went on at Frederick, but I suspect he's getting to the age where the power numbers might really start to break out.

I'd agree with the assessment that it was tough on Rowell and Snyder to get drafted into an organization that has had it's share of busts. I think they both showed progress at Frederick last year.

I wonder if Weiters took pressure off of them both. If Weiters comes up to the Birds and plays well he makes it a lot easier for all of the kids to break in. The guy's going to be the leader of the pack. There's a lot riding on that guy in this organization right now.

I can see advancing Snyder to double A, I'd like to see a slower approch with Rowell. He was pushed through Blue Field and Aberdeen in one year, didn't excell at Salsibury yet got promoted to Frederick, and struggled at Frederick for the first half of the year.

He was not dominant in the second half, he just started to show he belonged at that level. He needs to excell at a level before being force fed to the next.

If Snyder would put up the kind of numbers that you project at Bowie, I'd project him to get a look/see in Sept.

I wonder what the O's approach with Reimold will be? If Pie locks down left field, would Reimold start to get some innings at first or third?

Any news on the O's intentions with Lou Montenez? Giving him some work at third would make a lot of sense to me. Maybe he starts the year at Norfolk manning the hot corner and gets some experience as a corner infielder to add to his resume.

I really like the kid as a ballplayer, but I don't see how he's making this roster out of spring training, unless the O's sign an inning eater and then Trembley goes with 12 pitchers.

Brandon Snyder is an emerging diamond. He can flat out hit. He is not an early season (April) hitter. His minor league stats are excellent, if you subtract April numbers and stats from his injured time. Remember that he was drafted out of high school. He is still very young. He has baseball in his family genes, and he is a good citizen. I am fortunate to have some insider information on him. 2009 will be his year! Brandon will cause us not to miss either Huff or Mora. He is a Justin Morneau type of hitter, gap power that should yield a lot of doubles and 15-20 homers per year.

I think he is one of the bright lights in our system. I see him having a breakout year in Bowie hitting .312 22HR 93RBI's. He will start the 2010 season in the majors.

I think another reason to be optimistic is his play in the Arizona Fall League. If I'm not mistaken he out hit Weiters...could be wrong don't have the numbers in front of me. He also hits a lot of doubles which often translates in to homeruns later down the road.

I think one of the big differences between Snyder and Rowell is Snyder's consistance in growth. The only yr he took a step back was a year in which he was injured...no wonder. I think Snyder has progressed rather nicely and now on to Bowie, where the ML team keeps close tabs. IF he hits well there this yr THEN I think he will hit the ML in late 2010 or Spring 2011. Rowell will take a little longer.. but GEEZ...the guy is ONLY 20YO!!!

I saw him take batting practice in Sarasota a few winters ago. I have no doubt about his power. Everyone stood quietly around the batting cage in awe as he smashed moon shots into the woods. I look for a BIG power spike this year.

The strike zone judgement is what will hinder him.

It is too bad he cannot catch any longer, it would be nice to see two big hitting catchers on the same team one day, but you hope that he improves and can have a breakout season if healthy. The O's will need a first baseman by 2010, maybe it will be him.

Hi Dean,
I love the blog. You make a good point about Snyder being fully recovered from his rotator cuff injury, but I wonder if the move from Harry Grove Stadium to PG Stadium won't cost him a few HRs. By the way, I took at stab at the whole Baysox roster here, http://baysoxblog.com/2009/01/06/your-2009-bowie-baysox/. Would be interested to hear what you and other folks think.

For Wood to be a successful 1B in the major league, he wil have to show his power potential everyday, and do this with more than doubles. If he continues to just hit, he wil find a place somewhere, but probably not at 1B full time.

Dean,

I'm optimistic about Snyder, and most here are too after his big season in Frederick.

I noticed you didn't talk about Snyder's position and defense. Since that seems to be still somewhat a question mark, where you project he'll in fit the MLB. From what it sounds he's destined for 1B/DH. What are his chances of fitting at 3B?

Comparing anything regarding baseball to spousal abuse is an indication of a serious lack of perspective...