The Phoenix Desert Dogs recovered from two consecutive losses to top the Mesa Solar Sox, 4-3, in the Arizona Fall League.

Phoenix remains in first place in the AFL East Division with an 11-6 record.

Phoenix Desert Dogs

Score: Phoenix Desert Dogs 4, Mesa Solar Sox 3 (Box score)

Recap: Orioles minor league relief pitcher Eddie Gamboa retired all three batters he faced in the Desert Dogs' victory.

The 24-year-old right-hander threw five of his six pitches for strikes.

First baseman Brandon Waring was 0-for-2 with a walk and a sacrifice fly for Phoenix. In six games in Arizona, the 23-year-old infielder is batting .304 (7-for-23) with one home run and eight RBIs.

The Desert Dogs' Josh Bell, who served as the designated hitter in tonight's game, was 0-for-4. The 22-year-old infielder is hitting .333 in Arizona, but he is 2-for-22 in his past six games.

None of the other Orioles minor leaguers played in today's game.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 8:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

The Phoenix Desert Dogs scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, but their rally came up just short in a 5-4 loss to the Peoria Javelinas in the Arizona Fall League.

With the loss, the Desert Dogs dropped to 10-6 this season. They continue to lead the AFL East Division.

Phoenix Desert Dogs

Score: Peoria Javelinas 5, Phoenix Desert Dogs 4 (Box score)

Recap: Orioles minor league starting pitcher Brandon Erbe turned in a strong performance in the Desert Dogs' loss to the Javelinas.

The 21-year-old right-hander allowed one run and three hits in 4 1/3 innings. Erbe gave up a solo home run to Javelinas catcher Jonathan Lucroy, a Milwaukee Brewers prospect, with two outs in the top of the second.

Erbe struck out five batters and issued one walk, throwing 51 of his 71 pitches for strikes.

Relief pitcher Ryohei Tanaka took over for Erbe and gave up one hit in 1 2/3 scoreless innings for the Desert Dogs. The 26-year-old right-hander collected two strikeouts and walked one hitter.

First baseman Brandon Snyder was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI for the Desert Dogs.

Orioles minor league relief pitcher Josh Perrault allowed one hit in one scoreless inning for Phoenix.

Third baseman Josh Bell, center fielder Matt Angle, infielder Brandon Waring and relief pitcher Eddie Gamboa did not appear in today's game.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 10:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

The Phoenix Desert Dogs' four-game winning streak was snapped as they were blanked, 4-0, by the Peoria Saguaros in the Arizona Fall League.

Phoenix remains in first place in the AFL East Division with a 10-5 record. The Desert Dogs are four games ahead of the Scottsdale Scorpions (6-9).

Phoenix Desert Dogs

Score: Peoria Saguaros 4, Phoenix Desert Dogs 0 (Box score)

Recap: Designated hitter Brandon Snyder struggled in the Desert Dogs' loss to the Saguaros.

The 22-year-old infielder was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in the game. Snyder is batting .340 with three home runs and 15 RBIs in Arizona, but he is only 3-for-20 in his past five games.

Orioles minor league third baseman Josh Bell was hitless in three at-bats for Phoenix. The 22-year-old infielder flied out twice and grounded into a double play.

Bell is hitting .368 with one home run and nine RBIs in 10 games in Arizona.

Former Orioles starting pitcher Adam Loewen was 1-for-3 with a strikeout for the Desert Dogs. He played left field in the game.

The 25-year-old outfielder is hitting .171 with 17 strikeouts in 10 games for Phoenix. Four of his six hits came in one game against Scottsdale on Oct. 15.

None of the other Orioles minor leaguers appeared in today's game.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 8:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

Phoenix Desert Dogs left fielder Grant Desme, an Oakland Athletics prospect, was 3-for-4 with two home runs, four RBIs and four runs scored in the 11-6 victory over the Peoria Javelinas in the Arizona Fall League.

The 23-year-old outfielder leads the league in batting average (.469), home runs (10), RBIs (22) and runs scored (19). Desme has hit two home runs in a game twice this season.

With their four-game winning streak, the Desert Dogs remain in first place in the AFL East Division with a 10-4 record. The Scottsdale Scorpions (6-8) are four games behind Phoenix.

Phoenix Desert Dogs

Score: Phoenix Desert Dogs 11, Peoria Javelinas 6 (Box score)

Recap: Orioles minor league third baseman Brandon Waring was 3-for-5 with a triple, an RBI and two runs scored in the Desert Dogs' victory.

First baseman Brandon Snyder was 1-for-4 with a run scored for the Desert Dogs in the win.

Relief pitcher Eddie Gamboa returned to the Desert Dogs after being sidelined with a minor back injury. The 24-year-old right-hander allowed two hits in one scoreless inning. Gamboa picked up one strikeout.

None of the other Orioles minor leaguers played in today's game for Phoenix.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 9:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

Orioles minor league relief pitcher Eddie Gamboa hasn't appeared in a game for the Phoenix Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League since Oct. 16. It was his only appearance so far this season.

During that game, Gamboa allowed two runs (one earned) and two hits in 2 1/3 innings against the Scottsdale Scorpions. The 24-year-old right-hander struck out one batter and issued one walk.

Earlier tonight, I exchanged text messages with Gamboa.

He told me that he "just had a little tweak" in his back, but he is ready to return to the mound. Gamboa added that he hopes to pitch for the Desert Dogs when they travel to play the Peoria Javelinas on Wednesday.

At three different levels in the Orioles' minor league system this season, Gamboa was 11-0 with a 1.08 ERA in 39 appearances. He collected 75 strikeouts and walked 17 batters in 83 2/3 innings while pitching with the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds, Single-A Frederick Keys and Double-A Bowie Baysox.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 8:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

Despite allowing four runs in the final two innings, the Phoenix Desert Dogs held on for a 7-6 victory over the Surprise Rafters in the Arizona Fall League.

Washington Nationals pitching prospect Stephen Strasburg rebounded from a rough outing in his previous start to toss 4 1/3 strong innings for Phoenix.

The 21-year-old right-hander allowed one run, one hit and two walks. Strasburg picked up five strikeouts and threw 42 of his 67 pitches for strikes.

It was the third consecutive win for the Desert Dogs, who continue to lead the AFL East Division with a 9-4 record. Phoenix currently has the best record in the league.

Phoenix Desert Dogs

Score: Phoenix Desert Dogs 7, Surprise Rafters 6 (Box score)

Recap: Designated hitter Josh Bell is the only Orioles minor leaguer who appeared in today's game. He was 0-for-3 with a strikeout in the Desert Dogs' win.

Bell was also hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the second inning and he came around to score first run of the game.

Bell is only batting .133 (2-for-15) in his past four games for Phoenix. During the three-game span prior to his recent slump, the 22-year-old infielder hit .786 (11-for-14).

It has been an up-and-down performance for Bell so far in Arizona.

Overall, he is hitting .400 (14-for-35) with one home run and nine RBIs in nine games. Bell is tied with Orioles minor league first baseman Brandon Snyder for third in the league with 12 runs scored.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 7:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

Catcher Nevin Ashley, a Tampa Bay Rays prospect, hit a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Phoenix Desert Dogs a 9-5 win over the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League.

Oakland Athletics prospect Grant Desme was 2-for-4 with a three-run home run for the Desert Dogs. The 23-year-old outfielder has eight home runs in Arizona, including six in his past five games.

After the win, Phoenix holds a two-game lead in the AFL East Division with an 8-4 record.

Phoenix Desert Dogs

Score: Phoenix Desert Dogs 9, Mesa Solar Sox 5 (Box score)

Recap: Third baseman Josh Bell was 1-for-4 with two runs scored for Phoenix. The 22-year-old infielder only has two hits in his past 12 at-bats.

Overall, Bell is batting .438 with one home run, four doubles, nine RBIs and 11 runs scored in eight games for the Desert Dogs.

Orioles minor league first baseman Brandon Snyder collected one hit in four at-bats during the Desert Dogs' victory. He also scored once.

Matt Angle played right field for Phoenix. The 24-year-old outfielder was 0-for-4 with one strikeout.

Infielder Brandon Waring and the four Orioles minor league pitchers in Arizona did not play for Phoenix.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

The Phoenix Desert Dogs snapped a two-game losing streak with a 7-3 victory over the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League.

Phoenix is in first place in the AFL East Division with a 7-4 record.

Phoenix Desert Dogs

Score: Phoenix Desert Dogs 7, Scottsdale Scorpions 3 (Box score)

Recap: Right fielder Matt Angle was 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI in the Desert Dogs' win.

The 24-year-old outfielder also scored twice and picked up his league-leading sixth stolen base.

Angle is batting .406 (13-for-32) with three doubles, three RBIs and 11 runs scored in seven games for Phoenix this season. He has five consecutive multi-hit games.

Orioles minor leaguer Brandon Waring, who played third base for the Desert Dogs tonight, was 1-for-3 with a double and three RBIs.

Phoenix designated hitter Josh Bell was 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.

Brandon Erbe started for the Desert Dogs. The 21-year-old right-hander gave up two runs (one earned) and five hits in 2 2/3 innings. He threw 33 of his 54 pitches for strikes and didn't factor in the decision.

Orioles minor league relief pitcher Ryohei Tanaka (1-1) tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings to pick up the victory. The 26-year-old right-hander struck out two batters, allowed two hits and issued one walk.

First baseman Brandon Snyder, and right-handed pitchers Eddie Gamboa and Josh Perrault didn't appear in today's game for Phoenix.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 12:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

The Phoenix Desert Dogs encountered their first two-game losing streak of the season, thanks to a 15-12 defeat to the Surprise Rafters in the Arizona Fall League.

Both teams scored eight runs in the seventh inning.

After 10 games, the Desert Dogs are 6-4 in the fall showcase.

Phoenix Desert Dogs

Score: Surprise Rafters 15, Phoenix Desert Dogs 12 (Box score)

Recap: Orioles minor league center fielder Matt Angle was 3-for-5 with a walk and three runs scored.

Angle also collected two stolen bases for the Desert Dogs in the loss.

The 24-year-old outfielder, who played for the Single-A Frederick Keys for the majority of the 2009 season, is batting .370 (10-for-27) with five stolen bases and nine runs scored in six games.

First baseman Brandon Snyder's seven game hitting streak was snapped for the Desert Dogs. However, the 22-year-old infielder picked up two RBIs and a run scored.

Through Friday afternoon, Snyder was leading the league with 15 RBIs.

Phoenix third baseman Josh Bell was 1-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. The 22-year-old infielder struck out three times, and his batting average dropped to .520 in six games in Arizona.

None of the other Orioles minor leaguers appeared in today's game.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 9:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

In his second start in the Arizona Fall League, Nationals minor league pitcher Stephen Strasburg didn't look like someone who is ready to go directly to the major leagues.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 MLB draft allowed eight runs (seven earned) and seven hits in 2 2/3 innings as the Phoenix Desert Dogs suffered a 9-6 loss to the Peoria Javelinas.

Strasburg gave up three home runs and walked one batter. He also collected four strikeouts.

One of the Javelinas' home runs was a grand slam hit by Detroit Tigers minor league outfielder Casper Wells, who played in college at Towson. The 24-year-old outfielder is batting .476 (10-for-21) with two home runs and 11 RBIs in five games in Arizona.

The Desert Dogs remain in first place in the AFL East Division with a 6-3 record, one game ahead of the Scottsdale Scorpions.

Phoenix Desert Dogs

Score: Peoria Javelinas 9, Phoenix Desert Dogs 6 (Box score)

Recap: Brandon Snyder served as the designated hitter for the Desert Dogs in the loss to the Javelinas.

Snyder was 1-for-4 with a sacrifice fly, and he struck out once. As of Thursday afternoon, Snyder was tied for the league lead with 13 RBIs for the Desert Dogs.

Orioles minor league relief pitcher Josh Perrault walked two batters, but he didn't allow any runs in one inning for Phoenix.

The 27-year-old right-hander only threw nine of his 20 pitches for strikes. Perrault has given up one run and four hits in 4 1/3 innings in the fall showcase.

None of the other Orioles minor leaguers played in today's game for Phoenix.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 10:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

Congratulations to Dave for winning the tickets to "An Evening with Brooks," the Babe Ruth Museum's fall gala at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall on Monday, Oct. 26.

There were 123 correct responses to the trivia question, and I picked Dave's e-mail using the Random Number Generator.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the contest. If you'd like to purchase tickets to the event, you can call 410-727-1539, ext 3033 or visit the Babe Ruth Museum's Web site.

When designing the question, the answer that I found was:

1. Brooks Robinson
2. Jim Palmer
3. Cal Ripken Jr.
4. Brian Roberts
5. Nick Markakis

However, several people also answered with the following response, which is also correct:

1. Brooks Robinson
2. Rich Dauer
3. Cal Ripken Jr.
4. Brian Roberts
5. Nick Markakis

Several guesses were incorrect, so I thought I'd explain why:

1. Mark Belanger -- He didn't meet the criteria for the contest because he played 54 games for the Los Angeles Dodgers in his final season in 1982.

2. Al Bumbry -- He played 68 games for the San Diego Padres in 1985.

3. Jay Gibbons -- He was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays and played in their minor league system for three years before joining the Orioles. He also played with the Milwaukee Brewers after leaving the Orioles.

4. Scott McGregor -- He was drafted by the New York Yankees and played in their minor league system for 4 1/2 seasons before being traded to the Orioles.

5. Eddie Murray -- He also played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Cleveland Indians and Anaheim Angels in his 21-year career in the major leagues.

6. Paul Shuey -- He only played one season for the Orioles in 2007.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 9:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

After losing to the Peoria Saguaros yesterday, the Phoenix Desert Dogs returned to the win column by pounding the Peoria Javelinas in Arizona Fall League action.

The Desert Dogs continue to lead the AFL East Division with a 6-2 record.

Phoenix Desert Dogs

Score: Phoenix Desert Dogs 17, Peoria Javelinas 4 (Box score)

Recap: First baseman Brandon Snyder blasted the Desert Dogs to a 17-4 rout over the Javelinas.

The 22-year-old infielder was 4-for-5 with two home runs and seven RBIs. Snyder also hit a double, picked up a stolen base and scored three runs.

Not to be outdone by his teammate, Orioles minor league third baseman Josh Bell was also 4-for-5 with a home run, a double, three RBIs and two runs scored.

Snyder is hitting .481 in six games in the Arizona Fall League, while Bell leads the league with a .600 batting average in five appearances with Phoenix.

Right fielder Matt Angle collected two hits, an RBI and two runs scored in the Desert Dogs' victory. He is batting .318 in five games.

Orioles minor league infielder Brandon Waring and the four pitchers representing the organization in Arizona -- Brandon Erbe, Eddie Gamboa, Josh Perrault and Ryohei Tanaka -- did not play.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 10:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

Today's game against the Peoria Saguaros was full of ups and downs for the Phoenix Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League, but it ultimately ended in a loss.

The Desert Dogs' five-game winning streak was snapped when the Saguaros scored six runs in the top of the ninth inning to win, 11-8. Phoenix took an 8-5 advantage with eight runs in the bottom of the seventh, but the bullpen was unable to hold the lead.

Despite the loss, Phoenix continues to lead the AFL East Division with a 5-2 record.

Phoenix Desert Dogs

Score: Peoria Saguaros 11, Phoenix Desert Dogs 8 (Box score)

Recap: Once again, center fielder Matt Angle performed well in the leadoff spot for Phoenix.

The 24-year-old outfielder was 3-for-5 with a double, an RBI and a run scored. Angle also collected his third stolen base in four games in Arizona, and he picked up an outfield assist.

Orioles minor league infielder Brandon Waring hit a double and scored a run for the Desert Dogs. He played third base in today's game.

Relief pitcher Josh Perrault allowed one run and two hits in one inning for Phoenix. The 27-year-old right-hander struck out one batter and threw 10 of his 14 pitches for strikes.

The rest of the Orioles minor leaguers -- Josh Bell, Brandon Erbe, Eddie Gamboa, Brandon Snyder and Ryohei Tanaka -- did not appear for the Desert Dogs in the defeat.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

So far, there have been a lot of correct answers in the trivia contest to win tickets to the Babe Ruth Museum's "An Evening with Brooks" gala.

If you haven't submitted your guess, I'm welcoming answers until Wednesday night at 11:59 p.m. Then, I'll round up all of the correct submissions and randomly select a winner.

Despite what some people think, there isn't a secret catch. If you believe you've answered correctly, the chances are pretty good that you did.

I also learned that there are at least two correct answers to the question. I'm accepting either one, as well as any new correct answers that someone can find.

Now, let's get to today's Arizona Fall League recap.

Phoenix Desert Dogs

Score: Phoenix Desert Dogs 6, Peoria Saguaros 2 (Box score)

Recap: Designated hitter Josh Bell was a home run shy of the cycle as the Phoenix Desert Dogs returned from a day off to beat the Peoria Saguaros, 6-2, in the fall showcase.

The 22-year-old third baseman was 4-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored for Phoenix. In four games in Arizona, Bell is batting .533 (8-for-15) with three doubles, five RBIs and six runs scored.

Orioles minor league first baseman Brandon Snyder collected two hits, including a double, and a run scored for the Desert Dogs. The 22-year-old infielder is hitting .409 (9-for-22) with one home run, five RBIs and seven runs scored in five games for Phoenix so far this season.

Starting pitcher Brandon Erbe made his Arizona Fall League debut for Phoenix. The 21-year-old right-hander retired all six batters he faced, throwing 19 of 29 pitches for strikes and picking up two strikeouts.

However, Orioles minor league relief pitcher Ryohei Tanaka was unable to hold the early lead for the Desert Dogs. The 26-year-old right-hander gave up two runs and four hits, including a home run, in two innings.

Former Orioles pitcher Adam Loewen was 1-for-4 with a three-run home run, a walk and two strikeouts for Phoenix. The 25-year-old left fielder also picked up an outfield assist in the Desert Dogs' victory.

Orioles minor leaguers Brandon Waring, Matt Angle, Josh Perrault and Eddie Gamboa did not play.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 10:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

Thanks to the wonderful people in The Baltimore Sun's marketing department, I've acquired two tickets to the Babe Ruth Museum's fall gala, "An Evening with Brooks."

The event will take place Monday, Oct. 26, at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, and the program is tentatively scheduled from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Since there are a lot of faithful O's on Deck readers -- and it's too hard to pick one person to receive the tickets -- I've decided to hold a trivia contest in order to determine a winner.

So, as long as you give a correct answer to the question below, you'll have a chance to win the two tickets. I'll keep track of the people who submit a correct answer and use a random method to determine who gets the tickets if there is more than one person who is right.

Please be sure to include a contact e-mail address with your comment so that I'll be able to get in touch with you if you're the winner of the tickets. Obviously, I won't be publishing these comments because I don't want to give away the correct answer.

Finally, it's possible that there is more than one correct way to answer the question. While I have one solution in mind, I'll check every submission to determine if it's accurate.

With all of that out of the way, here is the question.

Brooks Robinson played his entire career as a member of the Orioles -- from the minor leagues through 23 seasons in the major leagues.

Using only players who spent their entire career -- minor leagues and major leagues -- with the Orioles, connect Robinson to Markakis.

Basically, you'll need to find someone who played with Robinson and spent his entire career with the Orioles. Then, you'll need to find someone who was one of that player's teammates at some point and spent his whole career in the organization. Keep doing that until you get to Markakis.

In other words, you can't use players like Frank Robinson or Melvin Mora because they spent part of their careers in other organizations.

I'll give you a hint -- it can be done by naming three other players. There might be another way to do it, but that's a good starting point to a correct guess.

Good luck. Start sending in your answers.

I'll stop accepting submissions Wednesday night at 11:59 p.m.

While we're on the topic, here is a photo gallery of different Brooks Robinson photos.

Handout photo

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

The Phoenix Desert Dogs dominated the Surprise Rafters for an 11-2 victory in the Arizona Fall League on Saturday afternoon.

It was the fourth straight win for the Desert Dogs, and they continue to lead the AFL East Division with a 4-1 record this season.

Phoenix Desert Dogs

Score: Phoenix Desert Dogs 11, Surprise Rafters 2 (Box score)

Recap: Designated hitter Brandon Snyder continues to shine for the Desert Dogs in the fall showcase.

Snyder was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored for Phoenix. The 22-year-old infielder is batting .412 (7-for-17) with one home run and five RBIs in four games in Arizona.

Brandon Waring played third base for the Desert Dogs, and he was 1-for-4 with a two-run single in the win. The 23-year-old infielder also scored a run.

Orioles minor leaguer Matt Angle batted leadoff and started in right field for the Desert Dogs. The 24-year-old outfielder was 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored.

Angle also threw out Rafters third baseman Mike Moustakas, a Kansas City Royals prospect, at home plate to end the bottom of the first inning.

Third baseman Josh Bell and the four Orioles minor league pitchers did not appear in today's game.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 6:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

Washington Nationals prospect Stephen Strasburg (1-0), the top pick in the 2009 MLB draft, tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings to lead the Phoenix Desert Dogs to a 7-4 victory over the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League.

Strasburg allowed two hits, struck out two batters and issued one walk. The 21-year-old right-hander threw 32 of his 50 pitches for strikes.

After losing the first game of the season, Phoenix is currently riding a three-game winning streak. The Desert Dogs are in first place in the AFL East Division.

Phoenix Desert Dogs

Score: Phoenix Desert Dogs 7, Scottsdale Scorpions 4 (Box score)

Recap: Strasburg's debut was the primary storyline in tonight's game, but several Orioles prospects also made an impact in the final score.

Desert Dogs third baseman Josh Bell was 3-for-4 with a double, three RBIs and a run scored, while first baseman Brandon Snyder added two hits, a walk and three runs scored.

It was a rocky outing for Phoenix relief pitcher Eddie Gamboa.

After going 11-0 with a 1.08 ERA in 39 games at three different levels in the Orioles' minor league system in 2009, Gamboa gave up two runs (one earned) and two hits -- including a home run -- in 2 1/3 innings. He also committed a fielding error.

Orioles minor league relief pitcher Josh Perrault didn't allow any runs in 1 1/3 innings. The 27-year-old right-hander surrendered one hit and one walk in the outing.

Center fielder Matt Angle was 0-for-4 with a strikeout for Phoenix. The 24-year-old outfielder is now 0-for-7 in two games this season.

First baseman Brandon Waring and right-handers Brandon Erbe and Ryohei Tanaka did not play.

The Desert Dogs turned four double plays, and Snyder was a part of all of them.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 1:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

The Phoenix Desert Dogs defeated the Scottsdale Scorpions, 9-4, for their second consecutive victory in the Arizona Fall League. Phoenix is now 2-1 in the league, which puts them in a tie with Scottsdale for first place in the AFL East Division.

Phoenix Desert Dogs

Score: Phoenix Desert Dogs 9, Scottsdale Scorpions 4 (Box score)

Recap: Third baseman Josh Bell was 1-for-3 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored in the Desert Dogs' 9-4 victory over Scottsdale.

The 22-year-old infielder also walked twice in the game.

First baseman Brandon Snyder was 1-for-5 with an RBI, and center fielder Matt Angle was 0-for-3 with three walks, two stolen bases and a run scored.

Angle batted leadoff for the Desert Dogs in his first game in the league.

Former Orioles pitcher Adam Loewen was 4-for-5 with a double and a run scored while playing left field for the Desert Dogs.

Orioles minor league infielder Brandon Waring, as well as the four pitchers who are representing the organization in the fall showcase, did not appear in the game.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 12:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

Before I get into the latest recap of the Orioles minor leaguers in the Arizona Fall League, I wanted to say thanks to everyone who attended The Baltimore Sun's Mobbies event last night.

For those who didn't know about the event and don't want to click the link above, it was The Sun's contest to award the "Most Outstanding Blogs" in various topic areas.

I had the pleasure to network with several sports bloggers from around the area. If I didn't catch up with you last night, I apologize. It was difficult to touch base with everyone.

Anyway, let's get to the Arizona Fall League news and notes. There was another powerful debut by a corner infield prospect in the Orioles' minor league system for the Phoenix Desert Dogs on Wednesday night.

Phoenix Desert Dogs

Score: Phoenix Desert Dogs 4, Mesa Solar Sox 2 (Box score)

Recap: Designated hitter Brandon Waring was 1-for-5 with a solo home run in the Desert Dogs' 4-2 victory over the Mesa Solar Sox.

The 23-year-old infielder hit the homer to break a 2-2 tie with one out in the sixth inning against Solar Sox relief pitcher James Russell, a prospect for the Chicago Cubs, but he also struck out three times.

Orioles minor league relief pitcher Josh Perrault, who split the 2009 season between the Double-A Bowie Baysox and Triple-A Norfolk Tides, allowed one hit in one scoreless inning.

The 27-year-old right-hander struck out one batter and threw 13 of his 14 pitches for strikes.

None of the other Orioles minor leaguers -- Brandon Snyder, Josh Bell, Matt Angle, Brandon Erbe, Eddie Gamboa and Ryohei Tanaka -- appeared in the game.

Both teams are now 1-1 in the league.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 12:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (14)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

The Arizona Fall League kicked off today, so I'm going to take a quick break from my series of positional rankings to discuss the first game of the season.

Eight players are representing the Orioles as members of the Phoenix Desert Dogs in the annual fall showcase for minor leaguers.

First baseman Brandon Snyder and third baseman Josh Bell headline the Orioles prospects. They are joined by right-handed pitchers Brandon Erbe, Josh Perrault, Eddie Gamboa and Ryohei Tanaka, as well as center fielder Matt Angle and infielder Brandon Waring.

Double-A Bowie Baysox bench coach Moe Hill is also representing the organization as a member of the coaching staff for the Desert Dogs.

I know a lot of Orioles fans are craving information about the performance of the players in the league, so I'm going to write a daily recap of the games for O's on Deck.

Phoenix Desert Dogs

Score: Mesa Solar Sox 10, Phoenix Desert Dogs 6 (Box score)

Recap: Snyder jumped out to a strong start for the Desert Dogs.

The 22-year-old infielder was 2-for-5 with a two-run home run and a single in the team's 10-6 loss to the Solar Sox, while Bell was 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.

Tanaka (0-1) started today's game for Phoenix, and he suffered the loss after allowing one run and three hits in three innings. He struck out four batters and threw 34 of his 41 pitches for strikes.

Former Orioles pitcher Adam Loewen started in left field for the Desert Dogs. Loewen, who made the transition to a position player this season, was 0-for-1 with three walks and two runs scored.

The 25-year-old outfielder batted .236 with four home runs and 31 RBIs for the Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays in the Florida State League during the regular season.

Angle, Waring, Gamboa, Perrault and Erbe did not play in today's game.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 7:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Winter leagues
        

While there were different opinions about the order of the shortstops in the Orioles' minor league system, almost everyone agreed that there is a lack of promise and depth at the position.

Orioles fans hope that will change with the addition of 2009 second-round draft pick Mychal Givens to the organization next year. For now, however, the shortstops in the organization are a collection of middle-of-the-road players who hope to surprise the analysts and make contributions in the major leagues.

There is a little bit more promise with the third basemen in the organization, thanks to the midseason trade of closer George Sherrill to the Los Angeles Dodgers. In the deal, the Orioles acquired Double-A Bowie Baysox third baseman Josh Bell and right-handed pitcher Steve Johnson.

Despite only playing 33 games for the Baysox, Bell easily earns the top spot in my rankings.

Brandon Waring, who played in 62 games at third base with the Single-A Frederick Keys and Baysox this season, would be at No. 2. I ranked him as the top first baseman in the organization, however, so I didn't include him in this list.

Here is how I would rank the top five third basemen in the Orioles' minor league system.

1. Josh Bell
2. Tyler Henson
3. Levi Carolus
4. Tyler Kelly
5. Tyler Stampone

Bell batted .289 with nine home runs and 24 RBIs for Bowie after being acquired from the Dodgers. He also had five doubles and 18 runs scored.

The 22-year-old infielder, who could compete for a job in the major leagues as early as next season, hit .296 with 11 home runs, 52 RBIs and 30 doubles in 94 games for the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts in the Dodgers' minor league system.

Defensively, in my opinion, Bell could use a little bit of work. He committed 24 errors in 127 games this season, including seven after joining the Baysox. With that said, I've seen him make some excellent defensive plays at third base.

Personally, I don't think Bell's defense will hurt his path through the organization, but it's always good to eliminate the mistakes before getting to the major leagues.

At No. 2, I went with Henson because he has shown flashes of promise during four seasons in the Orioles' minor league system. His batting average isn't too high -- .267 in 132 games between Frederick and Bowie -- but the power potential makes him an intriguing prospect.

Henson collected nine home runs, 31 doubles and 74 RBIs this season. The 21-year-old utility player also picked up 18 stolen bases, which adds another dimension to his game.

Throw in the fact that he played a significant amount of time in the outfield this season -- 59 games combined at the two levels -- and this versatility adds bonus points to the discussion.

The biggest negative about Henson is that he strikes out about once per game. I'm sure Orioles fans hope that number decreases as he climbs the ladder through the organization.

Thanks to his strong performance to begin the season with the short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds, Carolus earns the third spot on my list.

The 22-year-old infielder was a little old for the New York-Penn League, but he batted .320 with one home run, 25 RBIs and 13 doubles in 44 games before being promoted to the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds. Carolus earned a spot in the New York-Penn League All-Star Game.

After joining the Shorebirds, Carolus hit .250 with one home run and seven RBIs in 17 games.

I'm curious to see how Kelly develops through the offseason. The 21-year-old infielder was an above-average hitter at Cal-Davis, where he was a teammate of Orioles minor league relief pitcher Eddie Gamboa in 2008.

Kelly batted .265 with one home run and 18 RBIs in 61 games for the IronBirds this season.

The Orioles' 13th-round selection in the 2009 MLB draft, who was also picked for the New York-Penn League All-Star Game, was second on the team with 31 runs scored. Kelly received the 2009 Team MVP award from the IronBirds.

Stampone makes it onto my list because he exceeded all expectations this season.

An undrafted free agent from William and Mary, the 22-year-old third baseman hit .305 with three home runs and 26 RBIs in 36 games for the Rookie-level GCL Orioles.

It's going to be an uphill climb for Stampone to make it to the major leagues, but he deserves credit for his impressive debut season in the organization.

How would you rank your top five third basemen in the organization?

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 6:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (22)
Categories: O's minor leaguers in '09
        

Wow, did anyone watch the American League Central tiebreaker between the Twins and Tigers tonight? What an amazing game between division rivals.

That's the perfect example of exciting playoff baseball. I hope the rest of the games are that good. In case you missed it, the Twins won in 12 innings.

Anyway, let's get to the next installment of my positional rankings for the 2009 season.

Today, we'll talk about shortstops.

Remember, this isn't necessarily a list of prospects. There are plenty of those kind of lists which are composed by people who get paid a lot of money -- OK, maybe not a lot -- to analyze the prospect status of players.

I'm just here to provide news about the minor leaguers in the organization, so my lists are focusing on several factors. The performance of the players in 2009 and potential to help the Orioles in the major leagues are key considerations.

I admit that I'm not perfect, which is why I'm asking everyone to include their lists in the comments below each entry.

There are a lot of diehard fans around the country who are passionate about the Orioles. I'm sure everyone can provide excellent analysis about the players in the organization, so let's hear your opinions.

In the organization, there are a lot of marginal players at the shortstop position. None of the players really shined above the others this season. It's difficult to rank the players because everyone struggled for the most part in 2009.

Here is how I would rank the top five shortstops in the Orioles' minor league system.

1. Pedro Florimon Jr.
2. Blake Davis
3. Garabez Rosa
4. Moises Ciriaco
5. Greg Miclat

Florimon earns the top spot because he played well during the early part of the season. The 22-year-old infielder represented the Single-A Frederick Keys in the California/Carolina League All-Star Game.

Overall, Florimon batted .259 with nine home runs and 69 RBIs in 122 games while splitting time between the Keys and Double-A Bowie Baysox. He hit .267 in 115 games for Frederick before going 2-for-22 (.091) in seven games with Bowie at the end of the season.

After only batting .223 with no home runs and 19 RBIs in 81 games for the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds in 2008, Florimon showed flashes of offensive potential this season. He finished tied for fourth in the Carolina League with 32 doubles and sixth in the league with 76 runs scored. Florimon was also third on the Keys in RBIs and tied for third on the team in home runs.

Florimon needs to improve his defense, however, if the Orioles expect him to make a contribution in the major leagues. He committed 36 errors, including 35 in Frederick, during the 2009 season. There's no way to spin that statistic in a positive manner.

Davis is the closest to the major leagues among the shortstops in the organization, but he took a step back due to a stress fracture in his left foot during spring training.

After batting .320 with one home run and five RBIs in 13 games on an injury rehabilitation assignment with the short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds, Davis joined the Triple-A Norfolk Tides.

The 25-year-old shortstop slumped at the Triple-A level. He hit .211 with one home run and 14 RBIs in 55 games for the Tides. Davis scored 21 runs with Norfolk this season.

Davis committed 14 errors in 68 games this season. In my opinion, he's not as bad defensively as the numbers might lead you to believe. Still, the errors need to be eliminated.

Rosa is the youngest of the players on the list, which gives him more time to prove that he'll be able to help in the major leagues at some point in the future. His power potential is intriguing, but the rest of his statistics this season need to improve.

The young shortstop, who will turn 20 on Oct. 12, only batted .206 with seven home runs and 30 RBIs in 75 games with the Shorebirds and IronBirds in 2009.

Rosa hit .125 (4-for-32) with one home run and five RBIs in 11 games for Delmarva earlier this season before batting .218 with a team-leading six home runs and 25 RBIs in 64 games for Aberdeen. He also finished tied for second in the New York-Penn League with six triples and added eight doubles and 28 runs scored for the IronBirds.

Ciriaco is a player to watch as he progresses through the organization.

The 21-year-old shortstop batted .261 with one home run and 19 RBIs in 51 games for the Rookie-level GCL Orioles this season. He finished tied for seventh in the Gulf Coast League with 14 stolen bases and second on the Orioles with 26 runs scored.

I'm going to pick Miclat in the final spot on my rankings.

The biggest knock against the 22-year-old shortstop is that power isn't in his vocabulary. Miclat hasn't hit a home run at the college or professional level, and I'm not sure if he has ever hit one.

His speed, however, is a major asset for the organization. The Orioles' fifth-round selection in the 2008 MLB draft collected 26 stolen bases -- including 25 for the Shorebirds -- this season. Miclat batted .228 with 14 doubles, 49 runs scored and 22 RBIs in 111 games for Delmarva before playing in six games for the Keys.

How would you rank the top five players?

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 10:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (20)
Categories: O's minor leaguers in '09
        

Once again this October, the Double-A Bowie Baysox and Tulip Gulch Productions will be entertaining guests with a haunted house.

This year's theme, called "The Asylum," (left) will begin tonight.

It will be held every Friday and Saturday night until Halloween (Oct. 31). Stadium gates open at 6 p.m. Tours are scheduled to begin at dusk and will run until 11 p.m. each night.

Although it has been held at Prince George's Stadium for eight years, this is the 23rd overall year for the event, according to the team.

For more information or to order tickets, check out the Baysox Web site.

Graphic courtesy of the Bowie Baysox

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Before I get into the top five second basemen in the Orioles' minor league system, I wanted to thank everyone who offered their input on my list of the top first basemen in the organization.

It's always good to have an educated discussion between baseball fans that doesn't deteriorate into name-calling and arguments. I knew it was possible.

As I said in the post, the case could be made for any of the top three players -- Brandon Waring, Brandon Snyder and Rhyne Hughes -- to be at the head of the class.

Waring, who spent most of the season with the Single-A Frederick Keys, was at No. 1 in my list. However, I do see the point of those in favor of Snyder, who split the season between the Double-A Bowie Baysox and Triple-A Norfolk Tides. Despite a tremendous offensive season, Hughes loses points since he was only in the organization for a short time.

Now, let's move on.

Here is how I would rank the top five second basemen in the Orioles' minor league system.

1. Justin Turner
2. Miguel Abreu
3. L.J. Hoes
4. Bobby Stevens
5. Omar Casamayor

If he didn't burn bridges within the organization at the end of the year, Keys second baseman Ryan Adams likely would have a spot near the top of this list.

The 22-year-old infielder was suspended by the team with a little over a week remaining in the season, and injuries also caused him to miss significant time in 2009.

Adams batted .288 with two home runs and 25 RBIs in 59 games for the Keys. He also hit 14 doubles and scored 27 runs this season. Adams was No. 2 on my list last year despite making 52 errors in 119 games.

With Adams out of the picture, Tides second baseman Justin Turner earns the top spot in my rankings following his first year with the organization.

Turner, who was acquired last offseason from the Cincinnati Reds in the Ramon Hernandez trade, batted .300 with two home runs and 43 RBIs in 108 games for Norfolk.

The 24-year-old right-handed hitter, who also played shortstop and third base for the Tides this season, collected 28 doubles, 54 runs scored and nine stolen bases in the minor leagues.

Turner struggled a bit defensively with the Tides in 2009. He committed a career-high 21 errors, including 13 in 80 games at second base.

The Cincinnati Reds selected Turner in the seventh round of the 2006 MLB draft. He is batting .143 (2-for-14) with one RBI in 10 games for the Orioles this season.

Baysox second baseman Miguel Abreu continues to exceed expectations for someone who the Orioles selected in the 28th round of the 2005 MLB draft.

The 24-year-old infielder, who is nine days younger than Turner, hit .290 with four home runs and 45 RBIs in 130 games this season. He led the Baysox in doubles (31) and finished second on the team in stolen bases (25) and runs scored (55).

Abreu earned the Top Star Award after going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two stolen bases in the Eastern League All-Star Game in July.

Hoes is the most intriguing prospect among the second basemen in the Orioles' minor league system. The 19-year-old infielder definitely has the highest ceiling of the players on my list.

After batting over .300 in his professional debut with the Rookie-level GCL Orioles last season, Hoes started the 2009 campaign with the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds.

Although Hoes struggled at times this season, the Orioles' third-round pick in the 2008 MLB draft finished with a .260 batting average, two home runs and 47 RBIs in 119 games. He was fourth on the Shorebirds in RBIs and doubles (19), and he finished fifth on the team with 20 stolen bases in 2009.

Defensively, Hoes needs to cut down on the errors. He committed a team-leading 28 defensive miscues this season. With the GCL Orioles in 2008, Hoes made 15 errors in 42 games.

While Adams was expected to be the everyday second baseman in Frederick, it was Bobby Stevens who shined at the position for the Keys.

Stevens hit .272 with seven home runs and 25 RBIs in 81 games for the Keys after only batting .213 in 49 games for the Rookie-level Bluefield Orioles last season.

On defense, the 22-year-old infielder only committed five errors for Frederick.

Bluefield second baseman Omar Casamayor grabs the last spot in my rankings after hitting .279 with one home run and 21 RBIs in 57 games this season.

The 22-year-old native of Venezuela led the Orioles with 37 runs scored and 13 stolen bases. Casamayor also hit seven doubles and committed eight errors in 2009.

You know the drill by now. Let me hear your rankings by posting a comment below.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 9:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (10)
Categories: O's minor leaguers in '09