A season that began with Dylan Bundy, Tim Berry and Bridwell anchoring the rotation along with Johnny Ruettiger,  Glynn Davis, Nick Delmonico and Jason Esposito in the field; ended with Steel Russell, Juan Guzman and Alex Schmarzo. Nothing against those players, but it just shows the revolving door Delmarva was.

Below is a recap of some of the names and faces that came through the Shore this season. So everyone is aware I am a season ticket holder and attend about 55-60 games a season, so many of these players I saw about 50% of the total games they played. I could not fit everyone on here, but I would welcome any discussion on the players not listed on the forums.

Parker Bridwell

I was hoping Parker would get a late season promotion to Frederick to give him a glimpse into next season. Statistically, you won’t see much improvement from month to month and second half over first half, but trust me, I saw a lot of change in him during the final weeks of the season. All season I spoke about the fact Parker was not challenging hitters, which he began to do with much success. The fastball and sinker are both heavy pitches with lots of movement. I would like to see the organization give him a little more freedom and input on pitch sequence in Frederick next year. Potential and tools are still there.

Matt Taylor

Matt moved from the pen to the starter roll in late May. I think his calling is more in the pen as his delivery has too much shoulder action for long term starter status. He is effective when he keeps the ball down in the zone, but doesn’t do that enough. He was shut down late season but should be healthy in time for camp.

Zach Davies

If you are in Frederick with Zach next season, please buy him a meal. Listed at 6′ and 150 lbs, I think he must have had about 20lb shoes when these numbers were taken. Focus for him is on the off speed stuff, and he works it very well. Another arm that moved from the pen to the rotation in May. The delivery is smooth and with the right weight program, could remain a starter in the future.

Jesse Beal

It is hard to believe Jesse has been in the organization since 2008. He is still only 22, and his size and delivery are intimidating from 60 ft away. Classic pitching style who settled in well at the end of the season with a 20/3 K/BB ratio in his last 10 appearances. A healthy off season should see him in the Frederick pen next year.

Alex Schmarzo

This is my diamond in the rough player. Alex is 23 so he needs to progress quickly, but as a 48th round pick, little was expected here. Over his last six outings covering 11.2 IP, he allowed 3 ER with 2 BB and 14K. Alex has some of the oddest habits both entering the game and while on the mound, but it makes him fun to watch.

Sammie Starr

One of the few bright spots this season, Sammie moved on to play the final few games of the season in Frederick and one in Norfolk. At 24, Starr is in no way a prospect, but if you are a true fan of the guys that go out and give everything everyday, this is the player for you. Hard nose defense and never saw a ball he didn’t think he could get to, he plays bigger than his 5’8″ frame.

Connor Narron 

Son of Jerry Narron, Connor showed exceptional flashes this year. Connor hit 10 HR over 119 games, with half of them coming in a 30 game stretch in which he hit .330. He is still a player without a position as this club was loaded with both SS and 3B type players. Also turning 21 off season, the O’s have a lot of options with him for 2013 as they could allow him to repeat Low A but with a position or continue to use him as a super utility player (ala Buck Britton) at Frederick.

Wynston Sawyer

Hard to imagine taking a second look at someone that hits .221 for the season with no power, but Wyston made great strides once Gabriel Lino was traded and he received more regular playing time. Struggling to hit just .169 prior to the AS break, Sawyer hit .264 after, and raised his OPS more than .200. He will turn 21 during the off season, and advancing his skills at handling duties behind the plate are the next key for him.

Michael Ohlman

I’m planning on doing a separate full story on Michael in the next couple weeks, because his story needs to be told. If the O’s gave a comeback MiLB player award, he would have been a unanimous selection this year. After hitting just .224 last season, Michael came back from an off season injury and 50 game suspension to appear in 51 games on the Shore hitting .304 with an OBP of .400. Additionally, Michael, who had struggled behind the plate in 2011, improved his handling of pitchers and in limited appearances, threw out 38% of runners. I had talked after last season of the need to move him to another position (LF or 1B) and hope the bat continued to develop. Now I see him as the C in Frederick next season.

The post 2012 Delmarva Shorebirds Season Review appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

When the Blue Jays came into Camden Yards Monday, they came in having dropped those tree games, plus three in a row over the weekend to Tampa Bay—six straight losses.  The Orioles were coming off a 6-3 road trip, having won 6 of the last 7 road games.  And yet, unlike the Yankee series, the Jays have opened in Baltimore, winning two of three games over two days.

The Jays beat Joe Saunders (L, 2-3/8-13) and the Orioles 4-0 Tuesday night, out hitting the O’s 13-6.

Jays starter Aaron Laffey (W, 4-6) threw 5.2 shutout innings on five hits, and the Jays bullpen pulled their best O’s-alike act, allowing just one hit the rest of the way.

Toronto scored one in the first on an RBI single from Yan Gomes.  They mounted a two-out rally off Saunders in the fourth in a Rajai Davis single and a double from Adieny Hechavarria.  In the seventh, A Colby Rasmus RBI hit knocked Saunders out of the game, and Luis Ayala promptly gave up an inherited run on a hit to Edwin Encarnacion.

The Orioles had a shot in the ninth.  With two outs and one on, Jays closer Casey Janssen walked both Manny Machado and Jim Thome.  Buck Showalter had a veteran on his bench in Endy Chavez, but decided to stick with Ryan Flaherty, a guy who could tie the game with one swing.  And one swing he took, at the very first pitch he saw—a hittable, 91 MPH fastball that Flaherty popped up to center.

The O’s and Jays wrap up their four-game set Wednesday night at Camden Yards.  Miguel Gonzalez (7-4, 3.52) goes for the Orioles, vs. Carlos Villanueva (7-6, 3.88) for Toronto.   First pitch is slated for 7:05.

The GOOD:

• L. J. Hoes makes his big league debut, pinch-running for Jim Thome in the ninth.
• Dylan Bundy’s Camden Yards debut:  1IP, 1H, 1BB, 0R
• Chris Davis made a couple of nice plays in right, including an outfield assist.  It’s hard to understand why he couldn’t handle first base for as well as he’s done in the outfield.
• The Minnesota Twins came back late on the Yankees, scoring 4 in the seventh on 3 singles, 2 walks, a double and a wild pitch…Twins 5, Yankees 4.  The Orioles remain just 1.5 out of first in the AL East.

The BAD:

• The 5-9 spots in the O’s order:  1/17, 3BB, 1K.
• O’s:  0/4 with RISP, 9 left on.
• Oakland won in Texas 3-2.  The Angels beat Seattle, 5-4.  And the Rays are making noise again, beating Boston, 5-2.  The Orioles own the top Wild Card spot, but they’re only half a game up on the A’s, 1.5 up on the Angels, and just 2.5 ahead of the Rays.  The birds have to start getting back to beating up on bad teams again.

The post O’s Bats Go To Sleep in 4-0 Loss to Jays appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

Chris Tillman was very solid again, giving up one run on six hits and a walk in six innings.  Tillman struck out four Sox batters, and was hurt by a Robert Andino error on a would-be double play.  Andino bounced his relay throw to Mark Reynolds, allowing Cody Ross to score.

The O’s answered in the fifth.  Lew Ford led off with a single off Red Sox starter Felix Doubront.  Chris Davis’ double moved Ford up to third with no one out.  Manny Machado blooped one into shallow right.   Sox second baseman Pedro Ciriaco never got a good read on the ball, drifted into shallow right, and could not grab it.  Ford scored to tie it at 1, and the Orioles had runners on first and third with no one out.

Needing a fly ball, or even a double play grounder to score another run, the birds fell flat.  Andino was called out on strikes.  Nate McLouth struck out swinging.  And JJ Hardy grounded out to first.  The O’s, who’ve been doing a nice job of cashing in at opportune moments, let a golden opportunity get away.

Reliever Luis Ayala was touched for the losing run in the eighth.  Dustin Pedroia led off with a double to right, and scored on Cody Ross’ double high off the Green Monster, making it 2-1.  Brian Matusz came on and retired pinch-hitter Mauro Gomez.  Then, Buck Showalter went to the pen and ordered up the major league debut of 19 year old Dylan Bundy.

The top prospect got Ryan Lavarnway on a flyout to left, and Danny Valencia on a fly ball to right, to get the O’s back in the dugout.

In the ninth, the O’s again put themselves into a terrific position to steal the game.

On a 3-0 pitch, Matt Wieters thought Sox reliever Andrew Bailey had walked him with a pitch that appeared to be up and away.  It was called a strike.  On the next pitch, Wieters grounded out to second, for out number one.  Mark Reynolds singled to left, and Jim Thome, pinch-hitting for Lew Ford, ripped a ground-rule double down the right field line.  Bailey intentionally walked Davis, and the birds had the bases loaded with just one away.

But Machado hit a slow chopper to first, and Reynolds was forced out at the plate, for out number two.  Pinch-hitter Ryan Flaherty then took a called third strike to end the game.

The O’s head back home after their 6-3 road trip.  The O’s will face Toronto in a double header at Camden Yards Monday.  Steve Johnson (3-0, 1.91) and Wei-Yin Chen (12-9, 3.98) pitch for the O’s, with Johnson starting game one at 4:05.

The GOOD:

• Manny Machado’s defense was again on display.  In the seventh, Machado dove to his right to snare a grounder, sprang to his feet, and fired across the diamond to nail speedy fellow rookie Pedro Ciriaco.
• Davis:  2/3, 1BB.

The BAD:

• Buck Showalter’s decision to send Endy Chavez out to run for Jim Thome after Thome’s pinch double.  Now, Chavez is a better baserunner than Xavier Avery, but he’s not faster.  Pure speed matters a lot in that situation.  Not only that, but it forced Buck to then use Flaherty, the Rule 5 rookie, to pinch-hit for Andino.  If Avery runs for Thome, Chavez hits for Andino.  Easy to second guess, because things didn’t work out as they normally do.
• Speaking of Andino, he had a lousy game:  0/3, 3K, 4LOB, 1 very big error.
• Ayala (L, 5-5):  0.1 IP, 2H, 1R.

The post O’s Lose Opportunities, And Lose Boston Finale 2-1 appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

Here are Don’s thoughts:

He will join the team in Boston and not head out west for the matinee game with the Mariners. It will be interesting to see if he is used, but I think his role will be strictly “emergency” related role.

Dylan Bundy getting the call up! #congrats bro! @dylan_bundy

— Nicky Delmonico (@LittleD808) September 19, 2012

The post Dylan Bundy Promoted to Majors appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

Bundy began the season with the Delmarva Shorebirds and had no trouble at all with South Atlantic League hitters. He struck out 40 of them in 30 innings while walking just two. He allowed 5 hits in those 30 innings and didn’t give up a single earned run.

After Bundy was clearly too dominant for the SALLY League, he got the bump to the Carolina League. Bundy’s statistics dropped off a bit after the promotion, but his numbers were still beyond impressive. He struck out 66 and walked 18 in 57 innings with the Keys and pitched to a 2.84 ERA.

Still, Bundy was too good for his league and the Orioles challenged him by moving him up to Bowie for his final three starts of the season. His statistics with the Baysox don’t look all that extraordinarily, but he impressed both Tucker and I when we saw him in Bowie on separate occasions.

Bundy finished the season with 119 strikeouts, 28 walks, and a 2.08 ERA in his 103.2 innings split across three levels.

With a strong performance in spring training, it’s quite possible Bundy could crack the major league rotation next season. He enters the off-season as the Orioles’ #1 prospect.

The post 2012 Minor League Pitcher Of The Year: Dylan Bundy appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

He did not disappoint in my second go-around seeing him. Akron has a fairly decent lineup although not the strongest in the Eastern League. Lonnie Chisenhall is on a rehab assignment, and was easily the best bat in the lineup.

In typical fashion, Bundy pounded the lower portion of the zone the entire night. He works fast and it’s obvious he has a clear plan each time out. He threw 57 fastballs, 23 change ups, and 12 curve balls.

The fastball was in the 94-96 mph range for the first four innings, although he seemed to lose some steam in the latter end of the 5th and the 6th. He was more around 91-94 mph then. He located the fastball well for most of the night, although his lone run given up was off a first pitch fastball that Matt Lawson pounded on.

His change up was extremely impressive. It was mostly in the 87-90 mph range. He kept it low most of the night and at one point he registered seven out of eight change ups as strikes in the lower zone. He used this pitch more than the last time I saw him (23 compared to 13). A few in the latter innings got away from him, and one was hit to the warning track in dead-center. Overall, the pitch was on-point and worked effectively off his fastball.

The curve ball is clearly the pitch Dylan needs the most work on. He threw a few that were absolutely terrific. In the first inning he froze a batter for a called third strike. He also was able to make one batter chase a curve in the dirt. However, he hung a few that were either slapped for hits or luckily fouled off. Again, it’s still a very good pitch, but the one that needs the most work.

Overall, it is quite remarkable how good Bundy looks at such a young age in AA. He truly is one of the best pitchers I have ever seen in the minors, and it’s no secret that he is absurdly talented. Besides leaving a few pitches up in the zone, I really have nothing else to say about the outing. I’m excited to see him down the road in Baltimore.

1st Inning: 12 pitches, 9 fastball, 1 change up, 2 curve ball
2nd Inning: 19 pitches, 11 fastball. 3 change up, 4 curve ball
3rd Inning: 17 pitches, 8 fastball, 4 change up, 3 curve ball
4th Inning: 11 pitches, 6 fastball, 4 change up, 0 curve ball
5th Inning: 16 pitches, 10 fastball, 4 change up, 2 curve ball
6th Inning: 18 pitches, 10 fastball, 6 change up, 2 curve ball
Game Total: 93 pitches, 57 fastball, 23 change up, 13 curve ball

Final Line: 6.0 Innings, 6 H, 1 R, 7 K, 1 BB allowed

The post Dylan Bundy Game Scouting Report – 9/5/2012 appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Akron 2, Bowie 4	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
(78-64) 1-0	Box Score	Akron Aeros	Home	7:05 PM	Mike Wright
Tyler Kelly went 2-4 with a Solo HR. Rhyne Hughes went 1-3 with a HR and 2 RBI. Buck Britton went 0-1 with 2 BB. Ronnie Welty went 1-3 with a Solo HR. Dylan Bundy (W, 1-0) pitched 6.0 innings with 6 H, 1 R, 7 K, 1 BB allowed. Mike Belfiore pitched 1.0 inning with 2 H, 1 R, 0 K, 1 BB allowed. Robert Hinton pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 0 K, 0 BB allowed. Kyler Newby (S, 1) pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
		Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
62-77	SEASON OVER
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
		Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
52-86	SEASON OVER
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Aberdeen 0, Vermont 4	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
28-48	Box Score	SEASON OVER
Anthony Vega went 1-2 with 2 BB. Sam Kimmel went 2-4 with a Triple and a SB. Jorge Rivera (L, 1-3) pitched 5.0 innings with 0 H, 1 R, 8 K, 3 BB allowed. Mark Blackmar pitched 2.0 innings with 2 H, 1 R, 0 K, 0 BB allowed. Domingo Salas pitched 1.0 inning with 1 H, 2 R (0 ER), 1 K, 2 BB allowed.
Notes

The post Minor League Scores – 9/5/12 appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
		Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
78-64	OFF	Akron Aeros	Home	7:05 PM	Dylan Bundy
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
		Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
62-77	SEASON OVER
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
		Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
52-86	SEASON OVER
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Aberdeen 7, Vermont 5	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
28-47	Box Score	Vermont Lake Monsters	Away	6:05 PM	Jorge Rivera
Creede Simpson went 1-4 with a BB. Torsten Boss went 2-4. Joel Hutter went 1-4 with a Double, 2 RBI and a BB. Hector Veloz went 2-4 with a RBI. David Richardson pitched 3.0 innings with 5 H, 5 R, 3 K, 2 BB allowed. Alexander Santana (W, 1-0) pitched 4.0 innings with 1 H, 0 R, 3 K, 2 BB allowed. Jose Nivar pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed. Janser Severino (S, 1) pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 0 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

The post Minor League Scores – 9/4/12 appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

Below are a few prospects that I think have flown under the radar in the Orioles’ minor league system. Some of them have been through a few road bumps, while some have simply been forgotten. At the end of the day, these players have displayed skills in some aspect of the game that make them useful assets down the road. I’m not saying they are top prospects, or they are definitely going to produce, but that there are tools some teams in the future may deem useful.

Brian Ward

I’ve been a strong Ward supporter since first seeing him play in 2010 at Frederick. He was signed by the Orioles as a non-drafted free agent in 2009 out of Lewis-Clark (Idaho) State College. Yes, Ward is 26 years old and at AA Bowie. Yes, he has struggled at the plate. Yes, he missed 50 games earlier this season. However, I do not want to linger on the negatives with Ward. There is one underlying detail with his game that far exceeds anything else. His defensive ability is top tier and the backbone of his game.

Ward continuously proves how talented of a catcher he is every time I see him play. His arm behind the plate is absolutely plus. I’ve seen him gun down runners countless amounts of time. I have him unofficially clocked at a pop time of 1.82, which is very good. That was based off two in-game throws I timed earlier in the year. Don mentioned that the best pop time from Ward was 1.71 and most hover around 1.79 to 1.82. So it sure seems like I timed him on a bad day.

Rarely does he sail a throw and is quite excellent at the the one-hop throw to second base. The footwork behind the plate is tremendous, and he rarely is found in a wrong position on a ball bounced in the dirt. With good footwork usually comes good blocking skills. The thing that might impress me the most about Ward is the connection with the pitching staff. I’ve noticed a trend that most the pitchers generally seem to be in-sync with Ward at all times, and he really handles the game well. He is an intangible rock-star behind the plate.

The bat was probably hurt the most with the missed time this year. He’s really been turning it on lately though. Ward has always been one known with a keen eye at the plate. Just look at the BB/K ratio he has over the past years. 2009 (20/16), 2010 (39/58), 2011 (42/54), and 2012 (22/21). It’s simply a tough skill to teach a player, and Ward has proven time after time to have a good approach at the plate with selective discipline. His bat may not have the most pop or the flashiest of skills, but he can provide enough offense to be a serviceable backup for a MLB club.

Overall, I think Ward is often the forgotten man in the system, and it’s largely because defense is not publicized in the minors like hitting. People remember the guy hitting .320 with 20 HR, but often forget the man behind the plate whom is carrying a pitching staff. Ward could easily be a fine defensive catcher down the road for a club, if given the chance.

Buck Britton

Buck is another older player at Bowie that a lot of people do not buzz about. He is mostly known as the older brother of Zach Britton. However, he should not be cast aside so quickly. Buck was a 35th round selection in the 2008 draft. Add that along with his relatively older age and most people are not going to think much about the player. But there are a few things to like about the game he brings to the table.

Britton, first and foremost, is a versatile player whom I would rate above-average defensively at multiple positions. He can player second, third, first and the corner outfield with ease. He’s primarily played the outfield this year with Jonathan Schoop taking time at second. Britton has good enough footwork at second, and has very good hands. He has a smooth feel that I like to call “the golden touch”. You just feel comfortable when a ball is hit his way. The range is good enough

where I think he could easily work as a utility guy at the next level. I’m not sure how he would handle the SS position (I haven’t seen him play there before). In the outfield he makes solid routes and his agility makes up for the lack of true speed he has. Again, I see no reason why he could not play any of these positions at the major league level.

The bat is obviously the question when it comes to Buck. As with Ward, people will scoff at a 26 year old player at the AA level. However, the Eastern League is not all that different from the International league in terms of talent. The Eastern league is known for pitcher parks and a lot of teams hoard their pitching prospects at this level. Bowie is the quintessential pitchers park with the spacious outfield and a swirling wind within the stadium at times. Buck doesn’t seem to have a problem hitting there though.

Buck has a very solid approach at the plate. He does not expand the zone too often and his minor league experience has clearly paid off. He can work a walk (9.3 BB% this year) but does have a few holes in his swing (14.4 K% this year). He has a contact oriented approach with a fairly small load and compact swing. He is a spray hitter who uses the entire field to his cause and can surprise sometimes with the pop that comes off the bat. His bat would work well as a utility player as mentioned above, and he is a guy that I think gets a crack at the big league level at one point down the road.

Ronnie Welty

It feels like Welty has been around forever, yet he was only drafted in 2008 (20th round) by the Orioles. He has seen some ups and downs throughout his journey in the minor leagues. He was never a highly touted prospect, but at a time when the system was barren he absolutely stood out. Over the past year or so it seems he has been the forgotten man at Bowie. Welty has always put together solid numbers throughout the minors. He is a career .283 hitter in the minors with an OBP above .350. However, the strikeouts are a huge problem for him. He has a K% over 25% every year except 2012. He only has a little over 120 plate appearances at Bowie this season due to injuries.

I’ve seen Welty a a lot over the past two years at Frederick and Bowie. There is no doubt that he is still a free swinger and will expand the zone. His bat speed is above-average and he is certainly a good athlete. Welty has always been weak against the change up, and it’s pretty much the same case this year although he has definitely gotten a little better at staying back on it. When he is on his game, he is driving the ball gap to gap.

In the field Welty is just average. Welty is an athlete and can make up for poor reads and judgment with that athleticism. He does not make the best reads but it is not the end of the world for him. There are players in the majors right now with worse fielding skills than he has. His arm is above-average and it probably is suitable enough for the outfield.

Welty is another player with some nice skills but might have to wait out his time for the big league club. He may not ever break with the Orioles, but some team will give him a chance down the road. A big key for his game would be to limit the strikeouts. He does not have the pure power to have that as a passable deficiency.

Jerome Pena

Pena is the little engine that could. The 38th round selection from the 2011 draft has not been talked about much. He started out the year in Aberdeen at age 23. Obviously that was a little old for the league, but he quickly forced his way to a promotion. At Delmarva and Frederick, he has provided us with a better idea of how his skills translate against better talent.

While Pena may not be the brightest star in the Frederick clubhouse, he certainly has a few tools that I like. He has a fairly short swing which is very compacted. It’s a perfect mold for him since he severely lacks power. He’s your typical dink and dunk kind of player. While watching him at Aberdeen, he was mostly hitting line drives and ground balls through the infield. That’s not a knock on Pena, but it does probably limit some of the upside he has down the road. He is a switch hitter, which is always a plus to me. When a player can show versatility in any form, it notches them up one or two in my book. Pena does expand the zone at times, and it’s the second downfall to his bat besides the minimal power. When he is at his best, he is poking the ball to all parts of the field. As a second basemen, I think his bat is sustainable. It’s probably an uphill battle for him, but plenty of players have done it before.

Defensively, Pena is probably average at second. He has decent footwork and an athletic mold, but not top tier. I would probably rate him closer to average in all aspects, including his arm. realistically, his upside all relies on how he handles better pitching at the higher levels. So far so good, but A is a large difference between AA.

The thing I like about Pena is that he has come from a late round pick to a guy forcing himself to get recognition. It’s a tough road for Pena, but playing well at each level will get noticed. He is younger and further down the line than the three players mentioned above. Next year will give a much better idea of Pena’s ability. Until then, he has shown up on my radar and is a guy I’ll keep an eye on for 2013.

The post 2012 Under The Radar Players appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

• The game was postponed due to inclement weather.
• Rick Zagone will start game 2 of the double-header.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Erie 2, Bowie 4	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
74-61	Box Score	Erie SeaWolves	Home	7:05 PM	Eddie Gamboa
Antoan Richardson went 1-3 with a Double. Jonathan Schoop went 0-3 with a RBI. Tyler Kelly went 1-3 with a RBI, BB and SB. Buck Britton went 2-4 with a Double, RBI and SB. Ronnie Welty went 2-3 with a Double and BB. Dylan Bundy (W, 2-0) pitched 5.1 innings with 4 H, 2 R, 6 K, 4 BB allowed. Chris Petrini pitched 1.2 innings with 2 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed. Clayton Schrader pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 0 K, 0 BB allowed. Kyler Newby (S, 18) pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 3 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Frederick 0, Salem 1	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
58-75	Box Score	Salem Red Sox	Away	7:05 PM	Trent Howard
Jerome Pena went 1-3 with a BB. Brenden Webb went 1-3 with a BB. Mike Flacco went 2-4. Tyler Wilson (L, 7-7) pitched 7.0 innings with 3 H, 1 R, 10 K, 0 BB allowed. Matthew Bischoff pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 0 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Lakewood 4, Delmarva 0	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
50-82	Box Score	Lakewood BlueClaws	Home	7:05 PM	Eduardo Rodriguez
Gregory Lorenzo went 1-3 with a Double. Adrian Marin went 0-3. Connor Narron went 2-3 with a BB. Roderick Bernadina went 1-3 with a BB. Zach Davies (L, 5-7) pitched 4.1 innings with 6 H, 3 R, 4 K, 4 BB allowed. Eric Wooten pitched 3.1 innings with 4 H, 1 R, 5 K, 2 BB allowed. Gene Escat pitched 1.0 inning with 2 H, 0 R, 0 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Brooklyn 6, Aberdeen 3	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
25-43	Box Score	Staten Island Yankees	Home	7:05 PM	David Richardson
Anthony Vega went 2-4 with a Double, RBI and BB. Torsten Boss went 3-5 with a Triple and 2 RBI. Hector Veloz went 1-3. Branden Kline pitched 3.0 innings with 2 H, 0 R, 3 K, 2 BB allowed. Cameron Coffey pitched 3.2 innings with 5 H, 3 R (2 ER), 3 K, 1 BB allowed. Josh Hader pitched 1.1 innings with 1 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed. Tom Winegardner pitched 1.0 inning with 1 H, 0 R, 0 K, 0 BB allowed. Bennett Parry (L, 0-3) pitched 2.0 innings with 2 H, 3 R (0 ER), 1 K, 2 BB allowed.
Notes

The post Minor League Scores – 8/28/12 appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Erie 0, Bowie 6	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
73-61	Box Score	Erie SeaWolves	Home	7:05 PM	Dylan Bundy
Antoan Richardson went 2-4 with a SB. Jonathan Schoop went 1-3 with 2 BB. Robbie Widlansky went 2-4 with a Double and 2 RBI. Rhyne Hughes went 2-4 with a Solo HR. Ronnie Welty went 2-4 with 2 HR and 3 RBI. Tommy Hunter (W, 1-0) pitched 9.0 innings with 2 H, 0 R, 4 K, 1 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
		Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
58-74	OFF	Salem Red Sox	Away	7:00 PM	Tyler Wilson
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
		Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
50-81	OFF	Lakewood BlueClaws	Home	7:05 PM	Parker Bridwell
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Brooklyn 2, Aberdeen 1	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
25-42	Box Score	Brooklyn Cyclones	Home	7:05 PM	Branden Kline
Creede Simpson went 1-4. Torsten Boss went 2-4 with a Double. Cameron Edman went 2-4 with a Double. Manuel Hernandez went 1-3. Lex Rutledge (L, 0-2) pitched 3.0 innings with 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 4 K, 1 BB allowed. Jaime Esquivel pitched 4.0 innings with 3 H, 1 R, 3 K, 1 BB allowed. Jose Nivar pitched 2.0 innings with 0 H, 0 R, 2 K, 1 BB allowed.
Notes
Kris Richards was promoted to Aberdeen. Cory Segui was promoted to Aberdeen.

The post Minor League Scores – 8/27/12 appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

• Xavier Avery went 0-3 with 3 BB.
• L.J. Hoes went 1-6 with 2 RBI.
• Ryan Flaherty went 1-5 with a BB.
• Endy Chavez went 2-4 with a Double and RBI.
• Steve Tolleson went 1-3 with a RBI and BB.
• Zach Clark pitched 5.0 innings with 5 H, 2 R, 4 K, 5 BB allowed.
• Oscar Villarreal pitched 3.0 innings with 2 h, 1 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed.
• Greg Burke (W, 2-1) pitched 2.2 innings with 2 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed.
• Zach Phillips (S, 6) pitched 0.1 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 0 K, 0 BB allowed.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Bowie 3, Richmond 4	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
68-60	Box Score	Richmond Flying Squirrels	Away	7:05 PM	Rick Zagone
Jonathan Schoop went 0-3 with a BB. Tyler Kelly went 1-4. Robbie Widlansky went 2-4 with a Double, HR and 3 RBI. Dylan Bundy pitched 6.0 innings with 5 H, 2 R, 4 K, 1 BB allowed. Clayton Schrader pitched 1.0 inning with 1 H, 0 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed. Andy Loomis pitched 1.0 inning with 1 H, 0 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed. Kyler Newby (L, 5-4) pitched 0.1 inning with 3 H, 2 R, 1 K, 2 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Frederick 6, Wilmington 4	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
53-71	Wilmington 2, Frederick 5	Wilmington Blue Rocks	Home	7:00 PM	Tim Berry
Game 1 (Suspended Game): Steve Bumbry went 2-3 with 2 RBI. Jerome Pena went 2-4 with a Double. Michael Rooney went 2-4 with a Double. Dylan Bundy pitched 2.2 innings with 0 H, 0 R, 3 K, 1 BB allowed. Matt Bywater (W, 1-1) pitched 3.1 innings with 3 H, 1 R, 3 K, 1 BB allowed. Brandon Erbe pitched 2.0 innings with 2 H, 2 R, 2 K, 2 BB allowed. Zach Fowler (S, 1) pitched 1.0 inning with 2 H, 1 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed. Game 2: Jerome Pena went 1-2. Brenden Webb went 0-2 with a BB. Allan de San Miguel went 1-2 with a RBI and BB. Jeremy Nowak went 1-3 with a HR and 3 RBI. Steve Bumbry went 2-3 with a Double and Solo HR. Devin Jones (W, 6-0) pitched 7.0 innings with 6 H, 2 R, 5 K, 1 BB allowed.
Notes
Game 1 was the continuation of a suspended game. Johnny Ruettiger was placed on the DL.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Delmarva 4, Lakewood 6	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
48-78	Box Score	Lakewood BlueClaws	Away	7:05 PM	Zach Davies
Gregory Lorenzo went 1-5. Roderick Bernadina went 1-5. Connor Narron went 1-3 with a BB. Michael Ohlman went 2-3 with a Double and RBI. Sammie Starr went 2-4 with a Double and RBI. Lucas Herbst went 1-4 with a HR and 2 RBI. Parker Bridwell pitched 5.0 innings with 3 H, 1 R, 1 K, 4 BB allowed. Jesse Beal pitched 2.0 innings with 4 H, 3 R, 3 K, 1 BB allowed. Gene Escat (L, 2-2) pitched 1.2 innings with 2 H, 2 R, 2 K, 1 BB allowed.
Notes
Glynn Davis was promoted to Frederick. Mike Planeta was placed on the DL.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Aberdeen 0, Connecticut 3	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
24-36	Box Score	Lowell Spinners	Home	7:05 PM	Lex Rutledge
Creede Simpson went 1-4. Sam Kimmel went 1-3 with a Triple and BB. Sebastian Vader (L, 1-6) pitched 7.0 innings with 6 H, 3 R (2 ER), 6 K, 0 BB allowed. Tommy Winegardner pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes
Lucas Herbst was promoted to Delmarva.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Red Sox 2, Orioles 1	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
24-30	Box Score	GCL Red Sox	Home	12:00 PM	N/A
Raymond Hunnicutt went 1-3 with a BB and SB. Hector Veloz went 0-2 with 2 BB. Andres Aguilar went 1-2 with a RBI. Elias Pinales (L, 1-2) pitched 4.0 innings with 4 H, 1 R, 6 K, 2 BB allowed. Jake Pintar pitched 2.0 innings with 1 H, 1 R, 1 K, 1 BB allowed. Ron Schreurs pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed. Joe Rosan pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 1 K, 1 BB allowed. Chris Green pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed.

The post Minor League Scores – 8/20/12 appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

• Ryan Flaherty went 4-4 with a Solo HR.
• Joe Mahoney went 1-4 with a RBI.
• L.J. Hoes went 2-4 with a HR and 3 RBI.
• Jason Berken pitched 6.2 innings with 6 H, 2 R (1 ER), 4 K, 2 BB allowed.
• Brian Matusz pitched 1.0 inning with 2 H, 2 R, 1 K, 2 BB allowed.
• Zach Phillips (W, 2-2) pitched 1.1 innings with 0 H, 0 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Bowie 3, Trenton 4	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
68-59	Box Score	Trenton Thunder	Away	7:05 PM	Dylan Bundy
Jonathan Schoop went 0-4 with a BB. Tyler Kelly went 2-4 with a Triple and BB. Buck Britton went 2-4 with a Double, RBI and BB. Timothy Bascom pitched 6.0 innings with 2 H, 2 R, 4 K, 3 BB allowed. Mike Belfiore (L, 4-1) pitched 1.1 innings with 2 H, 2 R (1 ER), 0 K, 1 BB allowed. Robert Hinton pitched 0.2 innings with 0 H, 0 R, 0 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Winston-Salem , Frederick	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
53-71	POSTPONED	Wilmington Blue Rocks	Home	5:00 PM	Devin Jones
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Hagerstown 8, Delmarva 2	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
48-77	Box Score	Lakewood BlueClaws	Away	7:00 PM	Parker Bridwell
Gregory Lorenzo went 1-4 with a SB. Connor Narron went 1-4 with a BB. Michael Ohlman went 0-2 with a RBI and 2 B. Roderick Bernadina went 0-2 with a RBI and 2 BB. Jason Esposito went 0-2 with 2 BB. Williams Louico went (L, 0-6) pitched 2.2 innings with 6 H, 5 R (4 ER), 1 K, 4 BB allowed. Eric Wooten pitched 5.0 innings with 5 H, 2 R, 4 K, 0 BB allowed. Bobby Wilkins pitched 1.1 innings with 3 H, 1 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Aberdeen 0, Connecticut 5	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
24-35	Box Score	Connecticut Tigers	Away	7:05 PM	Sebastian Vader
Lucas Herbst went 1-3. Will Howard went 1-3. Brady Wager pitched 6.0 innings with 6 H, 0 R, 5 K, 1 BB allowed. Jose Nivar (L, 2-1) pitched 2.0 innings with 5 H, 5 R (1 ER), 1 K, 1 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
		Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
24-29	OFF	GCL Red Sox	Home	12:00 PM	N/A

The post Minor League Scores – 8/19/12 appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

Gausman, pitching 123 1/2 innings as an All-American sophomore at LSU this past spring, started out his professional career in Sarasota for instruction.

The 21-year old had seriously considered returning for his junior year at school before the Orioles signed him to a last-second deal, just before the deadline in mid-July. The deal included a signing bonus worth $4.32 million, which is the third largest in O’s franchise history–just behind Matt Wieters’ $6 million in ’07 and Manny Machado’s $5.25 million in 2010.

In early August Gausman received news that he would be called up to short season Single-A Aberdeen to make his professional debut with the IronBirds on Monday August 6.

On a three-inning limit, Gausman was near-flawless in his debut with the ‘Birds, striking out two batters and not allowing a single hit. Combined with his second start, and home debut, six days later and Gausman has put up a stat line of six innings pitched, one hit and five strikeouts against his 19 batters faced.

His six shutout innings over a one week span was all it took for team officials to give him the nod for another call-up.

Skipping the Low-A Delmarva Shorebirds and heading straight to High-A Frederick, the 21-year old will make his debut with the Keys on Saturday August 18 at Harry Grove Stadium.

On his way to Frederick, Gausman made a stop at Double-A Bowie on Wednesday afternoon. Joining the team one day after Dylan Bundy threw 5 1/3 innings in his first Double-A start, Gausman threw a bullpen session in the afternoon and joined the team, in uniform, in the dugout for its matchup with the Erie SeaWolves.

“I watched briefly,” Manager Gary Kendall said of Gausman’s afternoon ‘pen session. “He’s got a great presence about him and I’ve heard nothing but good things. To me he seems like a very likable guy and he fits in well here.”

The 6’4”/185 pounder is known for his mid-90s fastball and his knack to attack hitters, in addition to his quirkiness. His mix of fastballs and change-ups may be what most impresses many scouts, as well as the movement he has on his fastball–which he has great command of.

Bowie coaches weren’t able to get an in-depth look at Gausman during his afternoon session, considering it was just a one day stop in. But Kendall wasn’t the only one who was impressed.

Pitching coach Kennie Steenstra, a former minor league pitcher himself, seemed most impressed by the youngster’s strength.

“He’s got a frame that he can fill out and lots of arm strength,” Steenstra said following Bowie’s third consecutive win against Erie. “He had a nice game of long toss before he started throwing.

“I can see why the Orioles like him.”

Alongside Bundy, the organization’s top two prospects just so happen to be powerful, flame-throwing right handed starting pitchers with a lot of upside.

With the Orioles suddenly in the middle of a playoff push in mid-August, things could get interesting in the coming years as Gausman continues to mature and grow into a top-of-the-rotation pitcher.

The post Gausman Makes Stop in Bowie on his Way to High-A Frederick appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

Bundy did not disappoint, and showed some obvious improvements from the first time I saw him this season.

Photo: Ted Williams

Just like Kevin Gausman on Sunday, Bundy went right after hitters and absolutely pounded the bottom of the strike zone, as evidenced by the chart below.

One thing that Bundy has clearly improved upon is the command of his changeup. As you can see in the chart below, Bundy did not throw a single changeup in the upper two-thirds of the zone. All of his changeups were well located and down in the zone.

Bundy’s fastball was in the 93-97 mph range and his command of it was very good. A lot of the fastballs on the lower-edges of the plate could have been called strikes if thrown in the same location again. They were that close.

There was so much movement on Bundy’s fastball that at times I had to check on the velocity of a pitch to determine whether or not it was a fastball or changeup. There was a fan sitting in front of us who at one point thought Bundy’s fastball was a slider due to the movement on it.

Even when Bundy did not get a call his way, he did not show signs of frustration and stayed focused on the mound. Bundy is known for having great determination and a good head on his shoulders, and his composure last night was a perfect example of that.

He floated a couple curves, but overall Bundy showed a pretty good feel for his curveball, which has two-plane break and good depth. He managed to get a few check swings on some of his curveballs in the dirt.

Bundy still was not throwing his cutter, and will not be throwing it in the minors this season in order to further develop his other pitches.

As shown in the chart, Bundy’s control throughout the entire game was outstanding. Notice the entire blank area in the upper third of the strike zone. If the umpire had been a bit more generous he would not have issued three walks.

It was only one start, but a 19-year-old holding his own at Double-A isn’t something that happens often. And Bundy did just that.

For more on Dylan Bundy‘s Bowie debut, be sure to read Ben’s interview with Bundy and pitching coach Kennie Steenstra.

Fastball 71

Changeup 13

Curveball 12

The post Dylan Bundy Game Scouting Report – 8/14/2012 appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

(Photo: Ted Williams)

While in Single-A Delmarva (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 40 Ks in eight starts) and High-A Frederick (6-3, 2.98 ERA, 63 Ks in 11 starts) Bundy was monitored closely and early on was limited to three innings per outing.

In Bowie, however, Bundy was unleashed and free of an inning limit. But much like his previous two stints in Low-A and High-A, Bundy was forbidden to use his cutter–arguably his best pitch. Lasting 5 1/3 innings, Bundy proved that a higher level of play is not enough to slow down his production, even at the young age of 19.

Bundy has been instructed not to use cutter so that he can work on his command and improve upon the rest of the pitches in his arsenal. He relied heavily on fastballs ranging from 94 to 96 miles per hour and topping off at 97 throughout his five-hit performance.

“I’ve gotta work on my off-speed and fastball command. My change-up is coming along,” Bundy told a group of press members following the second game of the doubleheader.

His change-up, according to pitching coach Kennie Steenstra, was his best pitch of the night as he works to improve his command over off-speed pitches.

“He pitched well tonight,” Steenstra said following the debut. “I was really impressed with the amount of strikes he threw. I thought he had better command of his change-up than of his fastball.”

A September call-up has been rumored and speculated over the last few days, especially after the emergence of Manny Machado, jumping from Double-A to the Majors and making an immediate impact at the age of 20. But Bundy seems content with sticking in Bowie for the remainder of the month and seeing what the organization decides to do with him afterwards.

“I’m not worried about September at all, I’m worried about August,” Bundy stated, shooting down any speculation as to whether he’s ready for the bigs yet. “I wouldn’t say I’m very close at all. It’s only my first start, I have to keep progressing from here.”

One of his many strengths was on display, as he left well under 20% of his pitches up in the zone. Working the lower half of the plate, Bundy worked hitters quickly and wasn’t afraid to make them chase a 77 MPH curveball in the dirt.

Photo: Craig Madiou

His fastball clearly showed no signs of slowing up upon entering the sixth inning, continuing to hit the 94-95 range (according to the official PG’s Stadium radar gun). But late in his outing he showed signs of fatigue as he fell behind in a couple of at bats and walked a couple of batters before lefty Mike Belfiore finally relieved Bundy of his duties.

Bundy denied that he had shown signs of fatigue, stating “I could go 120, 130 pitches right now.”

Kicking himself over the three walks he surrendered against SeaWolves batters, Bundy seemed confident that he could have gone at least seven innings had he made some adjustments. That will all come with time and experience at the Double-A level.

The biggest agenda for the Baltimore organization and top prospect Dylan Bundy is for him to get his feet wet at the Double-A level and continue to progress in terms of command on his off-speed pitches, which Bundy is completely focused on.

There is no known timetable stating when/where he’d be allowed to throw his cutter, the No. 1 pitch in his deep arsenal of pitches.

One thing is known for sure at this point in time. If Dylan, at age 19, can be this dominant at the Single-A and Double-A levels without his best pitch, there’s no telling the amount of damage that will be done once the organization releases him of pitch counts and opens up his full arsenal.

The post Bundy’s Double-A Debut a Huge Success, Records First Win appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

Index

• 0:00 – Introduction.
• 0:15 – Jordan and Tucker share their thoughts from Bundy’s Bowie debut.

The post Podcast Episode #2: Scouting Dylan Bundy’s Double-A Debut appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

• Endy Chavez went 0-4.
• L.J. Hoes went 1-4.
• Ryan Flaherty went 0-4.
• Joe Mahoney went 1-4.
• Luis Exposito went 1-3 with a Double.
• Blake Davis went 1-3 with a RBI.
• Brandon Waring went 1-2.
• Jason Berken (L, 4-5) pitched 5.0 innings with 7 H, 3 R, 6 K, 2 BB allowed.
• Pat Egan pitched 3.0 innings with 1 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed.
• Pedro Viola pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 0 K, 1 BB allowed.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Erie 3, Bowie 5	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
64-58	Erie 0, Bowie 6	Erie SeaWolves	Home	7:05 PM	Rick Zagone
Game 1: Josh Barfield went 1-2 with a Double, RBI and BB. Jonathan Schoop went 0-2 with a BB. Ronnie Welty went 2-3. Zelous Wheeler went 1-3 with a Solo HR. Brian Ward went 1-2 with a RBI. Dylan Bundy (W, 1-0) pitched 5.1 innings with 5 H, 3 R (2 ER), 3 K, 3 BB allowed. Mike Belfiore pitched 0.2 innings with 1 H, 0 R, 1 K, 1 BB allowed. Kyler Newby (S, 14) pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 3 K, 0 BB allowed. Game 2: Jonathan Schoop went 1-3 with a BB. Tyler Kelly went 2-2 with 4 RBI. Robbie Widlansky went 0-2 with 2 BB. Caleb Joseph went 1-4. Rhyne Hughes went 1-3 with 2 RBI. Josh Barfield went 2-3 with a Double. Tim Bascom (W, 6-6) pitched 6.0 innings with 2 H, 0 R, 6 K, 2 BB allowed. Clayton Schrader pitched 1.0 inning with 1 H, 0 R, 1 K, 1 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Frederick 5, Carolina 2	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
51-69	Box Score	Carolina Mudcats	Away	7:15 PM	Tim Berry
Brenden Webb went 1-4 with a RBI and BB. Jerome Pena went 3-4 with 2 Doubles, and RBI and SB. Allan de San Miguel went 3-4 with a Double, RBI and SB. Michael Mosby went 1-3 with a BB. Devin Jones (W, 6-0) pitched 6.0 innings with 6 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed. Ryan Berry pitched 2.0 innings with 5 H, 2 R, 0 K, 0 BB allowed. David Walters (S, 12) pitched 1.0 inning with 1 H, 0 R, 0 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Delmarva 2, Kannapolis 6	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
48-72	Delmarva 6, Kannapolis 1	Kannapolis Intimidators	Away	5:00 PM	Zach Davies
Game 1: Gregory Lorenzo went 2-3 with a Triple. Connor Narron went 1-4 with a Double. Mychal Givens went 1-3 with a HR and 2 RBI. Williams Louico pitched 3.0 innings with 2 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed. Parker Bridwell (L, 2-6) pitched 4.0 innings with 6 H, 5 R, 2 K, 3 BB allowed. Bobby Wilkins pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 0 K, 1 BB allowed. Game 2: Glynn Davis went 1-3 with a Double and BB. Sammie Starr went 2-4 with 2 Doubles. Michael Ohlman went 3-4 with a HR and 4 RBI. Connor Narron went 1-3 with a RBI and BB. Dudley Leonora went 1-3 with a Double. Gregory Lorenzo went 1-3. Eric Wooten (W, 2-2) pitched 5.0 innings with 4 H, 1 R, 3 K, 0 BB allowed. Gene Escat pitched 2.0 innings with 0 H, 0 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
		Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
23-31	OFF	Lowell Spinners	Away	7:05 PM	Lex Rutledge
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Orioles 3, Twins 0	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
23-27	Twins 2, Orioles 0	GCL Twins	Home	12:00 PM	N/A
Game 1: Raymond Hunnicutt went 1-2 with a BB and SB. Adrian Marin went 1-3. Manuel Hernandez went 0-2 with a BB. Hector Veloz went 1-3 with a Double and 2 RBI. Domingo Salas (W, 3-1) pitched 5.0 innings with 5 H, 0 R, 6 K, 1 BB allowed. Joe Rosan pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed. Josh Hader (S, 2) pitched 1.0 inning with 1 H, 0 R, 3 K, 0 BB allowed. Game 2: Dan Pellegrino went 1-2. Raymond Hunnicutt went 1-4. Elias Pinales pitched 5.0 innings with 3 H, 0 R, 5 K, 2 BB allowed. Chris Green pitched 1.0 inning with 1 H, 0 R, 3 K, 0 BB allowed. Joseph Yermal (L, 0-1) pitched 3.0 innings with 3 H, 2 R (0 ER), 2 K, 0 BB allowed.

The post Minor League Scores – 8/14/12 appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

Jordan posted some sleeper prospects earlier this season.

Juan Guzman

Guzman has touched 95 MPH with his fastball, although it generally sits around 91-93.

Talk about a lightning arm. The RHP Guzman has touched 95 MPH with his fastball, although it generally sits around 91-93. He started out the year in the NYPL, where I was able to catch him pitch a few times.  While a little old for the league at 21, he was absolutely dominant.

When I say dominant, I mean he was literally untouchable at times. He struck out 11 batters in one game, while the only run he gave up came on a HR. He finished his time at Aberdeen with a 1.66 ERA with 43 K’s in 38.0 innings.

While everyone knew he had a good fastball, the primary concern was his secondary arsenal. This is where I think Guzman has made some strides. His curve has shown much better break, and was baffling NYPL hitters. He has now been promoted to Delmarva and currently they have him working in the bullpen.  I think Guzman eventually lands in there, although they may move him back to the rotation next season. He has dominated at each level in his career, and it’s worth noting until he falters.

Even when he does, that arm is electric and could be a nice piece to the bullpen down the road. Guzman ranked 27 overall on our Combined 2012 Mid-Season Top 30 Prospects List.

Gregory Lorenzo

The 21 year old may not be the flashiest ball-player in the world, but he has some tools that I really like. He is a speedy Dominican with a solid athletic frame. He has the ability to be a productive player if he can calm down his swing. He’s always been all over the place with his mechanics at the plate.

However, it seems that something clicked in 2012. He’s certainly calmed down his hips enough where he is not completely stepping out at the plate. He still is showing wasted motion, but it’s been encouraging to see some form of improvement.

Lorenzo is a sleeper because if he ever learns to calm the swing down entirely, he could provide solid value. He has some ways to go, but I’ve seen worse talents come to light. The main issue is that it took him a while to get out of the DSL, so his game has some catching up to do with the rest of the field. However, Lorenzo has earned his promotions this season and that’s pretty much all one can ask for.

Jaime Esquivel

Esquivel is another intriguing but raw arm in the Orioles system.

Esquivel is another intriguing but raw arm in the Orioles system. He has a fastball which ranges anywhere from 88-92 from my experiences watching him. He still has some potential velocity to add on down the road with some natural growth. He also shows a good deal of deception on his delivery, which really seemed to fool some of the players in the NYPL.

He has a nice little curve ball that he works in-and-out, and from my experience it seems to be his best out pitch. He was able to throw it in the dirt quite a few times and miss bats. His change up sits around 80 and I would rate it average right now.

The best part about Esquivel is that he gets a lot of weird looking swings on his secondary stuff. It’s the main reason why I like him, and depending on how they develop I could see him being a nice find. He had an injury that put him on the shelf this season for a little bit, but he is a guy to keep an eye on. Esquivel ranked 31 overall on our Combined 2012 Mid-Season Top 30 Prospects List.

Jose Nivar

Nivar is a converted Outfielder. To put it plain and simple, he is the longest of long-shots in the system. He has a lot of work ahead of him. That does not mean he lacks talent. Besides Dylan Bundy, Nivar has one of the better arms in the system. He can consistently pump his fastball around 94-97, occasionally touching 99 (!) MPH. However, with an arm that electric, we often lose sight of command.

Nivar has trouble hitting the broadside of a barn. He is the epitome of wild. The arm keeps reeling us in though. His secondary pitches are not very good right now, although his slider showed me some potential. He’s 23 years old, but remember he has not been pitching long at all. Nivar may never find any command at all, but the potential live arm will keep me intrigued. He’s been maddening to watch in the NYPL, but sometimes flashes brilliance on the mound.

The post Sleeper Prospects In The Orioles System appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

• L.J. Hoes went 2-4.
• Ryan Adams went 1-4.
• Bill Hall went 1-4.
• Xavier Avery went 1-3.
• Zach Britton (L, 4-2) pitched 3.2 innings with 3 H, 6 R, 7 K, 4 BB allowed.
• Greg Burke pitched 2.1 innings with 0 H, 0 R, 0 K, 0 BB allowed.
• Oscar Villarreal pitched 2.0 innings with 2 H, 0 R, 4 K, 1 BB allowed.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
		Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
62-58	OFF	Erie SeaWolves	Home	6:05 PM DH	Dylan Bundy
Notes
Tim Bascom will start the second game of the Doubleheader.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Frederick 5, Carolina 9	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
50-69	Box Score	Carolina Mudcats	Away	7:15 PM	N/A
Johnny Ruettiger went 1-4 with a BB. Jerome Pena went 1-4 with a Double and BB. Brenden Webb went 0-1 with 3 BB and a SB. Allan de San Miguel went 1-4 with a Double and 2 RBI. Michael Mosby went 2-4 with 2 Doubles, 2 RBI and a BB. Matt Bywater (L, 0-2) pitched 3.1 innings with 8 H, 6 R, 3 K, 1 BB allowed. Eric Beaulac pitched 3.2 innings with 4 H, 3 R, 5 K, 2 BB allowed. Brandon Erbe pitched 1.0 inning with 1 H, 0 R, 0 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Delmarva 0, Kannapolis 7	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
47-71	Delmarva 3, Kannapolis 4	Kannapolis Intimidators	Away	5:00 PM DH	Parker Bridwell
Game 1: Roderick Bernadina went 1-4. Michael Ohlman went 1-4. Zach Davies (L, 4-4) pitched 2.0 innings with 2 H, 1 R, 3 K, 1 BB allowed. Miguel Chalas pitched 5.0 innings with 6 H, 3 R, 4 K, 0 BB allowed. Alex Schmarzo pitched 2.0 innings with 3 H, 3 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed. Game 2 Connor Narron went 1-3. Michael Ohlman went 1-3. Mike Planeta went 2-3 with a RBI. Mychal Givens went 1-2 with a BB. Gregory Lorenzo went 2-3 with a RBI. Williams Louico (L, 0-5) pitched 4.2 innings with 2 H, 4 R (0 ER), 4 K, 4 BB allowed. Jesse Beal pitched 1.1 inning with 1 H, 0 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes
Eric Wooten will start the second game of the Doubleheader.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
		Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
23-31	OFF	OFF
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Twins , Orioles	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
22-26	POSTPONED	GCL Twins	Home	11:00 AM DH	N/A

The post Minor League Scores – 8/13/12 appeared first on Orioles-Nation.