It showed this season, as the pitching was very inconsistent and took their road bumps along the way. The hitters also went on cold-streaks and games without scoring runs. Overall it was a frustrating season for this short-season club, but there were plenty of good things that happened as well.

Below are some observations and thoughts on the year, as I was able to see many of these players multiple times in my trips to Ripken Stadium. I could not fit everyone on here, but I would welcome any discussion on the players not listed on the forums.

Tom Winegardner

Tommy probably was the most surprising guy in the entire system this season. He started the year as a utility player shuttling from Aberdeen and Delmarva. By the end of the year, he had become the closer for the Ironbirds and had an ERA below 1.00. I was actually in attendance for his first appearance out of the bullpen, but thought nothing of it since the game was a blowout at the time. However, Winegardner continued to pitch this season and raise some eyebrows. His final line this season was 20.0 innings with 21 strikeouts, 4 walks and a 0.90 ERA. Truly a terrific start to his pitching career. Winegardner was sitting mostly in the 88-92 mph range the three times I saw him. He touched 93 on two occasions. He throws from a funky looking 3/4th arm slot and has a decent slider to go along with his fastball. The slider sits around the 76-79 mph range and is absolutely his strikeout pitch. I am excited to see him progress next season pitching full time. His arm was just average in the field, so count me as surprised this year seeing him hit 93 mph.

Sebastian Vader  

The 6′ 4” RHP had a nice season this year.  As one of the more athletic pitchers in the system, I was impressed with how Vader handled himself on the mound this year. The delivery is very smooth and I think there is some potential if he can continue repeating his delivery. Vader was pegged as very raw talent-wise before the season, and I feel he definitely improved in 2012 at Aberdeen. The fastball is deceptive enough where I think he can probably get away for a while with only throwing in the 90-92 mph range. His change-up and slider are definitely a step behind the fastball (as with most players in the NYPL). They will essentially dictate how far he goes down the road, as it is nearly impossible to rely solely on the fastball unless it is a cannon. He should be at Delmarva full-time next season. I wrote a game scouting report on Vader back in July.

Jose Nivar

Nivar is my favorite guy to dream on. I’ve probably made it well known by now, but I am obsessed with his cannon arm. He clocks it in the mid to upper 90′s at times, and truly has a lightning rod attached to his body. He also extremely struggles with location. That is what the entire 2012 season essentially was with Nivar; trying to find a medium between velocity and location. While he had spurts where success was noticeable, he ultimately reverted back to wildness and obscurity. He had more walks than strikeouts (30 to 27). But the most important thing is that he showed flashes! He’s only been pitching for a year or so full-time, so I’ll go easy on him for now. It will be interesting to see what the Orioles do with him next season. He realistically is way too old for even Delmarva next year, but the late arrival to the pitching scene obviously puts him on a different timeline than others. I labeled him a sleeper prospect back in August.

Cameron Coffey

I think the most important aspect of the 2012 season for Coffey was the lack of velocity. He still is not touching 90 mph, and that truly is worrisome. Coffey was a very talented arm in the past, and one does have to question whether he ever regains that velocity back. His secondary arsenal is actually impressive, and it primarily kept him above water this year. With the fastball only sitting 85-88 mph mostly, the secondary arsenal was a must. In the long run, I think Coffey learned quite a bit this season. I hope to see him regain form for next season, as he could really rocket if he ever does. As of now, he is one of those enigma’s that will go on to make us wonder what happened.

Mark Blackmar  

Blackmar had a solid ERA in his debut with the Ironbirds this season. He made seven starts and appeared in 14 games with a 3.57 ERA in 63.0 innings pitched. However, he simply was not missing enough bats. He only struck out 29 while walking 23. He still is sitting primarily around 88-91 mph, with a developing change and slider. I was able to catch Blackmar twice this year, once as a reliever and the other as a starter. While not missing entirely too many bats, he was getting an inordinate amount of ground balls, which is encouraging. While he may not blow away anyone, he could provide something out of the bullpen down the road. I just do not like him in the rotation because at the higher levels I see him having a hard time getting people to chase on the change and really think they will be able to pick up on him a second time through the lineup. Blackmar should start at Delmarva next year, and could be in their rotation for the simple fact of getting more work in.

Bennett Parry

Parry is a little stiff on his release but the talent is evident.. He has some nice movement on his two-seam fastball and he was working when I saw him at Aberdeen. Depending on how he fills out down the road, I could see a tick or two in velocity, which would obviously make him better. Right now he is sitting in the 88-90 mph range although I saw him touch 92 a couple times. It’s more about working out the mechanics with Parry (which is usually always the case with young pitchers). He is fairly tall, and he may take more time to iron out all the kinks before true results are seen. He did take a huge step forward this season. It should be curious to see where they start him at and whether in the pen or rotation. I think he works either way. Delmarva is the most likely destination but he could also be jumped to Frederick and work out of the pen.

Josh Hader

I was originally going to leave this review for players that were with the team primarily all year, but Hader was too impressive to leave off. I saw him pitch one inning, and came away thinking that I need to find a spot in my top 30 prospects list this off-season. That is how impressed I was. Hader is a lanky player with a ton of room to fill out down the road. As a LHP, he simply looks like he could be death on LHH down the road. It is downright scary to see the arm angle in which he attacks hitters with, and he hides the balls extremely well. He was sitting primarily 88-91 with his fastball and showed off a devastating curve and slider against the two lefties he faced. Jordan mentioned that a scout said they think he could start down the road. I can totally see that, and hope that it happens next year. I think he could start in the Delmarva rotation next year, although they could ease him in like Devin Jones was this year.

Juan Guzman

Guzman had the best results of any pitcher for the Ironbirds this season. He was a steamroller in the rotation until his promotion to Delmarva. I am only going to touch on Aberdeen though. The RHP has touched 95 MPH with his fastball, although it generally sits around 91-93. He finished his time at Aberdeen with a 1.66 ERA with 43 K’s in 38.0 innings. Guzman made strides this season with the secondary arsenal, although it was clear he was above the level of the NYPL. The promotion was easily warranted. In fact, Guzman never had an ERA over 3.00 in his first three seasons in the GCL, DSL, and NYPL. I wrote in more detail about him in August, as I labeled him a sleeper prospect.

Creede Simpson

Creede is a nice little utility player. I do not know how far he will go, but there is always use for a nice glove and a versatile player. He has a little pop and it is surprising how hard he can hit the ball when he makes contact. Of course, that is his main problem. The contact troubles are definitely a concern, and will dictate how far he goes down the road. At the very least, he can serve as a guy who comes off the bench in the minors and fills a bunch of holes for a team. He simply is not making enough contact right now, as the swing is a little long and has some holes in it. The report on Creede is that he can catch fire at times. I look for him to start at Delmarva off the bench next year. He could fill the role that Sammie Starr had in 2012.

Joel Hutter

Hutter was the 2012 Aberdeen Ironbird MVP. He has gap-to-gap hitting ability, and can drive the ball when on his game. The power is not HR power by any means, and he did not have one this season. He tailed off in the last month of the season at the plate, only hitting .083 in his last 10 games. Hutter has a good bat when considering he was signed for only $10,000. Defensively, he has minimal range and I do not think he sticks at SS beyond this year. It’s not to say he is an awful defender, but he is just a little too stiff and big for the position. I think a move to second base is probably ideal, although he may also be a little stiff there too. The bat does not work at third or the corner outfield. There is certainly some growth left in the hitting mechanics, and he does have a good approach at the plate for the most part. It will be interesting to see what the Orioles do with him next season. With Adrian Marin starting at Delmarva most likely, I am not sure where they place him.

Torsten Boss

Boss and Vader could go head to head in a battle for best name ever. Boss probably could also battle for the best hitter on the Ironbirds this season. He finished with a .257/.360/.414 batting line, which is relatively solid. As a big-time college guy, he was realistically well above the NYPL level of play, and could have been challenged more. However, I understand the getting-the-feet-wet process. Before the season, Boss showed a more elongated swing and the report out of the Cape Cod League was that he really struggled. He absolutely shortened the swing at Aberdeen, and looked better at the plate. There is still work to be done, but it bodes well for the future that progression was achieved. His swing is not violent, and he does make solid contact. I think the college level approach was very evident in the NYPL. He also primarily played third base, although I think that has more to do with the shallowness of the position in the Orioles system. I think he could play practically anywhere on the diamond. He is that talented of an athlete. For the time being, I am completely fine with him at third. Truth be told, we need to see him at higher levels before truly making a educated analysis on him. It sure does not hurt playing well though. He should easily start at Frederick next season, although I’m not sure what they do with Jason Esposito possibly getting moved up too.

Christian Walker

It’s tough to write much on Walker, as he only had 93 plate appearances. In his short time playing, he showed off above average contact, an above average approach, and some decent skills at first defensively. He is a guy that the Orioles are probably hoping can move quickly through the system, and hopefully develop some more power. As of now he still is not a big-time bat at the position, but there is certainly potential. He does get on base at an exceptional rate, and that does make one intrigued by him. He probably should start in Frederick next season, and that will give us a much better idea as to where he stands.

Manuel Hernandez

I was able to catch him at the rear-end of the season a few times. He has above-average bat speed and looks the part at the plate. He expanded the zone a ton though, and that is worrisome down the road against better pitching. I saw him crush a few mistakes this season though, and he certainly shows some pop in the bat. This is a guy who probably should have been at Aberdeen all year, although he has not entirely blown the cover off the ball at any level yet. It all depends on his discipline at the plate down the road, and he probably will start the year back at Aberdeen in 2013.

The post 2012 Aberdeen Ironbirds Season Review 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.

• L.J. Hoes went 1-5.
• Ryan Adams went 2-4.
• Ronny Paulino went 2-3 with a RBI and BB.
• Jamie Hoffman went 2-4 with a Solo HR.
• Zach Clark (W, 5-2) pitched 9.0 innings with 3 H, 0 R, 5 K, 0 BB allowed.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Bowie 9, Harrisburg 2	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
76-62	Box Score	Harrisburg Senators	Away	5:30 PM DH	Tim Bascom
Antoan Richardson went 2-5 with a Double, Triple, 2 RBI and a SB. Jonathan Schoop went 1-4 with a Double, RBI and a BB. Buck Britton went 2-4 with a BB. Ronnie Welty went 1-4 with 2 RBI. Zelous Wheeler went 3-4 with 2 Doubles and a RBI. Brian Ward went 2-3 with 2 Doubles a RBI and a BB. Jacob Pettit (W, 11-3) pitched 7.0 innings with 3 H, 2 R, 9 K, 0 BB allowed. Clayton Schrader pitched 2.0 innings with 0 H, 0 R, 4 K, 1 BB allowed.
Notes
Game two starter of the doubleheader is TBA.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Frederick 5, Salem 4	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
59-77	Box Score	Carolina Mudcats	Away	6:00 PM	Jason Hammel
Glynn Davis went 1-3 with 2 BB. Jerome Pena went 1-2 with a Double. Jeremy Nowak went 1-4 with a Double, 2 RBI and a BB. Steve Bumbry went 1-4 with a Double and BB. Travis Adair went 2-4 with a Double and 2 RBI. Devin Jones (W, 7-1) pitched 6.0 innings with 6 H, 4 R (3 ER), 5 K, 3 BB allowed. Matt Bywater pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 0 K, 0 BB allowed. Ryan Berry (S, 11) pitched 2.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Delmarva 2, West Virginia 3	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
51-84	Box Score	West Virginia Power	Away	7:05 PM	Williams Louico
Adrian Marin went 1-4 with a SB. Michael Ohlman went 2-4. Wynston Sawyer went 1-3 with a RBI. Jason Esposito went 1-3 with a RBI. Miguel Chalas pitched 5.0 innings with 5 H, 2 R, 3 K, 1 BB allowed. Alex Schmarzo (L, 1-1) pitched 3.0 innings with 3 H, 1 R, 5 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes
Steel Russell was promoted to Delmarva. Sammie Starr was promoted to Norfolk.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Hudson Valley 2, Aberdeen 1	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
26-45	Box Score	Hudson Valley Renegades	Home	7:05 PM	Sebastian Vader
Torsten Boss went 2-4 with a SB. Aaron Baker went 1-4. Sam Kimmel went 3-4. Brady Wager pitched 6.0 innings with 2 H, 0 R, 6 K, 1 BB allowed. Josh Hader pitched 2.0 innings with 1 H, 0 R, 3 K, 1 BB allowed. Sander Beck pitched 2.0 innings with 1 H, 1 R, 4 K, 1 BB allowed. Jose Nivar (L, 2-3) pitched 1.0 inning with 2 H, 1 R, 0 K, 1 BB allowed.
Notes

The post Minor League Scores – 8/31/12 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.

• Ryan Adams went 1-5 with a Double.
• Endy Chavez went 2-5 with a Double.
• Joe Mahoney went 2-4.
• Luis Exposito went 4-4 with a Solo HR.
• Jason Berken (L, 4-6) pitched 4.0 innings with 10 H, 7 R (4 ER), 1 K, 1 BB allowed.
• Oscar Villarreal pitched 2.0 innings with 2 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed.
• Sean Gleason pitched 2.0 innings with 3 H, 1 R, 2 K, 1 BB allowed.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Harrisburg 3, Bowie 6	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
71-61	Box Score	Harrisburg Senators	Home	6:35 PM	Tim Bascom
Josh Barfield went 2-4 with a Double and SB. Jonathan Schoop went 1-4. Tyler Kelly went 1-4 with a Double and 2 RBI. Robbie Widlansky went 2-3 with a HR, 2 RBI, a BB and SB. Brain Ward went 1-2. Jacob Pettit (W, 10-3) pitched 7.0 innings with 5 H, 1 R, 9 K, 0 BB allowed. Andy Loomis pitched 0.2 innings with 2 H, 2 R, 2 K, 2 BB allowed. Kyler Newby (S, 17) pitched 1.1 innings with 0 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Frederick 4, Potomac 6	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
55-73	Box Score	Potomac Nationals	Away	6:35 PM	Devin Jones
Glynn Davis went 2-4. Steve Bumbry went 2-4 with a Double, RBI and SB. Jeremy Nowak went 2-4 with a Double and RBI. Brenden Webb went 1-3 with a BB. Kevin Gausman (L, 0-1) pitched 3.0 innings with 5 H, 2 R, 3 K, 0 BB allowed. Zach Fowler pitched 3.0 innings with 7 H, 3 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed. Oscar Melendez pitched 2.0 innings with 2 H, 1 R (0 ER), 2 K, 3 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Delmarva , Hagerstown	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
50-79	POSTPONED	Hagerstown Suns	Away	7:05 PM DH	Miguel Chalas
Notes
Williams Louico will start game two of the double-header. Sammie Starr  was promoted to Frederick.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Lowell 7, Aberdeen 8	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
25-39	Box Score	Hudson Valley Renegades	Away	7:05 PM	Brady Wager
Creede Simpson went 2-4 with a HR and 2 RBI. Torsten Boss went 1-3 with a RBI, BB and SB. Will Howard went 2-4 with a Double. Hector Veloz went 2-4 with 2 Doubles. Jorge Rivera pitched 4.0 innings with 4 H, 2 R, 4 K, 2 BB allowed. Mark Blackmar pitched 2.0 innings with 7 H, 5 R (4 ER), 2 K, 1 BB allowed. Jose Nivar pitched 2.0 innings with 2 H, 1 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes
Anthony Caronia was promoted to Delmarva.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Rays 2, Orioles 3	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
25-34	Rays 1, Orioles 0	GCL Rays	Home	12:00 PM	N/A
Game 1 (Completion of a suspended game): Alexander Mercedes went 2-4. Hector Veloz went 2-2 with a Solo HR and BB. Manuel Hernandez went 1-2 with a Solo HR. Joseph Yermal pitched 3.1 innings with 4 H, 1 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed. Josh Hader pitcher 2.2 innings with 0 H, 1 R, 4 K, 3 BB allowed. Jake Pintar pitched 4.0 innings with 2 H, 0 R, 3 K, 1 BB allowed. Chris Green (W, 1-0) pitched 3.0 innings with 1 H, 0 R, 5 K, 0 BB allowed. Game 2: Raymond Hunnicutt went 1-3. Alexander Mercedes went 2-3. Adrian Marin went 1-3. Andres Aguilar went 1-2. Joseph Yermal pitched 5.0 innings with 5 H, 1 R, 6 K, 0 BB allowed. Joe Rosan pitched 2.0 innings with 1 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed.

The post Minor League Scores – 8/24/12 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.

• Xavier Avery went 2-4 with a RBI.
• Ryan Adams went 1-3 with a HR and 3 RBI.
• L.J. Hoes went 2-3 with a BB.
• Luis Exposito went 1-3 with a Double and BB.
• Blake Davis went 2-4 with a RBI.
• Zach Clark (W, 4-1) pitched 6.0 innings with 5 H, 0 R, 5 K, 3 BB allowed.
• Brian Matusz (S, 1) pitched 3.0 innings with 5 H, 2 R, 5 K, 2 BB allowed.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Erie 4, Bowie 5	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
65-58	Box Score	Erie SeaWolves	Home	7:05 PM	Eddie Gamboa
Jonathan Schoop went 0-3 with a BB. Tyler Kelly went 2-4. Robbie Widlansky went 2-3 with a Double, 2 RBI and a BB. Rhyne Hughes went 2-4 with a Double and RBI. Buck Britton went 2-4 with a Solo HR. Rick Zagone (W, 4-3) pitched 7.2 innings with 7 H, 4 R, 2 K, 2 BB allowed. Robert Hinton (S, 1) pitched 1.1 innings with 1 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Frederick 8, Carolina 2	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
52-69	Box Score	Winston-Salem Dash	Home	7:00 PM	Tyler Wilson
Johnny Ruettiger went 2-5. Brenden Webb went 2-4 with a Double and 3 RBI. Tyler Townsend went 2-4. Jeremy Nowak went 1-2 with 3 BB. Tim Berry (W, 4-4) pitched 7.0 innings with 2 H, 2 R (1 ER), 11 K, 0 BB allowed. Matthew Bischoff pitched 2.0 innings with 0 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Delmarva 1, Kannapolis 5	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
48-73	Box Score	Hagerstown Sun	Home	7:00 PM	Eduardo Rodriguez
Sammie Starr went 1-4 with a Double. Michael Ohlman went 1-4. Roderick Bernadina went 1-2. Zach Davies (L, 4-6) pitched 6.0 innings with 3 H, 1 R (0 ER), 5 K, 2 BB allowed. Jason McCracken pitched 1.0 inning with 3 H, 1 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed. David Baker pitched 1.0 inning with 5 H, 3 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Aberdeen 8, Lowell 3	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
23-32	Box Score	Lowell Spinners	Away	7:05 PM	Branden Kline
Creede Simpson went 1-3 with a BB. Torsten Boss went 3-4 with a double and Solo HR. Sam Kimmel went 1-4 with a Double. Lex Rutledge (L, 0-1) pitched 2.0 innings with 2 H, 2 R (1 ER), 0 K, 2 BB allowed. Jaime Esquivel pitched 2.0 innings with 5 H, 4 R, 6 K, 2 BB allowed. Jesse Fernandez pitched 3.0 innings with 4 H, 2 R, 5 K, 2 BB allowed. Jose Nivar pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Orioles 2, Twins 0	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
24-27	Box Score	GCL Red Sox	Away	12:00 PM	N/A
Adrian Marin went 1-3. Hector Veloz went 1-3. Steel Russell went 1-2 with a Triple and BB. Kristopher Richards went 2-3 with a Double and RBI. Jalen Simmons went 1-3. Alexander Santana (W, 3-1) pitched 5.0 innings with 1 H, 0 R, 5 K, 1 BB allowed. Luc Rennie (S, 1) pitched 4.0 innings with 1 H, 0 R, 5 K, 0 BB allowed.

The post Minor League Scores – 8/15/12 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.

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Index

• 0:00 – Introduction.
• 0:57 – Thoughts on Kevin Gausman’s Ripken Stadium debut and some small talk about if and where he’ll get promoted.
• 5:45 – Tucker shares his thoughts on some IronBirds, including Jaime Esquivel, Sebastian Vader, Jose Nivar, Torsten Boss, and Joel Hutter.
• 20:42 – Jordan discusses his week long trip to the GCL, including Josh Hader, Adrian Marin, Hector Veloz, Jhondaniel Medina, and more.
• 34:29 – Jordan and Tucker discuss Dylan Bundy and whether or not he’ll reach the majors this season.
• 38:50 – Discussions about Jonathan Schoop playing SS since Manny Machado‘s promotion to Baltimore.
• 43:16 – Quick talk about Manny Machado and his early dominance in the majors.
• 46:32 – Notes on Brenden Webb and his promotion to Frederick.

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• L.J. Hoes went 4-6 with a RBI and SB.
• Xavier Avery went 1-5 with a SB.
• Bill Hall went 1-4 with 3 RBI.
• Ronny Paulino went 2-5.
• Brandon Waring went 2-4 with a HR and 3 RBI.
• Blake Davis went 2-4 with a Triple, 2 RBI and a BB.
• Jason Berken (W, 4-4) pitched 6.2 innings with 7 H, 2 R, 7 K, 0 BB allowed.
• Zach Petersime pitched 2.1 innings with 1 H, 0 R, 1 K, 1 BB allowed.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Bowie 4, Altoona 9	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
60-57	Box Score	Richmond Braves	Away	7:00 PM	TBA
Jonathan Schoop went 1-4 with a Double, RBI and BB. Tyler Kelly went 2-4 with a Double, RBI and BB. Brian Ward went 1-3 with a BB. Rick Zagone (L, 3-3) pitched 4.0 innings with 6 H, 6 R, 2 K, 1 BB allowed. Robert Hinton pitched 1.0 inning with 3 H, 3 R, 0 K, 2 BB allowed. Clayton Schrader pitched 2.0 innings with 0 H, 0 R, 0 K, 3 BB allowed. Kyler Newby pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 3 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Lynchburg 1, Frederick 3	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
49-66	Box Score	Myrtle Beach Pelicans	Home	7:00 PM	Tim Berry
Jerome Pena went 2-4. Tyler Townsend went 2-4 with a Double and RBI. Brenden Webb went 2-4 with a Double and Triple. Devin Jones (W, 4-0) pitched 8.0 innings with 5 h, 1 R, 7 K, 0 BB allowed. Ryan Berry (S, 10) pitched 1.0 inning with 1 H, 0 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Augusta 5, Delmarva 6	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
46-67	Box Score	Augusta GreenJackets	Home	7:05 PM	Zach Davies
Glynn Davis went 1-4 with a RBI and BB. Sammie Starr went 1-3 with 2 BB. Michael Ohlman went 1-3 with 2 BB. Jason Esposito went 4-4 with 2 RBI. Mike Planeta went 3-5. Roderick Bernadina went 0-3 with a SB. Parker Bridwell pitched 5.0 innings with 4 H, 3 R (2 ER), 5 K, 3 BB allowed. Alex Schmarzo pitched 2.0 innings with 3 H, 2 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed. Gene Escat (W, 2-0) pitched 2.0 innings with 1 H, 0 R, 1 K, 1 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Tri-City 12, Aberdeen 2	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
21-30	Box Score	Connecticutt Tigers	Home	7:05 PM	Jorge Rivera
Anthony Vega went 1-3 with a RBI and SB. Joel Hutter went 1-3 with a Double and RBI. Will Howard went 1-3 with a Double. David Richardson (L, 3-3) pitched 3.2 innings with 7 H, 8 R, 3 K, 2 BB allowed. Jose Nivar pitched 2.1 innings with 1 H, 2 R (1 ER), 2 K, 3 BB allowed. Jaime Esquivel pitched 1.2 innings with 1 H 2 R (1 ER), 2 K, 3 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Twins 4, Orioles 6	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
21-25	Box Score	GCL Twins	Away	12:00 PM	N/A
Adrian Marin went 1-3 with a RBI and BB. Manuel Hernandez went 2-4 with a RBI, BB and SB. Kristopher Richards went 1-3 with a Double, 2 RBI and a BB. Andres Aguilar went 1-3 with a RBI and BB. Alexander Santana (W, 2-1) pitched 6.2 innings with 3 H, 4 R (3 ER), 8 K, 5 BB allowed. Jake Pintar pitched 1.1 innings with 3 H, 0 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed. Jose Figieureo (S, 6) pitched 1.0 inning with 1 H, 0 R, 1 K, 1 BB allowed.

The post Minor League Scores – 8/9/12 appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

• Xavier Avery went 1-4.
• Ryan Adams went 2-3 with a Double.
• Zach Clark (L, 2-1) pitched 6.0 innings with 5 H, 1 R, 6 K, 3 BB allowed.
• Pat Egan pitched 3.0 innings with 0 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Trenton 5, Bowie 1	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
58-55	Box Score	Altoona Curve	Away	7:00 PM	Mike Wright
Manny Machado went 1-4. Buck Britton went 2-4. Caleb Joseph went 1-2 with a BB. Jonathan Schoop went 0-3 with a BB. Robert Hinton pitched 4.0 innings with 2 H, 0 R, 6 K, 0 BB allowed. Jason Gurka (L, 2-1) pitched 3.0 innings with 5 H, 3 R, 3 K, 1 BB allowed. Andy Loomis pitched 2.0 innings with 4 H, 2 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Frederick 2, Myrtle Beach 3	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
46-66	Box Score	OFF
Steve Bumbry went 1-3 with a BB. Glynn Davis went 1-3. Garabez Rosa went 2-2 with a BB and RBI. Trent Howard (L, 3-8) pitched 6.0 innings with 5 H, 2 R, 6 K, 1 BB allowed. David Walters pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Delmarva 3, Greensboro 4	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
45-66	Box Score	Greensboro Grasshoppers	Away	12:30 PM	Miguel Chalas
Jerome Pena went 1-3 with a Double and a BB. Michael Ohlman went 1-3 with a RBI and BB. Brenden Webb went 1-3 with a Double, BB and SB. Roderick Bernadina went 2-4. Eduardo Rodriguez pitched 5.0 innings with 4 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed. Juan Guzman (L, 1-1) pitched 2.2 innings with 5 H, 4 R, 4 K, 3 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Aberdeen 10, Williamsport 9	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
18-29	Box Score	State College Spikes	Away	7:05 PM	Kevin Gausman
Gregory Lorenzo went 3-5 with a RBI and 2 SB. Lucas Herbst went 2-5 with a Triple and 2 RBI. Joel Hutter went 2-5 with a RBI. Torsten Boss went 2-4 with a Double, 2 RBI and a BB. Sam Kimmel went 4-5. Brady Wager pitched 3.2 innings with 5 H, 8 R (3 ER), 2 K, 2 BB allowed. Bennett Parry pitched 3.1 innings with 4 H, 1 R, 3 K, 2 BB allowed. Jose Nivar (W, 2-0) puitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 1 K, 1 BB allowed. Tom Winegardner (S, 3) pitched 1.0 inning with 1 H, 0 R, 0 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
		Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
18-24	OFF	GCL Red Sox	Away	12:00 PM	N/A

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• Xavier Avery went 0 for 4.
• L.J. Hoes went 2 for 4 with a strikeout.
• Joe Mahoney went 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
• Ronny Paulino went 1 for 3 with a strikeout.
• Brandon Waring went 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
• Steve Johnson pitched 6 innings, allowing 4 hits and 1 ER with 3 walks and 8 strikeouts.
• Tim Bascom pitched 3 scoreless innings.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Trenton 10, Bowie 6	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
57-54	Box Score	Trenton Thunder	Home	6:35 PM	Rick Zagone
Jonathan Schoop went 3 for 5 with an RBI and a strikeout. Tyler Kelly went 0 for 5 with 4 strikeouts. Manny Machado went 2 for 5 with 2 runs and a double. Caleb Joseph went 2 for 4 with 2 runs, a triple, a home run, 2 RBI, and a strikeout. Chris Petrini pitched 3.1 scoreless innings. Clayton Schrader pitched 1 scoreless inning.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Frederick 1, Myrtle Beach 4	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
46-64	Box Score	Myrtle Beach Pelicans	Away	7:05 PM	Tyler Wilson
Trent Mummey went 0 for 3 with a walk and a strikeout. Glynn Davis went 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts. Tyler Townsend went 0 for 4 with a strikeout. Jeremy Nowak went 1 for 3 with a run, a double, and a strikeout. Tim Berry pitched 6 innings, allowing 6 hits and 4 runs (3 ER) with 1 walk and 3 strikeouts. Brandon Erbe pitched 1 scoreless inning. Matt Bischoff pitched 1 scoreless inning.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Delmarva 4, Greensboro 7	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
44-65	Box Score	Greensboro Grasshoppers	Away	7:00 PM	Zach Davies
Jerome Pena went 2 for 5 with a triple, an RBI, and a strikeout. Connor Narron went 2 for 5 with 2 strikeouts. Michael Ohlman went 2 for 5 with a run, a double, and a strikeout. Brenden Webb went 2 for 4 with a run, a double, a home run, an RBI, a walk, and a strikeout. Jason Esposito went 1 for 5 with an RBI. Mychal Givens went 2 for 4 with a double, an RBI, and a strikeout. Roderick Bernadina went 2 for 3 with a run, a double, a walk, and a strikeout. Gene Escat pitched 1 scoreless inning.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Aberdeen 4, Williamsport 3	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
17-28	Box Score	State College Spikes	Away	7:05 PM	Jorge Rivera
Torsten Boss went 3 for 4 with a run, 2 doubles, and an RBI. Joel Hutter went 1 for 4 with a run and an RBI. David Richardson pitched 6 innings, allowing 5 hits and 1 ER with 1 walk and 9 strikeouts. Jose Nivar pitched 1 scoreless inning with 2 strikeouts.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Orioles 11, Rays 1	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
17-24	Box Score	GCL Rays	Home	12:00 PM	N/A
Raymond Hunnicutt 1 for 5 with a run and a strikeout. Adrian Marin went 2 for 5 with 2 runs. Hector Veloz went 2 for 5 with a run, 2 doubles, and an RBI. Tanner Murphy went 2 for 4 with 2 runs, a double, a walk, and a strikeout. Luc Rennie pitched 2.1 scoreless innings with 5 strikeouts.

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