Bowie's beasts
Double-A Bowie manager Brad Komminsk still hasn't heard whether any of his players will be pulled from his team and sent to Baltimore before the Eastern League playoffs conclude.
Asked if he's going to be left alone through this series, he grinned and said, "No idea. I don't know if we'll be left alone through tonight."
The temptation to bring up pitcher Brad Bergesen has to be building, given the Orioles' pitching woes. He went eight innings last night in an 11-3 win over Akron, allowing two earned runs and four hits, with six strikeouts. He threw 98 pitches - and not in 3 2/3 innings. He's also done pitching for the Baysox in this Southern Division series, but could return to the mound next week if they advance to the championship round.
And what about Nolan Reimold, who belted three home runs, including an opposite-field grand slam, and had eight RBIs? He's totaled nine homers in his last nine games.
It's difficult to imagine the Orioles purchasing his contract, since he's been assigned to the Arizona Fall League, which begins Oct. 7, and they'd like to shut him down first. Their main goal with him, as I've written before, was to keep him healthy and playing this season after oblique injuries limited him to 50 games in 2007. Do they really want to push him? And do they really want to remove him from the playoffs and an atmosphere where he's thriving?
The last part is probably less of an issue. But Orioles manager Dave Trembley has mentioned in the past that a winning attitude starts in the minors and it's important for players to experience it at any level.
I asked Komminsk after the victory, which evened the series at 1-1, whether there's been talk of giving Reimold more starts in left field (since, you know, right field is sort of blocked in Baltimore by that Markakis kid).
"He's played a little left, but there hasn't been a lot of talk about it," Komminsk said. "He can play left. He can play any of the three. He's good enough athletically to be able to adapt anywhere. But right now, he's most projectable in right field."
Reimold said he hasn't heard from Orioles officials about his immediate future in the organization. Naturally, he'd love to get the call.
Reimold received a curtain call - take what you can get - from the small crowd at Prince Georges Stadium after his eighth-inning slam, the first that he can remember.
"I wasn't going to go out," he said, "but somebody shoved me."
Reimold couldn't remember hitting three home runs in one game.
"I've just been feeling good and getting pitches to hit and capitalizing," he said.
It's such a simple game. And Reimold is making it look ridiculously easy.
Don't be hatin' on the PuPu Platter - they are my favorite! A couple fried wontons, an egg roll, a few ribs, a beef skewer or two, some shrimp toast.. what could be better?
Also, I'm as frustrated as all the other O's fans about the current state of the pitching staff, and the bleak immediate future (rest of this year, and '09 barring shocking free agent signings), but I really think people are kidding themselves if they think any pitcher from AA is going to come to the major leagues and suddenly have tremendous success.
Check out Garrett Olson's numbers from 2006 as a case in point. At the same age, he actually had a very similar season to Bergesen's 2008, with the exception that Bergesen has a better win-loss record (he's pitching for a much better team, so no surprise there), but Olson had much better strikeout numbers than Bergesen. If Olson can't translate those skills to the Major League level, why do people think Bergesen will be a savior?
Someone else mentioned how sparse the crowd was last night, it was a shame and how could the Baysox be near the bottom in league attendance with the team they had? I think the area is now saturated with too many teams, plus DC area fan has no time for anything other than watching Redskin games. I heard a rumor that they are considering moving Bowie to the vacated Richmond stadium that housed the Braves 3-A team for years. While I would hate it personally, if it makes good business sense as far as attendance and attracting Richmond area fans to MASN and the Orioles I would be okay with it.
I think you have to shop some of these guys for an infielder or mid-level starting pitching- you would think the AA triple crown winner and another top prospect (despite their ages) could help fill one of these voids. It's never a bad thing to have surplus, but using that surplus to meet organizational needs would be a very good thing. It's amazing after all of these years we finally have a player or two to work with.
Despite all of the brilliant trades that people come up with like Penn and Walker for JJ Hardy... people may actually want to deal for a run-producing right fielder. We'll see, but I think it has to be explored. I hope MacPhail is a little more active in the winter than he has been in his two summers. I think we are in for a couple of pleasant surprises. I don't think any OFer not named Markakis or Jones should be off the table.
In response to Andy:
Brandon Wood would be an outstanding coup by Andy MacPhail, but please pass whatever you are smoking if you think that the Angels are going to trade him for Luke Scott and a fringe pitching prospect. Wood is a 23 year old power hitting shortstop, who Baseball America ranks as one of the top 10 prospects in the game. The Angels are not stupid, they are not just going to give this kid away, whether he is blocked at the major league level right now or not. It was rumored that Atlanta asked for him when they were working on the Teixeira trade, and the Angels obviously did not include him in that deal.
Luke Scott is a nice upgrade over the pu-pu platter of left fielder's the O's have had the last few years, but he's 30+, doesn't field particularly well and is probably best served being a platoon player, as he doesn't hit lefties all that well. If Andy MacPhail could get a top SS prospect for him, I guarantee he already would have done so.
Tracy, The game was great last night!!! I am the guy in the stands who yelled that about Payton and Reimold last night!!!! What an amazing team can not wait til these kids are orioles!!!!!!! Lets go 09!!! I was saddened by how small the crowd was!!!!! These kids deserve better!!! If everyone gets time Please vote for me I am one of the finalists of the Gillette rookie reporter showdown and i need votes!!!! My name is Mike Nealis here is the link!!!
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/fan_forum/gillette/reporter/vote.jsp?loc=orioles&vid=c9361934ebf7a1dbb5a2c33922a8524f
This winter the O's need to do everything they can to pry Brandon Wood from the Angels to be our shortstop. That kid can rake and he apparently is blocked on the Angels, who were contemplating trading for Eckstein when Aybar went down rather than bringing up wood. I would think the O's could get him for Luke Scott and maybe a fringe pitching prospect.
Roch-
Regarding "...or just bag 'em, since there are no playoff ramifications" what happens to those of us who have tickets to one of the games?
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I'm sure the team would announce something, but I'm getting way ahead of myself here. I was just mentioning other options and stressing that they won't play Sunday. I haven't heard anything about the games being canceled. Just threw it out there because not sure how they'd squeeze in a rescheduled DH with Oakland. - Roch
Amazing that the triple crown winner from Bowie will possibly be pushed aside by Reimold, but I definitely love to see and outfield of Markakis, Jones, and Reimold. Add some pitching and we would be an exciting team with Weiters behind the plate. Oh yeah, and Snyder at first.
I might even consider going to see them at the Yard instead of the TV.
Hey Roch,
As spectacular as they may have played last night, or all season for that matter, I don't see any benefit for anybody by calling up Reimold and/or Bergeson. None. Zero. Except to appease the "get 'em up here now, I can't take it anymore!" crowd.
Why drag them into to middle of the mess that is the late season Baltimore Orioles. I wouldn't subject my worst enemy to such an ego bruising experience. Well, maybe Dustin Pedroia. What a pain in the...
We need to just suck it up for a few more weeks. Considering the outlook prior to the season, we've had a lot to cheer about this year. For proof, just scroll back through all the posts from May and June.
Let these guys wind up their respective fabulous seasons and enjoy the spoils that comes with a championship run. Give them a little room to breathe, then wish them a great AFL season. And let all these young prospects know that they are a huge part of the ongoing effort to bring championships back to Baltimore.
That game last night was pretty darn fun. I laughed when I heard a guy in the stands yell to Nolan "Hit another homerun and we'll dump Payton and call you up to Baltimore" and I'll be darned if 3 or 4 pitches later Nolan didn't send that pitch tearing out to right-center! I like the things I'm seeing from a healthy Nolan Reimold.
I'm kind of torn on what to do with Bergesen though. Part of me wants the O's to call him up now. When I've seen him pitch he's shown more poise and overall ability to locate (and keep it down in the zone) than 90% of the pitching staff that we currently have in the majors. But on the other hand I kind of agree with the notion that he can gain a good experience from being part of a playoff team in a winning atmosphere.
Roch,
Any idea what the O's are going to do this weekend if the day/night doubleheader gets washed out on Saturday by Hannah? I know the whole point of moving the Sunday game to Saturday was to avoid conflict with the Ravens, but it seems like that may just happen after all.
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They won't play on Sunday, no matter what happens. That's the only thing we're sure about. They'd either have to make up the games later, or just bag 'em, since there are no playoff ramifications. - Roch