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Jake Arrieta: 5-8, 3.93 in 17 starts
The 23-year-old Arrieta is one of the Birds' top pitching prospects. He began 2009 at Double-A, going 6-3, 2.59 in 11 starts. He made his first Norfolk start on June 12th. He was the Tides' player of the month for August when he had a 3.03 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 35 2/3 frames.

Between the two teams, he pitched 151 innings with 56 walks and 148 strikeouts. He has had two impressive seasons in the farm system after being drafted in round five in 2007.

Baseball America recently rated Arrieta as the 11th best prospect from this year in the International League. (Matt Wieters was 1st and Chris Tillman 4th).

"Like (Brandon) Snyder, he went through some growing pains. At times he's a little too smart for his own good. He has really good stuff with the fastball, curve, slider and change. He has good presence on the mound," Allenson said.

"His M-O was, use the fastball the first time through the lineup. The second time he goes to his off speed. He did that too many times and got behind and paid for it off some Triple-A hitters. He got too stubborn at times and didn't rely on his catcher enough. He tried to trick guys in the lineup he didn't need to trick them.

"But I remember the game when we played Pawtucket at Fenway Park. He was great with his fastball, challenging hitters and getting ahead. That's what this kid has to be."

Can Arrieta be as good as the hype? "Sure he can. A lot of that is confidence. Sometimes when ahead in the count he would muscle up and overthrow his fastball."

Troy Patton: 1-3, 6.45 in 9 starts
The 24-year-old Patton was acquired in the December, 2007 Miguel Tejada deal with Houston. He missed all of 2008 after left shoulder surgery.

The lefty began 2009 with Bowie and went 6-2, 1.99 in 11 starts. He allowed 2 ER or less in 10 of 11 starts with the Baysox and was the O's organization pitcher of the month for May, when he went 4-1, 2.17.

However, at Triple-A, he gave up 4 ER or more in five of nine starts, allowed 12 homers in 44 2/3 and an opponent average of .337. He made his first Triple-A start June 16th.

"I don't think he trusted his fastball. It's his first year after the surgery. He got hit a little with us, his fastball was up in the zone and he didn't go to his off speed enough then.

"I think he went through a mental slump where you don't trust your stuff. He had some location issues. We were careful with him, not letting him get past 90 pitches or five innings. He just struggled to keep the ball down and I don't think he had all his arm strength back either."

Jim Miller: 4-4, 2.64 with 17 saves in 64 2/3IP
After pitching for the Orioles in eight games in September of 2008, the 27-year-old righty spent all of 2009 with the Tides.

He gave up just three homers with 19 walks and 59 strikeouts. He finished tied for 4th in the IL in saves and made the Triple-A All-Star game. Lefty hitters hit .324 off Miller but righties only .207.

"He did a real good job. He tweaked something in his shoulder in spring and we were careful with him early on. He didn't have his velocity like the year before, but he pitched better.

"He's got a cutter which he uses on righties and lefties. Not the typical closer where you challenge everyone, but did a nice job. I know he got taken off the 40-man but he would be worth a look in spring because he pitched real well to get hitters out."

Josh Perrault: 1-2, 2.53 in 24 games with 33K in 32IP
The 27-year-old Perrault impressed in his first year with the O's, putting up solid numbers at Bowie and Norfolk and is now in the Arizona Fall League.

He began with Bowie, going 0-2, 1.80 with 16 saves in 40 innings. Eastern League hitters batted just .199 off him. Perrault was selected by the O's in the minor league phase of the 2008 Rule 5 draft. He led the Baysox in saves and played in the Eastern League All-Star game.

"A little older guy, 27 I think, that we got from Double-A. Fastball, slider and split. A bulldog on the mound, he wants the ball. He was a closer at Double-A, but we had closer by committee. He did a nice job of whatever role he was in.

"He throws strike one a lot. When we were in the hunt he came in and got us out of jams."

Ross Wolf: 4-2, 3.95 in 47 games
This 27-year-old righty had a solid season in his first year with the Orioles. They signed him in November of 2008 as a minor league free agent. He spent all of 2009 with Norfolk.

Lefty batters hit .216 off him and right-handed batters hit .237 off Wolf, who pitched briefly in the Majors with Florida in 2007.

"Early in the year lefties hit nothing off of him. His ERA was just under 4.00 and could have been better. He had a couple outings where he just couldn't get anyone out.

"He's a sinker, slider, change guy and his change is his best pitch. He has good arm speed on it and gets a lot of swings and misses on that pitch. His fastball is 90, 92 and his change is probably 86 but he's got such good arm action on it.

"I had Ross before with the Marlins in 05. He needs to be more of a bulldog on the mound when things aren't going well."

Radhames Liz: 0-3, 5.68 in 17 games, 6 starts
The 26-year-old Dominican righty has made 21 career Orioles' starts. He made two brief appearances this year in April with the O's, but spent the rest of the year between Double and Triple-A ball.

In June and July, Liz went 4-1, 2.63 with 39 strikeouts in 48 innings for Bowie.

"He had kind of a tough year. He throws 95, 96 and guys hit it. He's got to get the ball down in the zone and throw strike one. Too many times it's belt high and I know what big league guys do with belt high.

"He's got to find a way to be a little more deceptive. Hiding the baseball, not allowing them to pick it up out of your hand. I've seen him for two years and he's getting hit at 95 miles per hour. He needs a better breaking ball and slider. His fastball gets hit too much."

Liz was bothered by elbow tendonitis late in the year and didn't pitch for Norfolk after August 7th. It was not considered a major injury.

Kam Mickolio: 3-3, 3.50 in 35 games with 16 walks and 52 strikeouts in 43 2/3 Triple A innings.
Mickolio went 0-2, 2.63 in 11 O's games this year. He ended the season on the DL due to shoulder inflammation. But he also showed a lively fastball and perhaps the ability to be a future closer.

I asked Allenson about Mickolio's ability to pitch in the late innings in the Majors. Could he do it?

"Sure. Once in a while he doesn't have his stuff. But we had times with him at Triple-A where he was un-hittable. Then three or four times he got hammered and you couldn't figure it out.

"Hopefully he's got the makeup for it because he has the stuff. There's only one way to find out, put him in the role. Maybe not right away. I think he'll let it roll off his shoulders when things don't go well.

"He doesn't hold runners. He's a tall guy at 6'9". He ain't going to hold runners. We had him at about 1.4. That won't stop base runners.

"He's almost stepping on the grass, so you know he's intimidating right-handed hitters. They don't pick it up because he's throwing across his body."