A look at the Norfolk Tides' strong season as they charge toward playoffs

Behind a pitching staff with the best ERA in the International League, a top-flight defense and an offense featuring two of the Orioles' top prospects, the Triple-A Norfolk Tides are having a very strong 2015 season.

The last time the Tides made the playoffs was 2005. The last time Norfolk won the IL championship was in 1985. One or both could change soon. On the verge of making the postseason for the first time since becoming an Orioles affiliate in 2007, Norfolk is 68-50 and leading its division by five games after its latest win last night.

The Tides' 3.01 team ERA ranks first in the 14-team IL. Norfolk leads the league with a .985 fielding percentage and has made the fewest errors. The Tides' .262 batting average is third best in the league.

"I think it is a testament to the strength of our farm system and what is being built in this organization," Tides manager Ron Johnson said this week. "We've got some pretty good players coming through. It's been a fun year because it's been a lot of homegrown guys. We've also been able to produce some big leaguers in Mike Wright, Oliver Drake and Tyler Wilson, so it's been a good year."

For much of the season Wright, Wilson and Zach Davies, who was traded to Milwaukee, anchored the rotation. Now, the first two are hurt, and Terry Doyle and Elih Villanueva were added from Double-A Bowie. That pair joins holdovers like Chris Jones and Eddie Gamboa, trying to keep the staff atop the league.

"Our pitching has carried us," Johnson said. "Pitching and defense have won us ballgames. Our pitching has been strong all season. One thing Buck (Showalter) talked about last year is that we definitely want the focus on defense to trickle down into the minors. If we are going to have guys fill gaps for our major league team, they have to defend.

"Paul Janish might be one of the best shortstops in the game. Rey Navarro has done a nice job at second and short. Michael Almanzar has been very good at third base, and Christian Walker has become a very good defensive first baseman. You put them together with the quality of arms we have, and it's been a nice mix.

"The difference between our team this year and last year is night and day because of the defenders we have. They help guys go deeper into ballgames and help the young pitchers develop. We've had some game changers defensively in the field."

As for that pitching, the Tides bullpen has a 2.56 ERA for the season. Drake is 1-2 with an ERA of 0.73 and 20 saves in 20 chances. He recently had a 26-game scoreless streak end. Jorge Rondon did not allow a run over his past 18 1/3 innings until giving up two last night. Pedro Beato has a 2.31 ERA and leads the team in appearances. Cesar Cabral has held lefties to a .186 average. Steve Johnson has a 1.31 ERA his last 12 games.

The Tides have continued to win while helping the parent club Orioles and deftly handling the steady stream of roster moves. Norfolk has had 50 players on its roster, and 18 players have appeared in a game this year for both the Tides and Orioles.

"We know what the program is here," Johnson said. "When you are trying to win every day at the big league level, you are going to have movement. I don't look too much at the wins and losses. You have to focus on what your job is to do. And our job on a daily basis is to put players in a position where they can have success and also develop into players that can help our major league team have success. If that equates into wins for us, that is icing on the cake. I like to win as much as anybody, but that is not our focus here."

By the way, Johnson, a minor league manager for 22 years, tied Gary Allenson for the most all-time wins as a manager in Norfolk franchise history last night. Both now have 284.

As for the offense, outfielder Dariel Alvarez, ranked at the end of 2014 as the Orioles' No. 5 prospect according to Baseball America, had a red-hot June. During the month, he hit .340 with a .955 OPS, and he has 16 homers and 69 RBIs for the year. No. 3 prospect Walker has eight homers and 27 RBIs in 28 games since the All-Star break. Henry Urrutia is batting .292 for the season and .317 in the second half. Julio Borbon is batting .459 during a 10-game batting streak. Steve Clevenger is batting .305 in 75 games.

Urrutia and Clevenger are headed to Baltimore to join the Orioles, as MASNSports.com's Roch Kubatko wrote in this blog last night.

Johnson knows the Tides will always have a very fluid roster and he takes great pride in sending players to the Orioles who help the big league club win.

"That is what it's all about," he said. "You know you have to bob and weave a bit in this job, but the challenge is to create the right atmosphere and get our guys prepared to help the major league team. To see guys come here and have success and move to the next level, it is very gratifying."

The Orioles' top two affiliates are in first place with just a few weeks remaining in the minor league regular season. Double-A Bowie (67-50) has the best record in the Eastern League while Norfolk ranks second in the IL.

Johnson saw that the Orioles were ranked No. 29 in Baseball America's organizational rankings over the winter and did not agree with that at all. He feels the O's minors have taken an unfair hit.

"Absolutely. One, I have seen since I've been here, and this is my fourth year, the growth in player development has been tremendous," he said. "I was with Boston when we started to get the (Dustin) Pedroias, (Clay) Buchholzs and the (Jon) Lesters. This reminds of me of that here. I see quality kids coming through our organization.

"Brian Graham (director of player development) has done a fantastic job of bringing in quality instructors. We have some real quality people. Just look at my club here. Sean Berry, major league hitting coach. Jose Hernandez, 15 years in the big leagues. Mike Griffin, got to be one of the best pitching coaches around. It goes right down through the system.

"People that say this organization is 27th or 28th. They need to revisit that. Or better yet, get out and travel a little bit."

In an entry coming soon here, Johnson talks about several players that have led Norfolk to its strong season.

Photo credit: Les Treagus