22 replies to this topic

[Tucker Blair]

Courtesy of Baseball America:
http://www.baseballa... ... ents-2012/

RHP: Eric Beaulac (HiA), Matt Bischoff (HiA), Greg Burke (AAA), Brandon Erbe (HiA), Robert Hinton (AA), Oscar Melendez (HiA), Kyler Newby (AA), Joel Pineiro (AAA), Oscar Villarreal (AAA), Bobby Wilkins (LoA)
LHP: Zach Phillips (AAA), Rich Rundles (AAA), Pedro Viola (AAA)
C: Chase Weems (SS)
1B: Rhyne Hughes (AA), Billy Rowell (SS)
2B: Travis Adair (HiA), Ryan Adams (AAA)
SS: Blake Davis (AAA), Steve Tolleson (AAA)
OF: Josh Barfield (AA), Scott Beerer (AAA), Lew Ford (AAA), Jamie Hoffmann (AAA), Antoan Richardson (AA)

A lot of depth guys basically (as with most clubs).
Brandon Erbe sticks out to me simply because I watched him since his high school days and always rooted for him. It never worked out (yet), which is unfortunate.
Blake Davis should have no problem finding a job, he can be a solid UTIL guy and maybe even enough to make a NL club as depth off the bench. Always was fond of his glove, although most will remember that horrible error against the Pirates.
Zach Phillips should have no problem finding a job either. I still think there is some LOOGY potential there. Orioles just have no room though with guys like Patton, maybe Matusz, and Belfiore waiting in the wings.

[RichardZ]

Slightly surprised that Greg Burke was not added to the 40 man roster. I believe he either was a sidearmer or someone that converted to sidearm/submarine and put up really good numbers in both AA and AAA and continues to do so in the winter league in Mexico. Maybe he has no options and can't be stashed down in Norfolk? That's one possibility. Otherwise, I think he belongs with Stu Pomeranz as reliever insurance down on the farm. I'd rather protect a guy like this and bump Quintanilla or a few others off.

[Mike B]

No real surprises. I agree Phillips will get a look somewhere. Other than that nothing to hard to replace.
Sad to see Erbe on the list. The injuries derailed a nice prospect.

[Tucker Blair]

Slightly surprised that Greg Burke was not added to the 40 man roster. I believe he either was a sidearmer or someone that converted to sidearm/submarine and put up really good numbers in both AA and AAA and continues to do so in the winter league in Mexico. Maybe he has no options and can't be stashed down in Norfolk? That's one possibility. Otherwise, I think he belongs with Stu Pomeranz as reliever insurance down on the farm. I'd rather protect a guy like this and bump Quintanilla or a few others off.

Yea Burke saw time with San Diego before and he also is 30 already. I just don't see him as a true asset to hold onto. He is expendable, although his numbers are solid in the minors. I think if the Orioles didn't have depth at RP, they would likely keep him.

[RichardZ]

It comes down to options as far as I'm concerned. I don't care that he's 30. He's cheap and he looks to be effective. If he has options he's a perfect guy to stash at Norfolk. If you need the spot later on, you can still drop him. As I said, there are others I think are more expendable. My guess is that Burke is out of options and that's why he wasn't added.

[Tucker Blair]

It comes down to options as far as I'm concerned. I don't care that he's 30. He's cheap and he looks to be effective. If he has options he's a perfect guy to stash at Norfolk. If you need the spot later on, you can still drop him. As I said, there are others I think are more expendable. My guess is that Burke is out of options and that's why he wasn't added.

There is a difference between looking good at AAA and the MLB. His stuff doesn't play up in the MLB. There will be plenty of arms they can sign as free agents to make up for his loss. They could also still sign him.

[RichardZ]

There is a difference between looking good at AAA and the MLB. His stuff doesn't play up in the MLB. There will be plenty of arms they can sign as free agents to make up for his loss. They could also still sign him.

You could be right. Maybe you know more about him than I do. Is this guy a sidearmer? Was he always a sidearmer? Again, the impression I got was that he was converted to a sidearmer. I don't know the answeres to these questions for sure but if he was a standard pitcher who got converted to sidearmer recently then we don't know how his stuff would look in the majors. A lot of people would say Darren O'Days stuff is not ML caliber until you see him get ML batters out.

[Tucker Blair]

You could be right. Maybe you know more about him than I do. Is this guy a sidearmer? Was he always a sidearmer? Again, the impression I got was that he was converted to a sidearmer. I don't know the answeres to these questions for sure but if he was a standard pitcher who got converted to sidearmer recently then we don't know how his stuff would look in the majors. A lot of people would say Darren O'Days stuff is not ML caliber until you see him get ML batters out.

You could also be right, I just wasn't too thrilled with what I saw this season. He's not really sidearmed but it's about as close as you get.
Here is a video (kinda poor quality)
B-UTOuGb0uc
He's essentially a lesser version of O'Day.

[Tucker Blair]

Marc Carig ‏@MarcCarig

Mets sign RHP Greg Burke to a minor league contract w/ spring invite.

And there you go.

[Tucker Blair]

Brandon Erbe has signed with the Phillies.

Sad to see him go, but it is the best for both parties.
Erbe was one of the top arms in the Mid-Atlantic Region coming out of HS. It's unfortunate it didn't work out.

[Tucker Blair]

Signed a flurry of players out of Independent leagues:

Frontier League:
LHP Logan Mahon
RHP Mike Recchia
SS Chris Wade
C Jim Vahalik

American Association:
RHP Kyle Mertins

PECO League:
RHP Luis Pardo

I'm sure there are another 30 not disclosed yet.

[Tucker Blair]

Press Release:

The Orioles today announced that they have signed 1B TRAVIS ISHIKAWA and LHP’s DANIEL SCHLERETH and ZACH BRADDOCK to minor league contracts with invitations to major league spring training. Baltimore has now invited 11 non-roster players to Sarasota.

Ishikawa, 29, batted .257/.329/.428 in 94 games with Milwaukee in 2012. He batted .265/.327/.400 with 15 home runs and 80 RBI in 281 games with San Francisco over four seasons (2006, 2008-10). In his career, Ishikawa has batted .266/.333/.416 with 18 home runs in 741 plate appearances against right-handed pitching.

Schlereth, 26, made six appearances with Detroit in 2012, posting a 10.29 ERA (7.0IP, 8ER). He also pitched to a 2.79 ERA (9.2IP, 3ER) in 11 games with Triple-A Toledo (three) and Class-A Lakeland (eight). Originally drafted by Arizona in the 1st round of the 2008 First Year Player Draft (26th overall), Schlereth has struck out 91 batters in 94.0 innings in four seasons with Arizona (2009) and the Tigers (2010-12). He has held left-handed hitters to a .213/.320/.368 line in 184 plate appearances.

Braddock, 25, went 1-3 with a 4.41 ERA (51.0IP, 25ER) and 59 strikeouts in 2010-11 for Milwaukee, posting a 2.94 ERA (33.2IP, 11ER) and 11.0 strikeouts per 9.0 innings in 2010. He has held left-handed hitters to a .185/.313/.296 line and 28 strikeouts in 99 plate appearances.

[Tucker Blair]

Braddock did not pitch in 2012. I am told it is NOT because of drugs, although that is what majority of people think.

I really like the Schlereth pickup...makes a ton of sense and he has a lot of talent if he can get back to his old self.
Ishikawa essentially fills the void of Joe Mahoney.

[BobPhelan]

Solid signings.

[Tucker Blair]

The Orioles have agreed to terms on a minor league contract with OF Adam Greenberg. Greenberg has not been invited to spring training.

[Oriole85]

The Orioles have agreed to terms on a minor league contract with OF Adam Greenberg. Greenberg has not been invited to spring training.

Just some good PR? I just assumed he was invited to ST when I saw they signed him to a minor league, since it seems like everyone gets one. Guess I was wrong.

[Tucker Blair]

Just some good PR? I just assumed he was invited to ST when I saw they signed him to a minor league, since it seems like everyone gets one. Guess I was wrong.

They needs some OF bodies in the uppers minors I think.

[DBean]

Rich Dubroff
‏@RichDubroffCSN
#Orioles purchase contract of LHP David Quinowski from Lincoln Salt Dogs. Former Giants farmhand.

Jeff Zrebiec's twitter comments are rather amusing. Not a big signing, but it's something.

https://twitter.com/...517279550349312

[BobPhelan]

Jeff Zrebiec's twitter comments are rather amusing. Not a big signing, but it's something.

https://twitter.com/...517279550349312

He seems bitter since we started doing good after he left the beat.

[Oriole85]

They needs some OF bodies in the uppers minors I think.

That makes sense now, you still need to fill your rosters aka "minor league filler." Nonetheless, easy guy to root for, hoping he gets a chance in Baltimore, as unlikely as it may be.