Jumping from Aberdeen to Frederick

[BoysofArbutus]

Since the Orioles drafted an inordinate number of college players this spring, the low minors (Bluefield, Aberdeen, Delmarva) are full of 22-year-old players that could really move along more quickly.

Since Bluefield is old for Rookie League, I think they have the oldest roster in the league, a large number of them could be in Delmarva to start next season, instead of extended spring training and heading to Aberdeen for the short season.

Because of this, would it make sense for guys like Matt Angle, Joe Mahoney, etc to jump straigh to Frederick? At their age, I'd like to see both of them in Bowie before the end of 2008.

Younger IronBirds (Henson) should go to Delmarva since he's 19, but 22 year olds like Angle and Mahoney should by Keys.

[Fairfax Bird]

Angle will be 22 next year, so I can agree with you saying he should jump to Frederick. I actually think he should be moved up now to Delmarva.

Mahoney is only 20 years old and will be 21 years old all of next year. The Keys will have Vinyard and Snyder there. I would let Mahoney play in Delmarva next year. I am excited to see him develop. It seems to me that over the last two weeks things seem to be clicking with that wooden bat.

[Wingman]

I agree... it's going to be interesting to see who ends up at frederick next year because Frederick has such a lack of prospects (esp. the hitting). I think there will be alot of guys released this offseason who played at Frederick and Bowie.

[Lt Melmo]

How many of Rowell, Vinyard, Tripp and Snyder should we expect to see in Frederick next year? Keep that in mind... just cause there isn't much hitting in Frederick this year doesn't mean Delmarva isn't gonna feed it quite a bit. If Snyder and Vinyard are both promoted(don't see why they wouldn't be), I don't see where Mahoney will fit in. I think Angle and Henson can both theoretically fit in.

[BoysofArbutus]

Rowell belongs in Delmarva for another year. Snyder can move up and so can Vinyard.

Snyder begs the question, where will he play?

Back to the topic, though. Angle belongs in center for Frederick. Mahoney could split time at first and DH with Vinyard if Snyder is at third. Henson could spend time at Delmarva. He's just 19 this year and isn't dominant at Aberdeen. He's toolsy and hardly a finished product, no reason to rush him.

[NoVaO]

Rowell belongs in Delmarva for another year. Snyder can move up and so can Vinyard.

Snyder begs the question, where will he play?

Back to the topic, though. Angle belongs in center for Frederick. Mahoney could split time at first and DH with Vinyard if Snyder is at third. Henson could spend time at Delmarva. He's just 19 this year and isn't dominant at Aberdeen. He's toolsy and hardly a finished product, no reason to rush him.

Rowell should move up to Frederick next year. Just because he hasn't torn up Delmarva doesn't mean he should be held back. He has a higher OPS than both Vinyard and Snyder right now. It wouldn't make sense to hold him back.

I think you see Rowell (3b), Snyder (1b/DH), Vinyard (1b/DH), and Tripp (OF) moved up to Frederick.

Mahoney (1b) goes to Delmarva...he isn't that old so it won't be much of a problem. Henson starts out a Delmarva as well. If they force the issue, they can be promoted.

As for Angle, I can see him playing in Delmarva or Frederick. Depends on how quickly they think he can adjust to much better competition.

[wayne25]

You can move all these"old guys" from the short season, but that doesn't mean they'll hit. Actually, I'd bet that most of these 22 and 23 years olds barely hold their own in Delmarva. Lots of these older players "bash" in the short season and are not heard from again. This time last year, we thought Vinyard might be something special, and he might yet, but this year he's nothing special. This goes for the older pitcher, all the way down to
Sarasota, maybe we'll find a gem, but don't hold your breath. This, of course is just my take, but I've watched the minors for almost 30 years and this is "my take. Not to say no one ever makes it, but being 22 or 23 (or in the case of the O's 24) in Bluefield and Sarasota is pretty much the kiss of death as far as the Majors go..This is one of the reasons I was so upset on draft day. Oh well, maybe they'll balance it out next year with younger prospects in the short seasons. I think they took alot of these guys for "
cosmetic purposes". Expecting higher winning percentages with these older guys. Then they could talk about the farm system progress.

[Jenius]

You can move all these"old guys" from the short season, but that doesn't mean they'll hit. Actually, I'd bet that most of these 22 and 23 years olds barely hold their own in Delmarva.
I'm not sure who you're referring to here, but neither Angle nor Mahoney (the primary subjects of this thread) are old for the NYP league. Also, Vinyard being an exception, many players have improved dramatically when jumping from NYPL to SAL.

Besides our own Brandon Tripp (went from .660 OPS to .884 OPS), an even better example this year is Josh Still of Greenville (Red Sox org.), who went from a .592 OPS to a .972 OPS in one year. Both of these players were slightly old for the NYPL at 22, and now are slightly old for the SAL at 23. Are they big-time prospects now? Probably not, but they should at least be on the radar. Angle (21) and Mahoney (20) are fine in terms of age, especially Mahoney, but I think they could both handle a 2-level advance next season, because truthfully it's more like a 1.5 level advance.

There is a noteworthy difference between success in A-SS v success in the rookie leagues. You really can't lump all short-season ball into one category.

[wayne25]

Jenius, I was speaking of the overwhelming"overaged" players at all of our short season teams. Some other poster stated we had the oldest team in the league at one of these short season teams, and I'll bet we're 1 or 2 at the others. My point really was to be realistic in the face of the "giddiness" of other posters who get excited by some 23 year old in Bluefield. Unless we get enormously lucky, these guys will not be even good players a AA, if they even get that far.