Orioles prospects playing in Arizona Fall League

[Frobby]

Here's the link to the Mesa Solar Sox stats:

http://www.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?y=2011&t=t_ibp&sid=l119&cid=555

As mentioned above, the Os on the team are:

Pitchers: Sean Gleason, Steve Johnson, Casey Lambert, Cole McCurry

Fielders: Brian Ward, Joe Mahoney, Xavier Avery

I assume you didn't comment on the stats on the grounds that if you have nothing nice to say, it's better to say nothing at all.....

At least Mahoney had two good offensive games, though he made 4 errors in the first one.

[eb45]

Also on the team are former Oriole minor leaguer Brett Jacobson and former Oriole draftee Chris Herrmann, both of whom are now in the Twins' system.

[stef]

I assume you didn't comment on the stats on the grounds that if you have nothing nice to say, it's better to say nothing at all.....

Yep. My mother taught me well. I'll just keep repeating to myself" "s.s.s. ...s.s.s. ...s.s.s." But it wouldn't be nice to have even one guy dominate? sigh.

[Enjoy Terror]

http://mlb.mlb.com/milb/stats/org.jsp?id=bal

This link is much more helpful for winter league stats; it's AFL plus the Caribbean leagues also, and just Baltimore affiliated players.

[Frobby]

10/24 -- Joe Mahoney still sports a 1.000 OPS in 23 PA, while Xavier Avery has managed to get his up to .635, which may not sound like much but is far above where he was before. None of the Orioles' pitchers sport an ERA under 4.00, and two of them (McCurry and Gleason) are allowing more than a run per inning. This has to be the least inspiring group the O's have sent to the AFL since about 2004.

[NCRaven]

Well, some improvement. Steve Johnson is sitting at a 3.00 ERA after 4 three-inning starts. Casey Lambert's WHIP is down to 1.06 and BA Against is .229. Avery's OPS is up to .690, so it's moving in the right direction. Meanwhile, Mahoney's OPS is sitting at .844.

Not much, but getting a little better.

[Lucky Jim]

It could be worse. Our notes out of the fall leagues/camps could be:

Couple of leftover notes from instructional league: Talked to a scout who covered Colorado's instructional league and came away with negative reports on recent first-round picks Tyler Matzek and Peter Tago. Matzek was still stuck in the upper 80s and didn't have command, so the effects of the Rockies' attempt to change his delivery are still lingering. Tago couldn't throw strikes and was down about a full grade on his fastball as well

Washington Nationals lefty Matt Purke was a potential first-round pick heading into 2011, but a shoulder injury wrecked his velocity and his spring season, pushing him down to the 96th overall pick, where the Nationals took him, paid him well over slot, and, strangely, gave him a major league deal that puts him on the 40-man roster. Purke has thrown three times in Arizona and has been very disappointing. He started in Surprise last Friday and faced eight batters, retiring one, sitting 87-91 with a fringy slider at 77-81 and below-average command of both pitches. Right-handed hitters were really driving the fastball the other way against him and the slider wasn't the knockout pitch you might expect it to be against lefties. It does look like Purke has lifted his arm slot slightly, which is a positive over the long term but might lead to difficulty repeating his arm stroke in the short term.

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog/_/name/law_keith/id/7160930/aroldis-chapman-matt-purke-showing-pedestrian-stuff-afl

[NCRaven]

Avery has his average up to .263 with an OBP of .373 and an OPS now at .794; a vast improvement over his early numbers. He also has a 10/11 bb/k ratio. Has really turned it on over his last 10 games and getting some invaluable at bats.

Mahoney's average is down to .293 and OPS down to .797, but he at least appears to be healthy. The 1/10 bb/k isn't so hot though.

[cliff]

10/29: Looks like Avery is also flaunting his speed: 16 G, 4 3b (leads league), 7 SB (3rd in league), 0 CS

[Frobby]

Avery has his average up to .263 with an OBP of .373 and an OPS now at .794; a vast improvement over his early numbers. He also has a 10/11 bb/k ratio. Has really turned it on over his last 10 games and getting some invaluable at bats.

Mahoney's average is down to .293 and OPS down to .797, but he at least appears to be healthy. The 1/10 bb/k isn't so hot though.

10/29: Looks like Avery is also flaunting his speed: 16 G, 4 3b (leads league), 7 SB (3rd in league), 0 CS

Very gratifying. He has hit .368/.467/.553 over his last 10 games.

[hoosiers]

Lots to like about Avery and his AFL effort. Last 10 games, 6 BBs, 3 xbh, 5 SBs and 5 Ks influenced by 1 hit in today's game so far.

1 K every 8 ABs in last 10 games; 1 K in every 6 ABs for the AFL. This represents improvement from about 1K in every 4 ABs at Bowie last year.

Looks like his AFL will be something to build on.

[EagleOriole]

Where does Avery start next year? They have been very aggressive moving him up the ladder. I think it was Doc Shorebird who said he needed more time at Low A, but they moved him anyway. Does he go to AAA? Does Hoes go to AAA? Does Avery's promise allow us to trade A.Jones if overwhelmed?

[Frobby]

Sorry. Avery's career is filled with good streaks like this but he has never sustained them for any length of time. I think he should repeat Bowie and show us something over a full season. He should have less pressure to make the adjustments he needs to make as he repeats AA. If he struggles at AAA there it will be more likely to go back to his comfort zone of being too agressive. As for the steals, he seems to be very streaky as well, as he goes weeks without getting caught and then goes into a funk where he gets picked off and caught a lot. The talent is there but I'm not he'll ever put it together. Again, he has done it in spurts before. Consistency is the name of the game.

I agree with this description of Avery's career to date. He'll look like a world-beater for a month at a time, then go into a stretch where he doesn't hit at all. I too would be inclined to have him repeat AA, though he could see a mid-season promotion if he does well.

[Pat Kelly]

I agree with this description of Avery's career to date. He'll look like a world-beater for a month at a time, then go into a stretch where he doesn't hit at all. I too would be inclined to have him repeat AA, though he could see a mid-season promotion if he does well.

Which is in part why we need to see improvment in player development and a GM that can improve things or hire people who can. IMO Avery is someone who with the right coaching can reach his potential and be either a nugget or a tradeable nugget.

[NCRaven]

Avery was raw and a project from the time he was drafted. Coaching is important, but ultimately, it's up to the player to succeed. What was it Buck said? "You can't mess up the good one's." I think he's, largely, right.