Xavier Avery

[luismatos4prez]

Does anybody know why Xavier Avery wasn't called up? It seems like we need a fourth, or even third, outfielder, and he's been playing pretty well at Norfolk. Lot of stolen bases and an OPS of 838. At least just for the week until Chavez or Reimold gets healthy. It seems like he would make a lot more sense for the team right now than Tolleson.

Flaherty looked pretty good in left today with that sliding catch, and Tolleson is easily better at third than Betemit or Reynolds, but I'd rather see Flaherty at third, with a natural outfielder like Avery in LF.

What am I missing?

[Rene88]

Does anybody know why Xavier Avery wasn't called up? It seems like we need a fourth, or even third, outfielder, and he's been playing pretty well at Norfolk. Lot of stolen bases and an OPS of 838. At least just for the week until Chavez or Reimold gets healthy. It seems like he would make a lot more sense for the team right now than Tolleson.

Flaherty looked pretty good in left today with that sliding catch, and Tolleson is easily better at third than Betemit or Reynolds, but I'd rather see Flaherty at third, with a natural outfielder like Avery in LF.

What am I missing?

I have been asking this same question on several threads now. He probably isn't ready but at least he would provide some speed and defense (I think). He is hitting as of late. The only reason I can think of is they don't want to hurt his development, but oh well. Duty calls. Better option in my eyes than Steve Tolleson.

[glenn__davis]

1. Avery is not on the 40 man roster so it would take another correlating move

2. Avery is just starting to put things together in AAA. No sense ruining a good thing.

3. The O's will get by with Flaherty and Betemit at 3B/LF for now.

Yup, pretty much.

I've always liked Avery, but give him a full season at Norfolk to try to continue to improve. Good start to the year for him, though.

[baltfan]

Leave him in Norfolk. Let him develop. He is raw fundamentally. Let's give him every chance to succeed and potentially develop into a regular vs bringing him up to sit on the bench every other day and eventually becoming a fourth or fifth outfielder.

This team needs to develop regulars. His ceiling is pretty high, but the odds of him making it there are low.

[crowmst3k!]

I'm loving the direction that Avery is taking at Norfolk. This could be a huge development if he's really putting it together, rather than just hitting a hot streak.

Dude can swipe some bags and play great OF defense. If his bat comes around for real...wow, that would be so awesome.

[DrungoHazewood]

I'd give the kid more than a month in AAA to firm up whether this is real development or a hot streak.

[brvn52]

I'd give the kid more than a month in AAA to firm up whether this is real development or a hot streak.

Yeah, seriously.

Let's not forget this was the guy who had a .666 OPS last year in AA. And, currently, has an OPS that's 100 points higher than he's ever had in a single season (and almost 150 higher than his minor league career average).

Look, I hope he's putting it together. I'm encouraged by all he's done so far. He looks like he's piecing it all together But he needs more than one solid month when he's hitting better than he's ever hit in the minors to prove that he's legit.

Plus, the upside to Avery putting it together - a 5-tool player - is worth much much more than the O's getting a 4th OFer for a couple months.

Continue to build up the kids confidence and let him succeed in AAA and then we can talk about bringing him up next year. This is the kind of player that could be boom or bust. Let's do all we can to help him boom.

[hoosiers]

For context, when was Reimold called up a few years ago and what was he hitting? I know AAA is a better beast, but X-factor's ABs at AA were plentiful and he should not be considered so far away from a short call-up - especially if Avery's defense (which we've heard mostly negative things about) is now major league sufficient.

As well as he's been offensively, X should get a chance to see where he is relatieve to the bar is for major league hitters - though he has already faced Tim Hudson and Jeff Francis this year. X-man might need to shuttle between Bmore and Norfolk a few times before his appropriate ceiling/contribution is determined - so why not start sooner? X-man's improved BB/K, XBH/PA ratios hopefully portend a real improvement in his prospect status.

[Stotle]

He should be at Norfolk the entire year, regardless of performance, and get a shot to make the team next spring. Absolutely no reason to call him up in 2012.

[btownoriole]

Stotle - what are your thoughts on Avery right now? His BB/K ratio is much better. From what you have heard has his approach changed or is this just an SSS?

[Stotle]

Stotle - what are your thoughts on Avery right now? His BB/K ratio is much better. From what you have heard has his approach changed or is this just an SSS?

I think it's a case where people who had written him off prior to this season probably did so in large part by looking at the stats without the context of age and developmental curve. I don't think his probability is much better now than it was at the beginning of the year, but he was and is clearly still a prospect with a good chance to provide Major League value. I wouldn't put too much stock into numbers until maybe early June, but obviously good numbers are better than bad numbers.

As far as what has changed, he continues to grow as a player. He is learning on the fly and has been doing it while being progressed a level each year at a relatively young age. Defense and baserunning are two areas that can generally be greatly improved with pro instruction, and we are seeing that with Avery. There is no shortcut to refining approach and strikezone command -- you need reps.

The best thing for Avery would be to accrue 750+ PA at Norfolk. If Baltimore affords him that luxury, I think he stands a solid chance of growing into a second division starter/4th outfielder.

[jamalshw]

I think it's a matter of how you view the team and how you veiw Avery as a prospect. I think the best thing for the Orioles now might be Avery, but the future for him may be brighter if he's given a full year (un-interupted) at AAA. I think we may still have a solid starter (or at least good role player) on our hands with Avery. Perhaps if I had more faith this run of success is for real or Avery has nearly peaked, I'd feel different.

[kyleott]

For context, when was Reimold called up a few years ago and what was he hitting? I know AAA is a better beast, but X-factor's ABs at AA were plentiful and he should not be considered so far away from a short call-up - especially if Avery's defense (which we've heard mostly negative things about) is now major league sufficient.

As well as he's been offensively, X should get a chance to see where he is relatieve to the bar is for major league hitters - though he has already faced Tim Hudson and Jeff Francis this year. X-man might need to shuttle between Bmore and Norfolk a few times before his appropriate ceiling/contribution is determined - so why not start sooner? X-man's improved BB/K, XBH/PA ratios hopefully portend a real improvement in his prospect status.

For some reason, in my head, I read your post as Xavier Avery's best Willie Beamen/Chad Johnson impression post-game interview, referring to himself in third person under a multitude of monikers.

[luismatos4prez]

@masnSteve found a tweet congratulating AAA outfielder Xavier Avery for being promoted to #orioles. Apparently from his agency.

Roch's Twitter

Congrats to @excelsm client Xavier Avery #Orioles for getting called up to the #Baltimore today!

Victor Menocal, Avery's agent at Excel Sports Management.

[Can_of_corn]

I like the idea of having someone that can steal a base (other then Johnson) and play some defense in the outfield on the bench. Hopefully Reimold or Chavez comes back fairly quickly and they can send Avery back down.