2008 Depth chart is out

[Tony-OH]

I was trying to wait out the Bedard and Roberts trades but I got tired of waiting. I'll adjust them as the trades happen. Thanks for your patience this year.

http://www.orioleshangout.com/plus/depthchart.asp

Note, the depth chart is plus feature.

Go here to sign up.

[hoosiers]

Really well done, Tony. No early "omissions" or anything of that nature, IMO. Nothing to criticize! I'm just disappointed Chmiel, Pope and Adams might not get to DelMarva. I would have liked to have seen Widlansky get a shot at the DelMarva OF as he was a senior, I believe. Sheesh, even Calvin Lester and Marriotti look to be in the right spots. All you've left me is - Where's Shane Matthews for crying out loud?

Excellent job. Plus, it's a nice group of talent.

Tony, what happens with Tillman and Butler in your opinion if/when the Bedard trade goes down? Bowie and Frederick would appear to be their respective stops. Does that push Renshaw to DelMarva? And who gets moved from Bowie and to where?

[wayne25]

Excellent viewing, the colors are much improved, less bluring , more distinct,..BUT, only 2 early potentials for our lowest 3 teams combined is not comforting. But that speaks to drafting alot of college kids and NEVER signing the blue chip latins.

[Baltimoron]

BUT, only 2 early potentials for our lowest 3 teams combined is not comforting. But that speaks to drafting alot of college kids and NEVER signing the blue chip latins.

Or maybe it speaks to the facts that impact guys in any MLB system (almost by definition) are beyond short or full A ball after getting into the syatem.

Who would you expect to *still* be at such a level and yet still be regarded highly, other than a foreign born free agent signed this offseason.

[wayne25]

Just noticed and suprised that Tripp is only c+ prospect. He's a good athlete who can play Defense and had a breakout offensive year, so expected he'd rate higher. Was it age related?

[wayne25]

Or maybe it speaks to the facts that impact guys in any MLB system (almost by definition) are beyond short or full A ball after getting into the syatem.

Who would you expect to *still* be at such a level and yet still be regarded highly, other than a foreign born free agent signed this offseason.

Well, since we're talking about 3 levels, JC guys , Latin guys, and considering that lots of college guys go to Aberdeen and Delmarva, college guys,.. Did I leave anyone out? Oh yeah, High Schooler from the last 2 drafts.

[wayne25]

Not happy to see D. Hernandez as a marginal starter. Had Believed he had above average stuff and was working on command and refining his changeup. Any inside info here?

[MarkF]

Great job.

What about Hayden Penn and Matt Albers? Are they not on the list because they are not technically prospects? On the other hand, don't you expect them to be starting pitchers at Norfolk this year?

[Tony-OH]

Really well done, Tony. No early "omissions" or anything of that nature, IMO. Nothing to criticize! I'm just disappointed Chmiel, Pope and Adams might not get to DelMarva. I would have liked to have seen Widlansky get a shot at the DelMarva OF as he was a senior, I believe. Sheesh, even Calvin Lester and Marriotti look to be in the right spots. All you've left me is - Where's Shane Matthews for crying out loud?

Excellent job. Plus, it's a nice group of talent.

Tony, what happens with Tillman and Butler in your opinion if/when the Bedard trade goes down? Bowie and Frederick would appear to be their respective stops. Does that push Renshaw to DelMarva? And who gets moved from Bowie and to where?

I tell you, there are about ten pitchers that SHOULD be pitching in Frederick's rotation so there will be some tough choices in spring training for Dave Stockstill and his staff and coaches.

Looking it over, despite his young age, I think Tillman would get the nod to Bowie with Deza either moving back to the pen or to the Norfolk rotation with Johnson moving to the bullpen at Norfolk. Butler would probably have to go into the rotation at Frederick so either Bergesen or Renshaw will have to move down to Delmarva.

I guess it's a good problem to have too much pitching and after this trade goes down, the Orioles will have a plethora of pitching prospects that are 1-3 years away.

[Frobby]

Very fun to look at, Tony, great work. A few comments and questions for you:

1. Sickening to look at SS - nothing from AAA on down. And we drafted like 5 shortstops two years ago, almost all of whom appear to have moved to other positions.

2. Very little in CF - I sure hope Adam Jones arrives and makes that a moot issue.

3. A little surprised to see Angle designated as "early potential." He'll be 23 this year, no?

4. Seven pitchers designated as "solid major league starters" -- not including Bascom and Arrieta. I was a little surprised to see Bascom at Bowie and Arrieta at Frederick, rather than the other way around. But I realize this is just preliminary.

5. Looking at who you have at AAA, I infer you think Albers and Penn will beat out Patton and Olson for rotation spots on the Orioles? And Scott Moore will make the big club as well?

6. What more can you tell us about Brian Parker? He wasn't on the top 30 list or the early potential list, but shows up here as an early potential guy slated to be Delmarva's closer. Do tell.

[Tony-OH]

Just noticed and suprised that Tripp is only c+ prospect. He's a good athlete who can play Defense and had a breakout offensive year, so expected he'd rate higher. Was it age related?

Tripp will have to prove he can continue to put numbers up at High-A and especially Double-A before he gets too high a ranking. The plate discpline and the strikeout numbers at the end of the year were worrisome.

I'm interested in seeing him play this year though.

[Tony-OH]

Not happy to see D. Hernandez as a marginal starter. Had Believed he had above average stuff and was working on command and refining his changeup. Any inside info here?

Yes, he does have above average stuff, but he also has below average consistency. He's another one that has a lot of potential but he'll need to prove it on the field next year. Double-A should be a great test for him.

[Tony-OH]

Great job.

What about Hayden Penn and Matt Albers? Are they not on the list because they are not technically prospects? On the other hand, don't you expect them to be starting pitchers at Norfolk this year?

I believe both will break camp with the Orioles. I can see Penn in the rotation and Albers in the bullpen but if Penn has a poor spring and Olson or Patton have good springs, they could switch.

[DuffMan]

I believe both will break camp with the Orioles. I can see Penn in the rotation and Albers in the bullpen but if Penn has a poor spring and Olson or Patton have good springs, they could switch.

Do you think Olson's poor performance at the ML level heart his chances of making the club to start the year? I really had high hopes for him they way he was dominating in Norfolk. Still trying to figure out what happened to that guy.

[Frobby]

Do you think Olson's poor performance at the ML level heart his chances of making the club to start the year? I really had high hopes for him they way he was dominating in Norfolk. Still trying to figure out what happened to that guy.

In my opinion, Olson deserves a clean slate, as does Penn. Guys who do that well in AAA can succeed in the majors. We gave up on John Maine too soon and I hope we never make that mistake again.