Let's not waste any more of Arrieta's time at Frederick

[Hank Scorpio]

I trust those in charge.

It is a lot of fun to see these guys dominate, though. What a change this organization has undergone in the last year, huh???!?!

[Sports Guy]

I trust those in charge.

It is a lot of fun to see these guys dominate, though. What a change this organization has undergone in the last year, huh???!?!

Yep...All they did is what this organization should have been doing for years...things that many of us have been saying year after year.

[hoosiers]

Right...So why have them get another month against guys that can't challenge them?

So they can say one of their farm teams won the first half title??

What is your rush? What's wrong with them getting some accolades? How many other kids have already been promoted on merit this year?

These guys should be moved to an appropriate level of competition, that's what I've always said, but I think people have ants-in-their-pants over a couple of weeks.

[big leagues 23]

Not to mention that if they get named to the All-Star team that will be another boost of confidence, which they then can take on to Bowie for the second half of the season.

[Sports Guy]

What is your rush? What's wrong with them getting some accolades? How many other kids have already been promoted on merit this year?

These guys should be moved to an appropriate level of competition, that's what I've always said, but I think people have ants-in-their-pants over a couple of weeks.

I am not in a rush...I just see no reason to have these guys in an environment where they are far and above the rest of their competition.

[TGO]

Why are people poo-pooing getting Frederick to the playoffs? Our prospects should be learning how to win games over the course of an entire pro season and experiencing winning environments. We hadn't had that in our system for a while before last year at Frederick.

[Sports Guy]

Why are people poo-pooing getting Frederick to the playoffs? Our prospects should be learning how to win games over the course of an entire pro season and experiencing winning environments. We hadn't had that in our system for a while before last year at Frederick.

Let them go to Bowie and win there.

[Jagwar]

Yep...All they did is what this organization should have been doing for years...things that many of us have been saying year after year.

True, but I'm not sure that I would have trusted any of the Orioles GMs in prior years to pull off anything close to what MacPhail has done.

[Sports Guy]

I wouldn't make a big deal out of it. It's not going to hurt them to be at Frederick a little longer.

But is it going to help them?

[orangedive]

I am all about moving these guys along ASAP, but there's something to be said for winning. I'd love to have the guys on our farm teams used to playing with winners--I think that's important. So, if it means keeping Wieters and Arrieta at Frederick for an extra few weeks to get into the playoffs, I'm okay with that. Let's not forget how important it is for these guys to get a taste of victory and to come to Baltimore expecting to win. Let's make this organization winners from top to bottom.

However, if it were up to me, I would have already promoted both of them.

Also, isn't it nice to be pissed off at the Orioles for not promoting our deserving prospects? It wasn't too long ago when the O's promoted Fiorentino from Frederick to Baltimore and Penn from Bowie to Baltimore at age 20.

[AVencill]

I'm not going to lie, these two have just mesmerized me the first month-plus of the season. Wieters dominated early, went through a mini-slump, and then raked a nice nine-game hit streak. He's cleaned up the mechanics in his throwing and has been punching out runners on the basepaths all year like nobody's business. All Arrieta has done is go 4-0 and cram it down the opposition's throat night after night, with the exception of a hiccup his second start of the season. His home/away splits are nasty:

Home - 2-0, 1.25 ERA, 4 GS, 21.2 IP, 27 K, .123 BAA

Away - 2-0, 2.10 ERA, 5 GS, 30.0 IP, 32 K, .152 BAA

At the same time, I'm down with the MacPhail process, and I was under the impression that Wieters would not be in Bowie until June 25th or so (All-Star Break) anyway. Whenever they want to move him, go ahead. It's later than we all want, but he's done his thing here. The only thing I think that's keeping him here is a good manager who has been a catching coordinator for 17 years and wants to teach Wieters everything about the position in the professional ranks he knows. But Arrieta's domination has surprised me. I knew he would be successful, but to this degree? It's time for him to pack his bags and go visit the OH's own Mike Miller and the Bowie Baysox.

[Sports Guy]

I'm not going to lie, these two have just mesmerized me the first month-plus of the season. Wieters dominated early, went through a mini-slump, and then raked a nice nine-game hit streak. He's cleaned up the mechanics in his throwing and has been punching out runners on the basepaths all year like nobody's business. All Arrieta has done is go 4-0 and cram it down the opposition's throat night after night, with the exception of a hiccup his second start of the season. His home/away splits are nasty:

Home - 2-0, 1.25 ERA, 4 GS, 21.2 IP, 27 K, .123 BAA

Away - 2-0, 2.10 ERA, 5 GS, 30.0 IP, 32 K, .152 BAA

At the same time, I'm down with the MacPhail process, and I was under the impression that Wieters would not be in Bowie until June 25th or so (All-Star Break) anyway. Whenever they want to move him, go ahead. It's later than we all want, but he's done his thing here. The only thing I think that's keeping him here is a good manager who has been a catching coordinator for 17 years and wants to teach Wieters everything about the position in the professional ranks he knows. But Arrieta's domination has surprised me. I knew he would be successful, but to this degree? It's time for him to pack his bags and go visit the OH's own Mike Miller and the Bowie Baysox.

What are people saying about Wieters defense? Game calling?

Any idea what percentage he is at in terms of catching base stealers?

[AVencill]

Why are people poo-pooing getting Frederick to the playoffs? Our prospects should be learning how to win games over the course of an entire pro season and experiencing winning environments. We hadn't had that in our system for a while before last year at Frederick.

Frederick's been to the playoffs the last three years and won the Mills Cup in 2005 and last year. That last sentence of yours doesn't make much sense to me.

[AVencill]

What are people saying about Wieters defense? Game calling?

Any idea what percentage he is at in terms of catching base stealers?

I'll give you my thoughts on Wieters defense. First off, what a gigantic target. He's had only two passed balls all year long, and made some errant high throws early on. He's fixed his release point, and has been gunning down runners at a clip of approx. 40%. I went through the game-by-game's real late the other night (when I was drugged up on meds, FYI bad idea) to try and come up with the 41% milb.com had when Wieters was named Player of the Week. I think I had him around 39% that night and I know he's thrown out at least one more runner since then. At some point in the next few days I'll update it. It was a question I had been asking myself the past two weeks until that release by milb.com came out.

As far as game-calling, he calls a great game. It's something that's impressed me quite a bit. The pitchers are all very confident in his abilities. I think if anything, most of the mistake pitches I've seen have been due in part to the pitcher, and not where Wieters has set up on the plate. Wieters wants his guys to attack the hitters and work both sides of the plate. It's one thing he's had to learn as a pro, and he'll only continue to get better with more game-calling (another reason why it's nice to have Tommy Thompson as your manager).

[B-more]

I'll give you my thoughts on Wieters defense. First off, what a gigantic target. He's had only two passed balls all year long, and made some errant high throws early on. He's fixed his release point, and has been gunning down runners at a clip of approx. 40%. I went through the game-by-game's real late the other night (when I was drugged up on meds, FYI bad idea) to try and come up with the 41% milb.com had when Wieters was named Player of the Week. I think I had him around 39% that night and I know he's thrown out at least one more runner since then. At some point in the next few days I'll update it. It was a question I had been asking myself the past two weeks until that release by milb.com came out.

As far as game-calling, he calls a great game. It's something that's impressed me quite a bit. The pitchers are all very confident in his abilities. I think if anything, most of the mistake pitches I've seen have been due in part to the pitcher, and not where Wieters has set up on the plate. Wieters wants his guys to attack the hitters and work both sides of the plate. It's one thing he's had to learn as a pro, and he'll only continue to get better with more game-calling (another reason why it's nice to have Tommy Thompson as your manager).

Defense is also the one thing we have to remember when it comes to Wieters getting promoted. Maybe there are a few things they want him to brush up on in Frederick before they promote him so that once he is in Bowie he can remain focused on hitting and not get distracted on his hitting if he is having defensive issues.

With Arrieta, he is just plain dominating so he should get promoted soon. However, maybe they are working on certain pitches or mechanics and want him to be consistent with that before promotion since he is is walking guys.

I think either way, a half season at Bowie is still plenty of time for both to get good experience and still be on the fast track to B-more. Once they're in Bowie, then a callup to the big leagues may not be too far away if they continue to impress.