2023 Bowie Baysox

[Billy F-Face3]

I saw the game tonight. Armbruester started off looking a little shaky, giving up 2 runs through the 1st 2 innings but he grinded it out and settled in after that. He got through 5 innings pitched and then Conner Gillispie came in to relieve him. And for as funny of a windup that Gillaspie has (He looks like he's doing some type of shimmy shimmy shake dance), he was dominant. He pitched 4 impressive shutout innings.

John Rhodes hit a solo home run in the 3rd to put the Baysox on the board and get them within 1 run. Then in the bottom of the 8th, after working the count to 3-1, Heston Kjerstad was able to look for his pitch, and he got it... He hit a home run strait down the left field line just inside the foul pole to tie the game.

On defense, Randy Florentino got hit in the neck and the face by a couple of nasty high velocity foul tips. One looked like one of those just about knocked him out. He was laying in the dirt limp for about 30 seconds and it was scary. But he got up and worked with the trainer, and once he was deemed OK to play, he stayed in the game and toughened it out. He's a tough man.

The Baysox got into a jam in the top of the 10th, and there were runners on 3rd and 2nd with the game on the line. Thankfully, Kade Strowd was able to battle back from that point and he locked it down and did not allow them to go any farther.

In the bottom of the 10th, the Baysox executed a great sacrifice bunt play to move the runner to 3rd. (I think it was Anthony Servideo who executed the bunt. It was a perfectly executed bunt, but the Senators fielder made an outstanding play to charge down the line and make an acrobatic, strong, accurate throw to get the out at 1st base. The runner on 2nd advanced to 3rd base.) Prieto was then subbed in as a pinch hitter, but Harrisburg chose to intentionally walk him. Romero came up and hit a nice ground ball drive through the gap between the 2nd baseman and the shortstop to drive in the winning run for a walk off win!

I also want to say that Heston Kjersted is a class act. He was kind to the little league kids in attendance.

[Just Regular]

We went for the fireworks last night, and they were nice but it was a bad Baysox game.

Three batters in - Povich went sharp single, long home run to left, hit batter (umpire warning to dugout).     He had already caught a lineup break as Harrisburg (unfortunately for us) gave James Wood the night off.

Kjerstad's 1-for-4 with a double was good.    It was off a LH SP opponent, and split the left center cap, very well struck.    His first plate appearance out was also strong oppo contact, a fly out to the base of the wall in straightaway left.

Mayo and Prieto had forgettable games, though the scoreboard was scrolling a Coby Mayo squish pillow giveaway for mid-July.    I'd hope Kjerstad at least makes Norfolk by then.    The MLB app feed had a feature on Kjerstad and Mayo are Bowie roommates right now.

[Frobby]

Midseason check-in, the Baysox are 26-35, which means 9-6 since the last check-in. Coby Mayo (1.026 OPS) now joins Heston Kjerstad (.960) and Cesar Prieto(.882) as successful graduates on offense.   Justin Armbruester (2.47 ERA), Chayce McDermott (3.36), Garrett Stallings (4.73), Easton Lucas (1.56) and Wandisson Charles (2.35) are among the pitchers promoted to Norfolk.

As of today, the Baysox rank 10th/12 in the Eastern League in runs/game (4.47), even though they are 5th in OPS (.738).  They are 7th in ERA (4.35) and runs allowed per game (4.83).   They are 9th in fielding % at .973.

Looking ahead, the top offensive players to watch will be just-promoted Jackson Holliday, the game's no. 1 prospect; O's 2022 3rd rounder Jud Fabian (currently at .716 OPS); 2021 3rd rounder John Rhodes (.748); and 2021 10th rounder Billy Cook (.762).  Pitchers of interest include the mercurial Cade Povich (4.92 ERA, 13.6 K/9), Connor Gillispie (3.96, 7.9), Carlos Tavera (5.43, 10.7), Jean Pinto (2.57, 8.4) and the recently promoted Alex Pham.

It's a little thin here with all the promotions, but Holliday alone is reason to follow this team on a nightly basis.

Edited July 10, 2023 by Frobby

[MurphDogg]

I am going on Friday to see Jackson Holliday's first game and grab a Connor Norby bobblehead. I have only been once thus far this season (and one other time to grab a Gunnar Henderson bobblehead but didn't stay for the game). They have definitely been the least interesting of the affiliates, with Fabian and Povich the only other top prspects, with Mayo's promotion. 

Will probably catch a few more games in Bowie, but the Baysox have been on the back burner for me personally, given how well the O's have played.

[CHIP]

On 5/2/2023 at 1:33 PM, Frobby said:

This year’s Baysox look like a pretty dull group.  Following this morning’s loss, their record is 6-14, tied for worst in the Eastern League.  Going into play today, the Baysox ranked last in runs/game (3.53) and OPS (.637).  Their pitchers ranked a decent 4th/12 in ERA (3.65) but 7th in runs allowed/game (4.37).   As you might surmise, their defense has been shoddy, with the second worst fielding percentage in the EL (.966), the second most unearned runs and an okay CS% (22%}.

The offense has two good prospects, Heston Kjerstad (.992 OPS after today’s game) and Coby Mayo (.863).   Cesar Prieto has looked okay (.833) and maybe he could carve out a Hanser Alberto-type career for some team, but probably not the O’s with all our IF depth.  Zach Watson is in his third stint with Bowie, and while he’s doing better this time around (.736), I think his prospect days are behind him.  Second-tier prospects Johnny Rhodes (.601) and Dont’a Williams (.599) have not impressed.  

On the pitching side, Justin Armbruester leads the starters with a 1.40 ERA in 19.1 innings. Chayce McDermott, who pitched today, has a 2.86 ERA in 20.1 innings with 12.0 K/9.  Highly regarded Cade Povich is at 3.71 in 17.1 innings with 14.3 K/9.  Carlos Tavera has been disappointing so far, 6.30 ERA in 10 innings.  

Overall, there are pockets of good talent here but it’s a pretty thin team, especially when you look at all the talent that passed through Bowie last year.  Here’s hoping that Beavers, Fabian and Holliday can play well enough to get promoted to Bowie and make things more interesting later this year.  


 

 

This tweet aged quite well actually...

Kjerstad, Mayo, Prieto were all promoted to AAA and Prieto was traded.

Watson was released

Armbruester, McDermott, Povich also promoted to AAA

Beavers, Fabian and Holliday are all in AA now.  Fabian has struggled a fair share.

But the Defensive metric of 22% Caught Stealing...  As of today, Rodriguez has caught 5 of 40, Susnara has 1 of 32.  The defensive bright spot was Pavolony being 7-15 but he was moved to the Dev List after being injured and hitting 2-34 (0.059).  So.. the catching bar is set pretty low for Ardoin to do better than his current catcher mates 8% Caught Stealing rate.

Edited August 3, 2023 by CHIP

[Frobby]

Wrapping up their season last weekend, the Baysox finished 67-70.   The team saw 35 position players and 39 pitchers play games for the Baysox.  

Three position players spent all season at Bowie — Billy Cook (.776 OPS), John Rhodes (.744) and Dont’a Williams (.650).  Cook led the team in most counting stats: PA, runs, hits, homers, RBI, total bases and stolen bases.   Despite playing only 78 games there, Coby Mayo led the team in doubles with 30.   For players with more than 100 PA, Cesar Prieto led the team in BA at .364, and Mayo in OBP at .424, SLG at .603, and OPS at 1.026.   Other OPS leaders were Kjerstad at .960, Holliday at .928, Beavers at .894, and Prieto at .882.   Among players who finished at Bowie, Jud Fabian had a .713 OPS despite a .177 BA, and Silas Ardoin finished at .769.

The pitching staff was a real revolving door.  Connor Gillispie spent all year there and led the team in innings at 115.2, 34 innings more than anyone else.  Justin Armbruester (62 IP, 2.47 ERA), Cade Povich 81.1 IP, 4.87), Chayce McDermott (68.1 IP, 3.56) and Garrett Stallings (53.1 IP, 4.81) all were promoted to Norfolk.  Alex Pham (60.2 IP, 2.47 ERA) was the top performer among those coming up from Aberdeen to Bowie. Carlos Tavera (79.2 IP, 4.86 ERA), Houston Roth (79.0 IP, 5.01) and Peter Van Loon (53.2 IP, 6.04 ERA) all spent the year at Bowie but pitched limited innings.  

Overall, there were a lot of top prospects who spent some time at Bowie, highlighted by Kjerstad, Mayo, Holliday and a brief cameo from Samuel Basallo at the end.  Basallo, Beavers and Fabian figure to be the most interesting players who begin 2024 at Bowie.