20/20 Rowell Hindsight

[Rufus]

Would a slower promotion schedule have helped him adapt better to the tougher pitching? Would a 2008 demotion back to Delmarva have helped him reestablish himself, and given him... well something that he could build on?

Is the difference between A & high-A ball that great? I've heard that the jump from high-A to AA is the greatest... I don't see how promoting Rowell after a solid full season at Delmarva stunted his development in any way, shape, or form. And while a .760ish OPS is not "amazing" by any means, I believe its above average for the Sally league.

[alexei606]

I'm more interested in a different type of Rowell hindsight -- would he have developed better if the Orioles had not promoted him so aggressively? He put up a 761 OPS at Delmarva in 2007, which is pretty respectable but hardly dominant. In 2008 at Frederick, at a very young age for the league, he couldn't crack 700. Would a slower promotion schedule have helped him adapt better to the tougher pitching? Would a 2008 demotion back to Delmarva have helped him reestablish himself, and given him... well something that he could build on?

I'm not asking this as a means of bashing the organization, but as a means of learning what we can do with some newer prospects. I look now at some of our players who have somewhat disappointed at Delmarva this year -- Hoes, Avery, Hudson -- and wondering if there are lessons here. Was any consideration given to moving one or more of them to Aberdeen (or even Bluefield) after the short seasons started? Where do we put them next year?

I wouldn't call their seasons disappointing. Avery is very raw, apparently, his HS league was terrible and he did not get a lot of competition, but, his athleticism and tools really are outstanding. Doc Shorebird gave us a "scouting report" on him and he really needs to work on defense particularly. To be as raw as he is - a respectable showing - but, I think he should repeat DelMarva.

Hoes has both parents ill (I believe his father was diagnosed with cancer) and he left the team for a short time due to this. That is a real load on anyone's shoulders, let alone a 19 year old. Doc Shorebird believes that he can be promoted - much more polished in all aspects of the game than Avery.

Hudson actually was pretty raw even though a college guy because he also played football. He missed development time last year to a broken hand/wrist and he has played decently in the OF (according to Doc Shorebird) and his hitting (lack of power is a concern) has been decent. He should be promoted to Frederick. Hopefully, he will hit the weight room, but, not too much, he is an 80 on speed and was the top college athlete in his draft class according to BA.

As for Rowell, it still seems that he is not changing his swing (some say long, others say a big hole) whatever it is, I hope he actually has improved in the "attitude" department like Stockstill said he has and works hard in the Fall Instructionals and comes out strong next year, wherever the Orioles put him.

[QBsILLEST1]

I wouldn't call their seasons disappointing. Avery is very raw, apparently, his HS league was terrible and he did not get a lot of competition, but, his athleticism and tools really are outstanding. Doc Shorebird gave us a "scouting report" on him and he really needs to work on defense particularly. To be as raw as he is - a respectable showing - but, I think he should repeat DelMarva.

Hoes has both parents ill (I believe his father was diagnosed with cancer) and he left the team for a short time due to this. That is a real load on anyone's shoulders, let alone a 19 year old. Doc Shorebird believes that he can be promoted - much more polished in all aspects of the game than Avery.

Hudson actually was pretty raw even though a college guy because he also played football. He missed development time last year to a broken hand/wrist and he has played decently in the OF (according to Doc Shorebird) and his hitting (lack of power is a concern) has been decent. He should be promoted to Frederick. Hopefully, he will hit the weight room, but, not too much, he is an 80 on speed and was the top college athlete in his draft class according to BA.

As for Rowell, it still seems that he is not changing his swing (some say long, others say a big hole) whatever it is, I hope he actually has improved in the "attitude" department like Stockstill said he has and works hard in the Fall Instructionals and comes out strong next year, wherever the Orioles put him.

He has a hole in his swing because it is long IMO, unless he shortens that swing, he is going stay stagnant. Maybe the change of scenery will help, but I doubt it, if he falters again next season, my last bit of hope in him will be gone....

[TheBandit]

If you go back and check how we drafted in the years prior to Rowell, you won't find many 1st rounders that panned out for us. He's not the first bust, and he won't be the last.

Honestly, I could careless about his bat; he still makes an incredible amount of errors wherever he is playing, so I wouldn't want him out in the field.

If he's been reduced to a 22 year old DH next year, then just DH him and work solely on hitting. If he can't figure it out next year just doing that, then he's a lost cause. They already have moved him to the outfield where there are a ton of people ahead of him on the prospect list not to mention our own outfield. The reason he was moved to the outfield was to take the stress of being a corner infielder off of him, so he could focus on his hitting. If that's where his gold his, then let's just let him do that.

[3M9]

I'm honestly the last person to "support" Rowell. I've been witness to too many things that aren't highly visible in "statistics" but are very visible to those that are watching. That said, he has HUGE power in his bat. He has more power than Waring - but Waring has a much better swing. Bottom line, Rowell has something "special" in his bat, but he has to decide if he's going to take the coaching (he's hopefully getting) and make it happen.

[alexei606]

I'm honestly the last person to "support" Rowell. I've been witness to too many things that aren't highly visible in "statistics" but are very visible to those that are watching. That said, he has HUGE power in his bat. He has more power than Waring - but Waring has a much better swing. Bottom line, Rowell has something "special" in his bat, but he has to decide if he's going to take the coaching (he's hopefully getting) and make it happen.

That's what scouting reports continue to say. Like I said, hope he works hard in the Fall Instructs and breaks out next year, that bat will carry him wherever he may play if that happens.

[RedDevil00]

That's what scouting reports continue to say. Like I said, hope he works hard in the Fall Instructs and breaks out next year, that bat will carry him wherever he may play if that happens.

Let's hope he goes this year. I seem to remember last year he was invited but refused to attend.

[alexei606]

Let's hope he goes this year. I seem to remember last year he was invited but refused to attend.

IIRC, Rowell is going per Stockstill - I could be wrong though.

[allstar1579]

I'm honestly the last person to "support" Rowell. I've been witness to too many things that aren't highly visible in "statistics" but are very visible to those that are watching. That said, he has HUGE power in his bat. He has more power than Waring - but Waring has a much better swing. Bottom line, Rowell has something "special" in his bat, but he has to decide if he's going to take the coaching (he's hopefully getting) and make it happen.

Yeah, you could call him a "tools" guy, he was supposed to have a good arm and elite power out of HS. The problem is he hasn't developed any other tools enough to even be serviceable yet. He's a guy if you saw him this year and went to draft him, you'd take him in the 10th-15th round on power potential but not much else.