Orioles in the AFL

[QBsILLEST1]

Nice. Enjoy; looking forward to your report.

Yes, me too. I would be just as interested to go see Scheppers pitch. He will be the next big time pitcher coming from the Texas organization. I just cannot believe the slot he was drafted at for the value that you are gonna get with him. Of course, the injury risk is HUGE, and if his labrum ends up needing surgery, you can't count on him coming back. But if he is sitting mid to upper 90's, even if he loses some velo, he will still probably be throwing about as hard as David Hernandez......

[justD]

Yes, me too. I would be just as interested to go see Scheppers pitch. He will be the next big time pitcher coming from the Texas organization. I just cannot believe the slot he was drafted at for the value that you are gonna get with him. Of course, the injury risk is HUGE, and if his labrum ends up needing surgery, you can't count on him coming back. But if he is sitting mid to upper 90's, even if he loses some velo, he will still probably be throwing about as hard as David Hernandez......

Unfortunately, we won't be seeing any games against Surprise, Scheppers' team, and I don't believe he's on the Rising Stars rosters for Saturday's game. If Surprise makes it to the championship, perhaps you [we] will be able see him on that broadcast.

[Arthur_Bryant]

Thursday game won by Phoenix, 12-11.

Snyder was DH, hitting third, 2-for-4 including a double, with two BB, 2 RBI.

Bell 1-5 with a walk, playing 3B.

Tanaka started: 3IP, 8 H, 5 R

Gamboa came into game in the ninth with a three-run lead. He got two outs, gave up two runs on three hits and a BB, then gave way to Perrault who got the last out on two pitches, stranding two runners.

[Lucky Jim]

Thursday game won by Phoenix, 12-11.

Snyder was DH, hitting third, 2-for-4 including a double, with two BB, 2 RBI.

Bell 1-5 with a walk, playing 3B.

Tanaka started: 3IP, 8 H, 5 R

Gamboa came into game in the ninth with a three-run lead. He got two outs, gave up two runs on three hits and a BB, then gave way to Perrault who got the last out on two pitches, stranding two runners.

Looks like Snyder had a triple, too.

[Frobby]

Snyder is reinforcing the high opinion I've had of him for 2+ years now. I know it's a hitters' league, but this guy rakes. And, he's been taking his share of walks.

If I am not mistaken, Snyder has only played one game this Fall where he failed to get on base.

[Scrat1]

I know the AFL numbers aren't supposed to mean much, but my confidence in Snyder has certainly been restored. Very excited to see how he handles 1B next year.

[Mackus]

Snyder is reinforcing the high opinion I've had of him for 2+ years now. I know it's a hitters' league, but this guy rakes. And, he's been taking his share of walks.

If I am not mistaken, Snyder has only played one game this Fall where he failed to get on base.

I'd allow Snyder to earn an April spot on the O's in ST. I'd still probably try and start him in Norfolk for contract purposes, but a nice Spring and I'd be willing to call him up after the first two weeks of the season.

[Frobby]

I'd allow Snyder to earn an April spot on the O's in ST. I'd still probably try and start him in Norfolk for contract purposes, but a nice Spring and I'd be willing to call him up after the first two weeks of the season.

I think you have to wait 20 days if the player is on the 40 man roster.

[Scrat1]

I think you have to wait 20 days if the player is on the 40 man roster.

I can easily live through 20 days of Aubrey/Wigginton at first.

[Frobby]

Snyder: .373/.465/.627

Bell: .309/.373/.409

[wickedwitch]

Some fun Brandon Snyder stats:

Snyder leads the team with 11 walks and is tied for 5th for the entire league. He is 5th in OPS in the league and 2nd in OBP.

[Arthur_Bryant]

Some fun Brandon Snyder stats:

Snyder leads the team with 11 walks and is tied for 5th for the entire league. He is 5th in OPS in the league and 2nd in OBP.

I really like this. Snyder's pattern until recently is that he takes walks only when he isn't hitting well; when on a hot streak, he becomes much less discriminating. The big drawback to that approach is that pitchers are most likely to pitch around you when you're hot, and challenge you when you're not.

If he has learned to stay disciplined during the hot streaks, he becomes a much more effective and productive hitter.

[weams]

Thursday game won by Phoenix, 12-11.

Snyder was DH, hitting third, 2-for-4 including a double, with two BB, 2 RBI.

Bell 1-5 with a walk, playing 3B.

Tanaka started: 3IP, 8 H, 5 R

Gamboa came into game in the ninth with a three-run lead. He got two outs, gave up two runs on three hits and a BB, then gave way to Perrault who got the last out on two pitches, stranding two runners.

I was at the game in Peoria today.

I watched batting practice as well and was impressed with Joshua Bell's strength once again.

Snyder bats third in a completely stacked lineup. He is a fully accomplished hitter at this level and is quite patient. He used the complete field instead of just pulling the ball. The triple actually caused a collision between the center fielder and the right fielder. The double was hit to the deepest part of left center. He appeared to be very focused at the plate and also in his base running. Very precise turns at the bases and heads up awareness of where the ball was at all times.

Bell batted seventh and he struck the ball well but at Saguaros players. His single was a Tony Gwynn special. My favorite swing was a "Foul Homer" easily four hundred ft up the grassy knoll beyond the right field fence. I walked through the clubhouse gate and strolled up the hill to retrieve it.

Gamboa had been selected as today's closer by the Phoenix manager. I overheard him tell the pitching coach that "Gamboa's got the ninth" sometime during the eighth inning. He got a routine grounder on the first man he faced, but the shortstop played back on the ball thinking his arm would do the trick only to have the base runner tie him. Eddie was a little timid with the next batter and walked him. I did however, have to ask the umpire where one of those pitches was.

With the tying run at the plate he reestablished himself with a dominant strikeout.

He battled to a 3-2 count before giving a up a solid single up the middle. A pop up to the first baseman and he was almost out of it but came inside with something nasty, broke his bat, and the result was a bloop single.

He was then pulled and Perrault got a weak grounder to end it.

Tannaka looked crafty for three innings but was seriously tagged after that.

[cmcgarvey]

Erbe won't pitch on Saturday

http://masnsports.com/2009/11/erbe-will-miss-rising-stars-ga.html

[Arthur_Bryant]

I was at the game in Peoria today.

I watched batting practice as well and was impressed with Joshua Bell's strength once again.

Snyder bats third in a completely stacked lineup. He is a fully accomplished hitter at this level and is quite patient. He used the complete field instead of just pulling the ball. The triple actually caused a collision between the center fielder and the right fielder. The double was hit to the deepest part of left center. He appeared to be very focused at the plate and also in his base running. Very precise turns at the bases and heads up awareness of where the ball was at all times.

Bell batted seventh and he struck the ball well but at Saguaros players. His single was a Tony Gwynn special. My favorite swing was a "Foul Homer" easily four hundred ft up the grassy knoll beyond the right field fence. I walked through the clubhouse gate and strolled up the hill to retrieve it.

Gamboa had been selected as today's closer by the Phoenix manager. I overheard him tell the pitching coach that "Gamboa's got the ninth" sometime during the eighth inning. He got a routine grounder on the first man he faced, but the shortstop played back on the ball thinking his arm would do the trick only to have the base runner tie him. Eddie was a little timid with the next batter and walked him. I did however, have to ask the umpire where one of those pitches was.

With the tying run at the plate he reestablished himself with a dominant strikeout.

He battled to a 3-2 count before giving a up a solid single up the middle. A pop up to the first baseman and he was almost out of it but came inside with something nasty, broke his bat, and the result was a bloop single.

He was then pulled and Perrault got a weak grounder to end it.

Tannaka looked crafty for three innings but was seriously tagged after that.

Great to hear this about Snyder, especially the observation about his patient at the plate and his professional approach overall. This kind of polish counts for a lot among the gatekeepers of MLB (and no I don't mean the guys at the turnstiles). He sounds like he is ready to made a serious run at a spot on the 25-man. I'm really interested to see him and Bell at the big league level.

Many thanks. AFL sounds like a lot of fun.