Orioles in the AFL

[crawdad]

You don't think any of those guys could have started this year in CF for some of the teams that were on the bottom in OPS?

I wrote that that is his high comp. That is the limit I see for his projection. I do not see him actually getting to that level. And, those guys, were starters in a pinch and were removed as quickly as possible.

I think Angle's hit tools are below that slightly.

[commish]

I hate comps, but I will use them to try to put a point across. I think the best he shows for may be Dave Roberts, Quintin McCracken, or James Mouton.

But but but those guys can't be his comps, Matt Angle is white!

[Brazil Os Fan]

But but but those guys can't be his comps, Matt Angle is white!

Maybe Jason Tyner is!!!!!:eektf::eektf:

[crawdad]

Maybe Jason Tyner is!!!!!:eektf::eektf:

As long as we are breaking open the comps . . . Orlando Palmeiro would be another fine comp.

[Fairfax Bird]

The problem I see is that he has good speed and a good eye. His contact rate is average and his power is non-existent. When he faces better pitchers with better, more polished stuff . . . that walk rate will drop. Pitchers will go after him and hard. He does not appear to be a very good base runner. The last two years, he has shown that he is fast, not incredibly gifted at stealing bases.

Just not a good combination. At least with a guy like Juan Pierre, he was a very good baserunner and his contact skills were amazing.

Maybe his contact rate will improve when he starts seeing more polished pitchers. Maybe he takes the walks now because he can. I think he could have a Reggie Willitis type future. That is the comp I see.

[crawdad]

Angle compares very favorably to Scott Podsednik and Nyjer Morgan, FWIW.

Juan Pierre had great contact skills but he also showed a lot less patience than Angle. Your theory on Angle could be true but it also could mean he gets good pitches to hit if pitchers come right after him. As for the baserunning, I don't see how you can call Angle a bad baserunner and Pierre a very good baserunner. Matt Angle in 3 seaons is 112 SB & 27 CS. Juan Pierre in the minors was 151/41. Let's even throw out shortseason ball, and go with their first two full seasons. Pierre was 112/31. Angle was 78/23. I just don't see a significant enough of a differnce to call one a good baserunner and the other a bad baserunner.

Typically, your better baserunners will see a major improvement as they go higher up the ladder as they learn. Downward trends are not usually something you want to see because they tend to indicate base stealing on physical gifts . . . not technique. I probably overstated Juan Pierre's aptitude on the basepaths slightly. He is a better baserunner though. You have to remember the MO they were pushing Pierre on when he was with the Rox which was for him to steal every time he got on base when he was in the minors. When he is picky, his rate is higher . . . which seems to be the case when he hit the majors. Or someone helped refine his technique.

[crawdad]

I'm not saying you are wrong but it would be interesting to see if the numbers back this up. While runners may be learning, they are also bound to be facing pitchers who are also learning to hold runners better, and catchers who are more talented than the ones they saw, as a whole, in lower levels.

Pierre's basestealing success rate was higher in the minors or about the same if you throw out his first season in rookie ball. Actually his stolen base percentage pretty much reflects what he did in the minors.

Typically, catching skill matures faster than holding base runners. Or at least that effect on baserunners becomes more pronounced.

It should be expected that stolen base rate would be higher in the minors. It is indicative of skill maturation if it gets better or stays the same.

[QBsILLEST1]

I hate comps, but I will use them to try to put a point across. I think the best he shows for may be Dave Roberts, Quintin McCracken, or James Mouton.

Man those comps remind me of the good Orioles......I personally would be very happy for Angle to become Mr. Hard Hittin Mark Whiten, especially back in 93 and 94. He had some pretty good years most definitely. He even had a .849 OPS in 94.....Angle has no chance at that.....

[Frobby]

Waring with a nice 3 for 5 (with a triple) today, raising his line to .333/.417/.667. He's had at least one hit in each game he's played, and also has struck out at least once in each game (9 K's in 21 AB).

Snyder was 1 for 4 with a walk, now .372/.417/.628. He has cooled off a bit since his sizzling start, but still has at least one hit in 9 of 10 games, and has reached base in every game he's played.

Gamboa pitched an inning today, allowing 2 hits but no runs. Only the 2nd time he's pitched.

[Birds08]

Erbe's final line today: 4.1 IP, 3H, 1HR, 1 ER, 1BB, 5Ks. Seems like he has great stuff today. ERA down to 2.00.

[Frobby]

Erbe so far today: 4 IP, 1 H (a homer), 1 ER, 1BB, 5Ks. Seems like he has great stuff today. 54 pitches through 4.

He struggled in the 5th, removed with runners on first and third with one out after throwing 17 pitches to the first three batters in the inning. Tanaka came in for relief and the runner on 3rd was caught trying to steal home, and Tanaka struck out the next batter. So, Erbe's final line: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 HR, 1 BB, 5 K's, 71 pitches, 51 for strikes. Nice outing and his ERA after three appearances is a tidy 2.00. Not too shabby in a league where the league ERA is 5.65. Overall he has pitched 9 innings, allowing 8 hits, 2 walks and striking out 9.

[JayThomas]

He struggled in the 5th, removed with runners on first and third with one out after throwing 17 pitches to the first three batters in the inning. Tanaka came in for relief and the runner on 3rd was caught trying to steal home, and Tanaka struck out the next batter. So, Erbe's final line: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 HR, 1 BB, 5 K's, 71 pitches, 51 for strikes. Nice outing and his ERA after three appearances is a tidy 2.00. Not too shabby in a league where the league ERA is 5.65. Overall he has pitched 9 innings, allowing 8 hits, 2 walks and striking out 9.

Really fantastic news for Brandon. Those are stellar numbers for the AFL, albeit a very small sample size. If he can get through the AFL season dominating like that, it really bodes well for his next season.

[NCRaven]

Interesting boxscore. Erbe, Tanaka, and Perrault all pitched along with three Devil Dog pitchers from other organizations and five pitchers on the opposing team. All three of our pitchers have lower ERA's (2.00, 2.70, and 1.69) than all of the other pitchers except one. Ours were #s 2,3,4 out of 11 pitchers in the game. All well below the league average. Along with Snyder's 2 for 4 with a double, not a bad day.

[allstar1579]

He struggled in the 5th, removed with runners on first and third with one out after throwing 17 pitches to the first three batters in the inning. Tanaka came in for relief and the runner on 3rd was caught trying to steal home, and Tanaka struck out the next batter. So, Erbe's final line: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 HR, 1 BB, 5 K's, 71 pitches, 51 for strikes. Nice outing and his ERA after three appearances is a tidy 2.00. Not too shabby in a league where the league ERA is 5.65. Overall he has pitched 9 innings, allowing 8 hits, 2 walks and striking out 9.

Pretty much how his whole season went. He'd feel out his pitches early and give up a run or two, settle down and be lights out for a few innings, and then somewhere between the 5th-7th he'd have an inning where he would miss a bit, give up a couple full count walks or singles, and then he'd get out of it; today he was removed first.

[RVAbird]

Pretty much how his whole season went. He'd feel out his pitches early and give up a run or two, settle down and be lights out for a few innings, and then somewhere between the 5th-7th he'd have an inning where he would miss a bit, give up a couple full count walks or singles, and then he'd get out of it; today he was removed first.

I know there's a good argument for Erbe as a relief pitcher if his stamina/pitch efficiency is inadequate for a starter, but if he's consistently feeling his way through the first couple of innings you have to ask how effective he'd be as a reliever.

Of course, being able to just come out of the pen and fire the ball could help with that.

I'm still not giving up on Erbe the starter until he proves he can't handle it.