Billy Rowell is stirring...

[Old#5fan]

If you were, you have a funny way of putting it.

How do the Orioles fire a coach that is not on their staff? Also, funny how you completely ignore my post and jump to the post that tried to make it look like I didn't know what I was talking about (like he always does).

So riddle me this batman, how does the Orioles fire the coach on the spot if he doesn't work for them?

They wouldn't but they sure could put some pressure on Rowell to do so if he was teaching him a long, looping swing (in other words making him worse). I personally don't know who the coach was that changed his swing so I was sort of using the shotgun approach in my statement. So I take the blame for that, but I am sure the Orioles must know who is responsible for changing his swing for the worse, and I would expect them to take some sort of action necessary to reflect their displeasure over this.

[clapdiddy]

Rowell has had some 1-2 week hot streaks before, plenty of times. I recall starting a thread about how well he was doing sometime last April or May, but soon he went cold and fell apart completely. So, pardon me if I wait until June before getting excited about anything Rowell does in his third go-round in Frederick.

Frobby...the voice of reason...yet again!

[Jammer7]

Do you really believe a professional hitting coach taught him a long, loopy swing? I don't want to rain on the Rowel parade here because it's nice to see the seven walks, but he has struck out nine times in 21 at bats and even if you account for the walks he's still striking out one every four times to the plate.

Prior to yesterday's 2-4, 2 double game, he was batting .235 with one extra base hit and 9 strikeouts in 17 at bats.

I'm glad he's off to a better start overall than he has in the pas,t and the seven walks drawn are nice sign he's being a bit more patient, but his strikeout rate is a major, major red flag for a guy going into his third season in the same league.

He's had a nice series and I hope he can build upon it, but there are some major red flags in the stats and with his background, I think it's way, way too early to start proclaiming his "new-old swing" is the key and that the Orioles hitting coaches have some how screwed him up since he's been drafted.

Funny you bring up hitting coaches and loopy swings. There are several hitting coaches in the private industry that teach the same mechanics as Josh Hamilton, Albert Pujols and Manny Ramirez. That group of elite hitters is awesome when you break down their mechanics. But not everyone can hit the way they do. In fact, unless you are as strong as they are, your swing will look long and loopy with a high one-handed finish.

I know of some coaches here in Florida who teach that swing to kids and I just laugh. Every kid who sticks with it crushes the ball off the tee and in soft toss and even batting practice. But in the game, at game speed, the bat is slow. They strike out a ton, and occasionally hit a bomb on the low middle-in fastball.

Reading what Adam wrote, it just made me think of that. Maybe Rowell just needs to get comfortable and let the game come to him. I am happy to hear he is doing well, but I too will need to see a lot more than this to change my opinion of his future. Mentally, I just don't think he will get it.

Bottom line for any hitter, IMHO, be comfortable, balance throughout the swing with little head movement, quick hands to the ball and drive through it. Obviously, there is a whole mental approach to every ab and every pitch as well and that is maybe more important at the professional level than mechanics.

[MDsportsfan15]

I think people are jumping at the opportunity to get back on the Rowell bandwagon. he needs to hit for longer than a week. Going 0-5 today with a strikeout dropped his average right back down to .231. Thats why good games and bacd games this early in the year will make you look really good or really bad. Lets see where he is in a month.

[3M9]

If you've looked at Billy's swing closely you'll notice it hasn't really changed much. It is a little "flatter" thru the zone than years before. However, trust Tony, a hitting coach in professional baseball did NOT teach Billy that swing. He's gotten a wind aided HR, he's had 3 broken bat hits, and a couple seeing eye singles. He is not scorching the ball, by any means. When you're "finding" hits, not hitting the ball hard, ultimately it catches up to you.

In addition, they moved Billy from 3B originally (to the OF) because he's a bad 3B. However, they discovered he's even worse in the OF. They asked Billy where he's most comfortable and he told them he wanted to play 3B. So, given the money invested in Billy, he's back at 3B. And the issue w/ him at 3B isn't really that he can't field a ground ball it's that he has no range therefore not getting to most ground balls others would get to. That, and he has no concept of how to field a slow roller, won't leave his feet or catch a pop fly.

It is what it is...a bust. It happens in all sports, all the time.

[olehippi]

If you've looked at Billy's swing closely you'll notice it hasn't really changed much. It is a little "flatter" thru the zone than years before. However, trust Tony, a hitting coach in professional baseball did NOT teach Billy that swing. He's gotten a wind aided HR, he's had 3 broken bat hits, and a couple seeing eye singles. He is not scorching the ball, by any means. When you're "finding" hits, not hitting the ball hard, ultimately it catches up to you.

In addition, they moved Billy from 3B originally (to the OF) because he's a bad 3B. However, they discovered he's even worse in the OF. They asked Billy where he's most comfortable and he told them he wanted to play 3B. So, given the money invested in Billy, he's back at 3B. And the issue w/ him at 3B isn't really that he can't field a ground ball it's that he has no range therefore not getting to most ground balls others would get to. That, and he has no concept of how to field a slow roller, won't leave his feet or catch a pop fly.

It is what it is...a bust. It happens in all sports, all the time.

Wow!....almost sounds like you have a personal issue with Rowell? All this sounds pretty damning as to his future in baseball, even if he is only 21. It's hard to believe the Orioles would stick with him if he's as bad as you say.

[Frobby]

Wow!....almost sounds like you have a personal issue with Rowell? All this sounds pretty damning as to his future in baseball, even if he is only 21. It's hard to believe the Orioles would stick with him if he's as bad as you say.

If you go and look at 3M9's posts over the last couple of years, you'll see that he's a keen follower of the Keys, and seems pretty plugged in to what's going on there. He's had pretty strong opinions on a lot of Keys players.

[DocJJ]

.200.

guess we shoulda chosen Lincecum that draft....

[ShaneDawg85]

After a week, Rowell's got the following line:

15 Games

2 Home Runs

12 RBI's

9 BB's

18 SO's

.241 AVG, .369 OBP, .426 SLG

.795 OPS

Looks like the K's have been going up but the BB's haven't really followed. Not that I'm expecting him to turn into Nick Markakis in the plate discipline department.

[Gurgi]

If Rowell hits 12 or less homeruns hits .250 or less and looks basically like the guy of the last two years at the end of this season is there any reason not to cut him?

Could this be Rowell's swan song?

[Frobby]

Those numbers aren't great but they aren't that bad, either. Put it this way, he could get hot and soon have an OPS over .850, or he could get cold and soon have an OPS under .725. At the end of the year, if he isn't solidly over .800 OPS, it's probably time to officially give up on him.

[RVAbird]

Those numbers aren't great but they aren't that bad, either. Put it this way, he could get hot and soon have an OPS over .850, or he could get cold and soon have an OPS under .725. At the end of the year, if he isn't solidly over .800 OPS, it's probably time to officially give up on him.

It's officially time to give up on him if he's around .800 OPS? I think that's a bit overboard.

Let me ask this:

How would everyone feel if Rowell ended the season hitting .250/.350/.450 with 150 Ks, 70 BB, 18 HR, and 40 2B? That's basically an extrapolation of his current line over 550 or so PA.

It's not overwhelming and the Ks are obviously a big concern going forward, but I think that merits a 22 year old season in AA before jumping ship.

[hobbycars]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060606&content_id=1491168&vkey=news_bal&fext=.jsp&c_id=bal

Thought some of you might find this interesting.

[ThisIsOurHouse]

With an .840 OPS going into tonights game, and hitting .361 in his last 10 games, also going into tonights game, Bill Rowell is playing is best position, DH, and with the game in the 9th inning, he is currently 3-3 (all singles) with a walk in 4 PA's. Average currently at .315. Also, 8 K's in his last 40 AB's. Just reporting.

Yeah he's doing well right now. I think having a strong supporting cast of Avery, Hoes, Welty and Mahoney is helping him a lot, Rowell is getting a lot of chances to make plays.

Frederick has put up 5 runs or more in 16 of there 25 games. To put that into perspective the Orioles have only scored 5 or more runs in 7 of there 27 games.

The bats are hot in Frederick hopefully they can keep it up.

[Great 2BA FL Gator]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060606&content_id=1491168&vkey=news_bal&fext=.jsp&c_id=bal

Thought some of you might find this interesting.

What, that the date of the article was 6/6/6?