Billy Rowell is stirring...

[Three Run Homer]

Great that he's hitting, and if the move to DH is helping him focus on his swing, that's great for now. I sure hope that the move to DH isn't permanent, though. Minor league DH's aren't really prospects unless they hit like Jesus Montero.

[Old#5fan]

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 I thought was really humorous was the part where Jordan was comparing him to Cal.:laughlol: This is after reading a post previously where his third base skills (or lack thereof) are denoted as not having a clue how to field a popup, completely lost in trying to field a slow roller, and unable to even leave his feet to catch a line drive or hard hit smash down the third base line. Yeah, this really sounds like Cal Ripken!

One must ask, did they even once observe this kid's fielding as a HS player? It sure doesn't sound like it. Just unbelievable!

[Frobby]

Now up to .315/.425/.466. Hitting .421/.488/.500 over his last 10 games.

After everything that's gone on, he's still only 21 years old, which is a little young for the Carolina League. He's the same age now as Brandon Snyder was when he played in the Carolina League two years ago and hit his way back onto the radar screen. So yes, it's Rowell's third try at this league, but maybe the third try's the charm. It's worth keeping an eye on, anyway.

[mcgraw238]

Now up to .315/.425/.466. Hitting .421/.488/.500 over his last 10 games.

After everything that's gone on, he's still only 21 years old, which is a little young for the Carolina League. He's the same age now as Brandon Snyder was when he played in the Carolina League two years ago and hit his way back onto the radar screen. So yes, it's Rowell's third try at this league, but maybe the third try's the charm. It's worth keeping an eye on, anyway.

Agreed. Somewhere in this organization we need a feel good story.

[SurhoffRules]

Rowell just launched one off a lefty soft tosser. Pulled to right. The outfielders took one step then stopped.

[Slappy]

Rowell is not torrid hot but he's been gradually putting up good numbers. Another homer and walk today. After 89 AB's, his OPS has climbed over the .900 mark. This is probably his best 100 AB stretch since the summer he signed out of HS at Bluefield and Aberdeen. This is pretty much what was expected of him two years ago during his first season at Frederick. Another previous problem for him was facing LHP's. This year he's 10-31 and better overall numbers than against RHP's. Can he keep it up? Is Rowell, at the age of 21, becoming a prospect again? Stay tuned.

Good to see him hitting well. Seems the biggest problem right now is that he is a liability anywhere you put him in the field.

[thundercleetz]

How has Rowell's defense at third looked?

[Slappy]

How has Rowell's defense at third looked?

Horrid. Buck Britton is at 3B now. Rowell is pretty much just a DH at this point.

[AVencill]

How has Rowell's defense at third looked?

Rowell's defense has been shaky in the handful of games I've seen him at third this season. He's been DHing a bit as of late due to a thumb injury he had, but he was back out there at the hot corner today and actually made several nice plays. Rowell started a nice 5-4-3 double play to end the seventh inning and if memory serves me, he collected the last groundball out of the game. He's also been playing a bit closer to the third base line and played on the grass quite a bit today with the aggressive bunting Wilmington team as last week against Winston-Salem he was about 15 feet away to the right of the line.

Rowell also homered in back-to-back games for the first time in his career. Rowell did homer in games on 5/17 and 5/18 of last year, but the 5/17 game was a suspended game in Kinston that was made up a week later when Kinston returned to Frederick.

[LookinUp]

Can he keep it up? Is Rowell, at the age of 21, becoming a prospect again? Stay tuned.

I'll stay tuned on our young pitching and a couple of position players. For Rowell, I'll just tune back in every couple of weeks to see if this is real. If he's doing this next May/June (2011) in AA or AAA, I'll believe it and then I'll stay tuned.

Personally, I just hope he's building some value so some team would accept him as the 3rd piece in a big deal.

[Edit: Sorry to any Rowell supporters for coming across as harsh. I just need to see sustained success before I'll believe these are the results of a real future major league contributor.]

[86this]

If Rowell is not put on the 40 man roster the year after next, isn't he eligible to become a minor league free agent? So he has a year+ to show what he's still able to do and even then, he may only reach Bowie.

[JayThomas]

I think nothing would mean more to the O's Minor League System right now than for Rowell and Snyder to play like top 10 draft picks. Snyder has looked the part in the past - in AA last year, in the AFL twice, and in the Hawaiian league. He just needs to turn it on. Rowell has never looked the part. Wouldn't it be great for Rowell to handle 3rd base well enough to stick and to show the stick that got him drafted so high? I'll sleep well tonight just whiffing that koolaid.

[Frobby]

Other than his high K rate, Rowell's numbers at the plate look a whole lot better so far. I wonder, if he keeps this up, would he be a candidate for a mid-season promotion after 2.5 years in Frederick? Or would the O's rather just let him get a good offensive year under his belt?

[Arthur_Bryant]

Other than his high K rate, Rowell's numbers at the plate look a whole lot better so far. I wonder, if he keeps this up, would he be a candidate for a mid-season promotion after 2.5 years in Frederick? Or would the O's rather just let him get a good offensive year under his belt?

Good question. My guess, they keep him at Frederick and start to focus on the fielding.

[Tony-OH]

Other than his high K rate, Rowell's numbers at the plate look a whole lot better so far. I wonder, if he keeps this up, would he be a candidate for a mid-season promotion after 2.5 years in Frederick? Or would the O's rather just let him get a good offensive year under his belt?

No way you move him unless he's tearing up the league and even then, you have to let him get a good year under his belt. He's basically right on track if he were moving up by normal standards so if he can just settle in and put up a good year, he'd be back on the prospect scene again. At the same time, that strikeout rate is a little worrisome abut the good news is he's hitting lefties for the first time.

Whatever Rowell did differently this year it certainly seems to be working but it might be wise to give him at least a half season of good production before getting too excited.

The early results are encouraging though.