Next year, Delmarva is.....

[QBsILLEST1]

gonna be NASTY. Looking at Aberdeen this year which should give us a good idea of what to expect in Delmarva next year barring some crazy occurences, we are going to have a very fun team to watch.

Machado

Narron

Givens

Wirsch

Bridwell

Coffey

Henry?

Hobgood?

Schrader

Tolliver

T. Berry

Vader?

Sawyer?

Webb

The team will be headlined by Machado, but will be the most stacked lower minors team I can remember. I know people don't get excited until guys are in AA/AAA, but still, this will be a fun team to watch and it should dominate the Sally league next year......

[Frobby]

So if that group is so nasty, why is Aberdeen so mediocre? I realize that Machado, Givens, Narron and others have just arrived, but you have to wonder how good Delmarva will be next year when Aberdeen is mediocre and Bluefield is awful this year. No doubt there will be some individual players who will be very interesting, though.

[ThisIsOurHouse]

It will be excitting to see how they will play but there is a whole lot of IFs on that team, will these guys stay healthy or will they under perform.

[BRob51]

Can you add Ohlman to that list, or does he start in Aberdeen?

I think some better things to say are Delmarva will be interesting, exciting, potential-laden, and frankly make-or-break. Those are a lot of guys that we've put a lot of money and stock into without much if any return so far. If the majority succeed, we'll be in a pretty good position going forward. If they fail, we'll be dealt a huge blow to our system.

[fredp]

Can you add Ohlman to that list, or does he start in Aberdeen?

I think some better things to say are Delmarva will be interesting, exciting, potential-laden, and frankly make-or-break. Those are a lot of guys that we've put a lot of money and stock into without much if any return so far. If the majority succeed, we'll be in a pretty good position going forward. If they fail, we'll be dealt a huge blow to our system.

Look at Ohlman's average at Bluefield.No way he jumps to Delmarva. But he's barely 20 years old.

[BRob51]

Look at Ohlman's average at Bluefield.No way he jumps to Delmarva. But he's barely 20 years old.

Well I believe he started the year in Delmarva, and 20 isn't super young for the SAL. I'd fully understand wanting to take it slow with him, but at the same time I'd understand wanting to get him into some full season ball. I'd caution against citing average as your main statistical backup in the future, most people don't really accept it as a valid barometer of performance.

[RLB29]

So if that group is so nasty, why is Aberdeen so mediocre?

Pitching...Aberdeen's pitching was not good, but if I remember correctly, Delmarva's pitching was very good. Maybe for once we can combine good hitting and good pitching.

[QBsILLEST1]

Machado and Givens are probably locks for Delmarva. Tolliver will be there if he's healthy. Schrader will be there. Almost everyone else on the list is a big question mark to even make the team, let alone make it nasty. I suspect Hobgood gets promoted to Frederick but if he doesn't he should be a lot better next year.

Don't be shocked if you see a rotation that includes Klein, Bywater, Copeland, Adelman, and Tolliver to start the year.

My current projection for the starting lineup goes like this.

1B David Anderson

2B Mychal Givens

SS Manny Machado

3B Adam Gaylord or Jonathan Schoop

C Justin Dalles / Michael Ohlman

LF Kipp Schutz

CF Trent Mummey

RF Mike Planeta or Brenden Webb

DH ?

Depending on health, the bullpen could be something like

Randy Henry

Ryan Palsha

Steven Mazur

Clayton Schrader

Guys like Wirsch and Coffey are wildcards. With great springs they could make the team and maybe even the rotation but they are defiinitely not locks to make the team, IMO.

IMO Wirsch is a lock for Delmarva. In fact, he was rumored to be going to Delmarva to start this year before getting hurt. Henry may or may not stay in the pen. They want him in the rotation, and because they lost another year this year, I am not so sure they keep him in the pen. Bridwell will also be here. Coffey is the one who may or may not wind up here depending on what his FB is looking like.

And Frobby, the reason I am saying Demarva will be nasty next year isn't because of what Aberdeen had on their team the whole time, they just promoted Machado, Narron, Givens, Bridwell, and Wirsch. Lots and lots of talent.....

[blazer]

My best guess at this point for the Delmarva roster next year is:

SP: Martin, Bridwell, Coffey, Wirsch, Tolliver, Henry (Klein, Hobgood in Fredrick to start season)

RP: Schrader, Moore, Palsha, Wise, Adelman, Copeland

IF: C- Ohlman, 1B-Anderson, 2B- Givens, SS- Machado, 3B- Narron/Loenora

OF/DH- LF- Schutz, CF- Mummey, LF- Webb, DH- Narron/Loenora

Bench- IF- Schoop, BC- Hornback, OF- Knight, Utl- Rooney/Donaldson/Starr

[Frobby]

And Frobby, the reason I am saying Demarva will be nasty next year isn't because of what Aberdeen had on their team the whole time, they just promoted Machado, Narron, Givens, Bridwell, and Wirsch. Lots and lots of talent.....

Well, I hope you are right. I see Wirsch had a good game a day or two ago. I'll be interested to follow him after the nice things Tony said about him in his Top 30 last year.

All the other teams in the league have talent coming in from their 2010 drafts as well as their lower-level affiliates, same as we do. So, I try not to get too caught up in the hype over our guys around here. I was hearing last winter how nasty Delmarva's rotation was supposed to be this year, with Hobgood, Beal, Bundy, Berry, Coffey, Wirsch etc. Their team ERA is mediocre and they play in a pitcher's park. So, while I realize that injuries and promotions (in Berry's case) impacted the staff, I'm just a little tired of the hype. I'm from Missouri - show me!

(I'm not really from Missouri)

[QBsILLEST1]

Well, I hope you are right. I see Wirsch had a good game a day or two ago. I'll be interested to follow him after the nice things Tony said about him in his Top 30 last year.

All the other teams in the league have talent coming in from their 2010 drafts as well as their lower-level affiliates, same as we do. So, I try not to get too caught up in the hype over our guys around here. I was hearing last winter how nasty Delmarva's rotation was supposed to be this year, with Hobgood, Beal, Bundy, Berry, Coffey, Wirsch etc. Their team ERA is mediocre and they play in a pitcher's park. So, while I realize that injuries and promotions (in Berry's case) impacted the staff, I'm just a little tired of the hype. I'm from Missouri - show me!

(I'm not really from Missouri)

The difference between our team and other teams is due to injuries of so many of our key players from the 09 draft that they missed so much time, many of them are now(and going forward) on the same level. We will have a combo of our key HS and key JuCo guys from 09 and 10 drafts on the same team.

And the Delmarva rotation would have been sick if not for the injuries. But, that kinda stuff does happen.....

And I did forget about Martin also which a poster above mentioned. It'll be interesting to see how he does next year as well. Tons of K's and tons of walks, if he can harness his stuff, he has a future in the starting rotation, if not, he will be stuck in the pen....

[Singleton]

I recall hearing how great our Bowie and Norfolk pitching staffs were going to be this year. None of it means anything.

Some interesting names to follow but if we didn't have talent, what kind of system would we have?

[QBsILLEST1]

I recall hearing how great our Bowie and Norfolk pitching staffs were going to be this year. None of it means anything.

Some interesting names to follow but if we didn't have talent, what kind of system would we have?

I don't recall hearing that, in fact, I wouldn't even conclude that by looking at our rotation candidates. We had Arrieta and Britton in the upper minors and that was it, I don't know who said that or why they would have, but I then and now would strongly disagree.

And I don't quite get your last statement......

[Stotle]

I'm sure the West Virginia Power are pretty nervous. They'll have to make due with Jameson Taillon, Stetson Allie, Mel Rojas, Jr., Nick Kingham, maybe Tyler Waldron and Brandon Cumpton, and maybe Lakind and Hafner (all from the 2010 class alone).

[QBsILLEST1]

I'm sure the West Virginia Power are pretty nervous. They'll have to make due with Jameson Taillon, Stetson Allie, Mel Rojas, Jr., Nick Kingham, maybe Tyler Waldron and Brandon Cumpton, and maybe Lakind and Hafner (all from the 2010 class alone).

Taillon is gonna be going to the Sally league? I doubt he remains there very long......