Numbers: Frederick Keys

The Keys run a lot. The only guys on the team, as you can see, who have not attempted a stolen base are Billy Rowell, who has barely played, and two backup catchers.

Matt Wieters has cast his gaze upon the Carolina League and decided that it utterly disgusts him, so he's spitting all over its alleged "competition." This being the advanced level of A-ball, and this being Wieters' first foray into pro ball, for all intents and purposes, that's pretty impressive. It's hardly unexpected, but it's nice when a guy comes in and delivers right off the bat. He is precisely as advertised. The boy can rake.

Chris Vinyard is doing the OBP thing pretty well, but slugging .438 isn't going to help his chances. He, like Jack Cust before him, probably shouldn't even be allowed to own a glove -- he's a defensive butcher that, as BP put it, will have to slug his way to the majors. Since he doesn't have a lot of slug, it's a longshot.

Brandon Snyder is struggling awful bad, and Rowell, again, has barely even gotten out of the gates for 2008. Miguel Abreu's vow to forego a single free pass for 2008 is going pretty well at this time. In 124 games last year at Delmarva, he walked nine times. This was a decrease in walks for him, as he had walked eight times in 2006 (69 games with Aberdeen) and 2005 (43 games with Bluefield).

Jake Arrieta looks good so far, with a lot of strikeouts and low hit totals, but the walks need to (and will) come down.

The real story of the season on the mound for the Keys is Brandon Erbe, who looks like he's done not just a 180 from 2007, but a 540. Nobody's getting on against this guy. He's had some trouble with the gopher ball (four HR allowed) but that's about it. He's dealin' right now.

Pedro Beato looks to me like a guy who's about to stagnate at Bowie and Bowie-type places for the next, oh, career or so. That K-rate is not good.

Jason Burch is shutting down the Carolina League as the Keys closer. He should, since this is his third season in High-A ball.