MuchO GustO: Your 2011 GCL Orioles

by j.q. higgins on Oct 20, 2011 1:00 PM EDT in Minors & Draft

Much was made of the offseason decision to shutter the O's Appy League operations at Bluefield and it was thought that Aberdeen and the GCL squad would suffer as a result. I don't know that that's necessarily the case, but what I DO know, is that some previously unheralded international talents made their presence felt at the GCL in 2011. The GCL O's finished first in their division with a 38-22 record and finished with the second best wining percentage in the GCL with a .633.

With an average age of 20.3, the O's were on the older side of the league in 2011. They were near the top in doubles and triples, neart the bottom in pretty much everything else offensively. Their staff had the best ERA, WHIP and Ks and was within a couple home runs of allowing the fewest.

Take a look at the entire staff. I'm not really doing them justice below, but Jaime Esquivel, Mark Blackmar, Matt Bywater, Miguel Chalas and Juan Guzman are also worth tracking.

THE GOOD

Gabriel Lino: A Venezuelan with developing (but not awful) defense and a good eye combined with solid pop. Lino was 18 during the 2011 season. Slash: .282/.371/.462, CS: 28%

Roderick Bernadina (OF): The 18 year old brother of Nat Roger Bernadina showed slightly more advanced tools than the elder Bernadina at the GCL level. Young Roderick walked 22 times in 219 PA and led the team with 21 XBH. Slash: .239/.341/.413

Manuel Hernandez (OF): The Guatemalan teen slugged over .400 with a respectable OBP. Hit 11 doubles and 4 triples. Slash: .275/.356/.404

Jerome Pena (IF) and Cam Edman (C): A couple 2011 draftees that looked good in limited reps, but probably should given age. Edman (.299/.407/.481) had two passed balls in 16 games; Pena (.266/.358/.362) had a .358 WOBA in August.

Eduardo Rodriguez (SP): The 18 year old Venezuelan struck out 46 in 44.2 IP and had a 55% GB rate. The 1.81 ERA and 1.01 WHIP weren't too shabby either, but beware the .250 BABIP! FIP: 2.63

Sebastian Vader (SP): In his second crack at the GCL, 19 year old Vader halved his walk rate and boosted his GB rate by 15 percentage points with only modest slippage in his strikeout rate. FIP: 2.85

Cameron Coffey (SP): Big lefty with an injury history repeating at GCL, was 20 during the season. Struck out 26 in 36.2 IP. FIP: 2.65

Jose Nivar (RP) and Luis Bernardo (RP): The two converted field players had successful debuts on the hill. Nivar struck out 19 batters in 19.2 IP and Bernardo only walked two batters in 20 IP.

THE BAD

Billy Rowell (meh): Mustered a .749 OPS in 17 games. Proof of the pudding in the eating.

Thomas Winegardner (SS): I don't really know anything about him, but 12 errors for a 21 year old shortstop sporting a .461 OPS at Low A ball? Eeesh.

THE MEH

Greg Lorenzo (OF): Hit 6 triples and stole 8 bases, but also got caught 8 times and did not even get on base 30% of the time.

Michael Mosby (3B): Led the team with 7 home runs and walked 23 times in 205 PAs, but struck out 36 times. His fielding at the hot corner appears to be improving, but it would have been hard to fall below a .906 FPCT.

Doug Bream (1B): I'm guessing Doug is related to Sid? Don't know if he has a defensive rep, but his bat did not impress.

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Comments

Looks like Doug is Sid's...something

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5010202

So if Sid’s son Tyler is Doug’s second cousin, what relation does that make Doug to Sid? Great-nephew? I’m confused, but judging by his performance this year, we probably won’t have to worry about figuring it out any time soon.

And, in case anyone cares, Tyler in in the Arizona’s system, and has a birthday coming up.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=bream-000tyl

Robert Andino, let me buy you a beer.

by cirrhosis on Oct 20, 2011 1:23 PM EDT reply actions

First cousin, once removed

removed indicates generation. Your parents 1st cousins are your 1st cousins once removed; your grandparents first cousins are your 1st cousins twice removed, etc

"Tiger got to hunt, bird got to fly; Man got to sit and wonder 'why, why, why?' Tiger got to sleep, bird got to land; Man got to tell himself he understand.."

by tflach2 on Oct 20, 2011 5:51 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

That's right.

I always forget about the whole removed thing for some reason.

Robert Andino, let me buy you a beer.

by cirrhosis on Oct 20, 2011 6:46 PM EDT up reply actions

and

your 1st cousin’s kids are your kid’s 2nd cousins

The person who introduced Andrew to baseball and the O's

by QTess on Oct 21, 2011 10:32 AM EDT up reply actions

Sebastian Vader (SP): In his second crack at the GCL, 19 year old Vader halved his walk rate and boosted his GB rate by 15 percentage points with only modest slippage in his strikeout rate. FIP: 2.85

Vader must make it to the big leagues as a closer because his entrance music is already picked out.

Kevin Gregg-"You obviously haven't acquired my taste for pitching yet"

by birdman on Oct 20, 2011 1:32 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Here to find out what kind of nerd you are

Would that music be the Imperial March, Eyes of the World, or Never say My Name?

by Holymittens on Oct 20, 2011 2:22 PM EDT up reply actions

The nerd in me says Imperial March.

The metal head in me says “Never Say My Name.” But I would probably choose a track off their first album instead.

Mother, did it need to be so high.

by salvotion on Oct 20, 2011 6:42 PM EDT up reply actions

I'd bet that the Orioles are on the older side of the spectrum at every minor league stop...

Our “prospects” and rookies make the majors at 24 and 25. In other organizations, those guys would be grizzled veterans. If a player is going to have to adjust to MLB for a year anyway, why not have that year at 22 instead of 24?

by Tezcatlipoca on Oct 20, 2011 3:02 PM EDT reply actions

is that so?

people talk a lot about the methodical manner in which guys are moved through the tampa system.

fwiw, the difference is a small one. i’d guess it’s skewed a bit by guys rehabbing, as we know jordan was enamored w/ risk, high reward arms.

"If it sounded like I was delighted by Tony Romo’s failure last week, I was."
-chris cooley

by j.q. higgins on Oct 20, 2011 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh bb-ref, is there anything you don't do?

Level, Average hitter/Oriole hitter, Average pitcher/Oriole pitcher
Norfolk, 26.7/26.3, 26.6/27.3
Bowie, 24.2/23.9, 24.6/25.7
Frederick, 22.8/23.2, 22.9/24.1
Delmarva, 21.4/21.7, 21.9/22.1
Aberdeen, 21.1/20.5, 21.4/21.2
GCL, 19.9/20.3, 20.4/20.0
DSL, 18.5/18.8, 19.0/19.7

If you look at those UZR ratings or whatever

by dfa on Oct 21, 2011 1:32 AM EDT up reply actions

I disagree,

Wieters, Tillman, Matusz, Britton were all pretty young when they debuted.

Arrieta and Moldy were likely a few years older due to injuries.

If you look at those UZR ratings or whatever

by dfa on Oct 21, 2011 1:34 AM EDT up reply actions

Is this some vindication of the international efforts?

I am pretty intrigued by Rodriguez, Chalas and Lino while Esquivel, Vader, Bernadina and Coffey are all guys worth watching. Too bad they won’t be in Bluefield…I wonder if new GM will try and get a team in the Appy…

If you look at those UZR ratings or whatever

by dfa on Oct 21, 2011 1:38 AM EDT reply actions

certainly suggests...

that maybe calvin maduro needs a bigger role in the international scouting department.

"If it sounded like I was delighted by Tony Romo’s failure last week, I was."
-chris cooley

by j.q. higgins on Oct 21, 2011 10:33 AM EDT up reply actions

The Orioles need international players to make the difference or ........!

The Orioles need to increase their efforts on the international market to make the difference in the future on building relationship with countries like Curacao, Aruba, Netherlands and Germany.

There are also a lots of baseball talent in Germany and the Netherlands. Right now the Steinbrenners are studying a possiblity of building a Baseball Academy in Curacao. They are trying to build a relationship with the government of Curacao.

Why the Orioles are not interrested in starting a Baseball Academy in Curacao or the Netherlands, the IBAF Baseball World Champions?

by gio2chat on Oct 23, 2011 5:02 AM EDT reply actions