Bowie Baysox Blog

 The Baysox announced Chorye Spoone was promoted to Triple-A Norfolk today. Spoone was the Baysox opening day starter. He only pitched three innings in the opener and gave up three earned runs and five walks. In 2010, Spoone was 7-6 with a 4.02 ERA in 132.0 innings for the Baysox.

Bowie has not made a corresponding move, so only 23 of the team’s 24 rosters spots are full. Zach Clark will take Spoone’s place in the rotation tomorrow, April 13. There is no word on whether Clark with take Spoone’s spot permanently. Ryohei Tanaka is another candidate to replace Spoone in the rotation going forward.

There’s a lot to talk about here, but the thing that jumps out at me is that only Xavier Avery is younger than Billy Rowell.

Pitchers

15 Timothy Bascom

11 Zach Clark

45 Brandon Cooney

55 Jose Diaz

27 Eddie Gamboa

31 Steve Johnson

13 Wynn Pelzer

47 Raul Rivero

18 Chorye Spoone

41 Ryohei Tanaka

38 Pedro Viola

34 Richard Zagone

Catchers

17 Caleb Joseph

19 Steven Lerud

Infielders

22 Pedro Florimon Jr. – SS

32 Joe Mahoney – 1B

2 Greg Miclat – SS

12 Carlos R Rojas – SS

8 Billy Rowell – 3B

14 Brandon Waring - 3B

Outfielders

3 Xavier Avery – CF

25 Jeff Fiorentino – RF

24 Ronnie Welty – RF

20 Robbie Widlansky – OF

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=t_ros&cid=418&stn=true&sid=t418

The official Baysox opening day lineup will be available on Wednesday, but I am going to make a few guesses about the roster and highlight some interesting stories heading into the season.

Can Manager Gary Kendall, a Baltimore native and the Aberdeen manager from 2008 to 2010, take the Baysox back to the playoffs and bring the first Eastern League championship to Bowie? Will Kendall’s experience coaching likely Baysox Caleb Joseph, Greg Miclat, Robbie Widlansky, and Richard Zagone in Aberdeen help them have strong seasons?

Billy Rowell (Photo: BaysoxBlog)

Is Billy Rowell ready for the Eastern League? Will he get enough playing time to settle in and show why he was the first high school hitter selected in the 2006 draft?

Can Xavier Avery figure out left-handers and breaking pitches and translate his fantastic tools into a breakout season?

Can Joe Mahoney build on his .412 average in 17 at bats in Major League spring training and his strong stint in Bowie last year to become Derek Lee’s eventual replacement?

Is Chorye Spoone healthy enough to show the promise that made him the Orioles number eight prospect in 2008 (Baseball America) and make the jump from Bowie to Baltimore?

How will Greg Miclat respond to his possible move to second base? Was Miclat’s strong showing in Arizona Fall League an indication that he has figure out Double-A pitching?

Does Caleb Joseph still have the pop in his bat he showed in Frederick in 2009?

L.J. Hoes (Photo: BaysoxBlog)

When will L.J. Hoes join the Baysox? Will he recapture the balance at the plate and command of the strike zone he showed during the first half of 2010 and make his case to follow Brian Roberts at second base?

What questions are you waiting for the Baysox to answer in 2011?

Just in from the Baysox. Some surprises here including Abreu (as an outfielder?), Davis, Lebron, and the Figeruoa brothers. Also, this may be the best pitching staff in the Eastern League from top to bottom.

Pitchers

15 Tim Bascom

27 Pedro Beato

33 Zach Britton

32 Patrick Egan

Armando Gabino

7 Eddie Gamboa

31 Steve Johnson

Luis Lebron

36 Ryan Ouellette

10 Wilfrido Perez

38 Josh Perrault

35 Chorye Spoone

18 Ryohei Tanaka

41 Chad Thall

Catchers

26 Phillip Britton

17 Caleb Joseph

Infielders

3 Ryan Adams

Blake Davis

4 Paco Figueroa

16 Pedro Florimon

22 Joel Guzman

14 Brandon Waring

20 Robert Widlansky

Outfielders

Miguel Abreu

11 Matt Angle

2 Danny Figueroa

8 Tyler Henson

From the Keys’ press release.

The pitching staff will be led by a trio of newcomers as Oliver Drake, Cole McCurry and Ryan O’Shea will all be a part of the starting rotation. The trio combined to win 22 games in Class-A Delmarva in 2009. Returnees Kenny Moreland, Nate Nery and Rick Zagone are in the running to round out the starting rotation.

The Keys bullpen will have a veteran feel to it with Brett Bordes, Brandon Cooney, Sean Gleason, Brett Jacobson and John Mariotti returning from the 2009 roster. Cooney could be the Keys closer as he saved six games for Frederick after being promoted from Delmarva in the first week of August. Newcomers include Jose Duran and Raul Rivero. Duran was selected by the Orioles in the Triple-A Phase of the Rule V Draft out of the Houston Astros organization.

Offensively the Keys will be talented with four of the Orioles’ first five picks in the 2008 draft penciled in to the Keys lineup. OF Xavier Avery (2^nd), 2B LJ Hoes (3^rd), OF Kyle Hudson (4^th) and SS Greg Miclat (5^th) will provide speed in the Keys lineup in 2010. The quartet combined for 106 steals with Delmarva last year.

OF Ronnie Welty, OF Jacob Julius, C Luis Bernardo and C Brian Ward come to Frederick for a first time. Welty, who will most likely play in right field for the Keys, led Delmarva in home runs (10) and runs batted in (67) in 2009. 3B Billy Rowell, C Wally Crancer, IF Buck Britton, IF Joe Mahoney, IF Bobby Stevens, IF Matt Tucker and IF Jason White return to Frederick.

I just came back from the Baysox media day. The Baysox roster is still a work in progress, but I can say the following based on what manager Brad Komminsk, pitching coach Kennie Streenstra, and a few of the players said.

Rotation:

Zach Britton (Starting Thursday – opening day)
Steve Johnson (Starting Friday)
Chorye Spoone (Starting Saturday – Komminsk said he looked really good during spring training.)
Ryohei Tanaka
Tim Bascom

The Baysox will use a closer by committee to begin the season. Wilfrido Perez will probably rest every other day as he recovers from bone chips in his left elbow, but he will be in the closer picture eventually.

The starting infield will probably be the following.

First base:

Rob Widlansky

Second base:

Ryan Adams

Third base:

Brandon Waring (Joel Guzman will see time)

Shortstop:

Pedro Florimon

The starting outfield will look something like this. Komminsk guessed that Matt Angle may be ready to play in June following his hamate bone injury.

Left field:

Tyler Henson

Center field:

Danny Figueroa

Right field:

A rotating cast that may include Joel Guzman, Paco Figueroa and Rob Widlansky