Baltimore Orioles Minor League Pitching Report – Bowie Baysox
Nov 2, 2013; Surprise, AZ, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez against the East during the Fall Stars Game at Surprise Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
From time to time over the course of the season, here at The Baltimore Wire we will give some updates on the pitching rotations at AAA Norfolk and AA Bowie. In that pitching is such a big and critical part of the game of baseball, it is always good to be able to know what is just over the horizon in terms of future prospects to take the mound for the Baltimore Orioles.
The system-wide emphasis on pitching is seen extending to the AA affiliate in Bowie, Maryland, where pitching coach Blaine Beatty has some great young arms to work with. Beyond that, Dylan Bundy could well be re-entering the sport through the Bowie Baysox before too long.
Currently through seven games, Bowie is 5-2, with three of the top prospects in the Orioles system are a part of the current rotation …
#3 prospect Eduardo Rodriguez – has been off to a bit of a rough start in his two games so far. He has given up four earned runs over five innings in both of his starts. Hopes are high for the young man who is still only age 21. He made it to Bowie at the end of last season, pitched especially well in Arizona for the fall league, and looked impressive in spring training big league camp.
#6 prospect Tim Berry – Buck Showalter can’t seem to stop talking about how impressed he is with the 23-year-old. Taken in the 50th round, he has already been through arm problems and Tommy John surgery – hence his low placement in the draft. His first outing was a fantastic seven innings of three-hit baseball. “The change-up was working for me today,” Berry said. “I was commanding it well and it had better action than it usually has. You mix that with the fastball and that’s really all you need to keep hitters off balance. My curveball I just kind of sprinkled in.”
#11 prospect Zach Davies – Bowie pitching coach Blaine Beatty told me before spring training started that he was especially excited to work with Davies this year. Also at age 21, Davies is unusual for pitching prospects because of his size – listed at 6-0 and 150 pounds. He was a 26th-round pick in 2011, but has great control of his pitches. His first game was reasonably good with only two runs in five innings. This is his first shot at the AA level.
Jake Pettit had a difficult start in his first outing, as the first five batters he faced hit five consecutive singles. He did manage to hold the damage to a total of four runs over four innings. Pettit is a career minor leaguer in the Orioles organization who has thrown a total of 491 innings with a 36-21 record and 3.77 ERA. He was a 42nd-round pick in 2010.
Tyler Wilson threw six shutouts innings in his first start, giving up only three hits. “Especially in your first start of the year, it’s great to get out there and get those nerves out of the way,” Wilson said. “You really want to find your rhythm early on, no matter what start, but especially in the first start of the year.” Wilson is a 2011 selection of the Orioles in the 10th round out of UVA. Now age 24, he spent most of last season with Bowie as he works through the O’s farm system.
Also getting a start was 27-year-old Matt Bischoff, a pitcher who spent most of 2013 with the Baysox, appearing in 25 games – all but one in relief. He was originally drafted by the Mariners out of Purdue University. He is a minor league free agent that was signed by the Orioles in January, 2012. He is not to be confused with the bearded character of the same name who gained notoriety on the TV series “Survivor.”
Age |
G
GS
W
L
IP
H
R
ER
BB
SO
HR
ERA
WHIP
Tim Berry
23
1
1
7.0
3
1
0
1
7
0
0.00
0.571
Matt Bischoff
27
2
1
1
5.0
2
1
1
0
9
1
1.80
0.400
Zach Davies
21
1
1
1
5.0
5
2
2
3
5
0
3.60
1.600
Jake Pettit
27
1
1
1
4.0
7
4
4
2
3
0
9.00
2.250
Eduardo Rodriguez
21
2
2
1
1
10.0
13
9
8
3
7
0
7.20
1.600
Tyler Wilson
24
1
1
1
6.0
3
0
0
1
5
0
0.00
0.667