The Orioles demotion of Daniel Cabrera and Sendy Rleal to Triple-A Ottawa along with the recall of Adam Loewen and Eddy Rodriguez provided a good example of how many major league teams now approach player development.
Both Cabrera and Loewen made fewer than 10 starts each at Double-A Bowie before skipping over Ottawa and heading straight to the majors. Both pitchers then dealt with inconsistencies in the major leagues before being optioned to Triple-A for the first time.
Recommended Stories
More and more today, teams are housing their top prospects in Double-A whereas Triple-A is used primarily for veteran journeymen and long-term prospects that may or may not have limited major league experience.
“The best prospects are usually at the Double-A level,” Orioles Director of Minor League Operations David Stockstill said. “With injuries over the course of the season, there is often a need to bring players up a little earlier than we used to. This shift emphasizes the importance of our minor league development because now they have to be fundamentally sound in Double-A. If they get called up to the big leagues and they?re not fundamentally sound, then we haven?t done our jobs.”
OTTAWA LYNX (48-50)
First baseman Andy Tracy continues his solid year as he entered the week second in the International League with 18 homers and was fourth with 58 RBI.
BOWIE BAYSOX (42-50)
Radhames Liz was selected as the Eastern League?s Pitcher of the Week for last week. He combined with Carlos Jan and Richard Stahl on a five-hit shutout in a 4-0 win Sunday in his Double-A debut. Liz gave up four hits and two walks, while fanning five in six innings.
FREDERICK KEYS (13-10, 26-43 in the first half)
Juan Gutierrez, who was sent back down to Delmarva, earned Carolina League Player of the Week honors after going 8-for-14 that included a 5-for-5 game with two home runs, three doubles and four RBI last Monday in an 8-7 win over Lynchburg.
DELMARVA SHOREBIRDS (8-17, 37-31 in the first half)
Catcher Zach Dillon ? a 20th-round pick out of Baylor ? was batting .313 with eight RBI through 20 games.
ABERDEEN IRONBIRDS (16-11)
Pedro Beato, the 32nd player taken in this year?s draft, was 0-0 with a 6.10 ERA with 15 strikeouts and 10 walks in 10.1 innings through Tuesday.
BLUEFIELD ORIOLES (8-17)
First-round pick Billy Rowell was batting .235 with three walks and eight strikeouts in six games through Tuesday.
