Checking Out This Year's Crop in the AFL

When the Phoenix Desert Dogs take the field for the first game of the 2009 Arizona Fall League season, there will be Orioles scattered all over the field.

And while the most anticipated debut for the Dogs will be that of 2009 No. 1 pick, record-breaker Stephen Strasburg, several O's farm-hands will be taking the field with an assortment of goals.

The O's recently released the list of the seven full-time (Brandon Waring is a two-day-a-week "taxi squad" player) players they will be sending to the AFL, and this year's list includes a pretty hefty amount of star power.

Last year's class included Matt Wieters, Brian Matusz and Nolan Reimold, all three of whom found permanent homes in Baltimore this season, as well as Bob McCrory, Ryan Keefer, Blake Davis and Brandon Snyder.

The impact that the 2008 class had on the Major League roster makes this class's performance all that more important.

Brandon Erbe, RHP, 21 years old

Erbe will be making his first appearance in fall/winter league ball. The hard-throwing right-hander will be in the AFL mostly to give the Orioles big-wigs more innings to evaluate him.

Coming off of a bad case of dead-arm, Erbe has been limited to only 65.1 innings this season.

And while he has pitched extremely well (3-3 2.26 ERA), he's coming off three consecutive seasons in which he's thrown at least 114 innings.

Erbe has moved steadily up the ladder repeating only High-A ball at Frederick, and is one of the league's youngest rotation regulars in the Eastern League.

The O's would have loved to see him get more time in at double-A, but even with an impressive performance in Arizona it is very likely that he will be ticketed back to Bowie in 2010.

A strong performance in the AFL, coupled with a strong spring-training outing and domination of double-A hitters early next season could see Erbe working his way up to triple-A sometime in mid-2010.

The more likely scenario, though, would be for Erbe to repeat double-A, get his inning count back up to his 2006-2008 numbers, and get to Norfolk as a 24-year old in 2011.

Josh Perrault, RHP, 27 years old

Perrault has worked his way up through the minors since being a 42nd round pick of the Florida Marlins in the 2001 draft.

His impressive performance in his first year as an Oriole have earned him a chance to try to impress the brass in the AFL, possibly fighting for a spot in next year's bullpen.

Perrault was freakishly dominating at double-A Bowie this season, striking out 41 batters in 40 innings, while saving 16 games for the Baysox.

He received a promotion to AAA Norfolk in early July and has been just as impressive there. The righty has struck out 29 in 27 innings and notched a 2.67 ERA.

His numbers on the season make him one of the best relievers the O's system has to offer: 17 saves, 70 strikeouts, 16 walks, and a 2.15 ERA in 67 innings.

Given the most-likely departure of Danys Baez, Mark Hendrickson, and Cla Meredith, and the shaky pitching of Chris Ray, Matt Albers and Brian Bass, the O's could have as many as five or six open spots in the bullpen.

Enter Perrault, who throws strikes (394:130 strikeout to walk ratio), throws hard (90-92 mph) and has a very good out pitch (sinker).

Rhoyei Tanaka, RHP, 26 years old

Although Koji Uehara was the one getting all the attention this season, it could be Tanaka holding down a spot in the Orioles bullpen next year.

Tanaka debuted this season with the double-A Bowie Baysox after pitching several years in Japan. Seven years younger than Uehara, Tanaka also offers the Orioles something they didn't get with Koji: potential.

Uehara was basically a known quantity when he came to Baltimore—a pitcher with average stuff who relied on command and keeping the ball down in the zone.

With Tanaka, who offers five different pitches, including a fastball that touches 90 mph, the O's have a pitcher who can throw pretty hard, while keeping hitters off balance with his four other pitches: a changeup, slider, splitter and curveball.

Tanaka began the season in the Baysox bullpen where he pitched magnificently, but has since moved into the starting rotation with the departures of Troy Patton and Jake Arrieta to AAA and Brian Matusz to Baltimore.

The move hasn't really affected his performance, which has been as good as ever.

His last two starts have seen him allow only one run over 11.2 innings. On the season, the right-hander is 4-2 with a 2.27 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 63.1 innings.

With several spots open for the taking, it would be no surprise to see Tanaka grab one with impressive AFL and spring training showings.

Brandon Snyder, 1B, 22 years old

Snyder primed himself to be ready for a breakout season this year by hitting .349 in the AFL last season. If he can manage to do as well this year, he could find himself in the Orioles 2010 starting lineup.

Snyder's ascent to triple-A Norfolk has been a pleasant surprise, which is surprising in itself, given Snyder was the 13th pick in the 2005 draft.

All of his hard work might end up culminating in his winning the first base job for 2010, but the real work will start in the AFL.

Back to 2009 though, where Snyder has attacked pitchers with an aggressiveness seen only when the 22-year-old corner infielder has been healthy.

The O's started Snyder off at double-A Bowie instead of letting him begin the year back at Frederick and force his way into the double-A lineup.

Snyder rewarded their faith by hitting .343 in the Eastern League, knocking 10 home runs and driving in 45 runs, while maintaining an average 27/45 walk to strikeout ratio.

Snyder so impressed the O's that he forced their hand and earned a promotion to triple-A Norfolk, where he struggled in his first month of action, hitting only .227 with zero home runs.

Since then, however, Snyder has steadily improved his batting average (now up to .257) and continued to drive in runs (39 RBI in 63 games). His numbers for the year stand at .297, 34 doubles, 12 home runs, 84 RBI and a 44/99 walk to strikeout ratio.

Snyder may end up with the big league job, but I for one, would like to see him finish strong at triple-A, then head back there to tear it up like he did double-A in early 2008, allowing him to arrive in Baltimore with a truck-load of confidence.

Josh Bell, 3B, 22 years old

Bell was the prize from the trade that sent George Sherrill to Los Angeles, and he could very easily go from trade prize in 2009 to starting third baseman in Baltimore in 2010.

Bell arrived in the organization with much fanfare. He was touted as the Dodgers' eighth best prospect, according to Baseball America, and has done nothing to disappoint, slugging five home runs and driving in 13 runs in only 21 games with double-A Bowie.

Add in the 11 home runs he hit as a member of the Dodgers organization and the hard-hitting third baseman has 16 on the year, to go with 65 RBI and 33 doubles.

Bell was widely regarded as the best power-hitting prospect in the Dodgers' system, so it should come as no surprise that he takes that title here in Baltimore's as well.

A lot of well-deserved attention has also been paid to Bell's work at third base, where he has made significant strides and now profiles to remain there at the big league level.

Bell tore up the Southern League and was named the MVP of the league's All-Star game, so playing with these other big names shouldn't faze him in the least.

With a good showing, Bell could be ticketed for a spring-training invite, with a legit shot at winning the 3B job, especially if Melvin Mora is out of the way.

Matt Angle, OF, 24 years old

It seems like every year the scouts write off Angle, especially when he starts really slowly.

And then again, every year late in the season, there they are, singing his praises as a hard-worker, baseball rat, and a guy who gets more out of what he has than anyone else on the field.

2009 has been that same story for Angle, who earned his first trip to the AFL.

An Ohio State grad who is in his third season with the O's, Angle epitomizes what the Orioles are now looking for in each year's draft—high profile athletes with tons of upside.

Think of Angle as a poor man's Xavier Avery or Kyle Hudson.

This season has seen Angle set career highs with hits and stolen bases, and he's sure to outpace his career numbers in RBI, runs and at bats.

His average is as high as it's ever been in full-season ball (.288) and his ability to draw a walk (176 walks, 198 strikeouts in his career) has made him one of the biggest on-base threats in the Carolina League.

His speed though, has made him one of the most exciting, yet underrated, players in the league.

Don't get me wrong, Angle isn't another Adam Jones, or even a Xavier Avery, but he is a very talented center-fielder and lead-off man, who could have a future as a fourth outfielder on a competing club.

His attitude is similar to that of David Eckstein, the pint-sized second-baseman who helped the Angels and Cardinals to the World Series.

It will be interesting to see how Angle fairs against top competition, but with regular playing time I would expect him to finish near the top of the league in steals and walks.

But the key emphasis is IF he can get regular playing time in an outfield that will also feature Corey Brown, Grant Desme, and ex-Oriole Adam Loewen.

Eddie Gamboa, RHP, 24 years old

I'll be more excited to see how Eddie Gamboa fares this AFL season than probably anyone else.

Steady Eddie, as I'm trying to popularize him, has been quite possibly the best pitcher in the Orioles system this year, starter or reliever. And with a strong showing he could earn himself a ticket to spring training, and possibly a roster spot.

Gamboa, a 21st round pick in 2008, has climbed the ladder this season, all the way to double-A Bowie, where he made his debut on Aug. 21, striking out one batter in one-and-two-thirds scoreless innings.

He began the year with low single-A Delmarva. He pitched okay there, striking out 35 hitters in 38.2 innings, pitching to a 1.86 ERA, while winning six games.

He then got the bump to high single-A Frederick, where he was good, winning four more games, saving one, and pitching to an ERA of 0.55 with 29 strikeouts in 33 innings.

Now, Steady Eddie is getting to take on double-A hitters, and show that he can be a useful bullpen arm next season and beyond.

Gamboa was mainly a starter in college, and in his first year with the O's (at Bluefield), but has thrived since the move to the bullpen. He now has 105 career strikeouts, compared to only 24 walks in 133 innings.

On the mound, Gamboa features a "nasty split-finger type pitch," according to O's Director of Player Development Dave Stockstill, as well as good changeup and a plus fastball.

More than anyone, I'll be cheering for Eddie to make quite an impression.