Bowie Baysox's Brandon Snyder Ready To Be Promoted Past Double-A Ball

Brandon Snyder is raking down at double-A Bowie.

He just hit his seventh home run of the year and his third in six games. He paces the Eastern League with his lofty .373 batting average, 31 RBI, and 47 hits. His 14 doubles are good for second in the circuit, while his seven home runs place him third.

I could go all day. He's second in total bases, fifth in on-base percentage and first in both slugging percentage and on-base plus slugging. Not bad for a guy who was supposed to be a hitter with limited power.

It was always believed that Snyder would hit at every level, but the numbers he's putting up are insane. If he stays at Bowie for the entire year, he is no doubt a candidate for league MVP.

But, alas, that is the question: Should Snyder spend the entire year tearing apart Eastern League pitching? Or should he be promoted to AAA Norfolk? And if he is, what's the time-line on that move?

I know numbers aren't everything, but Snyder's do make you take notice. Heck, the kid is on his way to shattering every career high he's ever set, and it's only less than a third of the way through the season.

Projected out over the same 435 at-bats that Snyder got in last year, he could finish the season with 44 doubles (career high of 33), 162 base knocks (30 more than his career high), 24 home runs (11 more than high of 13), and 107 RBI (47 more than his high). And don't forget that .373 average. Those are triple crown numbers at AA.

But, let's take a step back. Snyder is only 22 years old. This is his first year above high-A ball, and he has shown a history of injury. Also, Snyder really doesn't have a defensive home. He was drafted as a catcher, but has since moved to first base, moonlighting at third every now and again.

Baltimore Orioles Director of Player Development Dave Stockstill has said that they knew he would hit at AA, but the real quest was to find Snyder a position at Bowie.

But still, is holding a guy back from showing what he might have to offer at an even higher level because he hasn't played enough of a position a legitimate excuse for keeping Snyder down at Bowie?

I for one don't think so.

Ask Nolan Reimold, and I'm sure he'll agree. He got that same reasoning from the head honchos in their decision to keep him down at Norfolk in order to make sure his left field play was up to their standards. I wish they felt the same trying to teach Felix Pie play left field.

Long story short, his hot bat was Reimold's ticket to the Majors, and it got him there. And I haven't heard any complaints about his defense yet. Same is true with Snyder. Let's not wait until he's 25 or 26. Challenge the kid a little bit.

My projected path, if I was in charge, you ask? I would let Snyder finish out the first half at Bowie, bump him up to Norfolk for a few months and then let him have his shot at a September call up, assuming he continues to swing the bat well at Bowie and Norfolk.

And as for you naysayers—those who say "Oh, what's the rush? Let him develop and prove he can hit for an entire season at one stop. It's not like the O's need his bat while we still have Aubrey Huff. And he can't put us over .500 all by himself."

As for you folks, I'm sure you're the same "cautious folk" who want to see Matt Wieters finish out the first half at Norfolk because "What's the rush?"

Am I right? 

Come on! Yeah, the O's need victories and to be in a different division, but what they really need is excitement. This year can be the fever pitch.

First Bergesen, then Reimold, then Wieters. Throw in some Tillman, maybe some Matusz and Arrieta, and that makes for plenty of excitement. Why not take a chance on a kid raking .373 at AA and add him to the bunch. You never know.

Last but not least: Kudos to anyone who can name the classic John Woo film I stole that headline from.