While I always enjoy doing my website, certain posts are more fun to research than others. This was one I enjoyed doing so much last year at the Shorebirds’ mid-season hiatus that I decided to do it again this season. Of course, I make these assertions of where players are currently playing with some risk because June is a cruel month for many a baseball dream. Minor league organizations are in transition all month as rookie league teams are assembled and players shifted around to where the organization feels they can be most challenged in an appropriate manner professionally. And for a few players the influx of new talent via the amateur baseball draft means that their days with a particular organization will come to a close.
With the Shorebirds being the next step above the rookie leagues, this time of year marks the departure of a few guys who the Orioles feel would benefit from additional time with Aberdeen (considered the most advanced of Baltimore’s three rookie squads) so when the Shorebirds return to action Thursday we’ll likely see a few new faces and jerseys with no name on them yet.
Between 2006 and 2007, I named a total of 41 players as Shorebird of the Week – 22 each season, with three players being named both years. By mid-season last year, we’d already lost five players in the “class of 2006” to release or retirement, and apparently that number has grown by four. I found no information on the activities this season of Josh Potter, Arturo Rivas, (both of whom played for Frederick last season), Jarod Rine (played for the Frontier League’s Washington, PA WildThings), or fan favorite Stu Musslewhite (also a SotW in 2007 who had a season-ending injury with Delmarva.)
Other 2006 Shorebirds remain in baseball at various levels outside the Oriole system. Highest among them is Lorenzo Scott Jr. who’s now a member of the Albuquerque Isotopes, Florida’s AAA team. Meanwhile, both Trevor Caughey and Vito Chiaravalotti continue to toil in independent leagues. Caughey shifted from the Kansas City T-Bones of the Northern League to the Chico (CA) Outlaws of the Golden Baseball League, while Vito stayed in the Atlantic League but found a new home with the Somerset Patriots. (A number of former Shorebirds dot the rosters of that league.) We may also see a former Shorebird late next month when Kannapolis returns – Mark Fleisher was recently added to their roster.
The remainder of my 2006 crop has moved up in the Orioles system, most of them to the AA Bowie Baysox. Now facing Eastern League competition are pitchers David Hernandez, Chorye Spoone, and Brad Bergesen; catcher Zach Dillon, and infielders Blake Davis, Jon Tucker, and my 2006 Shorebird of the Year selection Ryan Finan. Two of the Orioles’ recent top draft picks out of high school have only moved up to Frederick; those two would be pitcher Brandon Erbe and infielder Brandon Snyder. Given their age it’s probably the appropriate team for this career stage.
I seem to have done a better job picking prospects in 2007. Only the aforementioned Stu Musslewhite wasn’t found when I scoured the various minor league rosters. Almost en masse, the 2007 SotW picks were moved up to Frederick for 2008. One exception was early-2007 pick Brad Bergesen (now with Bowie). Two others are on Delmarva’s 2008 roster, although only catcher Victor Castillo is active. Outfielder David Cash was lost early on with a serious injury and likely will not return this season – whether he’ll get a third chance with the Shorebirds remains questionable. Finally, pitcher Josh Tamba will finally get a chance to begin his season as he’ll be a member of the Aberdeen IronBirds.
Joining Tamba from the 2008 Delmarva roster will be a number of other pitchers: Joe Esposito, Cole McCurry (a SotW earlier this season), Aaron Odom, and Chris Salberg. Completing the list of those demoted is outfielder Calvin Lester. Aside from McCurry and Odom, none of the others saw a significant amount of action with Delmarva so this will be an opportunity for them to get more playing time.
With that, the stage is now set to resume action on Thursday as the Hagerstown Suns make their final trip into Perdue Stadium for the weekend. As always, look for my Shorebird of the Week that evening.
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