Joining Minor on staff will be longtime Oriole Mike Devereaux as the hitting coach and Troy Mattes to handle the pitchers. Ironically, both Minor and Mattes are former Shorebirds – Ryan played here for the 1997 championship season while Mattes was an original 1996 Shorebird as a farmhand of the old Montreal Expos.

Mattes moves up from Bluefield, where he mentored their pitching staff for the last three years. Devereaux is expected to work heavily with the outfielders on their defense, which leads me to believe Xavier Avery might be back in 2010.

While we’re 14 weeks out from the season opener and probably 13 1/2 weeks away from finding out the roster, the 15th season for the Shorebirds promises to be an exciting one.

Tonight I celebrate two of those who arose from the comparatively humble beginnings of Delmarva (this being the lowest-level full-season team of the Orioles) to make it all the way to The Show. It’s hoped that these two will be mainstays on the Orioles pitching staff as the team looks to rebuild through youth, with the pitchers leading the way against a loaded division.

This is one of the early highlights of the fifth year of monoblogue, and the plan is for me to spend next season watching and selecting even more prospects as they look to join this Hall of Fame in a future class. Hopefully you enjoy the presentation and I don’t mind suggestions for improvement either.

In the meantime, there’s just 18 weeks until April 3, 2010, when the fifth season of SotW will get underway, good Lord willing and the creek don’t rise. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to be in my familiar seat again.

The staff did its usual good job, although some of those who left were missed. I liked Stefan, the onfield host, and hope he comes back next year. And whoever brought Flavors in to do pizza deserves a big thumbs-up. I liked the idea of using the third story concession stand for specialty items – just rotate the clam strips into the menu more often!

I suppose the Shorebirds were expecting sort of a lean year because they didn’t book any national acts as they had before, relying on fireworks and giveaways as a hook to bring in the fans. While the likes of the Bucket Boys, Myron Noodleman, and similar acts do bring in a few extra fans I think they were wise to skip on most of them this time around. Actually, skipping them for a year would make them a little fresher next time around if they even decide to bring them back – I didn’t miss them for the most part.

To me the giveaways were pretty good. One advantage of being a season ticket holder is that I automatically get each one – so I didn’t have to be there at 4:30 to get a Matt Wieters bobblehead. (I’m sure Wieters will succeed at the big league level, but can’t we get a bobblehead who was actually a Shorebird once upon a time? Maybe Nick Markakis or Brad Bergesen will be next year’s bobblehead.) But there’s even value in the backpack or pillowcase because they’re generally useful items kids like and nice advertising for the co-sponsors. In short, season 15 can be presented like season 14 was but maybe even bigger.

As for “pans”, I actually am going to sound like a broken record because in looking at my 2008 and 2007 “picks and pans” posts I have the many of the same complaints! I sort of hate to keep whining but I may as well be consistent.

Just as a review:

1. New scoreboard and videoboard, along with a small alternate scoreboard along the first base line.
2. A closed-circuit TV system for the concession stands so we can watch the game while standing in line.
3. More player availabilities in the “Bird Pen.”
4. Music for the fireworks. Much better selection this year, keep it up!
5. No bands on Thirsty Thursday. 93.5 the Beach, who sponsors “Thirsty Thursday”, also has “Local Produce” so that’s an ideal tie-in to pursue.

Obviously the Shorebirds have that $3 parking fee that helped pay for the parking lot improvements. Now that the lot is in good shape maybe that money can go toward addressing complaint #1 or complaint #2.

Most people don’t know that the Shorebirds are part of a group which owns several teams, including a third they purchased last year. The 7th Inning Stretch LLC family includes the Stockton Ports of the California League (a advanced-A team comparable to the Orioles’ Frederick affiliate) and the Everett (Washington) AquaSox of the Northwest League (a short-season rookie league team similar to Aberdeen.) Oddly enough, of the three 7IS affiliates Delmarva had the best attendance – Stockton drew 203,327 for 70 games and Everett drew 89,929 for 38 openings.

The reason I bring this up is to point out a couple stadium-related items. Stockton built a new stadium in 2005, just a couple years after the team was purchased by 7th Inning Stretch, and Everett debuted a new videoboard just this season, months after their late 2008 acquisition. Of the three affiliates, their stadium is the oldest as it was built in 1984.

Considering the story that our videoboard and scoreboard were purchased used when our stadium was built in 1995, methinks it’s our turn to have investment bestowed upon us by the team owners. Perhaps it can be a reward for drawing the most attendance in the smallest area population-wise to draw from.

We can’t do anything about the Eastern Shore weather, but in actual numbers the attendance at Shorebirds games this year was the smallest ever – just under 215,000 - and it’s a far cry from the huge 300,000-plus attendance the team drew in the late 1990’s. With stiff competition for the rapidly-disappearing disposable entertainment spending, the team will need to make more than cosmetic changes or a new “alternate” logo – there was nothing really wrong with the existing one and I prefer that to the new one – to stay viable.

The Delmarva Shorebirds can be the jewel of the 7th Inning Stretch empire - but only if they allow us to.

Oh, one thing I left out last week – an honorable mention for Shorebird of the Year.

Once the big league season concludes at some point I’ll bring up the Shorebird of the Week Hall of Fame.

Overall that 66-70 record placed Delmarva in 10th place leaguewide among a cluster of teams with similar records. If you look at the offensive statistics, though, you can see where Delmarva may have lost a lot of games.

• Batting average: .248, 13th of 16 teams in the league.
• Runs: 537. While they finished 15th out of 16, the ranking is slightly deceptive because they only played 136 of 140 scheduled games – second lowest in the league (Hagerstown played just 134). Had they played 140 games, they would have scored 16 more (at 3.95 runs per game) and ranked 12th. Still, it’s much lower than last year’s 4.57 runs per game output.
• Doubles: 183, last in the league (Lexington had 186 in 140 games.)
• Triples: 33, 12th.
• Home runs: 49, last in the league (Hagerstown and Charleston has 55 apiece.)
• Walks: 375, 12th of 16 in the league.
• Strikeouts: 1066, 8th most of 16.
• Stolen bases: 181, 3rd. Team speed was a definite asset.
• OPS: .651, 14th in the league. On-base percentage was 13th while slugging percentage was dead last.

The pitching was much more noteworthy; that is if you consider more toward league averages noteworthy. The 3.70 overall ERA ranked 8th in the loop. Some of the other numbers and how they compared to the rest of the SAL:

• Shutouts: 6, tied for 12th.
• Saves: 34, 11th.
• Hits allowed: 1058, a total which was lowest in the league. It was 37 less than Lake County, who played one more game overall.
• Runs allowed: 563, 5th best in the league. 474 earned runs was 6th best.
• Home runs allowed: 60, 4th.
• Walks allowed, 459, 2nd most. Only Lake County (461) allowed more.
• Strikeouts: 1056, 11th.
• WHIP: their 1.32 WHIP tied for 9th.

Obviously allowing a higher than average number of walks but the lowest number of hits made for an average overall result, just in an unusual way.

As I noted last season, there were a number of also-rans in the system below us and the same was true in 2009. Of the four feeder teams, only the Gulf Coast League Orioles finished above .500 (30-26) while the Orioles’ Dominican Summer League entry, Bluefield, and Aberdeen all finished under break-even. None made their league’s playoffs, and systemwide Bowie was the only other team besides the GCL O’s to finish over .500 (73-69). Needless to say, the Orioles chain seems to be lacking in overall talent in comparison to its peers.

But there are some good individual players and the Orioles just need their cream of the crop to be superior to see success. Here’s how the 22 players I picked as Shorebirds of the Week ended up faring for the season.

April 9: Brent Allar

For a comeback season, Brent put together a decent 2009 campaign. The velocity was there for the hard-throwing Allar but at times his control deserted him – most tellingly Brent allowed 55 walks in 67 innings pitched, which is way too high. Overall Brent finished 1-5 with a 4.70 ERA, so the occasions where he was dominating were overshadowed by those where he struggled. Because he’ll be 25 before next season starts, if his career continues it may well be a tryout in Frederick.

April 16: Joe Mahoney

At this time last year I noted, “I’m counting on Mahoney to provide the power and anchor first base in the 2009 Shorebird lineup.”

He accomplished about half of that, playing much of the year at first base. But he surprised observers by going 29-for-30 on the basepaths, showing an uncanny knack of knowing just when to steal a base. However, he hit just 7 home runs and didn’t lead the team in that category.

Overall it was a successful 2009 for Mahoney, hitting .281 with 7 homers and 54 RBI to go with the 29 steals. In a late-season cup of coffee at Frederick, Mahoney hit .267 (7-for-30) with one homerun and 5 RBI. Ironically he was caught on his lone steal attempt there. 2009 should be a good enough season overall to propel Joe to a more permanent home in the Carolina League come 2010.

April 23: Richard Zagone

It turned out Zagone split the season almost evenly between Delmarva and Frederick, with 13 appearances at each site. Here Zagone was 4-5 with a 4.66 ERA and in Frederick he was 1-3 with a 5.10 ERA. The biggest difference was hits allowed – Zagone allowed 59 in 63 2/3 innings here and 70 in 67 innings in the Carolina League. Richard should anchor the Frederick rotation in 2010.

Other honors: Zagone was a SAL Mid-Season All-Star just before his promotion to Frederick.

April 30: Ron Welty

Ron put together a great offensive season for Delmarva in 2009, hitting .290 in 121 games. His 10 home runs and 67 RBI led the team as well, thus Welty turned out to be a Triple Crown winner for the season. The only knock on Ron is that he tailed off toward the end of the campaign, but it was still an outstanding year.

Frankly it was surprising that Ron wasn’t among those called up to Frederick at season’s end, but I suspect he’ll have his due in 2010. After all, he doesn’t turn 22 until January so he’s a little ahead of the league peer group here and would similarly be in the Carolina League next year.

Other honors: Welty was both a SAL Mid-Season and Postseason All-Star along with a Player of the Week selection on June 15. Mountaire selected him as their Batter of the Year, and the Shorebirds Fan Club picked him as their Player of the Half for the first half.

May 7: Eddie Gamboa

Eddie ended up with a perfect season record-wise, 11-0 between three stops. He was 6-0 with a 1.86 ERA here and left for Frederick after the midseason break. Yet those were his worst numbers!

With Frederick Eddie was untouchable, going 4-0 with an 0.55 ERA in 33 innings.

With Bowie Eddie gave up three unearned runs in 12 innings, thus he was 1-0 with an ERA of zero in seven games.

Nowhere did Eddie give up more hits than innings pitched and he maintained a rate of just under 1 strikeout per inning at each stop. If Baltimore gives him a cup of coffee before the season ends he’ll be the first Shorebird to make the jump all the way to the Show in one season (not counting rehab stints like Luke Scott’s this season) since Jim Hoey in 2006.

May 14: Xavier Avery

The speedy Avery did reasonably well in a season one year removed from his high school days, hitting .262 in 129 games with 2 home runs, 36 RBI, and 30 stolen bases. Definitely it was a season of ups and downs for Xavier, who hit only .185 in April but followed it with a .340 May. After the All-Star break he hit just .245 but finished strong with 6 hits in his last 16 at-bats.

Averys going to Instructional League this fall for further work, so don’t be surprised if he doesn’t return to Delmarva to begin 2010 – Xavier’s only 20 as of New Year’s Day so agewise he’s certainly ahead of schedule to develop for the Orioles.

May 21: Cole McCurry

For a player to set a career record with Delmarva it’s likely they’ve spent plenty of time here. Col McCurry has been with Delmarva at least part of each of the last three seasons, but 2009 was a year he spent the entire season here and performed quite well. In fact, over the second half McCurry was downright dominant, finishing on a string of seven consecutive starts where he allowed just 3 earned runs in 43 1/3 innings. So the overall 6-9 record is quite deceiving compared to the body of work.

Cole led the team with 139 2/3 innings and 145 strikeouts against 46 walks. Since he’ll turn 24 later this month, it’s my hope that the Orioles will give Cole the chance to show his stuff at Frederick next year despite being such a low draft pick (43rd round). Certainly McCurry has mastered this level.

Other honors: Cole was selected by the Shorebirds Fan Club as their Player of the Half for the second half.

May 28: Oliver Drake

Drake pitched quite well early, but struggled more as the season went on. In each month of the season his ERA increased which wasn’t a good sign. Overall Oliver tied for the team lead in wins with 8 but also tied for the team lead in losses with 9. Essentially he wasn’t consistent from start to start, finishing with a 4.34 ERA.

On a better note Oliver still struck out 104 while walking 42. Job one for Oliver next year will be to cut down on the number of hits allowed, as he gave up 138 in 130 2/3 innings – that was most among Shorebird pitchers. I think that 2010 will find Oliver back here to pitch, although it may be back in the bullpen where he found success in 2008.

June 4: Greg Miclat

Miclat ended up a little bit of a disappointment on the offensive side, hitting just .228 in 400 at-bats and still seeking his first pro home run. When he did get on base, though, he was speedy enough to swipe 25 bases and worked well at advancing runners by striking out just 79 times all year with Delmarva.

In 6 late-season games at Frederick, Greg was 5-for-24 (.208) with a double, RBI, and stolen base. Given that Greg was a high draft pick (5th round) and will start the 2010 season at the age of 22, the Orioles may decide to challenge him with a promotion to Frederick to start 2010 despite the low batting average.

June 11: Luis Bernardo

Given the fact that none of the three catchers on Delmarva’s opening day roster hit above .200 in 2008, we weren’t expecting a ton of offense out of the backstop position. But Luis hit and played well enough to get the bulk of the work behind the plate during a season where five different players donned the tools of ignorance.

The .213 average in 82 games featured a home run and 25 RBI, along with Luis showing a good eye at the plate and striking out just 51 times in 253 at-bats. He also showed a pretty good arm behind the plate against opposing base stealers.

Since he is only 22 at the start of next year, the Orioles may allow the Dominican product another year here to work more with pitchers and try to improve his batting average. He seems like a prized catching prospect so the Orioles will give Luis every chance to succeed.

June 18: Kyle Hudson

Kyle is another highly-touted prospect in the Orioles chain, and his 2009 performance here likely punched Hudson a ticket to the next level. In essentially his pro debut, Kyle hit .284 with no homers but 21 RBI. (Kyle played only 11 games in 2008 due to injury.) The best part of his game was a total of 34 stolen bases between Delmarva and Frederick, where he was 5-for-20 (.250) in 6 tail-end games.

Possibly the only improvement Kyle could use is to develop a little more power, but those results will likely show higher up in the Orioles organization.

June 25: Ryan O’Shea

Ryan put together a workmanlike season for the Shorebirds (8-8, 3.60 in 25 starts with 100 strikeouts and 47 walks.) Alas, there wasn’t a lot of flash or sizzle in his stats and as a 27th round pick who turns 24 next season he may not get his due. Ideally he’ll ply his trade at Frederick next season since he pitched well enough here to deserve it.

July 2: L.J. Hoes

Much as Xavier Avery (see above), L.J. was playing his first full professional season just a year removed from high school. And like Avery, Hoes will make a stop in the Instructional League this fall.

The similarities don’t stop there as L.J. hit .260 with 2 home runs and 47 RBI along with 20 stolen bases. He was the youngest Shorebird so, like Avery, the Maryland native Hoes may return here to anchor the 2010 Shorebird attack. I believe he’s destined to be a replacement for Brian Roberts someday, so I’m naming Hoes my 2009 Prospect of the Year.

July 9: Brendan Monaghan

Out of the Shorebirds’ crop of catchers, Brendan turned out to be the best offensive weapon as far as average, hitting .222 in 39 games. But for the second year in a row he missed time with an injury and at the age of 24 the only thing that may save his career is his versatility – he played some outfield and served as the emergency pitcher to save the bullpen, allowing no runs in 3 appearances covering 3 2/3 innings. Unfortunately, Brendan has seen just 236 at-bats in two seasons here so bad luck has prevented him from taking full advantage of his opportunity as an undrafted free agent.

July 16: Brandon Cooney

I picked Cooney just before his promotion to Frederick, which was richly deserved after Brandon had amassed 16 saves with a 2-5 record and 2.89 ERA – the ERA steadily declined as the year went on. For Frederick Brandon picked up another 5 saves and allowed just 3 runs (1 earned) over 15 innings, resulting in a 0.60 ERA. Batters hit an anemic .140 in Frederick against Brandon, who’s seemed to find his niche as a closer and may get the opportunity to jump to Bowie or beyond next season.

July 23: Nathan Moreau

Another pitcher who put up solid numbers in a limited tour of duty with Delmarva, Moreau finished 5-3 with a 3.61 ERA, allowing 78 hits and 43 walks in 78 1/3 innings before returning to the University of Georgia for fall classes. I expect Nathan to anchor the 2010 Shorebird staff in order to work on reducing his walks allowed and spend a full season playing professional ball. A hot start may find him in Frederick by the midseason break.

Other honors: Nathan was selected as the SAL pitcher of the Week July 20th.

July 30: Tyler Kolodny

Tyler’s campaign was cut short in August with a wrist injury, which was unfortunate because the scrappy third baseman’s season was starting to pick up steam. At the All-Star break Kolodny was hitting just .206 but he finished strong and ended up hitting .223 with 9 home runs and 41 RBI in 107 games. Had he completed the last three weeks of the season he may have denied Ron Welty a Triple Crown by hitting 2 more home runs.

It’s likely Tyler’s 2010 fate depends on how well he recovers, but my guess is that turning 22 by next year’s opener will mean Tyler repeats here starting in April.

August 6: Cliff Flagello

I correctly predicted last year that Cliff would be in Frederick for 2009, but there was a detour back to Delmarva for the second half. After being bombed by Carolina League batters (1-2, 7.55 in 31 innings where he allowed 41 hits and 25 walks) he returned here and had the same 1-2 record but a more satisfying 1.76 ERA, allowing just 10 walks and 19 hits in 30 2/3 innings.

His career, though, may be at a crossroads. He did well at this level two seasons in a row but his age (25 by opening day next season) and low draft status (25th round) coupled with his lack of success at Advanced-A Frederick may mean Cliff looks for a job next season. Hopefully that’s not the case.

August 13: Rodolfo Cardona

The versitile Venezuelan jumped over Delmarva to start the year, spending time in Frederick (10-for-42 or .238 with 1 RBI in 14 games) and Bowie (0-for-14 in 6 games) before settling back in at a more appropriate competition level for the 22-year-old who played at Bluefield in 2008. Here he got off to a hot start, hitting .350 in his first 8 games before settling down to final marks with Delmarva of .235 with a homer and 22 RBI in 46 games, while playing three infield positions.

The position Cardona plays next season may depend on whether one or more of the three predominant infielders at positions he plays (Kolodny, Miclat, and Hoes) move up. If none do Cardona may spend 2010 spelling them on a regular basis here as the utility player.

August 20: Elvin Polanco

Elvin spent 2009 in a platoon situation with Joe Mahoney between first base and designated hitter. Overall, Elvin was among the team power leaders in a .246/6/59 season.

But there are a couple items Elvin may need to address in a return to the Shorebirds – cutting down on the number of strikeouts (112 in 459 at-bats) and whether he should continue switch-hitting. Elvin hit a respectable .262 as a left-handed batter but just .205 as a righty. My guess is that Elvin could find himself in the same role next year with another large first baseman (and likely early-season 2010 SotW) in Mike Flacco.

August 27: T. R. Keating

Another mid-season addition to the Shorebirds, Keating excelled most of the times he was put in to serve as a middle to long reliever. Coming from extended spring Keating made 27 appearances covering 45 2/3 innings and allowed just 34 hits and 11 walks. It was a sub-1 WHIP that seemingly belied a 3.74 ERA. Throw in 43 strikeouts to show he has that capability and it wouldn’t surprise me to see Keating in a Frederick uniform next season. Since he turns 24 next week that’s likely the appropriate test for his age and experience.

September 3: Jacob Julius

Jacob served as the fourth outfielder and third-string first baseman this season for the Shorebirds. Add in a wrist injury which made him miss six weeks midstream and Julius only got into 57 games, hitting just .228/2/12 for the year – he did manage 13 extra-base hits out of 39 overall (8 doubles, 3 triples, and 2 home runs.) Another hopeful sign for his future is the fact he hit .265 after August 1st with more regular playing time, so despite the fact he would be one of the older Shorebirds in 2010 it’s not out of the question to see him here next year. Certainly he’s one of the most community-minded Shorebirds as you’ll note below.

Other honors: Mountaire selected Jacob as their Humanitarian of the Year based on his service to the community.

That’s how my 22 Shorebirds of the Week fared in 2009 – most did reasonably well but there were a few disappointments mixed in. But there’s one player who I feel exceeded expectations and until the very end of the season showed a remarkable consistency.

On a team which featured two outfielders drafted well ahead of him during the 2008 amateur draft, Ron Welty played himself onto the Orioles radar screen by being a league All-Star for the second season in a row. Ron showed the tools necessary to advance and can’t be downgraded for being older than the league peer group.

Being in a position where the Orioles are seemingly pretty well set for years to come (with Nick Markakis, Adam Jones, Nolan Reimold, and a resurgent Felix Pie all fairly young players) Welty could become one of those young prospects teams are interested in as a future trading deadline draws near, so he may never make it to Baltimore but he could reach the Show in a venue closer to his west coast home – only time will tell.

As I closed out my post last season, I wish nothing but the best to each and every one of the 2009 Shorebirds and thank them for making my second season as a season ticket holder a wonderful experience. Next week I turn my attention to the front office with my Shorebird Picks and Pans.

However, I also have a surprise up my sleeve for next week’s P and P post, so be sure to stay glued to this site as Shorebirds coverage continues.

In looking back at the summer, one that was considered “decent” by tourism standards in Ocean City, it’s worthy to point out that the national economy didn’t hurt the tourism industry as much as feared, but certainly this wasn’t a boom year many wanted after enduring $4 a gallon gasoline last year. Apparently a lot of families (mine included) opted for day trips to the local resorts and/or cut costs in various other ways.

Secondly, despite the howls of protest about paying for parking at Shorebird games the average attendance was actually up this year by about 3 percent. This increased average will resume an upward trend since 2005 that barely was halted last year by a tiny decline of 5 people per game. The bad news though is that we will need just over 7,000 attending tonight’s game to avoid setting an all-time low for attendance – the current seasonal low is 217,980 in 2006 and as of last night the season total this year was 210,829 with just tonight to go. The culprit in this case has been a summer full of rain at the wrong times, as the Shorebirds have only played 59 of the 69 scheduled starts this season (and tonight’s forecast isn’t so great either.) I’ll discuss this more in the next couple weeks as I do my seasonal wrap-up for the Shorebirds and pick a Shorebird of the Year.

But the group who really has had the bummer of a summer has been the group today was set aside to celebrate, Big Labor. They thought by now that they’d have two of their cherished objectives they sought when they backed Barack Obama for President and a Democrat Congress – “card check” and national health care. But so far they’re 0-for-2 as they met stubborn and principled opposition to both issues. (You’re welcome.)

Big Labor (more specifically, the Service Employees International Union - a.k.a. the ”purple shirts”) also got a black eye figuratively for delivering black eyes and other physical ailments literally at a town hall meeting in Missouri (I put the video in FNV3.) Those actions once again reinforced the perception of “union thugs” that many on the right have, and with good reason. I’ve detailed before (FNV2) the aggressive tactics used in attempting to organize workers who may already be pretty happy with their situation as it stands.

So the summer for Big Labor passed like a rainy day at the beach, frustrated by forces one can’t do a whole lot about. It did make the situation more tolerable for the rest of us, though, so the summer of their discontent (marked by a lot of pro-liberty people showing our discontent with the ever-growing government Big Labor favors) will hopefully portend a fall filled with more of the same, with a dash of crushing defeats for Democrats at the ballot box thrown in.

Once again, I’ve come to the 22nd of 22 Shorebirds of the Week I select each season.

As always I get to the end of August and realize that there are a number of players I’ve overlooked throughout the season because others had better weeks or perhaps a solid overall body of work I had to acknowledge. Once again this was the case in 2009, but then the Orioles made my life a little easier by calling up to Frederick a couple of players who would have been strong contenders for the final weekly honor.

However, in looking at those players I hadn’t previously selected I noticed that it took until August for this week’s honoree to have a solid month with reasonably consistent playing time and he responded to the challenge splendidly, with his .271 batting average for the month being by far his best and a sizzling .920 OPS showing he was the complete package at the plate. He also hit both his home runs and lifted his average from .204 to his current mark of .233 since the end of July.

But Jacob Julius did much more during the season off the field - obviously there was a long stretch from late May through early July where he had no choice because of a wrist injury sidelining him. That aspect was rewarded at a recent pregame ceremony where Mountaire Farms presented Jacob with a Humanitarian Award for his community service. (I believe this was the first time someone was so honored.)

One may look at his overall season numbers (.233/2/10 in 54 games) and consider Jacob just another organization player – after all the 23-year-old Indiana native wasn’t drafted out of the University of Arkansas until the 33rd round in 2007. But as we look ahead to the offseason and perhaps this week being the last baseball hurrah for some of those currently playing for the Shorebirds, it’s also time to think about these players as young men playing in the game of life and it’s there that character counts for much more than the ability to lay off a breaking ball in the dirt.

Jacob is an example who was recognized, but many of this year’s Shorebirds should end up winners in life even if they don’t reach The Show. I appreciate the talent these young men show on the field, but those who become favorite players of mine also find a way to interact and show their appreciation for those who watch them.

Because we now know that Delmarva won’t be making a postseason appearance, next week will be a season wrapup and I’ll reveal my Shorebird of the Year for 2009. The following Thursday I’ll complete the 2009 coverage with my Shorebird picks and pans for 2009 and debut my Shorebird of the Week Hall of Fame page!

On a pitching staff, the glamour positions seem to be the starting rotation and the closer. But someone has to step in if a starter is ineffective and take some innings for the team to keep them in the game. For the 2009 Shorebirds, it seems like T.R. Keating has inherited that job and does it pretty well.

While he has taken the loss in his last two appearances (Sunday against Hagerstown and last night at Lake County), by no means was he completely ineffective –  allowing 2 earned runs in a combined 4 2/3 innings isn’t exactly being blown off the mound. He’s been the beneficiary of Shorebird bats at times too so his won-lost record stands even at 5-5.

For the overall season Keating is pitching pretty well and what sticks out is his stinginess with walks, allowing just 9 in 43 2/3 innings pitched. When you factor in that T.R. has allowed only 31 hits in that stretch, the 0.92 WHIP almost belies his ERA of 3.50 – seems like the few runners he allows on somehow score at a higher-than-normal clip.

Keating, whose given name is Travis Reid Keating, hails from Colorado (attending the University of Northern Colorado) and would probably be classified as an “organization player” given his low position in the draft. Last year the Orioles picked him in the 34th round and assigned him to Bluefield where he was 2-1 with a 3.45 ERA in 13 relief appearances covering 28 2/3 innings.

But since the numbers here are pretty similar it’s possible the 23-year-old Keating could get a chance to make the jump to Frederick next season. Obviously his control is an asset but the question will be whether it holds true as he advances in the organization and faces more patient hitters.

For now, however, T.R. is a guy who comes out and does the job he’s assigned to do without making the headlines. Unsung heroes can make a team better and as long as Keating can keep the opposition at bay and give the team a chance to win he’ll attract the notice of the Orioles brass.

A key to the Shorebirds offensive attack all year, first baseman/designated hitter Elvin Polanco ranks among Shorebird leaders in many offensive categories.

Polanco, who shares time with Joe Mahoney in each position (on days Polanco plays in the field, Mahoney tends to be the DH and vice versa), doesn’t have the higher average in the platoon – as of this date Elvin is hitting .248 to Mahoney’s .291 – but outranks Mahoney in the power numbers with 8 home runs and 53 runs batted in. It ranks Elvin 3rd on the team in homers and second in RBI.

As is the case for most foreign-born players, Polanco signed with the Orioles at a young age (he was a month shy of his 18th birthday) and spent his first couple years of professional ball in his native Dominican Republic before making the jump over to America in 2007. That year he tore up the Gulf Coast League and was named a postseason All-Star.

After playing in Bluefield last season, Polanco is on his first full-season club this year and it’s noticeable that as the season has worn on his numbers have declined. Elvin was hitting .264/3/34 with a .655 OPS prior to the break but just .225/3/19 with a .569 OPS since.

With three weeks to go in the season, it’s not unreasonable to hope Polanco catches a second wind and can push the average back over .250 nor are double-digit home runs out of the question. After a long slump Elvin is 4-for-12 in his last 3 games so perhaps that burst is forthcoming.

Whether a late-season tear would be enough to merit a promotion to Frederick next year is a good question but at 22 years of age Polanco wouldn’t necessarily be hurt to repeat here in 2010. Elvin could be a cornerstone of the team if he’s brought back next spring.

The idea behind this fundraiser is to auction off autographed, game-worn batting helmets, distinctive in a gold and pale blue color scheme. As one of the Children’s Advocacy Center’s main fundraisers, the money raised will go to a good cause and it could be an opportunity to meet and greet a future big-leaguer. After the game, winning bidders will have the opportunity to meet the player whose helmet they purchased and receive it on the field.

Even if you’re not interested in the helmets, rumor has it that the dunk tank will be returning and that a number of popular local celebrities will be on the hot seat. Let’s hope it’s only those participants who get wet this time and the rain (finally!) holds off.

Okay, I’ve been informed no dunk tank. But it IS the Shorebirds and a good cause so it’s worth doing anyway. Still hope the rain holds off – last time I checked Delmarva led the South Atlantic League in rainouts and that’s one category where you don’t want a championship.

Rodolfo Cardona has done his share of traveling this year in the search for regular playing time, and it appears Delmarva will be his home for the rest of the season.

Having spent time with both Frederick (where he hit .238 in 14 games early on) and Bowie (overmatched at 0-for-14 in 6 games), Cardona arrived just before the league All-Star break in late June and got off to a torrid start, hitting .364 in his first 9 games as a Shorebird. While Rodolfo’s pace has certainly cooled, he’s done a nice job spelling the regulars around the infield.

The 22-year-old Venezuelan has been Orioles property since he signed at the tender age of 17 in June of 2004, but this season is his first full season in the minor leagues – he played in his native land from 2004 to 2006, made the jump stateside in 2007 to play for the GCL Orioles, and hit a solid .283 for Bluefield last year. The batting average has regressed to .236 for the 2009 season (.236/0/19 with a .706 OPS in 33 games here) but there’s still time for the Cardona to develop as he sees more and better pitching. Certainly he’s been valuable with his versatility.

We may see more of Rodolfo as the season wears on and Orioles brass dictates some of the younger players get a few more days off, and its quite likely that we may see even more of Rodolfo as thoughts turn to how the Shorebirds will look in 2010. While a promotion isn’t out of the question, I think it’s more likely Cardona will spend time here getting more experience at one infield position.

When a player is demoted they can handle it in two ways. Some continue the poor play which led to their backslide in the first place.

But then you have guys like Cliff Flagello, who is completely throttling opposing SAL batters.

“Jello” certainly merited the promotion to Frederick given his 5-3, 2.29 ERA and 1.13 WHIP he accomplished here in 2008. But Cliff was treated much worse by the Carolina League, compiling a 1-2 record with a 7.55 ERA – more alarmingly he allowed 25 walks in 31 innings. So at the midseason break he was transferred to Delmarva.

His numbers here are even better than the glowing 2008 figures, as in 12 appearances Cliff has allowed just 1 earned run, leading to a microscopic 0.45 ERA. Better still, his WHIP is a nifty 0.75 and he’s allowed just 8 hits and 7 walks in 20 innings. SAL batters are hitting a punchless .121 against him.

This may be the step that saves the 24-year old’s career, as he was drafted out of tiny Shorter College in Georgia back in 2007 as a 25th round pick. Continuing dominance here may yet result in a Frederick return for Cliff before season’s end.

Until last week, perhaps the most noticeable thing about this week’s Shorebird of the Week was the sheer amount of dirt he’d collect on his jersey every night – he reminded me of the Pigpen character in the old comic strip “Peanuts”.

But on the team’s most recent road trip to Greenville and Asheville Tyler Kolodny has made a mess of opposing pitching. Tyler’s been on a tear and assumed the team leadership in home runs with 9.

Aside from an 0-for-3 performance in the first game of the trip, over the last seven games of the eight game string Kolodny has gone 14-for-29 (almost a .500 average) and included in that streak was a 6 RBI performance last Friday at Greenville. The average that was hovering just over .200 a month ago is now a more solid .244 mark in 96 games.

The 21 year old California native has slowly worked his way up the ranks in his three seasons of pro ball, with Delmarva being his first full-season team. Last year at Aberdeen he hit .240/10/38 in 72 games and in 2007 he tore up the Gulf Coast League with the GCL Orioles by hitting .318/6/30 in 43 games. So the power’s been there and may yet become greater with experience and maturity.

Besides his scrappy method of play, the one thing I like about Tyler is his batting eye. Despite his somewhat low batting mark his OPS is better than average at .757 because his on-base percentage is very good. The 40 walks he’s drawn is a team-leading mark.

One disparity I found odd was his poor performance at Perdue Stadium. Tyler is hitting just .189 here and .281 on the road.

So let’s hope that, with most of the Shorebirds’ remaining schedule comprised of home games, the law of averages wins out and Tyler continues his hot hitting for the balance of the campaign.

It will give us time to warn the clubhouse attendant in Frederick to buy some extra Tide for Tyler’s uniforms next season.