Pitching Depth Chart '08

[J W]

I just took a look at this. Let's assume the orioles keep 12 pitchers on the big-league squad. Here's how it looks right now:

SP Daniel Cabrera
SP Jeremy Guthrie
SP Adam Loewen
SP Steve Traschel
- open -

RP Greg Aquino (claimed off waivers)
RP Randor Bierd (Rule 5)
RP Chad Bradford
RP Dennis Sarfate
RP George Sherrill
RP Jamie Walker
- open -

What does this mean if it shakes down this way? Well, there are eight pitchers vying for those two spots:

- Matt Albers
- Brian Burress
- Lance Cormier
- Jon Leicester
- Radhames Liz
- Garrett Olson
- Troy Patton
- Hayden Penn

My guess is as good as yours, but let's say Patton and Burress make it. That means we have six pitchers left for five spots... for our AAA rotation. One of these guys isn't even going to be a starter for Norfolk.

Who do you think that's going to be? And, can you imagine if we get Gallagher? That's another one either in the bullpen or AA! Or released from the team! Who would #2 be?

...and then we've got guys like Tillman and Butler and Arrieta in the lower ranks. This is all good to see.

[Erik Bedard]

MLB rotation:

SP Daniel Cabrera
SP Jeremy Guthrie
SP Adam Loewen
SP Steve Traschel
SP Matt Albers

MLB bullpen

RP Greg Aquino
RP Randor Bierd
RP Chad Bradford
RP Dennis Sarfate
RP George Sherrill
RP Jamie Walker
RP Brian Burres (only one S)

AAA rotation:

SP Garrett Olson
SP Troy Patton
SP Hayden Penn
SP Radhames Liz
SP Jon Leicester

AAA bullpen:

Lance Cormier
Jim Hoey
pick 'em.

[ttmman21]

you forgot Esteban Yan is also competing for a spot

[Rotoprofessor]

Yan didn't even pitch in the majors in '07, and in '06 he posted an ERA of 5.55. I'd have to conider him a very long-shot to make the team.

[edsachs1]

I'm really excited for the season, so here's my depth chart and I'm going to go deep:

Baltimore:
Jeremy Guthrie
Adam Loewen
Daniel Cabrera
Steve Trachsel
Troy Patton

Bullpen: Matt Albers in long relief

Norfolk:
Garrett Olson
Hayden Penn
Radhamas Liz
James Johnson
John Leicester (Sean Gallahger gets the spot if he's in a trade)

Bowie:
Chyore Spoone
Jake Arrietta
Chris Tillman
Tim Bascom
David Hernandez

Fredrick:
Brandon Erbe (will probably move up after a month or two)
Pedro Beato
Tony Butler
Brad Bergeson

Pretty amazing depth. I have to think we're in the top 5 for pitching prospects.

[J W]

I forgot about James Johnson. He's probably not MLB material but he'll be pretty serviceable in Norfolk. He's still only 24 years old though.

I would hope we've finally approached the upper eschelon when it comes to pitching prospects. There's no way all those guys will be long term Orioles. Granted, many of them won't work out (and some of them may be flaming out already).

I wonder if and/or when some of those prospects will be flipped? Probably in 2010 if that is in fact McPhail's target season to compete.

[Erik Bedard]

I think that the O's 2010 rotation will be as follows:

Adam Loewen
Troy Patton
Garrett Olson
Jake Arrieta
Chris Tillman

That's a big list to pick from, and I had to leave some pretty good guys off. The O's have to be in the upper third of MLB in terms of pitching prospects now.

[Orioles '66]

I think that the O's 2010 rotation will be as follows:

Adam Loewen
Troy Patton
Garrett Olson
Jake Arrieta
Chris Tillman

That's a big list to pick from, and I had to leave some pretty good guys off. The O's have to be in the upper third of MLB in terms of pitching prospects now.

Dang, I don't about the above.
I'm still open for what happens in Spring Training. We're just getting started, but I love the enthusiasm here on this topic.
What a change [and much needed] from last season, eh?

We need another Why Not or the alike for our O's this season, huh?

[Erik Bedard]

Nah... save that for next year, when there's actually more than a .3% chance of it happening.

The one guy that I can't wait to see in big league camp is Arrieta. The O's got a major steal by picking him up in the fifth round.

[edsachs1]

The one guy that I can't wait to see in big league camp is Arrieta. The O's got a major steal by picking him up in the fifth round.

Yea that's what the O's need to do. Stop spending money on average players (such as Jay Payton and Aubrey Huff) and instead spend it on draft picks. This strategy has paid off big time for the Tigers (including last year when they got perhaps the #2 pitcher in the draft at the end of he first round). In a way I hate that agents have that much power in the draft. But the Orioles aren't a small market club. We can afford to spend the extra money.

[Erik Bedard]

This year's draft was great, and not just for the Wieters pick. Arrieta looks like he'll be a monster, Bascom has potential, and of course there's Wieters, who will be a superstar.

[burritoballs]

Cabrera
Guthrie
Loewen
Trachsel
Olsen

Patton
Burres
Baez
Acquino
Sherill
Walker

Sarfate