None of the Orioles four active minor league clubs has a winning record to this point in the season. But having them all local is making things much easier to keep tabs on prospects.
“It definitely makes a difference. We haven’t seen the full entirety of it yet,” said David Stockstill, Orioles’ director of minor league operations, adding that most of the clubs opened on the road. “Now we’re getting to see them closer to home.”
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Having the Triple-A team in Norfolk allows the team to send instructors more regularly than they did in years past.
“Ottawa was more of a situation where we went based on need,” Stockstill said. “For instance if hitters weren’t hitting, we’d send a hitting instructor.”
Norfolk will get attention on a rotating basis, just like the club’s other farm teams.
NORFOLK TIDES (6?9)*
The Tides wrap up a two-game series in Indianapolis this morning at 11, and will host Richmond in a two-game set Thursday and Friday before visiting them for two over the weekend. Infielder Mike Cervenak is batting .317 with three homers ? tied with Jon Knott for the team lead in the power department.
BOWIE BAYSOX (8?9)
The Baysox finish a seven-game home stand with the third and final game of the series with Altoona tonight at 7:05 at Prince George’s County Stadium, before taking to the road for eight, starting with a Thursday game at Erie. Top hitting prospect, outfielder Nolan Reimold, is batting .317 with a team-best three homers and 13 RBI.
FREDERICK KEYS (6?8)
In the midst of a seven-game home stand, the Keys host Wilmington tonight and Thursday (both at 6 p.m.) before welcoming Potomac for a three-game set over the weekend. Three Frederick players are batting over .300 ? including toolsy outfielder Arturo Rivas, 23, who is leading the way with a .407 mark.
DELMARVA SHOREBIRDS (7?9)
The Shorebirds are home through Thursday, finishing a three-game series with Lakeland, before making the trip to Western Maryland to battle the Hagerstown Suns in a three-game weekend showdown. Shorebirds outfielder Brandon Tripp, a 2006 12th round draft pick, is tearing up the South Atlantic League with a .429 average, four homers and 19 runs batted in ? leading Delmarva in every category.
* Records as of Tuesday
