Baltimore Sports Report » Avi Miller

Dylan Bundy Doesn’t Belong At Low-A Ball

Avi Miller — Mon, 21 May 2012 21:21:56 +0000

You hear both opinions often, but the Orioles seem to be sticking with their original plan. Some say that Dylan Bundy should have started the year at AA Bowie, while others think the Orioles should keep on their current track with slowly increasing his workload at a lower level.

Let’s remember, the kid is only 19 years old.

But after seeing Bundy pitch yesterday up in Hagerstown, against a Suns lineup that features a good amount of .300 hitters and a potent offense in the South Atlantic League, I have to take a midpoint between those views. While I like that Bundy started off with the Delmarva Shorebirds, it’s time for a change. He needs to be moved up to High-A Frederick.

The original goal, according to reports, was for Bundy to work on his offspeed offerings and really establish a fastball/changeup combo as well as get acclimated to the pro baseball lifestyle. He’s done all that has been asked of him. No earned runs and 40 strikeouts (along with only two walks and two hit by pitches) in 30 innings through eight starts is more than enough to prove to me that he has the ability to pitch at a higher level. Not that the Orioles or any scouts doubt his ability to perform, and I understand the original objectives, but they have been reached.

Bundy pitched five scoreless innings in Hagerstown yesterday, recording four strikeouts and only one hit allowed on all fastballs, minus three pitches. He threw a curveball for his second strikeout of the afternoon and two noticeable changeups in the middle of other counts, but otherwise, Bundy stuck to his heater. According to a source with the Shorebirds, he sat 94-98 with his fastball all afternoon and touched 99 on the last pitch of his outing, but otherwise only threw three total offspeed offerings all game.

Watching him on the mound, Bundy doesn’t have all that dominating of an appearance, but his fastball was blowing by batters. He has a Mark Buehrle-esque pace, which is ideal when hitters are so off balance to begin with, and the only contact being made was pure luck. Guys were honestly just swinging when they expected they would need to in order to make contact, and Bundy just had to throw the fastball to get guys out.

I still believe in the organization’s ambitions to keep Bundy at a good pace and not to rush things, but seeing Steve Melewski’s report yesterday where he quotes Rick Peterson, Orioles pitching coordinator, saying that Bundy may be close to a promotion, was a good step in my eyes. The team needs to put him in Frederick and let him air it out there. He should join other 2011 draft picks Mike Wright, Kyle Simon, and Trent Howard in the Keys’ rotation and work on his pitching there. Keep him on the same schedule and work on the same aspects of his game, but at least let him develop in a league where he can face competition closer to his level.

There is nothing left for Dylan Bundy to learn at Low-A ball.

Dana Eveland Shows He Is A Legitimate Upgrade Over 2011 Depth

Avi Miller — Sat, 12 May 2012 12:20:57 +0000

…over Mitch Atkins. And Rick VandenHurk. And Jo-Jo Reyes.

Okay, maybe that last one is a bit of a stretch.

The point is, Dana Eveland got the spot start for the Orioles last night with Jason Hammel being skipped for his start this week due to a sire right knee; and he performed just as a spot starter should. His stat line of three earned runs over six innings is a bit deceiving considering he let up five hits, walked five, hit two batters, and only struck out three. His changeup and curveball were hanging up in the zone all night, and his fastball was quite unimpressive in my opinion, topping out around 89-90 MPH.

But getting back to the subject at hand.

Those pitchers listed above all got spot starts with the Orioles in 2011 and all pitched to ERAs over six. All of them were guys who, like Eveland, had iffy careers to begin with and barely got a chance to start for the Orioles, only due to injuries and the team’s lack of quality pitching. This year, however, the Orioles have been fantastic pitching-wise, so when the team needed to reach down into the farm system and call up Eveland, there were actually options at hand. Brad Bergesen, Chris Tillman, Jason Berken, and Joel Pineiro were all legitimate possibilities of being called up for the start.

Bergesen still hasn’t found his stride from 2009 after his knee injury, Tillman’s velocity is still down, Berken’s slider is flat, and Pineiro was only recently signed and is still being stretched out. But still, the pitching options at AAA Norfolk are a significant upgrade over the availabilities last season.

MASN Says Jim Palmer and Mark Reynolds Have Something In Common

Avi Miller — Thu, 03 May 2012 13:20:45 +0000

MASN posted the above graphic during last night’s Orioles/Yankees game preceding Mark Reynolds’ 3rd at bat of the night. Look at it for a minute and tell me what’s wrong.

Hopefully you see it. Hopefully. If not, I’ll explain after the jump.When that graphic came up on the screen, Gary Thorne went on about how Reynolds will always strike out [yadda yadda yadda], but suddenly realized that his broadcast partner, Jim Palmer, Orioles hall of fame starting pitcher, was also on this list with Reynolds. Thorne went on to say that it was unfair to group Reynolds with the likes of a pitcher, and Palmer’s only response was that it was of his pitching, not hitting.

Otherwise, Palmer sat through that segment relatively silently. Maybe it’s because he saw that the other names on this list, Steve Barber and Milt Pappas (8 seasons with the Orioles), were also pitchers.

Somebody on the MASN crew went to look up what the highest amount of games a player has gone before with a strikeout in each contest, but failed to realize that they searched the stat for pitching and not hitting.

Oh well. But hey, Mark Reynolds only needs to strike out once in each of the games up at Fenway Park this weekend to beat Palmer’s streak!

Orioles Lead American League In Team ERA; 3rd In MLB

Avi Miller — Thu, 03 May 2012 12:32:03 +0000

Pitching coach Rick Adair walking along side catcher Matt Wieters

Yes, THE Baltimore Orioles. The same Orioles who couldn’t string together much of any pitching last season are currently atop the American League in Team ERA with a 2.83 mark. Before last night, the Texas Rangers held the lead in this category in the AL, but after Toronto scored a whopping 11 runs off of them at the Rogers Centre, the Orioles have taken over.

The only two teams in all of baseball pitching better than the Orioles (in terms of ERA) are the Cardinals and the Nationals, both of which have stacked rotations full of star quality names like Stephen Strasburg, Edwin Jackson, Adam Wainwright, and Chris Carpenter.

The Orioles rotation made it through the month of April without any changes, and includes Jake Arrieta, Tommy Hunter, Wei-Yin Chen, Jason Hammel, and Brian Matusz. The worst of those guys in the ERA category is Matusz at 4.67, which isn’t terrible right now considering the 10.69 he posted in 2011 along with the fact that he has shown major progress in each start over the last month. Hammel leads the group with a 1.97 ERA.

Starters are giving the Orioles 6-8 inning outings, which is leading to the Orioles lights out bullpen. Matt Lindstrom, Luis Ayala, and closer Jim Johnson have combined to pitch 31.1 scoreless innings in relief. Combine that with Darren O’Day and his single earned run over 12.2 innings, and throw in Pedro Strop who has allowed just three runs over 13 IP, and you have 5 of the 7 Orioles relievers stacking up for an ERA of 0.63. 0.63!!!

Yes, the bullpen also includes lefty Troy Patton who has a 4.50 ERA, but after a rough first two outings, has only given up two runs in 8.1 innings in a lefty long relief/specialist role. The weight dragging the ‘pen down is Kevin Gregg, who has allowed a wonderful 5 runs over 5.2 innings.

Pitching is the key to winning. We all know that. It was what the Orioles said going into last season with high hopes of their young cavalry. So what if Arrieta and Matusz are the only two from that group that are still up in the big leagues? The O’s are getting it done with pitching, and in turn, are battling for first place in the AL East.

Oh, and just for giggles: The Red Sox are currently 29th in the AL and all of baseball with a Team ERA of 5.45.

Follow Avi Miller on Twitter @AviMillerBSR for up to the date Orioles news and daily farm system updates.

Top 3 Prospect Update: Bundy, Machado, Schoop

Avi Miller — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:59:34 +0000

To the right you can see the 2012 top 10 Orioles prospects as ranked by Baseball America. While they are only prospects, and as we know with guys like Adam Loewen and Billy Rowell that even top round draft picks don’t always pan out, the top tier of players in the Orioles system have come out to some solid starts in 2012, ranging from just about perfect to injured and on the bench.

To give you an idea of how the farm system has progressed, the top three prospects at the beginning of the 2011 season (per Baseball America) were Manny Machado, Zach Britton, and Xavier Avery. Machado only went down to the two slot because of the crazy potential Dylan Bundy has shown out of high school on the mound, not because of any performance issues, as he is still highly touted and ranked in the top 15 prospects overall in baseball. Britton is now in the major leagues, and Avery dropped down six spots most likely because of his inconsistent 2011, where he showed a lot of raw ability and speed, but his plate discipline showed weak as he struck out 156 times (in 557 ABs).

In this piece, I will be touching on each of the top three prospects; RHP Dylan Bundy, SS Manny Machado, and SS/2B Jonathan Schoop.

1) Dylan Bundy: When I say that there are some prospects that have started out just about perfect this season, I was basically speaking of just Bundy. And when I say perfect, he literally has almost been perfect. To quote myself from my report after Bundy’s 3rd start this past Tuesday:

“Through three starts for the Class A Delmarva Shorebirds, Bundy has pitched 9 almost perfect innings, losing that “perfect” term last night in his home debut versus the Hagerstown Suns when he issued a walk in the 3rd inning of the game.

Other than that, Bundy has been a machine. He struck out 6 batters a piece in each of his first two starts, and currently holds a ridiculous statline of 15 K/9 and a 15:1 K:BB ratio.”

While Keith Law may not like how the Orioles are handling Bundy, I surely am glad to see the easygoing process they are putting the 19 year old through to bring him up efficiently through the system. We will see how the organization handles him throughout the rest of this year and beyond in the minors.

2) Manny Machado: After getting the bump to AA Bowie to start the season, Machado started off the year with a literal bang, booting the first pitch he saw as part of the Baysox over the left center field wall for a solo home run. His bat has since cooled down a bit, currently hitting .273 through 14 games, but the scouts always say that making the jump to AA is the toughest of them all. He is seeing his first live pitching against guys who have major league caliber stuff or have even pitched in the bigs before. With an .804 OPS and 6 extra base hits in 55 at bats so far, Machado is on his way to a very solid season, still at the age of 19. Reports also continue to say that despite his tall and broad figure, Machado has shown great capability in playing shortstop and making not only all of the routine plays, but projecting quality range at the middle infield spot.

3) Jonathan Schoop: Machado’s double play partner at Bowie, Schoop really came into the spotlight last season after hitting .290 for his second consecutive minor league season with the Orioles. Getting the callup to AA with Machado, Schoop continues to play second base even though his natural position has always been shortstop. While some scouts say that the Orioles would have been wise to put Machado and Schoop at two different levels, therefore giving each the chance to see time at short, the plan has so far worked this year, as Schoop has really found his own at second base and despite a slow offensive start (.227/.320/.364/.684), still has the capability to put up some really good numbers in his age 20 season.

While the overall numbers may not look too pleasing, Schoop has shown that he can southpaws, hitting .333 with a .935 OPS in 21 at bats vs. lefties. Where Schoop is struggling is when he steps in the box against right handed pitching where he has a .130 average (3-23).

Follow Avi Miller on Twitter @AviMillerBSR for up to the date Orioles news and daily farm system updates.

Interview With Orioles Prospect Steve Bumbry

Avi Miller — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:29:44 +0000

When most people hear the name Bumbry associated with the Baltimore Orioles, they assume you are talking about former Orioles outfielder Al Bumbry who played for the club from 1972-84. What many people don’t know is that the baseball gene in the Bumbry family was passed on to Al’s son, Steve, who is currently an outfield prospect in the Orioles farm system.

At 24, Steve Bumbry has been pushing his way through the lower ranks of the Orioles system over the last three years, eventually earning a starting role with the AA Bowie Baysox last season. After injuring his hamate (bone in the wrist) last summer and having surgery on it in September of 2011, Steve rehabbed his injury all offseason and expected to come into camp ready to go for the 2012 campaign. After feeling pain when swinging once he arrived at Spring Training, Steve had a cortisone shot and continued treatments to relieve the pain and is now back to a hitting program where he will eventually get some live at bats in extended Spring Training then make it up to Maryland to play soon enough.

I got a chance to ask Steve about his baseball past and expectations for the future, as well as many other baseball related topics recently:

Avi Miller: How has your game transitioned between playing D1 ball at Virginia Tech and now in the Orioles farm system?

Steve Bumbry: The biggest difference between college baseball and professional baseball is the bat. Transitioning from using the metal bats in college to using wood takes time. Also the speed of the game picks up each level you progress, I’ve had to learn how to slow the game down as the game tries to speed up, both on the defensive side of the ball and in the batter’s box, I’m focusing on controlling the game instead of letting the game control me.

AM: Looking at your VT page, it looks like you had to compete for a spot there because of depth, and they cite your offense as the reason you may have gotten less ABs. A career .253 hitter through all levels of A-ball, what do you think you need to improve on at the plate to get more recognition as a hitter?

SB: Consistency, consistency, consistency. As I get more experience through ABs and mature as a baseball player every part of my game will develop. I know that the Orioles believe that I can help the big league club, otherwise they wouldn’t have drafted and invested in me, I just need to trust myself and let my abilities take over to allow myself to get the best results which will help the team and at the same time help those numbers continue to improve.

AM: Coming out of high school/college, what were your expectations for the MLB draft? Did you go into it with expectations of going higher or lower than the 12th round where you did go? Were you being scouted and talked to by any other teams other than the Orioles?

SB: When I was in high school I really didn’t know much about the draft, I kind of had the feeling that I was still a little young and I really didn’t picture myself making the jump to pro ball. I wanted to go to college and I knew that would give me a chance to grow and mature. During my junior year, after having contact with several organizations, the Brewers, Angels, Indians, and the Orioles we pretty much heard that I was expected to go somewhere between the 8th and 12th rounds so I had a pretty good idea of where I was going to go and what to expect on draft day.

AM: You had 12 home runs last year between Delmarva and Frederick (11 with the Keys). Is power an aspect that you are more recently trying to add to your game or have you always strived to get that slugging percentage up?

SB: I have to give credit to my trainers Fischer Sports in Phoenix that have really helped me get stronger the last two years for a surge in those home run numbers from my year in Delmarva in 2010. But also as I get more experience I have continued to develop in the mental game and that is also part of it, learning the pitch sequences and looking for patterns of how I’m being pitched all contribute to an increase in my slugging percentage. Not to be forgotten is my on base percentage which took a huge leap. Last year in Frederick I was placed in the leadoff role and I had to learn to be more selective and get on base for the guys behind me to do their job and get those RBIs. I think that having the ability to get on base and score runs is what is going to help the team win so I would like to focus on that for right now. But if I continue to hit home runs while still having a good OBP that will be okay with me too.

AM: Which outfield spot are you most comfortable in? As much as guys say they will play what the team needs, do you have a spot that you prefer? How about a preferred spot to hit in the lineup?

SB: If you ask anyone who knows baseball that question they will say center field because it’s easier to see the ball as it leaves the pitcher’s hand and goes into the hitting zone, and this is true. I enjoy playing center because I played there my whole childhood, but in college and now in pro ball I’ve learned to play both corner positions as well. To me it doesn’t really make too big of a difference, as long as I’m on the field I’m happy. As far as the line up goes, last year was my first year hitting mostly in the leadoff position and it definitely grew on me. I learned a lot about the role of being a leadoff hitter and I really enjoyed setting the table for guys like Manny [Machado] and [Jonathan] Schoop. I hit in the 2 hole most of my college career, I enjoy that spot also, each slot in the line up has a different role and I don’t think I have settled into one set spot just yet, like being in the field, I enjoy being anywhere in the lineup and it is fun learning different roles and trying to play the game to be productive out of those positions.

AM: With your dad having the history behind him of being rookie of the year, getting an All Star selection, winning a World Series with the Orioles, and more, do you feel pressure that you have to fill the shoes as the next “Bumbry” to make it big? Do you put pressure on yourself to live up to that name or try to stay yourself? In the same manner, how is your relationship with your dad in terms of baseball? Does he help you with your game? Does he have certain expectations for you or is he laid back and just wants the best for you?

SB: I get that question a lot, and I have learned to embrace the “challenge” that comes with playing for the Orioles and having the last name Bumbry. The game itself puts enough pressure on you for success so there is no reason for me to add to it by trying to “fill shoes”, the work I put in on and off the field is for me and for me only, it does no good to anyone else and I will get out of it what I put in. Whatever results come from that will create who I am, I can’t be my father, I can only be myself so I am just trying to be me and create a new legacy for MY name. My father has been and always be my biggest supporter, and my best teacher. We talk every day mostly about life and a little about baseball as necessary. He knows what it takes and what it’s like playing this game as a career so there’s not many things that we discuss that he hasn’t already been through or learned from but we still continue to share the experience that I’m having as I grow and develop my game. I think the foundation of good family is happiness, at the end of the day he will always be my father and he will always want the best for me and for me to do what makes me happy.

AM: Bowie is giving out an Al Bumbry bobblehead this year; when will we be seeing a Steve Bumbry promotional giveaway?

SB: Haha, who knows, I don’t get to make the promotion schedules but it would definitely be neat to have a bobble head of myself next to my dad’s on the same shelf one day in the near future. I know you’re a big bobblehead collector so I’m sure you’ll be on top of that as soon as its available.

Thanks for the opportunity to share with the fans. I wish the best to you and to the team at Baltimore Sports Report.

Thank you again to Steve for his taking his time to talk with me about this upcoming season. We look forward to checking back in with you as the year progresses.

Follow Avi Miller on Twitter @AviMillerBSR for up to the date Orioles news and farm system updates.

Dylan Bundy Throws A No Hitter

Avi Miller — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:47:35 +0000

Dylan Bundy pitched 9 innings of shutout baseball for the Delmarva Shorebirds, allowing no hits and striking out 15…over three separate appearances.

The headline may be a stretch of the truth, but I wouldn’t doubt if it becomes a fact sooner than later.

Through three starts for the Class A Delmarva Shorebirds, Bundy has pitched 9 almost perfect innings, losing that “perfect” term last night in his home debut versus the Hagerstown Suns when he issued a walk in the 3rd inning of the game.

Other than that, Bundy has been a machine. He struck out 6 batters a piece in each of his first two starts, and currently holds a ridiculous statline of 15 K/9 and a 15:1 K:BB ratio.

A source who wishes to remain anonymous told me last night that Bundy was consistently sitting in the 96-98 range with his fastball, touching 99 on one or two occasions. There were rumors swirling that he hit 102, but that was only what was seen on the sign for the stadium gun. And we all know how accurate those things can be. Bundy was able to mix in his changeup for a few called strikes as well as the curveball, which is becoming a primary out pitch for the 6’1″ righty.

Bundy’s next start will be pushed to 4 innings, and he will have a few more after that at this length. Following these limitations, Bundy will be able to pitch into the 5th and even deeper later in the season. The Orioles are holding back on the 19 year old flamethrower so that he can get acclimated to the ranks of pro ball and also to limit his innings early on so that he can pitch through the whole season.

Follow Avi Miller on Twitter @AviMillerBSR for up to the date Orioles news and farm system updates.

Manny Machado Homers in First AA At Bat

Avi Miller — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 12:59:25 +0000

Manny Machado's first home run with the Frederick Keys on June 23, 2011

Manny Machado began his minor league career last season at Single-A Delmarva, and in his first game there, went 2-3 with a double and 2 RBIs. When he got promoted to Frederick mid-season, he went 1-4 in his 1st game there, tacking on a home run at the High-A level.

After being promoted with 2B Jonathan Schoop to the Bowie Baysox this year, Machado got into AA pitching in a hurry. On the first pitch he saw of the 2012 season last night, Machado hit a rocket shot over the left center field wall (the ball was eventually retrieved by fan Romeo Santos). He went 2-4 on the night overall.

A strong start with the Baysox would give Orioles fans some great hope in 2012 as the Orioles look to rebound from a disappointing 2011 under Buck Showalter. While the pitching core has had its ups and downs, Machado is the first position player since Matt Wieters to get national hype for his star power ability, and a start like this surely helped to boost fan morale about the organization.

Tim Bascom Throws Six Shutout Innings, Baysox Win Season Opener 4-2

Avi Miller — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 12:47:29 +0000

The Orioles named Tim Bascom their minor league pitcher of the year in 2011 after going 10-4 with a 2.97 ERA in 136.1 innings pitched between Frederick and Bowie, and it was a good sight to see last night when he took the mound in Bowie’s home and season opener versus the Harrisburg Senators and pitched six innings, allowing only three hits and no runs while posting a 4:1 K:BB ratio on the night.

The Senators lineup included MLB players Michael Morse and Rick Ankiel, both with the team for rehab stints as the season starts and they are coming off of injury. The major league talent didn’t scare Bascom or the other Baysox pitchers on the night, Stu Pomeranz and Ross Wolf, as the two combined to go 0-5 with four strikeouts and a walk.

The hitting for the Baysox came from all parts of the lineup, but the highlights were the multi-hit games from Manny Machado and Antoan Richardson.

Bowie Baysox Roster Preview

Avi Miller — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 15:24:24 +0000

Manny Machado's first home run with the Frederick Keys on June 23, 2011

The Bowie Baysox finished with a record of 75-66 in the AA Eastern League last season, and come back in 2012 with a similar looking squad lead by head coach Gary Kendall.

The biggest story breaking camp into Bowie is the addition of top prospects Manny Machado and Jonathan Schoop to the Baysox roster to begin 2012. They will man the middle infield with Machado at SS and Schoop at 2B. Though many scouts have noted that the Orioles could have wisely started them at separate levels so they could both get time in at shortstop (their natural position), the Orioles brass decided to keep the pair together seeing them make a great double play duo last year at Delmarva and Frederick. Could this be an early look at the 2014 big league middle infield? Might just be.

Other roster notes:

L.J. Hoes has been assigned to Bowie again this year, but should be given a shot at AAA at some point this season after receiving a big league Spring Training invite this year. No idea where he will play at Bowie since Schoop will take the 2B job. This could be a sign that they want to work the local prospect into an outfield spot from here on out.
Xavier Avery is supposedly listed on AAA Norfolk’s roster out of camp, but sources say he will most likely start the year at AA. Unclear as to why this is listed in such a way, but it could be a big surprise to the system if Avery gets a shot at AAA and Hoes sticks in AA, though Norfolk is short on outfielders after losing Kyle Hudson, Matt Angle, and Tyler Henson and releasing Cory Aldridge from minor league camp. Compelling storyline to follow there.
Brandon Waring is starting the year at Bowie, but many believe he should be given a shot at AAA this year, especially since the organization gave up Brandon Snyder this past off season and Josh Bell has become somewhat of a non-prospect. This means that Joe Mahoney will man first base at Norfolk, but third could become a spot for Waring soon enough at that level if Bell continues to struggle.
Caleb Joseph is entering his third year at Bowie, and while the catcher has put up nothing more than average offensive numbers, scouts say he has been a huge part of developing Orioles pitchers and helping guys take their game to the next level. There is no tracking of advanced stats defensively in the minor leagues, but Joseph projects as an above average catcher on the field, but without the hitting numbers, sticks in a tough spot. Especially with Matt Wieters as the Orioles catcher for years to come, unless the organization has plans to work Joseph to eventually become the backup to Wieters, he could be a trade chip for the team come July if his bat can start off hot.
The two highlights of Bowie’s pitching staff will be Tim Bascom and Bobby Bundy. Bascom was the Orioles minor league pitcher of the year in 2011, while Bundy is the brother of Dylan Bundy, Orioles first round pick last year and number one prospect who is starting at Delmarva. Bobby had a breakout year last year at Frederick and is making his name one to know for fans.
Pitching staff most likely to include these names: Zach Clark, Pat Egan, Eddie Gamboa, Sean Gleason, Cole McCurry, Jacob Pettit, Pedro Viola, Ross Wolf, Robert Hinton, Stu Pomeranz, and Wynn Pelzer (acquired in the 2010 trade of Miguel Tejada to San Diego)
Other position players most likely include: Tyler Kelly (making the jump over high-A Frederick), Edgardo Baez, Antoan Richardson, Ronnie Welty, Carlos Rojas, Travis Adair, and Allan de San Miguel
Unsure of where a few guys will land, including Buck Britton (older brother of LHP Zach Britton), Joel Polanco, Robbie Widlansky, and Billy Rowell.
Speaking of Rowell, the Orioles failing first round pick in 2006 (most notably known for being drafted one spot ahead of Tim Lincecum) has supposedly been converted to a pitcher this spring. The Orioles have been very quiet concerning this topic and have not made any announcements, but multiple sources in Florida have told me now that Rowell projects as a pitcher in 2012, his last season under contract in the Orioles farm system.

And if you are interested in going to the Baysox opening series this weekend against the Harrisburg Senators, you will be able to see Nationals starters Michael Morse and Rick Ankiel playing in Bowie as they start the season on rehab assignments.

Follow me on Twitter @AviMillerBSR for up to the date Orioles news and farm system updates.