The best approach a Minor League prospect can take is to work on his game, continue to improve, and put up numbers. Prospects get noticed by success and consistency. Brad Bergesen of the Bowie Baysox is doing exactly that, and he is pitching his way toward the Major Leagues. After beginning the season with Frederick, Bergesen was promoted to Bowie in April. The 22-year-old right hander has put together a breakthrough season for the Baysox, setting the Bowie franchise record for most wins...

There's nothing more entertaining than a well pitched Major League game, unless your team gets the big hit to upset the opponent's outing. And the Orioles have been getting more than their share of big hits. Did you know the O's have a team batting average .300 since the all star break? There are only 3 teams in the Major Leagues with a higher average since the break. The Rockies (.305), the Angels (.301), and the Mariners (.301), are the only teams with a higher batting average than...

Andy MacPhail has made it the Orioles' number one organizational priority: develop pitching. This season 23 different pitchers have appeared in games for the Orioles, several with little or no Major League experience. The opportunity is there. And pitching coach Rick Kranitz hopes the pitchers take advantage of it as they learn to succeed in the big leagues. Kranitz knows the most important thing for an inexperienced pitcher to remember is that it was talent that got him to the big...

When the Orioles drafted catcher Matt Wieters with the 5th overall pick in the 2007 draft, they knew they were getting a special player. He was the top rated position player in the draft; he's a switch hitter with power; and he understands what it takes to be a complete player. "You're not going to go four for four every day," Wieters said. "You're not going to get 2 or 3 hits or throw out 2 or 3 base runners every game. So every day you come to the ballpark you have to do something...

The 3rd annual Brian's Baseball Bash at ESPN Zone was an overwhelming success. And Brian Roberts again came through as a gracious and accommodating host. Three years ago, Roberts decided to do something big for the University Of Maryland Hospital for Children. Roberts is a frequent visitor of the children patients at the hospital, freely giving of his time, but he wanted to do more. And the idea of a big fundraising event was born. Brian's Baseball Bash not only raises money for the...

There will be little not discussed at the Orioles organizational meetings in Sarasota, Florida. President of Baseball Operations Andy MacPhail will preside over the meetings, where the front office staff, manager Dave Trembley, Minor League personnel, and scouts will go over every player in the organization, from the 40-man Major League roster to the lowest level prospects. And you can be certain that a majority of the discussions will be about the Orioles' pitching and the best way to...

Ever wonder what your favorite broadcasters do during the baseball offseason when they're not announcing games for you every night on MASN? Here's a look at how one broadcaster has been filling his offseason hours along with his own reflection on the impact sports can have on people's lives. In the weeks since the end of the Orioles season I have had the opportunity to become a field hockey expert following my daughter Allie's Fallston High School team. OK, you're right. I'm busted....

Quality Competition is the lifeblood of a major league baseball organization. And the Orioles are in the process of a competitive spring training camp for the 2009 season. After spending the last week with the O's in Florida it's apparent Andy MacPhail's blueprint for making the Orioles more competitive and getting them back into contention in the AL East is living and breathing on the pitcher's mound. The Orioles have 68 players on their spring training roster, and the talent of the...

When asked what he is looking for from the pitching candidates in spring training camp, O's manager Dave Trembley made a simple statement: "Pitch to contact and good things will happen." After a season of watching Orioles pitchers lead the major leagues in walks and hit batsmen the manager is looking for a staff to throw strikes, let the defense do its work, and make opponents earn their way on base. That's how you win games. With increased depth in the organization and prospects...

With Opening Day less than two weeks away, the Orioles still have some difficult decisions to make for that day's roster. The biggest decision is the make up of the pitching staff and whether to go with 12 or 13 pitchers. With the starting rotation still a work in progress, the Orioles may elect to take the extra pitcher over a 4th bench player as a guard against overworking the bullpen in early season games. The Orioles only have three days off in April and will play 32 games in the...