The Orioles of today ready to become the Orioles of tomorrow: Are you ready?
Orioles history, two nights in a row, as David Hernandez debuts giving up one run in his first start one night, with the best prospect in baseball ready to debut, as Matt Wieters joins the team for Friday night action.
The move toward this moment has been underway for several weeks. First Lou Montenez arrived to continue on what he started as a late season call-up last year. Then Brad Bergensen joined the rotations, and the armada of talent from the Orioles minor league system was sailing up the Chesapeake Bay as the trip from the far reaches of the mid-Atlantic in places like Bluefield, WV; Aberdeen, MD, and Salisbury, MD lead to the roundabout journey from Frederick to Bowie south to Norfolk then to the big times in Baltimore. Nolan Reimold was smacking the baseball like a Canadian clubs a baby seal to earn is spot to compete for the starting job in left field, then the starting rotation demanded more attention as Cubs’ outcast Rich Hill then Jason Berken joined the starting rotation, and David Hernandez just put away the Detroit Tigers in his first start with the Orioles.
Tomorrow night Orioles fans and the baseball world await the most celebrated prospect to come up through the Orioles farm system since 1981 when a young man from Aberdeen, Maryland joined the team after the end of the midseason strike to add a little deep depth to Earl Weaver’s lineup. When Doug DeCinces was traded to the Angels, Cal Ripken appeared to be the 3rd baseman for the Orioles future, but that was not to be. Ripken would be the Orioles starting 3rd baseman for a few weeks, but he’d not become the Orioles permanent 3rd baseman until 1997. Weaver moved him to short, the streak was underway, and he played his way into Cooperstown, the most famous Oriole ever retiring after 2001.
Brad Wieters joins the team tonight as a switch hitting catcher. He was the O’s 2007 first round draft pick from Georgia Tech, and instantly showed his potential beginning as the most dominant hitter in advanced A in Frederick, then heading down I-270 to the eastern DC ‘burbs in Bowie to continue his advancement. This year provided a bit of a false start in Norfolk nursing a hamstring injury, but the time is now. The player considered by many to be the best prospect in all the minors joins the Orioles for some Friday night magic. The expectations will be high, but this kid shows incredible composure for a kid his age.
The Orioles now have a four game winning streak and have won six out of seven, a feat not accomplished for way too long. This is the perfect time for Matt Wieters to enter the picture when the team is on an upswing.
Two outfielders and three starting pitchers are currently with the big club with their most prized prospect ready to take his first bow under the big city lights on a Friday night. A face full of shaving cream should be just around the corner.
This will not mark the beginning of a pennant run or anything like that. The Orioles still have much work to do that will require lots of patience and practice, but they are clearly on the road to being a substantial team once again.
It wasn’t that long ago, one rap on the Orioles was their inability to develop a first class offensive player since Cal Ripken Junior. In truth they did with Steve Finley but they traded him away in the horrible Glenn Davis deal. Now the Orioles have one of the best second basemen and leadoff hitters in the game as their most established vet with Brian Roberts while Nick Martakis is knocking on the door of stardom. Meanwhile, the clubhouse door on Camden Street is wide open for the Norfolk and Bowie express to bring the champs of tomorrow to Orioles Park.
Finally, it is a good time to be an Orioles fan.
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