Farm System Ranking

BaseballProspectus has but out its ranking of farm systems going into 2008. #1 (and by a mile; maybe a couple of miles) are the Tampa Bay Rays - that's why people are so high on their potential. The Orioles have moved up from the #18 spot to #10 and there's a good chance that they'll move up to the top 5-6 by next year.

"10. Baltimore Orioles
Last Year's Ranking: 18
Why They're Up: They drafted the best college position player in Matt Wieters, and added a ton of talent in the Erik Bedard trade.
Strengths: Right-handers who throw hard; power prospects; just on his own, Wieters makes catching a strength.
Weaknesses: Athletic position players, especially in the middle infield and center field.
Outlook for 2009 Ranking: They could be up if third baseman Billy Rowell and right-hander Brandon Erbe can return to previous form."

If Adam Jones had gotten a few less at-bats in the majors last year (and was still considered a prospect) then the athletic position player in centerfield weakness would be gone. A trade for the Cubs' Ronny Cedeno and Eric Patterson (as I have proposed) would take care of the middle infield positions.

A perfectly reasonable line-up projection for 2010:
Eric Patterson (2B) (Cubs)
Matt Wieters (C)
Nick Markakis (RF)
Adam Jones (CF)
Nolan Reimold (LF)
Billy Rowell (3B)
Brandon Snyder (1B)
Mike Costanzo (DH) (Luke Scott could still be with the team. He's a better version of Mike and would hit 5th)
Ronny Cedeno (SS) (Cubs)

That has some potential - no real MVP candidates, but a solid line-up. It has a good balance of lefties (Patterson, Wieters (B), Markakis, Rowell, Costanzo) and rights (the rest + Wieters again), batting average (Wieters, Markakis, Snyder), OBP (Patterson, Weiters, Markakis, Reimold, Snyder, Costanzo), power (1-8, really as Patterson has some pop for a second baseman. Snyder may not have the usual HR totals for 1B, but it should be better than Millar), and speed (Patterson, Markakis, Jones, Cedeno).

And talk about rotation options (ranked very roughly in order):
Chris Tillman
Adam Loewen
Chorye Spoone
Radhames Liz
Sean Gallagher (Cubs)
Jake Arrietta
Brandon Erbe
Peadro Beato
Garrett Olson
Tony Butler
Hayden Penn
Troy Patton
Matt Albers
David Hernandez
Tim Bascom
Zach Britton
Brad Bergesen
Jake Renshaw
Jason Berken

It might not have a true ace, but there aren't very many of those around (definitely less than 30). I think that you could put a rotation together from these guys this year and it wouldn't be the worst in baseball by much (if at all). That's 19 guys and the O's only need 5 (at most). There are a lot of guys who top out as #3 starters, but having a #3 type at #2 is offset by having #3 types at 4 and 5 - it gives the team a good chance to win every day.

And what a power bullpen:
James Hoey (high-end velocity: 97mph+)
Bob McCrory (97+)
Kam Mickolio (95+ with sink)
Dennis Sarfate (96+)

That's just the guys who are relief pitchers now. If Liz (97+) moves to the pen (and there's a pretty good chance of that) along with possibly Erbe (98+) (his motion may make him more effective in short appearances) and Butler (95+ as a reliever) (if he has no place in the rotation) then that's 7 guys coming in after the starters who can all throw 95+. Do I think such a team would be the best in the league, or even the division? No, but it's a hell of a start.

I'll do a write-up of some of the team's top prospects at some point in the future.