Will Lingo: Welcome to the first Top 10 Prospects chat of the year, everyone. In some ways it's the most fun time of the year, because if you check your favorite organization's top 10 and dream a little bit, you can imagine your team as the Detroit Tigers of 2007. I'm happy to kick things off this year with the Orioles, who have a solid top 10 in spite of graduating Nick Markakis, Adam Loewen, Hayden Penn and Chris Ray to the big leagues from last year's top 5.

Will Lingo: So let's start with a question comparing this year's top prospect with last year's. It's an interesting comparison because Markakis has clearly proven he can handle the big leagues, where Rowell hasn't even played a full season. And while Markakis has better all-around skills, I think I'd still give Rowell an edge because he has a chance to be a major offensive force in the middle of a lineup.

Will Lingo: It hardly seems right to have an Orioles prospect list (at least the expanded list of 30 we do for the Prospect Handbook) without Tripper, but he's departing now. The Orioles offered him a minor league contract after the season, but he declined and became a minor league free agent. Perhaps a change of scenery will help him get over the hump, and he'll be able to hit advanced pitching.

Will Lingo: I think Liz would be the best candidate of those to go to the bullpen because he's a two-pitch guy with a dominant fastball. Erbe should be an ideal top of the rotation starter, while Beato already has the repertoire of pitches to use in a starting role.

Will Lingo: I think his athleticism would give him a chance to stay at third, but he's going to be so big and his bat (assuming it develops as expected) is going to be so important to the O's that I would just move him to first now and not worry about it. But the Orioles plan to keep him at third for now. I would say his chances to stay there all the way up to the big leagues are slim.

Will Lingo: The Orioles still like him and he just missed the top 10. He didn't make progress with his command this year as the organization had hoped he would. He made one big league start this year and got knocked around pretty good, but team officials actually thought it helped him because it gave him an understanding of what it will take to get big league hitters out. He just needs to improve his command in the strike zone and learn how to throw an effective ball (ie, not a strike). He still has three good pitches and great durability. One person I talked to noted that he throws 89-92 mph on Opening Day and the last day of the season and every start in between.

Will Lingo: Several questions about Brandon Snyder, and we'll let Greg represent that group. The Orioles agree with your approach, Greg, and I think they'll put him in a low-stress defensive situation next season to try to get his bat going. They expect him to be ready to open the season at Delmarva.

Will Lingo: One other person asked if this means Snyder is going to be injury-prone. It's too early to know for sure, but I don't think so. The shoulder problem just made for a lost year, but there's no reason to think he can't bounce back. The injury probably does mean it's unlikely he'll go back to catching, which puts more pressure on his bat.

Will Lingo: Beau Hale is one of the great stories in the minors. For those who don't know, Hale was an O's first-rounder in 2000 who has battled injuries ever since he signed and didn't play at all in 2003 or '04. He never stopped working, and Moe Drabowsky (who died this summer) became his mentor. He got back on the radar this season and showed he can be a big league pitcher. He has ironed out his delivery and stayed healthy all year, so I would expect him to open the 2007 season at Bowie and move up to Norfolk or the big leagues by the end of the year.

Will Lingo: A lot of Bryan Bass questions for some reason. I guess because he too was a first-rounder and we keep expecting him to do something. The only reason I can think for the Orioles to send him to the fall league was to hope he can get hot and generate some trade value. Otherwise, he is done.

Will Lingo: One sleeper to watch is Luis Lebron, who I believe is listed as Luis Gustavo in our Aberdeen Ironbirds stats. He's got a big arm and can touch 98, with a good slider, and if his changeup develops he could move really quickly. He has the stuff to start, but he prefers to relieve and his stuff tends to drop off quickly after he throws about 50 pitches, so the Orioles will keep him in the bullpen.

Will Lingo: As for where the system ranks, I would say middle of the pack is a safe bet. I haven't seen a lot of the other lists yet, but the Orioles have a pretty solid list. The lack of impact bats is a big weakness, but their pitching is better than a lot of clubs'. When and whether this will ever translate in the big leagues, I'm not sure.

Will Lingo: Burres is an interesting guy who was cast off by the Giants and now has a spot on the Orioles' 40-man roster. He had a consistent year in the Triple-A Ottawa rotation, and he throws an 87-88 mph fastball (fine for a lefthander) that sinks and moves, with a solid slider and changeup. He'll go to big league spring training, but I would expect him to start the year back in Triple-A with a callup possible if he performs well again.

Will Lingo: Thanks for dropping in, Mrs. Spoone. Your son Chorye is a local favorite for Orioles fans, but it's too early to tell how good he's going to be because he was just a raw arm when they signed him. I like him as a reliever because he has closer stuff with a closer mentality, and it looks like he's a guy whose arm can bounce back quickly. He did touch 96 this year, with a good curveball, and he was really just introduced to a changeup this year. The Orioles will continue to let him start to get innings and to see if he can handle the role.

Will Lingo: After talking to various O's people, I think you can be more optimistic that he can continue to start. His mechanical issues have been resolved--he was a "jumper" at the plate who took a little hop before he planted his front foot--and he took the ball every fifth day this year with no physical problems, which is all the organization was really looking for. His demeanor and pitches would seem to make him an ideal starter if he's durable enough, and I think he will be.

Will Lingo: A little bit, but he's more of a defense-first guy with significant questions about how much he'll hit. One scout I talked to described him as a guy who looks slick when you first see him play, but then he plays his way down your list. That didn't get me pumped up about Pedro.

Will Lingo: First of all, hats off to all you O's fans for continuing to fill the chat queue with questions. I can't keep up! Just another sign of what a great fan base this team has. Perhaps someday your team will return to the playoffs...

Will Lingo: I think the major question about Reimold's bat is that some scouts just see him as a mistake hitter, and as he moves up he'll get fewer of those mistakes to hit. No one doubts that he can drive the ball a long way when he gets ahold of it. He also gets in trouble when he gets pull-happy. Also, I don't see him as a center fielder on an everyday basis. He can fill in there, but he's much better suited to a corner.

Will Lingo: Bordes, the O's ninth-round pick out of Arizona State, is an interesting guy, though not quite interesting enough for the top 10. But we've seen how long lefty specialists can find work in the big leagues, and look at what Bordes did against lefthanders in Aberdeen: two hits allowed in 47 at-bats, and one of those was an infield hit. So he could move quickly if he keeps doing that.

Will Lingo: If I had to guess, I'd say he ends up in the bullpen.

Will Lingo: Interestingly, we were discussing just this topic at lunch today. (That's the kind of thing we discuss at lunch.) I think his ranking at No. 7 is an indication of both a lack of other hitters in the organization to move ahead of him, as well as his potential. Essentially, 2006 was a lost year, so the biggest questions are whether he's healthy and whether he'll hit enough to be a standout corner infielder (particularly if he moves to first) since it looks like catching is out.

Will Lingo: Olson clearly has the lowest ceiling of that group, but he's also the safest bet among those four to get to the big leagues, and don't be shocked if he shows up there next year. You could make an argument for any of the others, but I'll go with Erbe.

Will Lingo: I'm trying to shift into lightning-round mode here, but some of the questions demand longer answers.

Will Lingo: To be honest, I didn't know there was a swagger typical to all New Jersey athletes, but I enjoyed that nonetheless. I think Rowell is just one of those guys who's borderline confident-cocky, and it will rub some people the wrong way. But I remember writing about another player with the "necessary arrogance" to be a star about 10 years ago: Chipper Jones. And that worked out OK.

Will Lingo: Thanks for that name, first of all. Second of all, not too many. Pope is a high-risk guy who honestly probably has less than an even-money chance to make it big. But guys with his power potential will always get a chance, and he at least does show the willingness and aptitude to learn. The Orioles essentially started from scratch with his swing and approach, so he really needs hundreds and hundreds of minor league at-bats before we can know for sure what he'll be.

Will Lingo: We've already covered this, but I wanted to give credit to anyone who's following us from the real big D. Let's just throw out Snyder's 2006 and start over in '07.

Will Lingo: Another question from Drungo! I don't think the move to Norfolk will change much about the Triple-A philosophy because that's something that goes beyond the Orioles. Most teams use Triple-A as a holding tank for veterans who can easily fill in at the big leagues when needed. You only occasionally get many prospects. And would you rather have had Nick Markakis in Baltimore or Triple-A?

Will Lingo: But great break for the Orioles to move from Ottawa to Norfolk. They now have what's probably the best layout of minor league affiliates for any organization. Team officials (and fans, for that matter) can get in the car and drive to see any affiliate on any given day next summer. That's pretty cool.

Will Lingo: I'm going to guess he ends up at No. 26.

Will Lingo: He came on strong at the end of the year, which did encourage everyone in the organization. Still, though, he's probably a fourth outfielder on a contending team, and there's nothing wrong with that. He can fill in at any spot and has a little bit of pop. That's a valuable player.

Will Lingo: Wow, Drungo has really caught my fancy today. The Fiorentino thing a couple of years ago was a mistake, but for the most part I think the Orioles are no better or worse than the average organization with the way they promote guys. In a lost season, why not give Hoey a chance? He'll go into next year at 24, so you might as well find out what you have.

Will Lingo: Too early to tell, but he's a middle infielder who looks like he'll hit, so who can't use that?

Will Lingo: Considering he hit .255 in the Carolina League this season, I'm going to say no.

Will Lingo: John Manuel will see you on Wednesday.

Will Lingo: I don't know if he'll squeeze back into the top 30, but he is at least back on the radar. I heard one person describe the old Lewis as a guy who "didn't want to be in baseball, and he wasn't wanted in baseball." Now he seems to have his act together, and he's throwing 89-92 mph with a good slider. So let's hope the best for him.

Will Lingo: Back to back for Karl.

Will Lingo: And the answer to your second question is no.

Will Lingo: Closer is strong, but yes, he should go back to the bullpen.

Will Lingo: Sure. He throws 93-95 mph with a very good slider, but he needs to improve his command and maturity.

Will Lingo: I really am not sure why the Mets didn't go above the recommendation to sign him, but I'm sure the Orioles are happy it worked out that way.

Will Lingo: Vinyard is a draft and follow worth keeping an eye on. Good bat speed and power potential.

Will Lingo: They were ranked 12th coming into this year, 25th the year before, and 19th the year before that. Judging from what we've seen in the big leagues the last three years, I think all three assessments were about right.

Will Lingo: Still, let's see him hit against Double-A pitchers before we put him in the big leagues. I won't say AFL numbers should be thrown out entirely, but take them with a grain of salt.

Will Lingo: All right, folks, I'm spent. Thanks for all the great questions and I'll see you in a few months when I do the Diamondbacks chat. Up next is John Manuel, talking Yankees on Wednesday. And don't forget John and me on the BA Podcast coming up on Friday.