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PrintBaseball America's Top 10 Prospects lists are based on projections of a player's long-term worth after discussions with scouting and player-development personnel. All players who haven't exceeded the major league rookie standards of 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched (without regard to service time) are eligible. Ages are as of April 1, 2011.
Scouting reports for the Top 10 Prospects
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| TOP TEN PROSPECTS |
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| TOP DRAFT PICKS OF THE DECADE |
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| LARGEST BONUSES IN CLUB HISTORY |
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| ORIOLES LINKS |
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Buckle up, Baltimore. The Orioles have reawakened baseball at Camden Yards.
After 15 straight losing seasons, the Orioles treated their fans to a magical, unexpected 2012 campaign that brought the franchise its first postseason berth and first home playoff victory since 1997.
Manager Buck Showalter flipped the script on a team that went 69-93 in his first full season, as the Orioles went 93-69 and battled the Yankees for the American League East title down to the final day of the season. Baltimore dethroned the two-time defending AL champion Rangers in a one-game wild-card playoff, then pushed New York to the brink in the division series before losing in five games.
"We took a giant step forward this year and we re-energized the fan base," first-year general manager Dan Duquette said. "We're a first-division outfit. To win 96 games is really a significant accomplishment, and I'm proud of the work and effort that everyone did."
As Showalter said the day after the Orioles were eliminated in the Bronx: "Now the challenge is to hold on to it and continue to get better."
Baltimore knows nothing is guaranteed, and its accomplishments in 2012 were startling, given that it outscored its opponents by just seven runs during the regular season. The Orioles went 29-9 in one-run games and 16-2 in extra-inning affairs as Showalter brilliantly navigated the season, relying on 52 different players to squeak out every victory. He did it without an ace pitcher, with a patchwork bullpen that developed into one of baseball's best (Jim Johnson led the majors with 51 saves) and with contributions from such unlikely sources as Miguel Gonzalez and Nate McLouth.
Duquette, who had been out of baseball since the Red Sox fired him as GM before the 2002 season, made many subtle but masterful moves. Taiwanese lefty Wei-Yin Chen, the only Baltimore pitcher to make more than 29 starts, was signed out of Japan's major league. Gonzalez, a hero in the second half and postseason, signed a minor league deal in March.
Other contributors such as Ryan Flaherty (major league Rule 5 draft), Jason Hammel (February trade for Jeremy Guthrie) and McLouth (minor league deal in June 5) also came aboard at little cost. Perhaps Duquette's best decision came in early August, when he promoted 20-year-old Manny Machado to the big leagues in hopes of shoring up a huge defensive weakness at third base (see Page 17).
Machado did that despite having played just two games at the hot corner in the minors. He also exceeded offensive expectations by batting .262/.294/.445 in the regular season and become the third-youngest player ever to hit a postseason home run.
Along with Adam Jones, Nick Markakis and Matt Wieters, Machado is a lineup cornerstone for the Orioles. They also have the game's best pitching prospect in righthander Dylan Bundy, who made his major league debut in September at age 19. In scouting director Gary Rajisch's first draft with Baltimore, the club landed another potential frontline starter in Kevin Gausman, the No. 4 overall pick.
Beyond Bundy and Gausman, the Orioles farm system lacks depth. But if the club can continue to win at the major league level and Duquette can keep plugging holes, Baltimore won't have to rush prospects and will have time to build up its system.
| Scouting reports for the Top 10 Prospects
(How to subscribe) |
| Pre-Order the 2013 Prospect Handbook 30 scouting reports on every team |
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