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Kazlo's road trip to Frederick For the second time this year, I traveled north on Rt. 95 and watched the Frederick Keys play the Potomac Nationals. The Keys are Baltimore’s Carolina League representative and this year, they have stockpiled former #1 draft choices there. The roster currently has three of the Orioles first round picks from years past: Beau Hale, Bryan Bass and Adam Loewen. Earlier in the year Nick Markakis was on the Keys roster as was Richard Stahl. Both have moved to AA Bowie. In addition, they have last years #2 pick, and already former major leaguer, Jeff Fiorentino. Fiorentino was the Orioles second pick in the 2004 draft, taken in round three. However, since last years true #1, Wade Townsend, chose not to sign with the birds, Fiorentino holds the distinction of being the first Oriole pick signed from the 2004 draft. In the 2000 draft, the Orioles used their first pick to choose right hander Beau Hale, from the University of Texas at Austin, at the number 14 slot. Hale was billed as a typical hard throwing Texan. He was a Golden Spikes award finalist and pitched the first no hitter in Big 12 Conference history, tossing the gem against Sam Houston in February 2000. Hale came out of college featuring a 92-94 MPH fastball which was described as explosive. He complemented it with a devastating curveball. In his first taste of professional baseball, Hale posted a 1.32 ERA over 34 innings in Class A Frederick. Since he did not sign until after the 2000 minor league season was over, the Orioles noted Hale's early success, along with his newly acquired slider and changeup, and moved him to AA Bowie. He was welcomed with open arms by the Eastern League hitters, who lit him up to the tune of a 1-5 record to go with a 5.11 ERA in 12 starts. Since the Orioles felt he needed more work that year, they planned to send him to the Arizona Fall League. He never made it. Hale pitched again at Frederick and Bowie during the 2002 season, and then was shut down with soreness in his shoulder. Later it was found that the stiffness was the result of a torn labrum in his right shoulder. After undergoing surgery in March of 2003, and again seven months later, Hale did not pitch until this season. He is currently sporting a 0-1 record and a 5.61 ERA. No longer a prospect, Hale is just hoping to be able to pitch again and the Orioles are hoping to get some return on their $2,250,000 investment. Bass was picked out of Seminole High School in Seminole Florida as the 31st overall pick in the 2001 draft. He was the Orioles second first round pick that year. Earlier, the Orioles took Mike Fontenot of LSU when they chose in the #19 slot. Bass was the compensation pick given to the Orioles from the Yankees when they signed Mike Mussina as a free agent at the end of the 2000 season. Think about that deal….Mike Mussina for Bryan Bass! Bass sports a career .228 batting average and, after two and one half seasons at the Orioles low A affiliate at Delmarva, he made the jump this year to the Carolina League. After switching from shortstop to third base, and giving up as a switch hitter, Bass is matching his career average at Frederick …… 228! The Orioles paid Bass a signing bonus of $1,150,000 to get his name on a contract, while two choices later, the Angels took a catcher named Jeff Mathis and signed him for a mere $850,000. Other players of note taken behind Bass include: JJ Hardy of the Brewers, Dallas McPherson, another Angels pick, and Kelly Shoppach. I stopped looking after the second round, I had seen enough! In 2002, the Orioles made another pitcher their first round choice, taking Adam Loewen with the fourth overall pick in the draft. After failing to reach agreement on a contract with the Birds, Loewen attended Chippola State College for a baseball season. Loewen did not disappoint that season, following a trend established by earlier Oriole draft picks; he developed a case of tendonitis in his bicep and was shut down for the first half of the Chippola season. He was stellar the second half, pitching in 12 games while compiling a 1.83 ERA. As he held out, it seemed the Orioles had missed yet again. In the ensuing months, the drama continued between Loewen and Baltimore. In fact, just five minutes before the Birds were about to lose their rights to him, Loewen signed a major league contract with Baltimore for a $3.8 million signing bonus. The contract pretty much guarantees he will be pitching in Camden Yards by the 2007 season. Loewen pitched in seven games that season at the Orioles New York Penn league affiliate, Aberdeen. He posted a 2.70 ERA and struck out 25 batters in 23 innings pitched. The next season found him progressing up the ladder to Delmarva and then Frederick where he continued striking out hitters at a clip of almost one per inning. I saw him pitch one time that year at Hagerstown. His arm was electric that day; he broke three bats and as I recall, he struck out more than a batter an inning. His curveball was something to see that day and it was easy to see why he was a #1 pick. The next day, the Delmarva catcher, Brian Bock, told me that Loewen was really dialed in and hitting his spots. Unfortunately, his season ended prematurely with a shoulder problem; once again, a Baby Bird had a torn labrum. Fortunately, his tear did not require surgery, and the 2005 season beckoned. Loewen began the year hoping to build innings and stay healthy, a noble goal when you are a #1 pick of the Orioles! By midseason, he had progressed to the point where he was selected for the Futures Game, this in spite of his tendency to throw wild pitches and walk a league leading 59 batters. The raw ability he shows causes Oriole fans to hope he puts it together. As I noted earlier, Markakis earned a promotion to Bowie where he continues to hit well and Stahl continues his quest to pitch a full season from the mound, now at Bowie. Since Stahl must be protected this year by the Orioles, it looks like they want to get a good look at what he has at higher levels of competition. The game itself was a blowout; the Keys handled the baby Nats, 7-3. I went to the game hoping to see Loewen pitch, but all I saw of him was his back when he ran to the bullpen in the fourth inning. Freddy Deza started for the Keys though, and did not disappoint! The “Dominican Rifle” went five strong innings allowing just one run, an unearned shot which came as a result of a two out misplay of a fly ball by Mario Delgado in left field! Deza struck out three Nats; it seemed like more though, walked two and doled out four hits. He was relieved by David Haehnel, who promptly threw six straight balls, before finding the strike zone. Haehnel is a highly regarded relief prospect for the Orioles and, after righting himself last night, went on to strike out three batters and give up one hit in his two innings of work! The Keys offense was led by Brandon Florence, who went 3-5, smacking two doubles and driving in three of the Keys' seven runs! Former #1 Bryan Bass went 1-2, walked one time and took one for the team. He scored two runs. One odd play occurred in the 4th inning. I suppose you would have had to see it to believe it …. Nats catcher Salomon Manriquez drove a shot back through the box that hit Deza in the shin and rebounded almost to home. Frederick’s catcher, Bock, took about two steps in front of the plate, picked up the ball, and threw Manriquez out at first! Fortunately, Deza was unharmed! The Nationals are not a bad offensive team. Kory Casto mans third base for them and he is batting .300 with 20 home runs. Overall, the Nats four players hitting over .300! Deza did a very good job of keeping a good offensive team in check last night! --- John
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