Results tagged ‘ Baltimore Orioles ’
Orioles prospect Hobgood gets lots of coverage
August 1, 2009: RHP Matthew Hobgood (34) of the Bluefield Orioles, 2009
first round draft pick of the Baltimore Orioles, pitches at Howard Johnson
Field in Johnson City, Tenn. He was 2008 Los Angeles Times Player of
the Year and Gatorade National Player of the Year out of Norco High
School in Norco, Calif. Photo by: Tom Priddy/Four Seam Images
Four shooters from Four Seam Images/ Baseball America/ MinorLeagueBaseball.com all showed up at the same rookie league game last night in Johnson City, Tenn., an occurrence more rare than a total eclipse of the sun.
And although we all compete with each other, we had a good time talking, having our own picture made and trying to stay out of each others’ way.
The main target of our attention was Matthew Hobgood, a 2009 first round draft pick of the Baltimore Orioles, fresh out of high school and still wearing braces.
Hobgood didn’t enjoy the evening as much as we did. He lasted only two innings, giving up three runs on six hits and boosting his ERA to 7.20
Orioles’ top prospect gets the callup tonight
Matt Wieters gets the callup today and will make his Major League debut for the Orioles tonight.
Wieters has been a big deal since day one, and scouts and writers have been predicting great things for the fifth overall selection in the 2007 draft. Last year he was Minor League Player of the Year, according to Baseball America.
I’ve photographed him twice, and although both times I was satisfied with what I got, I was disappointed that almost nothing was published. I guess part of it is that every Minor League photographer was on high alert when Wieters was playing. With somebody like this in the ballpark, you tend to ignore everyone else when he’s on the field.
Additionally, not soon after I photographed him in Class A with the Frederick Keys last year, he was promoted to Double-A and the old-uniform photos became obsolete. It happens. But I liked this photo, which as far as I know was never published. I just love the MW on his batting glove. He was already thinking big time.
June 21, 2008: Catcher Matt Wieters (32) of the Frederick Keys, Carolina League affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, prior to a game against the Potomac Nationals at G. Richard Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge, Va. Photo by: Tom Priddy/Four Seam Images
Berken picks up his first Major League win
Former Clemson pitcher Jason Berken allowed a run in each of the first two innings of his Major League debut last night, but managed to get his first win.
After throwing five innings he sat in the dugout and watched his teammates take the lead in the bottom of the fifth.
(I finally found some old photos of Berken from his Clemson days in my backup archive at home last night. Here’s one of them.)
17 February 2006: Jason Berken pitches in the opening series between James Madison University and Clemson University at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, Clemson, S.C. (Photo by Tom Priddy)
Former Clemson pitcher Berken making MLB debut
Former Clemson pitcher Jason Berken will make his Major League debut for the Baltimore Orioles tonight in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Berken, a sixth-round pick from the Tigers, will be subbing in the rotation for recently released veteran Adam Eaton.
Berken started the year at Class AA Bowie and after two starts was promoted to Triple-A Norfolk, where he was 2-0 with a 1.05 ERA.
I took this photo of Berken when he was in Class A Frederick a couple of years ago. News of Berken’s callup caught me by surprise, and all my Clemson photos of him must be locked away in my home archive. I can’t put my finger on any of them right now.
25 June 2007: Former Clemson pitcher Jason Berken of the Frederick Keys, Class A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, vs. the Potomac Nationals at Pfitzner Stadium, Woodbridge, Va.
Tom Priddy
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