TOP TEN PROSPECTS 1. Dylan Bundy, rhp 2. Manny Machado, ss 3. Jon Schoop, inf 4. Parker Bridwell, rhp 5. L.J. Hoes, of/2b 6. Nicky Delmonico, 3b/1b 7. Ryan Flaherty, inf/of 8. Jason Esposito, 3b 9. Xavier Avery, of 10. Dan Klein, rhp BEST TOOLS Best Hitter for Average Manny Machado Best Power Hitter Aaron Baker Best Strike Zone Discipline Ty Kelly Fastest Baserunner Glynn Davis Best Athlete Xavier Avery Best Fastball Dylan Bundy Best Curveball Dylan Bundy Best Slider Mike Wright Best Changup Dan Klein Best Control Oliver Drake Best Defensive Catcher Caleb Joseph Best Defensive Infielder Manny Machado Best Infield Arm Billy Rowell Best Defensive OF Matt Angle Best Outfield Arm Matt Angle PROJECTED 2015 LINEUP Catcher Matt Wieters First Base Nicky Delmonico Second Base Jonathan Schoop Third Base J.J. Hardy Shortstop Manny Machado Left Field L.J. Hoes Center Field Adam Jones Right Field Nick Markakis Designated Hitter Ryan Flaherty No. 1 Starter Dylan Bundy No. 2 Starter Zack Britton No. 3 Starter Jake Arrieta No. 4 Starter Brian Matusz No. 5 Starter Jeremy Guthrie Closer Dan Klein AAnd now, for something completely different. The Orioles have tried just about everything to reverse their run of losing seasons, which has reached 14 straight, finding occasional glimmers of hope but nothing close to sustained success. In fact, after the team at least stayed out of the cellar in the American League East for its first 10 losing seasons, it has been locked firmly in last place over the last four. Those four seasons coincide with the tenure of Andy MacPhail, who joined the organization as president of baseball operations in the middle of the 2007 season after a distinguished tenure with the Twins and Cubs. Things never clicked in Baltimore, however, and he stepped aside after a 69-93 finish in 2011. For every positive step the Orioles seem to take—trading for Adam Jones or drafting Matt Wieters—they take several negative ones, such as drafting Matt Hobgood, their 2009 No. 5 overall pick who already looks like a wasted selection, or grasping at players like Felix Pie, who have intriguing tools but not the aptitude to maximize them. While Zach Britton stepped forward in his 2011 rookie season, two other important young pitchers, Brian Matusz and Chris Tillman, had poor years. Matusz's 10.69 ERA was the worst in major league history for a pitcher with at least 10 starts. Down below, the farm system has premium prospects in recent top-five choices Dylan Bundy and Manny Machado, but little in the way of legitimate major league talent behind them. When MacPhail stepped down, the Orioles looked far and wide for his replacement. Their first finalists were Diamondbacks senior vice president Jerry Dipoto and Blue Jays assistant GM Tony LaCava, but Dipoto took the Angels' GM job and LaCava turned down a contract offer. LaCava reportedly balked at not receiving full hiring and firing control over the front office from owner Peter Angelos. Baltimore re-opened its search and hired Dan Duquette on Nov. 8. The former Expos and Red Sox GM hadn't worked in Organized Baseball since Boston fired him in 2002. He left the front office mostly intact, hiring Blue Jays crosschecker Gary Rajsich as scouting director to replace Joe Jordan, who had departed to become the Phillies' farm director. Angelos is now on his eighth different GM since buying the Orioles 18 years ago. MacPhail lasted the longest, at four and a half years. Before him, Angelos ran off baseball icon Roland Hemond, who left after the 1995 season; Hall of Famer Pat Gillick, who fled after 1998 despite making the AL Championship Series twice in three years; Frank Wren, who lasted only one season and has found success as GM of the Braves; Syd Thrift, a recycling experiment similar to Duquette that lasted three years; and Jim Beattie and Mike Flanagan, who served as a two-headed GM for three years before Flanagan did a year and a half on his own. Angelos has done a poor job of creating a unified baseball operation pulling in the same direction toward a shared goal, instead fostering an atmosphere where departments seem to function as autonomous units. Duquette, of course, pledges to change that. Empty promises have remained one of the few constants with the Orioles during the last 14 years. http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/organization-top-10-prospects/2012/2612770.html --

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