Brandon Cooney hasn't allowed an earned run against Bowie since his first appearance in Class AA.
Progressing nicely
Former Owl Friday: Except for one outing this season, Brandon Cooney has been dominant in relief as he works his way through the Baltimore system.
Originally published on
6/18/2010
by
Chuck King
Brandon Cooney had already been with four teams in the Baltimore organization since being selected by the Orioles in the 30th round of the 2007 draft, so what happened in a rest area between Kinston, N. C. and Frederick, Md. earlier this year didn’t come as too much of a surprise.
Cooney had been tearing up the advanced-Class A Carolina League, owning a 2-0 record and 0.55 ERA when his manager pulled him aside.
“I’m not supposed to tell you, but you are going to (Class AA) Bowie,” Cooney recalls. “I need you to pack your bags tonight.”
The transition to the Eastern League didn’t start as smoothly as Cooney or the Orioles would have hoped. Pitching for the first time in eight days, the 6-foot-6 righthander allowed three earned runs in 2/3 of an inning.
Since that May 19 outing, however, Cooney has looked more like the pitcher who struck out 19 and allowed only 12 hits in 16 1/3 innings of Carolina League ball.
Cooney has yet to allow an earned run and is striking out nearly a batter per inning in his last eight outings.
Baltimore converted Cooney from a starter to a reliever for the 2008 season. Since then he’s earned 38 saves, including six with Frederick earlier this year. He hasn’t recorded a save since the promotion to Bowie, though.
Cooney said the Orioles’ organization is trying to get him comfortable with different relief circumstances. They’ve also asked him to develop his change-up. Owner of a 95- mph fastball, Cooney had been using his curve – which he throws at two different speeds – to keep hitters off balance. Cooney estimates he only threw five straight changes all of last season, a total he’s already surpassed this year.
The addition of another pitch will come in handy in longer relief stints, when Cooney might have to face a batter more than once in an appearance. Ultimately, though, he’d like to return to his ninth-inning spot.
“I love to close,” said Cooney, who is 2-0 with a 1.37 ERA between Frederick and Bowie this season. “I like when the game is on the line, it’s late in the game and basically it’s all in your hands.”
Stepping up: Robbie Widlansky, Cooney’s roommate in Bowie, smacked a three-run walk-off homer on Wednesday against Reading. Widlansky is hitting .273 for the season. …Jeff Beliveau has struck out 20 in 16 innings and owns a 1-1 record with a 2.66 ERA for advanced-Class A Daytona. …The Mets have assigned Travis Ozga to Kingsport of the rookie level Appalachian League, while Toronto will keep Alex Pepe in the Gulf Coast League. …Recent draftee Ryan Bernal has been assigned to Helena of the rookie level Pioneer league. …Mike Gipson will begin his Yankees career with Staten Island of the Class A-short season New York-Penn League.
Low and away: Michael Crotta allowed 7 earned runs in 3 1/3 innings during his June 14 start for Class AAA Indianapolis. …Justin Phillabaum is 0-2 with a 7.84 ERA at Advanced Class A Potomac this season. …Nick Arata has been on the DL for Potomac since late April. He is back at the Nationals’ spring training facility and could be with Vermont of the New York-Penn League when he returns.
Indie ins and outs: After being released by the Orioles in the spring, pitcher Chris Salberg has hooked on with the Sioux Falls Pheasants of the American Association, where he is 6-0 with a 2.06 ERA.