Notes from the 2016 season
Season In Review
Norfolk finished the season with a 62-82 record, placing the Tides 4th in the International League South division. The Tides finished 3.5 games back of the Gwinnett Braves, who became the first team in IL history to win a division with a record below .500 (65-78).
Finishing Strong
Norfolk struggled early in the season, going 21-43 over the first 64 games of the season. However, the Tides finished 41-39 over the final 80 games of the year.
Tidal Surge
Norfolk entered play on July 18th with a 35-60 record, but the Tides went on to win or tie each of their next 11 series. The Tides won eight series and split three others over that stretch, going 21-12 during that span to pull as close as 1.0 game in the International League South division.
This Is Birdland
The Tides had 55 different players appear in a game in 2016, including 19 that played for both Norfolk and Baltimore this season. That list includes pitchers Jayson Aquino, Parker Bridwell, Odrisamer Despaigne, Oliver Drake, Brian Duensing, Yovani Gallardo (MLB Rehab), Kevin Gausman (MLB Rehab), T.J. McFarland, Ariel Miranda, Chaz Roe, Ashur Tolliver, Tyler Wilson and Mike Wright, infielders Ryan Flaherty, Paul Janish and Trey Mancini, outfielder Dariel Alvarez and catchers Caleb Joseph and Francisco Pena.
Managing Expectations
In completing his fifth season as Tides manager, Ron Johnson extended his franchise records for career wins (356) and career games managed (720). Johnson, who was named the International League Manager of the Year after leading the Tides to the postseason in 2015, now has 1,617 managerial victories over his 23-year career.
Getting Defensive
Norfolk established franchise records in fielding percentage (.985) and fewest errors in a season (83). Norfolk's four shortstops (Paul Janish, Ozzie Martinez, Sharlon Schoop and Garabez Rosa) combined to commit just six errors all season - 10 fewer than any other IL club (Durham, 16).
Fashionably Late
Norfolk led the IL with 10 wins when trailing after seven innings of play. The Tides also paced the IL in wins when trailing after seven innings in 2014 (10) and 2013 (12).
Close Encounters
The Tides paced the IL with 50 one-run games. Norfolk went 20-11 in one-run games at home, but just 2-17 in one-run games on the road. 97 of Norfolk's 144 games (67%) were decided by three runs or less.
Star Gazing
Catcher Audry Perez was named to the International League midseason All-Star Team. Perez appeared in 84 games with the Tides in 2016, hitting .291 with six home runs and 38 RBI.
Weekly Winners
Norfolk had two players earn Player of the Week awards from the International League. Oliver Drake earned the award for the week of June 13-19 after registering four saves and 10 strikeouts in four games over 4.0 shutout innings of relief. Christian Walker earned the award for the week of August 15-21 after hitting .333 (10-30) with four doubles, three home runs, six runs and seven RBI over an eight-game span.
Trey Bien
First baseman Trey Mancini was twice named the Orioles Minor League Player of the Month. He won the award in April after hitting .291 with seven home runs and 16 RBI in 23 games between Double-A Bowie and the Tides. He also won the award in June after hitting .349 with five home runs and 14 RBI in 28 games with Norfolk. In 142 games between Bowie and Norfolk, Mancini ranked among Orioles minor leaguers in home runs (T-2nd, 20), RBI (3rd, 68) and average (10th, .282). His 154 hits between the two levels tied for 24th in Minor League Baseball.
Walker, Outfield Ranger
Christian Walker batted .264 with 18 home runs, 29 doubles and 64 RBI in 131 games with the Tides. Playing in the outfield for the first time in his career, he appeared in 90 games in left field and committed just three errors. Walker ranked among IL leaders in at-bats (4th, 504), total bases (5th, 220), runs (T-5th, 64), home runs (T-8th, 18), doubles (T-10th, 29) and RBI (T-12th, 64).
Double Threat
Dariel Alvarez led the International League with 38 doubles, becoming the first Tides player to lead the IL in doubles since Oscar Salazar had a franchise record 42 doubles in 2008. Alvarez' 38 doubles were the 4th-most in Tides franchise history, trailing Salazar (42 in 2008), Mark Carreon (41 in 1987) and Matt Franco (40 in 1996).
Domo Arigato, Mr. Beato
Pedro Beato established a new Tides franchise record by pitching in 65 games this season. Beato surpassed the previous franchise mark of 63 appearances, set by Mark Guerra in 1999 and tied by Beato in 2015. Beato, who has tied for the MiLB lead in appearances in both 2015 and 2016, went 5-5 with four saves and a 2.65 ERA during the 2016 campaign.
Pauly D
Paul Janish committed just two errors in 297 total chances at shortstop, a .993 fielding percentage that would have led all IL shortstops if he had played in enough games to qualify. Janish did not make an error in 43 games after July 8th, and he did not commit an error in 38 road games with Norfolk.
Truth Or Dariel
Dariel Alvarez finished with 151 hits, third-most in the International League. The 151 hits were the second-most by a Tide since Norfolk became an Orioles affiliate in 2007, trailing the 157 hits registered by Mike Cervenak in Norfolk's first season as an O's affiliate.
Walk This Way
Christian Walker led the Tides with 64 RBI, giving him 157 RBI in his Norfolk career. The 157 runs batted in are tied with Brandon Snyder (2009-2011) for the most by a Tides player since Norfolk became an Orioles affiliate in 2007.
Corban Can
Corban Joseph hit .305 with seven home runs and 34 RBI in 85 games with Norfolk, including hitting a team-best .365 (38-104) after August 1st. Joseph hit .315 in 107 games between Double-A Bowie and Norfolk, a mark that ranked third among Orioles minor leaguers.
Chance Encounter
Chance Sisco, Baltimore's #2 prospect per MLB.com, joined the Tides from Double-A Bowie on September 1st. In his first game with Norfolk, he went 2-for-5 with a grand slam and a career-high five runs batted in. Sisco, 21, hit .317 with six home runs and 51 RBI in 116 games between Bowie and Norfolk, leading the Eastern League with a .406 on-base percentage. For his efforts, he was named to Baseball America's 2nd Team Minor League All-Star Team.
It's Good To Be Rich
In 48 games (two starts) with the Tides, Richard Rodriguez went 6-2 with two saves and a 2.53 ERA. Rodriguez allowed just nine of 35 inherited runners to score as he held International League batters to a .216 average with 81 strikeouts in 81.2 innings of work. He ranked among IL relievers in fewest baserunners per nine IP (1st, 9.54), lowest batting average (2nd, .201) and lowest walks per nine IP (2nd, 2.18).
No Ordinary Joe
Joe Gunkel led Norfolk pitchers in a variety of statistical categories, including innings pitched (141.1), strikeouts (94) and Quality Starts (12). He posted a 4.08 ERA in 24 starts, and he issued just 18 walks in 141.1 innings pitched. He had the lowest walks per nine IP ratio among all qualifying IL starting pitchers (1.15).
Running Man
L.J. Hoes scored 45 runs this season, giving him 161 in his Tides career. That total is the most among Orioles minor leaguers since Norfolk became an Orioles affiliate in 2007.
Round Trip Tickets
Christian Walker led the Tides with 18 home runs, giving him 42 in his Norfolk career. That is the most among Tides players since Norfolk became an Orioles affiliate in 2007 and is tied with Victor Diaz and LeRoy Stanton for fifth in franchise history. The only players with more career home runs with the Tides are Gary Rajsich (52), Clint Hurdle (50), Steve Springer (49) and Roberto Petagine (43).
Love The Drake!
Oliver Drake posted 10 saves and 2.72 ERA in 47 games with the Tides in 2016. He now ranks sixth in Tides history with 33 career saves, trailing Derek Wallace (49), Oscar Henriquez (46), Heath Bell (43), Wes Gardner (38) and Jeff Innis (38) on the franchise list. In 90 career games with Norfolk, Drake has posted a 1.85 ERA with 79 more strikeouts (147) than hits allowed (68) in 102.1 innings pitched.
Grand Performance
Ozzie Martinez connected on two grand slams during the same homestand, as he hit a grand slam on June 19th vs. Durham and June 23rd vs. Lehigh Valley. He became one of just six Tides players to ever hit two grand slams in a single season, most recently accomplished by Andy Tracy in 2002.
Tidal Surge
The Tides won at Charlotte 20-4 on April 19th, collecting 21 hits and three home runs in the victory. The 20 runs were the most a Tides club had scored as an Orioles affiliate, and were the most for the franchise since the Tidewater Tides won at Rochester 23-1 on Opening Day of the 1982 season.
Going Streaking
Dariel Alvarez hit safely in 20 straight games from July 8th - August 4th, the third-longest hitting streak in the IL during the 2016 campaign. Over that span, Alvarez hit .358 (29-81) with one home run (a grand slam), 10 doubles, eight RBI and a .381 on-base percentage. The 20-game streak was tied for the 5th-longest in Tides franchise history, just four games shy of the franchise mark of a 24-game hitting streak by Gregg Jefferies in 1988.
Mike Drop
Michael Almanzar enjoyed great success during the second half of the season, as he hit .280 with six home runs, two triples, 14 doubles and 24 RBI after the All-Star break. His 22 extra-base hits after the All-Star break were tied for the third-most in the International League.
X-Factor
Xavier Avery swiped a team-best 18 bases this season, a mark that tied for 9th in the International League. Avery has 57 career stolen bases with Norfolk, a mark that is tied with Julio Borbon for the most by a Tides player as an Orioles affiliate.
Closing Time
Jason Stoffel registered 12 saves and a 1.78 ERA in 28 relief outings for Norfolk, as he held opponents to a .214 average. He registered 37 strikeouts and allowed just 22 hits in 30.1 innings of work. Stoffel posted 24 saves between Norfolk (12) and Bowie (12), a mark that led Orioles minor leaguers and tied for seventh in all of Minor League Baseball. He finished the season with 115 career saves, a mark that ranked seventh among active minor leaguers.
Yaz He Can
Mike Yastrzemski joined the Tides from Double-A Bowie on May 16th and hit .221 with seven home runs, 32 RBI and a .312 on-base percentage in 94 games with the Tides. Yastrzemski, the grandson of Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski, registered 26 doubles, 13 home runs and 59 RBI in 127 games between the Tides and Baysox this season.
The Wright Stuff
Mike Wright made 13 starts with the Tides, going 4-4 with a 3.54 ERA. Wright has 18 career victories with Norfolk, the 5th-highest total among Norfolk pitchers as an Orioles affiliate. The only pitchers with more career wins since the Tides became an O's affiliate in 2007 are Andy Mitchell (31), Chris Tillman (30), Jake Arrieta (21) and Chris Jones (20).
Zach Attack
Zach Phillips went 9-3 with a 4.45 ERA and one save in 49 appearances with the Tides. Phillips, who was traded to Pittsburgh on August 31st, ended the season leading IL relievers in strikeouts per nine innings pitched (12.34), as he registered 85 strikeouts in just 62.0 innings of work.
He Earned It
Pedro Beato ended 2016 with a 2.65 ERA over 128 games in his Norfolk career. That mark is the lowest by any Tides pitcher as an Orioles affiliate (minimum 90.0 IP).