Question: I\u2019m trying very hard to see the difference between the new Oriole manager and the last two. Is there something I\u2019m missing? From: Edward Cuneo<\/p>\n
Answer: Ed, it\u2019s ridiculously early to make judgments on Craig Albernaz. Let\u2019s see how he gets through spring training and the first month of the season before you draw any conclusions, and that\u2019s still early.<\/p>\n
So far, I like what I\u2019ve seen from Albernaz. He\u2019s confident, knowledgeable and quick on his feet, qualities that I think will help him.<\/p>\n
Everything he\u2019s doing is new to him. There\u2019s a huge difference between being a bench coach and a manager. He\u2019s the one making the decisions, not the suggestions, and he\u2019ll have six weeks in spring training to get a feel for his team.<\/p>\n
How he manages in August and September is likely going to be different from how he handles April and May. We\u2019ll have plenty of time to talk about his moves after the Orioles play 30 or 40 games.<\/p>\n
Question: Can you get a little more in-depth about Nate George? How did he suddenly crack the top 100 prospects? What positions can he be expected to play? What are the O\u2019s plans for him going forward? From: Rusty Wallace-Annapolis<\/p>\n
Answer: Rusty, Nate George was the Orioles\u2019 16th-round draft pick in 2024. Like many of their draft picks from high school, he didn\u2019t play in the minors in the weeks after the draft.<\/p>\n
Last year, at 19, he was named the organization\u2019s minor league \u00a0player of the year after he hit .337 with an .896 OPS in 87 games at three levels \u2014 the Florida Complex League Orioles, Single-A Delmarva and High-A Aberdeen.<\/p>\n
George hit five home runs, drove in 42 runs and stole 50 bases in 75 attempts. He\u2019s a right-handed hitter and played each of the three outfield positions, but played more center than right or left.<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t know whether we\u2019ll get to see him in spring training this year, but if he doesn\u2019t get an invitation to major league camp, he\u2019ll get some chances to appear in the late innings of some Grapefruit League games. He\u2019ll play in the Spring Breakout game along with the other top Orioles prospects on March 20th.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m not sure whether he\u2019ll begin the year at Frederick, which is now the Orioles\u2019 High-A affiliate, or move on to Double-A Chesapeake. If he plays as well this year as he did last year, he should move up to Triple-A Norfolk, and while a late-season promotion to the Orioles seems unlikely at age 20, he\u2019s been a most pleasant surprise.<\/p>\n