A few quick notes this morning..
*First Facebook and now Twitter. O’s second baseman Brian Roberts is all over the social media landscape these days. You can follow him @1brianroberts (and while you’re at it, follow me @britt_ghiroli)
*MLB.com will unveil its 50 Top Prospects in tonight’s show on MLB Network. Tune in to see where the Orioles top duo –Zach Britton and Manny Machado — rank among baseball’s budding stars. The show starts at 9 p.m. ET.
*The (Triple-A) International League announced today that Steve Balboni, Wade Boggs, and Cal Ripken, Jr., will be inducted into the circuit’s Hall of Fame as members of the Class of 2011. All three players starred in the International League during the early 1980′s, and they now comprise the first Class elected to the IL Hall by a vote of current Hall of Fame members, along with longtime executives, broadcasters, and members of the media.
A National Baseball Hall of Famer, Cal Ripken, Jr., who went to be baseball’s “Iron Man”, enjoyed a stellar season playing third base for the Rochester Red Wings in 1981.
He slammed 23 home runs, and of course did not miss any of the team’s 114 games prior to an August call to Baltimore. In 1982 Ripken joined the Orioles full-time, following up his IL Rookie of the Year Award with American League Rookie of the Year honors. He played in every game from May 30, 1982 to September 20, 1998, establishing an all-time record of 2,632 consecutive games played.
The three inductees have been added to the International League Hall of Fame plaque display. The inductees will be presented with “The Curtain Call” statue during individual enshrinement ceremonies to place during the coming season. The IL Hall of Fame plaque display does not have a permanent home, but rather serves as a traveling testament to the storied legacy of the International League.
Triple-A Norfolk Tides general manager, Dave Rosenfield, and former Tides manager Frank Verdi were both enshrined into the IL Hall of Fame in 2008. Former Tides first baseman, Roberto Petagine was enshrined in 2009.
