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Call from the Bullpen by David Maull

The Bullpen | Orioles | Shorebirds | Sports Front Page

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O's Top Pick Thriving with Shorebirds
From the July 9, 1998 TV Times

Being a teenager is never easy, but it's even more difficult when you're thousands of miles from home and have the pressure of being a No. 1 draft pick resting squarely on your shoulders.

Darnell McDonald, a 19-year-old outfielder with the Delmarva Shorebirds, knows the feeling and is conquering those hardships in his first year of professional baseball.

After a slow start to the 1998 season, McDonald has hiked his batting average to .275 while adding four home runs, 29 RBI and 20 stolen bases through the end of June. Since moving to the lead-off spot in the batting order, he has hit .379.

"You've got to look at a kid that this is his first professional season and sometimes it takes a while to just get into the tune of things and mature a little bit. And Darnell's a very mature individual for his age," Shorebirds manager Dave Machemer said. "He's a quick learner and he's just getting stronger as the year goes on. This is not an easy league, to jump from high school to this professional Sally (South Atlantic) League."

McDonald was named Baseball America's High School Player of the Year after batting .606 in his senior season at Cherry Creek High in suburban Denver, Colorado.

He was the Orioles second overall pick in the first round of the 1997 amateur draft. Only catcher Jayson Werth, who is also with the Shorebirds, was selected ahead of him by the Orioles in the first round.

McDonald turned down a baseball and football scholarship from the University of Texas to sign with the Orioles. He will play the entire 1998 season at age 19.

"He's handled it really well because of his maturity," Machemer said. "When I first met him, I just felt an aura about him that he had the maturity level and he's showed that.

"Even though he struggled a little bit early in the year, he's never gotten down on himself, he's never pressured himself or felt any undue pressure from a lot of the publicity and the stuff he's been getting in the paper. He just, to me, keeps getting better and better and better."

McDonald has settled comfortably into the team's lead-off spot, showing occasional home run pop and the ability to create havoc on the basepaths. He carried a 12-game hitting streak into July.

He credited his success in the lead-off role to "going up there with a plan, going up there focusing on putting the play in play, especially with two strikes."

Machemer is especially impressed with McDonald's base-stealing ability.

"He's getting good jumps over there stealing bases, he's aggressive, he reads balls in the dirt ... and he's getting the big hit," he said. "He's doing a great job right now."

His importance to the team was evident the afternoon of June 24 at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium. After coming up empty in his first two at-bats, McDonald singled, walked and was hit by a pitch in his final three plate appearance. He eventually came around to score each time.

McDonald also stole two bases in the 6-5 victory over Hagerstown.

"At the lead-off spot you're going to get a lot of at bats. You get to see a lot of the pitchers and see what they have," he said while sitting at his locker following the game. "Right now, it's worked out for me."

But McDonald is just one of the components that have made the Shorebirds one of the best teams in the South Atlantic League this season.

Werth, his fellow No. 1 draft pick, ranks among the team leaders in RBIs and stolen bases and was batting .275 through the end of June.

Luis Matos (42 RBI), Frankie Figueroa (46 RBI) and Richard Paz (.319, 41 RBI) have also been offensive catalysts.

McDonald, meanwhile, is taking his role in stride and is not fazed by the high expectations that followed him into this season.

"This is my first year, this is my first full season and they have me here for a reason - to work on things and learn as much as I can," he said. "I feel I've done a good job of that."

With fans, media and club officials seemingly monitoring his every move, McDonald has managed to stay focused on improving his game.

"The only pressure I have is the pressure I put on myself. I have the same goal as everyone else here - to get to the big leagues," he said. "Everyday I just try to go out and learn something new."