He dominated down the stretch. This spring, ESPN's Keith Law listed him the 96th-best prospect in the minors. Baseball America ranked him eighth in the Orioles' system, two spots ahead of Erbe.
Only the majors could be better for Spoone, who commutes to Bowie from his parents' house. When he starts home games, 20 or more relatives and friends pack Section 101 behind the plate.
"That a baby, Chorye," his mother screams, louder than anyone else in the crowd.
In his second start of this season against the Reading Phillies, Spoone looked like a major leaguer. When defensive miscues put runners on base in the first two innings, he ended each threat with a strikeout, pumping 94 mph fastballs past overmatched farmhands. He didn't have ideal control of his curve, but batters flinched and froze at the knees when he tossed the breaking ball after one of his killer fastballs. Spoone has since gone on the disabled list with biceps tendinitis but is expected back shortly.
"There's no question he has the ability and the pitches to start in the big leagues," Bowie pitching coach Mike Griffin said. "Now, it's just about refining everything."
Spoone's pal, Erbe, was a more highly touted prospect.
He caught baseball fever from his father, Brent, an Arbutus entrepreneur who loved watching the Orioles at newly opened Camden Yards.
He was so calm his mother dubbed him "Ice-man." Certainly, no one questioned his gifts.
"He was a kid who had a great arm ever since he was 12 years old," Albany said.
After Erbe's fastball hit 95 mph at summer showcases before his senior year at McDonogh, college recruiters and major league scouts swarmed his house. The Orioles had seen enough to believe he was a steal in the third round of the 2005 draft.
The local kid made them look like geniuses, striking out 48 batters in 23 1/3 innings at Bluefield. "He was just so much more mature than me," said Spoone, who was two years older than his new teammate.
Said Erbe of his fast start: "It surprised me. These guys I was facing looked like men. But I came out throwing real hard. My arm felt great."
Erbe's success continued the next season at Delmarva. Prospect hounds began calling him a future ace. His fastball was so good he barely needed a curve or changeup.
Then, the hop got him.
