O's farm system

[weird-O]

I was listening to MLB radio. They have a show called "Minors & majors" with Grant Paulsen. They had a guest on, I can't remember his name, but they were describing him as a really good judge of farm systems.

As luck would have it, they were focusing on the ALe. They asked the guy about the O's farm system. He said Bundy & Gausman are great, and Schoop is good, but not special. then he said the rest of their farm system falls off the cliff after that. he mentioned some names like Avery, but he said none of them really project to be anything that will impact the club.

he actually said Avery isn't a MLB caliber ballplayer. when he said that, it made me think he really is a good judge, because I couldn't agree more. Avery is horrible. hopfully he'll get better.

it seems the O's are still really hurting at the MiLB levels. DD's going to have to keep pulling rabbits out of his hat for awhile.

[jabba2]

The OH #5 prospect is a dominitcan pitcher in A ball thats projected to be a #3 in the majors, if he can advance past the upper levels. With that guy and Schoop at the very top of the prospect list, it shows the draft still isnt producing outside of our high picks in recent years. If we were still picking outside the top 10 like for much of the early 2000's, would you be confident they could draft the right players, and be developed?

About Schoop..right now im more interested in seeing what Flaherty can do with the bat. Even though Schoop is 5 years younger, it appears right now at least, Schoop cant beat out a rule 5 pick at 2B.

[Far from home]

I think there's some fire in this smoke, but many of the players that the O's squeezed production out of weren't highly regarded throughout the minors, either.
That makes me wonder if he's just looking at top levels.

For instance, no one has been projecting Steve Johnson to do what he did - but the O's might have a keeper there.
Gonzalez is obvious.
No one thought that Chen was that good, and look at what he did.

I think, with Peterson returning (as of this moment), you're going to see leaps and bounds development with some of these pitchers...which will supplement and augment the O's current crop of minors arms.

[atomic]

DD had to clean-up the mess that was caused by 20 years of bad drafting and player development. It isn't going to go to get to be one of the best in a year. Other than guys drafted with the first 5 picks in the entire draft the team has been missing pretty badly. And even some of the guys at the top have turned out to be duds.

I like how our 5th highest rated prospect's potential is listed as being a major league player. I mean isn't that every player you picks potential? I mean why would you draft or sign a guy if you didn't think his upside was the major leagues?

[hector]

I think there's some fire in this smoke, but many of the players that the O's squeezed production out of weren't highly regarded throughout the minors, either.
That makes me wonder if he's just looking at top levels.

For instance, no one has been projecting Steve Johnson to do what he did - but the O's might have a keeper there.
Gonzalez is obvious.
No one thought that Chen was that good, and look at what he did.

I think, with Peterson returning (as of this moment), you're going to see leaps and bounds development with some of these pitchers...which will supplement and augment the O's current crop of minors arms.

To translate if I may - the so-called baseball experts who drown themselves in meaningless statistics don't know what they're doing. Your examples of Johnson, Gonzalez and Chen prove that point. Other similar examples from the 2012 O's include McLouth and my favorite - Teagarden. He might be the first Brit since Earl Grey to make a big splash in MLB.

[Far from home]

To translate if I may - the so-called baseball experts who drown themselves in meaningless statistics don't know what they're doing. Your examples of Johnson, Gonzalez and Chen prove that point. Other similar examples from the 2012 O's include McLouth and my favorite - Teagarden. He might be the first Brit since Earl Grey to make a big splash in MLB.

Sorry Hector, that wasn't what I was saying at all.
I'm saying, scouting reports are based off of what those scouts expect a player to do, for those that don't have standout fastballs, incredible athletic ability, or amazing power.
They don't and normally can't take take into account minor problems that limit production.
For instance, no one predicted Jose Bautista's huge jump in production would be caused by a simple change in swing mechanics.
Tillman's fastball had a 5-6 mph jump this season.

The person I'm curious to see directly under Peterson's tutelage is Hobgood. I think - if he comes into it with the right attitude - his turn around could prove his methods.

[weird-O]

To translate if I may - the so-called baseball experts who drown themselves in meaningless statistics don't know what they're doing. Your examples of Johnson, Gonzalez and Chen prove that point. Other similar examples from the 2012 O's include McLouth and my favorite - Teagarden. He might be the first Brit since Earl Grey to make a big splash in MLB.

just so that you understand how these things work,

Johnson, Gonzalez, Chen, McLouth and Teagarden were all with the O's last season. To be honest, I'm not even sure what parameters you're using to include Teagarden as a member of the O's MiLB system, since he was a MLB FA signing who went down to injury. And unless I missed Johnson being sent down at the end of the year, all those players were with the big club at the end of the season.

once that happens, they are no longer considered a part of the minor league system, and can't be counted as part of the talent pool. The same goes for Machado.

to the broader point, Gonzalez & McLouth were minor league signings. neither was a player the O's drafted. the point is, signing former MLB players as reclaimation projects isn't what the show was discussing. AAA ball has pretty much developed into a league where you store back up players for the big club. Players like Lew Ford are backups, not prospects.

[weird-O]

DD had to clean-up the mess that was caused by 20 years of bad drafting and player development. It isn't going to go to get to be one of the best in a year. Other than guys drafted with the first 5 picks in the entire draft the team has been missing pretty badly. And even some of the guys at the top have turned out to be duds.

I like how our 5th highest rated prospect's potential is listed as being a major league player. I mean isn't that every player you picks potential? I mean why would you draft or sign a guy if you didn't think his upside was the major leagues?

which player are you talking about?

If it's Avery, what he said was that Avery does not project to be a MLB player.

He also mentioned Hoes by name. But he said there just isn't much to him. but that's not news to anyone.

Hoes can't play a defensive position, at all. he has no range and no instincts. and he has zero power. as one article said, he lacks the power to dedicate a corner OF position to him, and he lacks the defensive skills to be a CFer. he doesn't project to be a starter, but his speed may help off the bench.

and this is one of their top prospects.

[weenie]

The OH #5 prospect is a dominitcan pitcher in A ball thats projected to be a #3 in the majors, if he can advance past the upper levels. With that guy and Schoop at the very top of the prospect list, it shows the draft still isnt producing outside of our high picks in recent years. If we were still picking outside the top 10 like for much of the early 2000's, would you be confident they could draft the right players, and be developed?

About Schoop..right now im more interested in seeing what Flaherty can do with the bat. Even though Schoop is 5 years younger, it appears right now at least, Schoop cant beat out a rule 5 pick at 2B.

FOUL!!!!!!!

Schoop has yet to be put one on one against Flaherty. As you pointed out, he's younger and has not reached AAA yet! Flaherty on the other hand reached rule five status after SIX YEARS of minor league expereince with another club and then got gifted a spot on the O's roster to meet the minimum criteria of rule 5.

You casually discard the age difference and ignore an entire season of at best marginal performance from your preferred choice.

IMO, Flaherty has some potential, but Schoop has far greater upside and that will become obvious by midseason 2013.

[carlito]

Grow the arms and buy the bats!