Anyone notice the minor league teams are playing like crap!

[Can_of_corn]

Sure. This is not based on a lot -- certainly not on any inside info from coaches,etc -- so I could certainly be wrong. But do you ever have a quick impression of a person, or a player, that's strong enough that you just can't dismiss it? I've seen him play in 3 games only -- last year and the year before -- but in one game particularly last year, he starts off making an error at shortstop, and the pattern continues throughout the game: he makes other errors and misplays not officially judged as such. What most struck me is that he didn't respond in a healthy way -- he didn't look at all bothered by any of his poor plays at the time, and even worse he didn't seem to be focusing more in future chances to get a different result. I've rarely seen these two "indifferent" responses together in a player. They mostly care about their performance, and you can see them being especially focused on approaching a ground ball in the right way this time when they just casualed it and let it run up their arm and hurt their team an inning ago. But from Machado no apparent chagrin or apparent attempt to remedy his problem in future chances. To me, that was a very bad sign, even in a very young player.

Thanks for the elaboration.

This is the first negative thing about Machado's makeup I have heard so I will have to take it with a grain of salt.

[EagleOriole]

Sure. This is not based on a lot -- certainly not on any inside info from coaches,etc -- so I could certainly be wrong. But do you ever have a quick impression of a person, or a player, that's strong enough that you just can't dismiss it? I've seen him play in 3 games only -- last year and the year before -- but in one game particularly last year, he starts off making an error at shortstop, and the pattern continues throughout the game: he makes other errors and misplays not officially judged as such. What most struck me is that he didn't respond in a healthy way -- he didn't look at all bothered by any of his poor plays at the time, and even worse he didn't seem to be focusing more in future chances to get a different result. I've rarely seen these two "indifferent" responses together in a player. They mostly care about their performance, and you can see them being especially focused on approaching a ground ball in the right way this time when they just casualed it and let it run up their arm and hurt their team an inning ago. But from Machado no apparent chagrin or apparent attempt to remedy his problem in future chances. To me, that was a very bad sign, even in a very young player.

You can tell how "focused" a player is? Really? Coaches tell players to forget their mistakes and keep playing, next play. Did you expect him to kick the dirt and curse to himself for making a mistake? You saw him play 3 times in the hundreds of games he has played and now you know exactly what type of person he is? Ever had a bad day at work?

[LookinUp]

I won't dismiss the negative account. It files in with the whole suite of accounts about Machado: scouting, statistical and interpersonal. None are likely to be 100% consistent. He is a great prospect, but not special in the same way Harper is. He still has a lot to prove. Hopefully Duq requires that development before promotion.

[Jimmy W]

It's called player development.
Maybe some of the trouble is the developers, not the developees
Machado is one very gifted player.

[Gurgi]

Updated for May 15th
Norfolk 16-21
Bowie 15-22
Frederick 12-21
Delmarva 18-20

For a current total of 61-84
thats a .420 record for our entire minor league system.

They are not improving but playing at exactly the same level as two weeks ago.

[Frobby]

Norfolk 11-16
Bowie 12-16
Frederick 9-16
Delmarva 13-14

For a total 45-62 record

Update:

Norfolk 33-40
Bowie 32-36
Frederick 27-43
Delmarva 28-41
Aberdeen 1-1
GCL Orioles 1-1
DSL Orioles 6-9

Pathetic. Not one winning team in the entire organization. And not many prospects, either.

[Hank Scorpio]

Update:

Norfolk 33-40
Bowie 32-36
Frederick 27-43
Delmarva 28-41
Aberdeen 1-1
GCL Orioles 1-1
DSL Orioles 6-9

Pathetic. Not one winning team in the entire organization. And not many prospects, either.

Well, there is ONE winning team...

[SteveO]

Sure. This is not based on a lot -- certainly not on any inside info from coaches,etc -- so I could certainly be wrong. But do you ever have a quick impression of a person, or a player, that's strong enough that you just can't dismiss it? I've seen him play in 3 games only -- last year and the year before -- but in one game particularly last year, he starts off making an error at shortstop, and the pattern continues throughout the game: he makes other errors and misplays not officially judged as such. What most struck me is that he didn't respond in a healthy way -- he didn't look at all bothered by any of his poor plays at the time, and even worse he didn't seem to be focusing more in future chances to get a different result. I've rarely seen these two "indifferent" responses together in a player. They mostly care about their performance, and you can see them being especially focused on approaching a ground ball in the right way this time when they just casualed it and let it run up their arm and hurt their team an inning ago. But from Machado no apparent chagrin or apparent attempt to remedy his problem in future chances. To me, that was a very bad sign, even in a very young player.

The kid is 19yrs old and considered at worst one of the top 10 prospects in all of baseball. Most scouts laud his work ethic. If he is immature its apparently gone unnoticed by those who watch the game for a living. Machado and Schoop are the YOUNGEST infield tandem in their league. I would say that holding their own at that age in that league bodes well for their future. Far as Harper and Trout are concerned those two are just plain freaks.... Machado projects pretty damn good even if he is a step or so back of those two. Oh yea did we mention he is 19????

[SteveO]

Update:

Norfolk 33-40
Bowie 32-36
Frederick 27-43
Delmarva 28-41
Aberdeen 1-1
GCL Orioles 1-1
DSL Orioles 6-9

Pathetic. Not one winning team in the entire organization. And not many prospects, either.

No not many just 2 top 10 in Bundy and Machado.... and lets see....Schoop, Delmonico, Esposito and throw in Gausman when signs ..... Yea its not a deep system but really what you need in todays day and age is star power in your minors and the Orioles do have some of that. You can buy or trade for those second level kinda guys ...you cant buy or trade for a Bundy, Machado etc. This system is on the upswing, if you cant see that then your just not looking. Far as winning percentage goes....its meaningless. Predicting how good a major league team will be 5yrs down the road has nothing to do with how many games their minor league teams win. It has everything to do with how many everyday players they have in their system and in particular how many studs are working their way up. The O's are ok in that regard. Could be better but are improving greatly. How well those teams do really means squat

[Frobby]

No not many just 2 top 10 in Bundy and Machado.... and lets see....Schoop, Delmonico, Esposito and throw in Gausman when signs ..... Yea its not a deep system but really what you need in todays day and age is star power in your minors and the Orioles do have some of that. You can buy or trade for those second level kinda guys ...you cant buy or trade for a Bundy, Machado etc

We don't have much star power at all in my opinion. I look at the other teams in our division and they are constantly bringing up some new player who is actually useful -- Middlebrooks, Lawrie, Reddick, Nunez, Thames, Jennings, Arencibia, Moore, Nova, and Hellickson to name a few who have broken in the last two seasons. You really need to be producing 1-2 prospects of that caliber every single year to be a competitive team over a long period. We should have 6-8 of those in our system at any given time sprinkled at the different levels.

[WEAVERMAN]

DD needs to fix the scouting dept., by replacing the underperformers ASAP. We don't have enough good scouts.

[Tony-OH]

Update:

Norfolk 33-40
Bowie 32-36
Frederick 27-43
Delmarva 28-41
Aberdeen 1-1
GCL Orioles 1-1
DSL Orioles 6-9

Pathetic. Not one winning team in the entire organization. And not many prospects, either.

It is not a very strong system, that's for sure.

[Frobby]

Huge turnaround for Norfolk and Bowie of late. Norfolk has won 14 of its last 18 games to improve to 44-43. Bowie recently had a 7-game winning streak and they are now 42-41. All other teams still under .500.

[Trackmaster]

I know it's a really small sample size, but I've been to two games this year, one at Bowie and one at Norfolk. We one the Bowie one in a blow-out, and we won the Norfolk game 5-4 in a walk-off homer in the 9th! Don't take too much stock in minor league records. Much of the time they're glorified scrimmages. It's all about the talent at the top. AAA or AA teams can put up great records if they have superstars rehabbing injuries, or there are no room for them on the big league rosters.

One of my gripes is that I'd like to see us stop bypassing the AAA level. It should be a logical step in the progression, but it looks like we tend to skyrocket players past AAA like it's just a holding ground for aging players who will never cut it in the majors.

[OFFNY]

.
The AAA-Tides are 15-5 over their last 20 games.

http://forum.orioleshangout.com/foru...26#post2815226