Fio is rushing for a callup

[blazer]

I'd much rather see a Fio/Knott platoon than Payton.

I'd rather see Reimold everyday...

[Frobby]

I'd rather see Reimold everyday...

Me too, and everyone here knows how much I like Fio. But just look at how they have both done at Bowie this year, and it's pretty clear who is the better prospect. I still think Fio can have a productive role as a 4th OF/platoon guy, but Reimold still has the chance to be a real stud.

[Jenius]

I had a hunch that as disappointed as many of us have been with Fio's progression, he would turn out to be a pretty good 3rd round selection. So I checked out the 30 players selected in that 3rd round of the 2004 draft. Among them:

-there is exactly one player, Adam Lind, who appears to be a surefire career major leaguer (and he has the makings of a Jay Gibbons clone)

-there are a handful of decent pitching prospects still working their way through the minors: Gaby Hernandez (21, AA, Fla), Eduardo Morlan (21, A+, Min), Wade Davis (21, AA, TB), Scott Lewis (23, AA, Cle), James Happ (24, AAA, Phi, just made his MLB debut) and Jason Windsor (25, AAA, Oak, had an unsuccessful cup of coffee with the A's last season)

-two solid SS prospects: Matt Tuiasosopo (21, AA, Sea) and Ian Desmond (21, A+, Was)

-9 marginal or unproven prospects, guys that most likely will peak as serviceable relievers, 5th starters, 4th or 5th OFers, etc (this includes Fio)

-11 guys who are essentially non-prospects and probably will never get more than a cup of coffee, if that, in the majors

-1 guy who never played a professional game (not sure why, maybe an injury?)

So in summary, only 9 of the 29 guys drafted in the same round appear to be better prospects than Fio at this point (and none of them appear to be future All Stars), while at least 12 guys are clearly lesser prospects. Not trying to prove a major point here, just thought it was good to be reminded that it's a long way from the 3rd round (or any round) of the draft to an impact big league career. If Fio has a decent career as a reserve OF, I think we can consider this to be a successful draft pick in the grand scheme of things.

[Frobby]

You're a genius, Jenius. Good post!

[Crazysilver03]

With a 1.000 OPS in the last month Jeff is showing that he is still a prospect and should get the call after the Bowie season is over. Flanagan calling him up too early several years ago hurts his option status. However if the O's keep him on the roster he will not be eligible for the Rule 5 draft. The O's will just have to figure out what to do when he is out of options next spring.

Fiorentino will have a 4th option year next year. So he will be kept again on the 40 man.

[wildcard]

Fiorentino will have a 4th option year next year. So he will be kept again on the 40 man.

Tell me more. I thought players only had three options.

[Crazysilver03]

Tell me more. I thought players only had three options.

A player may be eligible for a fourth option year if he has been optioned in three seasons but does not yet have five full seasons of professional experience. A full season is defined as being on an active pro roster for at least 90 days in a season. (If a player is put on the disabled list after earning 60 or more days of service in a single season, his time on the DL is counted.) The 90-day requirement means short-season leagues (New-York Penn, Northwest, Pioneer, Appalachian, Gulf Coast, Arizona Rookie, Dominican and Venezuelan Summer Leagues) do not count as full seasons for the purposes of determining eligibility for a fourth option.

Cots!

Fiorentino's first professional season was 2004. He was called up to Baltimore in 2005. So 2007 will only be his 4th professional year. 2008 will be his FIFTH professional year so he will have a 4th option.

[wildcard]

Cots!

Fiorentino's first professional season was 2004. He was called up to Baltimore in 2005. So 2007 will only be his 4th professional year. 2008 will be his FIFTH professional year so he will have a 4th option.

Thanks for the insight. Great call on your part to understand options to this level.

This looks like it could apply to Penn also because Bluefield and GCL Orioles do not count as a year.

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/P/Hayden-Penn.shtml

[Orioles1967]

Fiorentino isn't a prospect anymore, but he has extreme enough L/R splits that he might yet turn into a poor man's John Lowenstein. Nearly 1000 AA at bats with a sub-.800 OPS, and 24 years old, means he's been demoted to "possible useful piece for a few years."

If they can't bribe/extort/trick/drug/threaten another GM into taking Jay Payton off their hands, I guess they could do worse than a Fiorentino/Payton platoon in left. Wouldn't set the world on fire, but preferable to just throwing Payton out there again. Maybe some rotating combination of Payton, Patterson, Fiorentino, and Reimold would be a relatively cheap CF/LF with some defense, some offense, and some upside.

Id rather see payton and Fiorentino in CF if they can handle it defensively. That way we could get a bopper (maybe even reimold) in LF like most other teams.

[Leitch]

I really dont see your point that 2/5 ths of the corner hitters will homer more. 3/5 will likey homer less.

And 3/5 of those teams didn't even come close to the playoffs.

[wildcard]

I see that Fio has played mostly CF this year. How is his range in CF?

[pgsentinelmike]

I'd much rather see a Fio/Knott platoon than Payton.

I'd rather see Dave Trembley play left field than Jay Payton.

Well not really. But that shows you how little regard I have for Payton.