LookinUp

I think the nightmare scenario is the O's keeping him in hopes that he gets that injury while on our team.

I assume this is because not every organization provides the data, so there isn't equal access inside baseball? Am I making that up or am I pulling a useful memory?

I'm not saying he's earned it, but I think I like Akin more now than I did a few months ago. All of the context about AAA this year says it's bad for pitchers. I feel like he might be one offseason of real fitness away from taking another step forward and becoming a viable ML starter. I think he's close, even if he hasn't necessarily forced his way up.* *this ignores the fact that many others were given shots without forcing themselves up.

I liked what I saw, but I did not see Britton. That'll only happen if he can get a better secondary or two. Britton's sinker was plus plus, and Harvey doesn't have any plus plus pitch. Almost nobody does. Meh. He definitely had better options, but that's not to say that Buck's use of those options didn't improve performance. We can't know for sure, but his bullpens weren't built with expensive arms (when acquired). This makes a ton of sense. Everyone's talking about the flight of the baseballs in AAA and the majors, but if the feel is also different, that's a game changer. Now I'm really happy that they're forcing guys through AAA (Zimmerman, Kremer) rather than moving them directly to the majors.

That velocity lets you get away with mistakes. Looked like it had movement too.

Exciting move! Kid has real arm talent.

You're showing your age again, Rick. I'm a child of the 80's. MASH was ending. The Golden Age of Thursday and Saturday sitcoms was upon us. I know there were some great ones before and after, but give me Cosby, Cheers and the Golden Girls all day long.

If we're giving love to Hallmark and Matlock, can I get a shout out for the Golden Girls? Best sitcom ever. Well, close.

I do think it shows the pecking order in AA, at least the top of it. That's Kremer. Everyone else is behind, for various reasons. My guess is Baumann's also looking to leap frog some more guys before it's all said and done. [Edit: I forgot Zimmerman was already promoted. Maybe it really just shows where guys' experience and 40-man status is moving them.]

I expect him to look at the trade market, but would be quite surprised if we really go there for anything significant. Givens needs to build his value before he's traded. Trumbo and Davis (praying) should be gone, so there's no pressing need to move guys at 1B. I'd guess that if we move anyone of significance, it would be Mancini. I just doubt that happens.

Right.

I regularly go back to my own experience when coaching. I know what I was good at and can teach that. I also know what I wasn't good at. That's where I seek other input. It humbles you when you know your weaknesses. There's nothing suggesting he doesn't, right?

1. Off season player development plans. 2. Hire scouting director. 3. Beef up scouting staff. 4. Waiver wire. 5. Trade market. ... 96. Not bottom feeder Free Agency

Drop a pitcher. Wilkerson's utility role can be spot inning eater in addition to CF, LF, RF, 1B, 2B, SS and 3B, so keep him.

I'm on the fence. I see value in a AA pennant race and I see value in moving up. It also matters that Kremer is on the 40 next year, I think. In the end, it's pretty subjective and up to Elias. He sees more value in getting Kremer some experience that will help the actual Orioles sooner. That's fine with me, but so would be the alternative.

Not necessarily responding to this, but the worst part about the modern Yankees and Dodgers is they're not just rich, they're also at the cutting edge of smart baseball. We can say things like scouting and analytics are relatively cheap, but money helps get the best, get more of the best, train and develop all of that more than other teams, etc. That is why Andrew Friedman left the Rays and went to the Dodgers. Wishing away the benefits of more revenue across all aspects of the organization does not hide the fact that revenue helps at all levels.

It has been a while, but I recall there was a mock that had him rising into the low teens. Others were on him, jut not in the Matzek/Wheeler range. I don't have access to the Athletic, but what is lost on me is whether the Hobgood pick is viewed by experienced scouts as bad luck or bad decision making. We know it was a bad decision in the end, but was the process flawed? Tony's explanation essentially points to bad luck. I'm guessing others would differ.

I'd wager no, but you never know. The old regime would probably already have him in the rotation. These guys seem to want to help him learn to pitch at all levels first. My guess is next year he'll focus on a 3rd pitch and all of the other stuff (in/out, eye levels, throwing 2/3 best pitches in batter's counts) while at AAA.

I think the problem with that pick was the prior spike in velocity. It wasn't consistent with what Hobgood had been. People said it was a red flag at the time too. I don't know exactly why. I can imagine guys gaining a few ticks pretty quickly as they mature. That's, I assume, what Jordan thought. In the end, we never got the high school kid Jordan saw with the same velocity. It's hard to knock Jordan for wanting the upside. If Hobgood pitched like Jordan expected, he would probably have been a good pick. I think Jordan's knocked for not appropriately weighting the downside in the end..

We are technically only 1 GB right now. Over the next week, the O's get the Red Sox and Royals. The Tigers get the Rays and the Astros. Hard to see us making up any ground in that stretch. After that, the Tigers get the Twins so it's hard to find wins there either. Never know, I guess.

I saw the same thing the one time I saw him. Radar gun was popping, but the ball was turned around as often as it made it to the catcher. I imagine the EVs were high that game given how hard he was throwing.

He's got the best arm of the group. Not sure that equates with most ML ready, but he'll get away with a few more mistakes, I'd guess.

I haven't done the math, but if removing them raises the OPS by .022, then you'd need two guys with an OPS that's essentially the opposite of those two (e.g., maybe .900?) to replace them on the roster for a league average offense, right? So adding one Mountcastle might raise the OPS by another .005-.015. We'd still need another pretty big bat who can play SS to be league average without any other improvements on the team. If, for example, Hays, Mountcastle and Diaz are all promoted and playing outfield with Santander mixed in, Mancini plays first and Nunez DH's/plays 3B, we're getting closer.

Any thoughts on how "coachable" movement is? If he's regularly upper 90's, is that with a 2 seam or a 4 seam? Seems like he might be able to drop a tick or two to get some movement, but that's easier said than done.

Fixed that for you. ???