Keith Law hating on the Orioles big time.

[DrungoHazewood]

I don't think we have a big enough sample size to make that claim. Prospects are so random.

Right, it might be that they scout worse but develop a lot better. Or it might be that they scout and develop only as well as the Orioles but are massively luckier.

But I think the simplest explanation is that they both scout and develop better than the O's have in the past.

[Stotle]

I don't think we have a big enough sample size to make that claim. Prospects are so random.

Fair enough -- Tampa seems to be better able to to transition players from pool of amateurs to professionals, via scouting and/or development.

I think we can all agree they keep their system better stacked, regardless of the fact that they aren't overspending and aren't really hitting up the international market with aplomb.

[Stotle]

Are you serious you are unable to quote someone appropriately? Really? What a trip you are.

You realize, of course, those two statements mean the same thing, and both misconstrued my point and painted it in a false light. So if anyone is twisting meaning/message, well........

[JTrea81]

LOL at Law:

Riiiight. #waah RT @esserville: But then if the Orioles were to draft him you would claim that he was not a very good baseball player!!

http://twitter.com/#!/keithlaw/status/38749629935910912

[crissfan172]

LOL at Law:

http://twitter.com/#!/keithlaw/status/38749629935910912

Don't worry...I'm fighting the good fight for Reynolds.

[wildcard]

I found the full interview interesting that it had no mention of:

1) Buck

2) That the O's played almost .600 ball over the last two months of last season.

Law has come to the conclusion the the O's are a last place, below .500 team and that MacPhail was wrong to spend money on veteran player.

Meanwhile Andy based much of his off season spending on what happen after Buck took over. He points at Buck as being a difference maker. And he has said the team had to improve over the winter to continue to follow that path.

Law says he understands front office work but it doesn't sound like he understand the O's front office. If Andy doesn't improve the O's lineup over the winter after what happen last in the 2010 season, then Buck is not going to happy with taking a lesser team in the 2011 season. I am sure Buck would have had ways to make the known.

It sounds like Andy and Buck work together to be on the path they are on and they are both happy with it. I think Law is wrong to think that his spend money only on young players approach would have worked for the O's this offseason.

[cindyluvsbrady]

http://www.masnsports.com/steve_melewski/2011/02/keith-law-criticizes-the-os-offseason-moves.html

Steve Melewski did a phone interview with Kieth Law yesterday and let's just say he's not a fan of the O's chances or the moves we made. A few quotes below, but I encourage you to read the whole article.

I understand how difficult the AL East is, but I don't think you can say that we are clearly the worst team in the division and to say we have very little chance of getting to .500

Do we need to "Hang Him High"???

My Os will be 2011 WS Champs!:thumbsup1:

BELIEVE

[section18]

Why do the Baltimore media people interview this guy? I have heard him twice now say basically the same things. He has become another shock jock just to get people talking about him. How many people that spend money to go to games at OP know what KL does? I'm guessing very few and only the ones who listen to Sports Talk Radio on a regular basis or follow OH. What percentage of the public is that? We are better off talking about whether AM and BS will get a quality starter before the season starts and a back up catcher that can hit.

[Frobby]

I think these quotes from Law were interesting:

Keith Law: "Matusz, to me, is the ace. He has the potential for four average or better pitches and probably three well-above-average pitches. You saw down the stretch last year, he was a different guy. If he continues to improve his command and his feel for pitching, he can be an ace. He can be a fringe Cy Young contender.

"He leads that crop. To me, the second best guy in that group is actually (Zach) Britton, who is not there yet but he will be this year. Chris Tillman, you can't give up on him. Some pitchers, it takes a year or more in the big leagues. Some have jumped off the Tillman bandwagon too soon. To me, he is the third best guy, in terms of potential, in that group.

"Arrieta and Bergesen are nice inventory guys. They are three, four and five type starters. Not the kind of impact guys you want to have to compete in this tough division."

SM: Being 24th right now (in your farm system ratings), is that a red flag for Orioles' fans. Or can they upgrade and get back to where they were ranked higher a year ago?

KL: "The way they can sort of salvage signing all these veteran players will be to flip them. If Vlad Guerrero gets off to a hot start, find a contender that's willing to send you a prospect for him and do it. Don't even think twice about it.

"(Mark) Reynolds, same thing. Every one of these veteran players, every one that is not nailed down, you trade to get some young talent into that system. It's the only way to go. Because they don't have extra picks. They have to hit on their draft picks and I think Joe Jordan does a good job. I think they will hit on some picks this year. But it's going to take more than that and trading vets for younger talent is the way to go.

"Even if they get off to a good start and it looks like they are headed for 85 wins, not good enough. Same thing, trade the veterans. They are not going to the playoffs this year, let's try to get some other young talent to supplement Matusz, (Matt) Wieters and Britton for the long term. This club is not going to win anything until 2012, 2013 or beyond."

* * *

SM: The comment you made about Guerrero earlier was that "if he's not toast, he's in the toaster." Yet, he was fourth in the league in RBIs. What makes you say that?

KL: "RBI is useless, just a function that he played in a good lineup. Just watching him. The bat speed is gone, or mostly gone. He can't use his lower half. Ever since he first hurt his back and his knees about two, two and half years ago with the Angels, he hasn't been the same guy.

"I don't see any reason that, at his age, why it's going to come back. We heard last year he was healthy and he got off to a hot start in April. And it didn't last. And I don't see any reason he's going to do better than that now that he is a year older."

I think his assessment of Arrieta and Bergesen drives his opinion of the team in many respects. If all they are is "inventory guys," Law is probably correct that this team won't get very far. And, he's clearly down on Guerrero and Reynolds. We will see how good his evaluations are.

[Scrat1]

I think these quotes from Law were interesting:

I think his assessment of Arrieta and Bergesen drives his opinion of the team in many respects. If all they are is "inventory guys," Law is probably correct that this team won't get very far. And, he's clearly down on Guerrero and Reynolds. We will see how good his evaluations are.

Yeah this is right. Although Law has a pretty big definition of "inventory guys." If Arrieta and Bergesen both become number three starters, then we're going to be in great shape.

Anyways, I've been done with this sort of analysis for awhile now. Most analysts are skeptical of our pitching, not entirely without reason, but no use of whining about it on here. The only way we're going to convince anyone the Orioles are legit is during the season. Bring on the games.