Orioles Hangout Top 10 Prospects: #8 - Garrett Olson - LHP

[Sports Guy]

Olson was top 5 last year I believe.

So, what this tells me is that Arrieta and Wieters are in the top 7 as we probably knew...Wieters is obvious but if Arrieta is in the top 7, it tells you the Hangout staff believes he is more projectable than olson(Tony has always had reliever/starter question marks about Olson).

But it is also surprising to me because Tony has always put a lot of weight in performance and closeness to the majors as well.

Spoone has jumped Olson as well.

So, that leaves Reimold, Erbe, Liz, Rowell as guys that were ahead of or right there with Olson last year, as still in front of him.

Not sure i agree about Liz being ahead of him in that group.

Olson didn't look great in his brief ML stint but he tore up AAA.

This certainly surprises me....Would like to hear more from the staff as to why he was this low.

Tony, any response to this?

Is it just as simple as you like the upside of the 7 in front of Olson better or do you have big questions about Olson???

[Tony-OH]

I'll tell you what bothered me a lot about Olson. He completely melted down in the majors last year. I've been led to believe that Olson's makeup and demeaner on the mound were some of his biggest attributes after that breaking ball. "He's mature beyond his years," I've been told.

That very well may be true, but his performance at the major league level was mind boggling. How do you suddenly lose the ability to throws strikes at the big league level unless you've really psyched yourself out that you can not get big league batters out? I mean Trembley had to take him aside and ask him if something was wrong. Then he was sent back to the minors to work on things and when he returned he wasn;t much better.

For years I've heard some scouts say that Olson did not have good enough stuff to go through a lineup three times and that meant he would be a five innings starter or a good left-handed reliever in the big leagues.

Add in the fact that Olson had a 4.10 ERA in 12 starts away from the pitcher's paradise down in Norfolk, and we have to temper our overall expectations.

I'd love to see Olson come back and put those concerns to bed next year, but until he does that, his overall ceiling has fallen a bit even although I still see him having a nice long career. Let's remember, being an Arthur Rhodes or Kent Merker type releiver is nothing to sneeze at nor is being a back of the roation starter.

You could make a valid argument to have him ranked above Snyder at #7 since I'm still greatly concerned over Snyder's K:Bb ratio. However Snyder could still develop into a very good power bat and that gives him the nod in the overall list.

[Sports Guy]

I'll tell you what bothered me a lot about Olson. He completely melted down in the majors last year. I've been led to believe that Olson's makeup and demeaner on the mound were some of his biggest attributes after that breaking ball. "He's mature beyond his years," I've been told.

That very well may be true, but his performance at the major league level was mind boggling. How do you suddenly lose the ability to throws strikes at the big league level unless you've really psyched yourself out that you can not get big league batters out? I mean Trembley had to take him aside and ask him if something was wrong. Then he was sent back to the minors to work on things and when he returned he wasn;t much better.

For years I've heard some scouts say that Olson did not have good enough stuff to go through a lineup three times and that meant he would be a five innings starter or a good left-handed reliever in the big leagues.

Add in the fact that Olson had a 4.10 ERA in 12 starts away from the pitcher's paradise down in Norfolk, and we have to temper our overall expectations.

I'd love to see Olson come back and put those concerns to bed next year, but until he does that, his overall ceiling has fallen a bit even although I still see him having a nice long career. Let's remember, being an Arthur Rhodes or Kent Merker type releiver is nothing to sneeze at nor is being a back of the roation starter.

You could make a valid argument to have him ranked above Snyder at #7 since I'm still greatly concerned over Snyder's K:Bb ratio. However Snyder could still develop into a very good power bat and that gives him the nod in the overall list.

Fair enough...Have you talked to anyone since Olson has been in the majors and asked them what they thought?

Are people in the organization doubting him more now than before he was brought up or are they saying it was just a bump in the road??

[Tony-OH]

Fair enough...Have you talked to anyone since Olson has been in the majors and asked them what they thought?

Are people in the organization doubting him more now than before he was brought up or are they saying it was just a bump in the road??

Obviously being where I am limts my interaction with my normal contacts, but what I can tell you is that neither Perlozzo or Mazzone were Olson fans. Perhaps the change at pitching coach will help Olson.

The one thing I don't doubt with him is that he's a hard worker and hell maximize his potential. What that potential is remains the real issue.

[Sports Guy]

Obviously being where I am limts my interation with my normal contacts, but what I can tell you is that neither Perlozzo or Mazzone were Olson fans. Perhaps the change at pitching coach will help Olson.

The one thing I don't doubt with him is that he's a hard worker and hell maximize his potential. What that potential is remains the real issue.

It will be interesting to see how the young guys adjust with Mazzone not here.

Mazzone seemed to help Loewen, Bedard and Guthrie(of course the last 2 aren't really "young pitchers") but he didn't seemt o gel with most young pitchers, at least reportedly.