Rule 5 Draft

[tywright]

I must have missed the deal...Did we trade him?

Deals fall apart all the time...Unless they had deals in place before the rule 5, to assume we are going to get these guys is foolish.

Actually I think you traded BRob about 3 months ago.

[OrioleLochRaven]

King Randor was He-man's father. I'm already a fan.

[Dr. FLK]

King Randor was He-man's father. I'm already a fan.

Excellent call on that one. I think I have a new favorite player.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Randor

[abenze2]

Low risk, High reward. Now I wonder what did happen to Lubanski and others from the first round of the 2003 draft?

[Flip217]

Excellent call on that one. I think I have a new favorite player.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Randor

And I'd say his nickname is all wrapped up, too.

[TGO]

The AAA pitcher we took looks interesting as well. No where near as interesting as Bierd, but he seems to have improved after moving from starting to the bullpen. Could be good depth and maybe a bullpen candidate for 2009.

The O's take INF Jonathan Martinez in the AA phase:

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/M/Jonathan-Martinez.shtml

He is strictly minor league filler. Plays multiple positions, hits like Mother Theresa (now, not in her prime).

EDIT: Wrong player, see post 138.

[Sports Guy]

The AAA pitcher we took looks interesting as well. No where near as interesting as Bierd, but he seems to have improved after moving from starting to the bullpen. Could be good depth and maybe a bullpen candidate for 2009.

The O's take INF Jonathan Martinez in the AA phase:

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/M/Jonathan-Martinez.shtml

He is strictly minor league filler. Plays multiple positions, hits like Mother Theresa (now, not in her prime).

Probably every bit the player LH is.

[olehippi]

For whatever reason, the "baseball minds" controlling the O's for the last 10+ years have taken us down a dark and dismal road because of their decision making. An now, with AM - and his supposed brilliant baseball mind - makes a move eerily similiar to previous leadership....ie, passing over Barton and selecting Bierd. I would have jumped on Barton, warts and all....but then, that's just my opinion.

[Mackus]

For whatever reason, the "baseball minds" controlling the O's for the last 10+ years have taken us down a dark and dismal road because of their decision making. An now, with AM - and his supposed brilliant baseball mind - makes a move eerily similiar to previous leadership....ie, passing over Barton and selecting Bierd. I would have jumped on Barton, warts and all....but then, that's just my opinion.

Huh?

Bierd looks to be a lot better and much, much more likely to be a solid MLB player than Barton, IMO. You certainly can't say passing Barton for Bierd was a terrible move. If Barton was such a sure thing, 9 other players wouldn't have been taken before him.

[TGO]

Huh?

Bierd looks to be a lot better and much, much more likely to be a solid MLB player than Barton, IMO. You certainly can't say passing Barton for Bierd was a terrible move. If Barton was such a sure thing, 9 other players wouldn't have been taken before him.

Plus, you have to consider which player you can keep on the roster all year. Say the worst happens and the player you take is abysmal, just not ready for the big leagues, but you see signs that he can improve and be a contributor down the line. Which guy is easier to hide on the roster? A reliever, or an outfielder (when other outfielders on your roster include such luminaries as Jay Payton and Tike Redman)? Take the reliever, who can be used in mop up duty, can work on the side with Kranitz, etc. It's easier for pitchers to get back into it after being out of it for a while. Hitters need to catch up to game speed, etc.

[olehippi]

Huh?

Bierd looks to be a lot better and much, much more likely to be a solid MLB player than Barton, IMO. You certainly can't say passing Barton for Bierd was a terrible move. If Barton was such a sure thing, 9 other players wouldn't have been taken before him.

Like I said, it's just my opinion. But Barton could have cheaply filled an immediate hole in CF, or could have been a solid 4th OF'er. He is very intelligent....he has a degree in aerospace engineering....and he definitely has the tools. As for why the other teams passed...probably the same reason that the O's did....the knee problem.

And it's not that Bierd doesn't look promising, it's that the O's FO are making the same mistake...out of desperation?.... that they made with some other MiL pitchers....expecting them to make the jump from AA to the majors and be successful.

[mikegallo]

Shocker we pass up on Barton who didnt see that coming

But we picked up a very promising arm nice pick Andy I

like your style.

[mikegallo]

Like I said, it's just my opinion. But Barton could have cheaply filled an immediate hole in CF, or could have been a solid 4th OF'er. He is very intelligent....he has a degree in aerospace engineering....and he definitely has the tools. As for why the other teams passed...probably the same reason that the O's did....the knee problem.

And it's not that Bierd doesn't look promising, it's that the O's FO are making the same mistake...out of desperation?.... that they made with some other MiL pitchers....expecting them to make the jump from AA to the majors and be successful.

I think its more the Question of his character by some scouts..I agree though i would have taken him and given him a shot.

Wonder if we already filled the spot Murton kemp Nick I love that outfield

[clarence]

The problem with taking Barton is that we are still sitting on a roster loaded with Payton, Gibbons and Huff. Add a cf in a trade and your at five outfielders and I don't see those three getting moved and you know they wont outright release Gibbons without at least seeing him in spring training. Our roster sucks so bad we have to pass on guys like Barton.

SG, I totally agree with your assessment of wasting our tradeable players on bullpen arms. I take a chance on a younger prospect with upside rather than taking guys like Broxton. That said, what kind of player (minor leaguer) in your opinion would it take to have traded for Bierd? Seems to me that is what we should be doing.

[tywright]

It sort of sounds like the name of a Bond villain.

Roch stole this from you.

Rule 5

The Orioles selected a relief pitcher from the Tigers' organization in today's Rule 5 draft. His name is Randor Bierd (sounds like a villain in a James Bond flick) and he's a 23-year-old right-hander who finished 2007 at Double-A Erie.

Bierd was 1-1 with a 2.05 ERA in 15 games at the low Single-A level before moving up to Erie, where he went 3-2 with a 3.35 ERA and one save in 27 games, including three starts. He allowed 31 hits, walked 10 and struck out 52 in 45 2/3 innings. He surrendered only one home run.

Bierd is 12-18 with a 4.39 ERA in four minor league seasons. He's made 28 starts among his 95 appearances, striking out 261 and walking 79 in 260 1/3 innings.

If he sticks with the club, it'll most likely be as a middle reliever and mop-up guy. I can't imagine that the Orioles envision him taking over eighth-inning set-up duties.

There's always the chance that the club tries to swing a trade in spring training so they can send him to the minors instead of returning him to the Tigers