Matt Hobgood - is there hope? (No, there is not. Indy League bound.)

[McLovin]

Anyone have any articles or info on Hobgood?

The only thing that I can add here is that I know he's working out - hard - with Dylan Bundy. Those who know that workout know it's no joke. Just following him on Twtitter, it would seem that his head is in the right place.

[sangar]

I have nothing to add, but I do want to say that this sounds like pretty darn good news to me. Good luck to Matt.

[panick]

If Hobgood or Klein com back, every pitcher with a shoulder injury should be sent to Dr. Craig Morgan. It would be a great story to see what a healthy Hobgood actually looks like.

I'm assuming that being in shape is part of your 'healthy' description. From what I've read on this board, Hobgood hasn't been 'healthy' since he signed his contract.

[Frobby]

I still have some hope. We'll see.

[indianstick]

He looks like he's in good shape from some of his twitter pics but from what I remember when we drafted him, his curveball was very highly graded and if he is still able to command it with great break, his fastball doesn't have to be in the mid 90s for him to be effective he just has to mix his pitches pretty well. If he can throw it close to 90 and mix up a change up with those two pitches, he could be a steve johnson type pitcher.

Basically, yes I still have hope. Hope that he can be a 3 pitch pitcher (fb, curveball and change up) and mix them up pretty well, hope that he can stay healthy! and hope that he can climb a couple levels in the minors this season. I haven't seen any new articles of him since he was shelved for the whole 2012 season due to his shoulder injury.

[glenn__davis]

I have never totally given up hope on Hobgood. It is clear he hasn't been totally healthy since the start of his career. Those saying he was a reach at #5 have almost certainly been proven correct; however, he still was projected by most as a mid-late first round pick, and those guys aren't talentless hacks. But obviously in order to even think about progressing he has to be healthy.

[aggie]

If he is healthy I have great hope for Matt. He worked hard all summer in Sarasota and he is my pick for comeback player of the year. He has never been healthy since turning pro. I hope he gets a chance. I look for Ryan Berry to get healthy and make a move as a reliever in 2013 too.

[RVAbird]

He's got mid-rotation upside if he's actually healthy, but after essentially punting his age 19-21 seasons he's a long shot to hit it. Those are critical ages for physical and mental development in the game. I'm rooting for Hobgood but not expecting a ton.

If his velo comes back he could end up a solid two-pitch reliever. Despite the arm trouble he's still been able to keep the ball on the ground.

[notyourbuddy]

Who :scratchchinhmm:

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Out of curiosity does anyone remember the other names we were hoping the Os would draft in that spot?

- Tyler Matzek was one wasn't he? (looks like a bust)

- Grant Green (progressing fairly nicely - almost MLB ready?)

- Zach Wheeler (doing fairly well)

- Alex White (already at the Majors, but 'meh' performance up here so far)

[DrOrioles90210]

Who :scratchchinhmm:

------------------------------------

Out of curiosity does anyone remember the other names we were hoping the Os would draft in that spot?

- Tyler Matzek was one wasn't he? (looks like a bust)

- Grant Green (progressing fairly nicely - almost MLB ready?)

- Zach Wheeler (doing fairly well)

- Alex White (already at the Majors, but 'meh' performance up here so far)

You can add Jake Turner, Aaron Crow, Matt Purke, Tanner Scheppers, and Shelby Miller to that list.

[toppcatt]

Even out of the bullpen would be a plus.

[Cheese Oriole]

Even out of the bullpen would be a plus.

"We don't care," Jordan said. "I am not trying to be arrogant. We worked really hard, and I think our process is sound. This is the guy we decided to take, and we feel really good about it."

The Orioles contacted Hobgood's agent an hour before Tuesday's draft and said if University of North Carolina first baseman Dustin Ackley was already taken, then the Orioles would select Hobgood fifth.

Ackley went to the Seattle Mariners at No. 2, one pick after the Washington Nationals took ballyhooed San Diego State right-hander Stephen Strasburg. The Orioles' next two rated players, Hobgood and Georgia high school right-hander Zack Wheeler, were still on the board at No. 5.

"It was a tough one," Jordan said. "In the end, there was something that told me to do this. I really liked the other player, but I settled on the one I guess I liked a little bit more."

[Redgrape]

I think we should not think of him as a prospect. Prospects have never fit his current profile.

[Moose Milligan]

Nope.

Make him a hitter.

Gotta like the effort, though.

[waroriole]

"We don't care," Jordan said. "I am not trying to be arrogant. We worked really hard, and I think our process is sound. This is the guy we decided to take, and we feel really good about it."

The Orioles contacted Hobgood's agent an hour before Tuesday's draft and said if University of North Carolina first baseman Dustin Ackley was already taken, then the Orioles would select Hobgood fifth.

Ackley went to the Seattle Mariners at No. 2, one pick after the Washington Nationals took ballyhooed San Diego State right-hander Stephen Strasburg. The Orioles' next two rated players, Hobgood and Georgia high school right-hander Zack Wheeler, were still on the board at No. 5.

"It was a tough one," Jordan said. "In the end, there was something that told me to do this. I really liked the other player, but I settled on the one I guess I liked a little bit more."

Ugh, how do you "settle" on someone you like better. I don't know if JJ just didn't have enough money to go after a really big draft class, or if he just poorly utilized his resources, but the end result was terrible failure.