Duquette signs two more international prospects.

[mcgraw238]

Stop the Presses!

Dang, who would have thought this?

I'm know, ground breaking stuff. But, seeing us listed dead last still makes me shake my head in frustration.

[Redskins Rick]

I'm know, ground breaking stuff. But, seeing us listed dead last still makes me shake my head in frustration.

I agree totally, sucks, but something this organization does, shouldn't surprise, but in black and white, it does.

[NCRaven]

This does not include Henry Urrutia or Dariel Alverez since they were not included in the international bonus pool. That would make a significant difference.

[mcgraw238]

This does not include Henry Urrutia or Dariel Alverez since they were not included in the international bonus pool. That would make a significant difference.

The BA list is based on the 2013 calendar year so Urrutia is rightfully excluded. Alvarez is noted in the second paragraph along with Jose Abreu and others. Adding Alvarez only moves us up one slot to 29th, so I'm not sure the impact is significant.

[scOtt]

This does not include Henry Urrutia or Dariel Alverez since they were not included in the international bonus pool. That would make a significant difference.

I was going to say. We'd still be ranked pretty low but not dead last.

[Ruzious]

Clete Boyer defensively and will hit in the middle of a ML lineup. That's looking at a drop in a big glass and calling the glass half full.

[scOtt]

Clete Boyer defensively and will hit in the middle of a ML lineup. That's looking at a drop in a big glass and calling the glass half full.

I'll take Fred's opinion.

[Frobby]

I don't care what they spend, I care what results they get.

[mcgraw238]

I don't care what they spend, I care what results they get.

Duly noted. So your at piece with seeing the club at the bottom of the list?

[Frobby]

Duly noted. So your at piece with seeing the club at the bottom of the list?

I'm not thrilled with it, to be honest. But here's what I do know: since Duquette arrived in November 2011, we've signed Wei-Yin Chen, Miguel Gonzalez, Henry Urrutia, Dariel Alvarez, and three young guys who are pretty highly touted, among others. That's a pretty decent start. At Fanfest, it was very clear that the O's international scouting staff feel they have a competitive advantage over many other teams because they are allowed to be aggressive in signing guys they find who have talent. So, I don't take this chart to be the definitive word on who is doing the best job of finding international talent. It's a chart showing who spent the most on a certain segment of that market.

[mcgraw238]

I'm not thrilled with it, to be honest. But here's what I do know: since Duquette arrived in November 2011, we've signed Wei-Yin Chen, Miguel Gonzalez, Henry Urrutia, Dariel Alvarez, and three young guys who are pretty highly touted, among others. That's a pretty decent start. At Fanfest, it was very clear that the O's international scouting staff feel they have a competitive advantage over many other teams because they are allowed to be aggressive in signing guys they find who have talent. So, I don't take this chart to be the definitive word on who is doing the best job of finding international talent. It's a chart showing who spent the most on a certain segment of that market.

I agree with your points and I think most agree we have made strides. The chart published by BA clearly limits the analysis to those subject to the bonus pool so the names you mentioned are filtered out. I'm happy to hear what the staff said at Fanfest though some of that type of talk has to be taken with a grain of salt. I don't think these types of charts, or payroll, or similar spending is ever a definitive word on who is doing the best job, but that doesn't change my position that I'd prefer we not be dead last in this particular category.

[Frobby]

I'm happy to hear what the staff said at Fanfest though some of that type of talk has to be taken with a grain of salt.

Absolutely. I'll say this, though -- it's the first Fanfest I've been to where there has been a panel on scouting. Just that alone tells you something about what Duquette thinks is important. Maduro (who, by the way, is the guy who signed Eduardo Rodriguez and Jonathan Schoop) seems like a very confident guy who really enjoys working under Duquette and with Fred Ferreira, and Kent Qualls (director of minor league operations) struck me as a very knowledgeable professional.

[Can_of_corn]

Diaz is HUGE.

Here he is next to Casilla.

[lovetoaster]

Diaz is HUGE.

Here he is next to Casilla.

That's a big dude for 17. And those are some interesting socks on Casilla.

[Can_of_corn]

That's a big dude for 17. And those are some interesting socks on Casilla.

It is good to see he and Schoop made it into camp at this early a date.

I am going to go out on a limb and say they need to get him into contact with a nutritionist before he leaves camp. If he is that big at now, he is going to need to stay on top of things. (not that he looks fat in that picture)