Does anyone believe the payroll with be $100 million?

[mdbdotcom]

Also none of the guys mentioned above was drafted by the Orioles. Who was the guy the O's drafted outside the top 12 or so that's been productive for the Orioles? I can't think of anyone on the current roster.

Not many on the current roster drafted by the O's, but the recently departed Jim Johnson was a 5th round pick.

[Ibanezsondajuice]

Easy to say that now. Obviously by that criteria the Orioles are not a smart team.

[weams]

Once you get beyond the top 5 or so picks, its pretty much a crapshoot in the MLB draft. You can often get a guy with just as much potential in the 3rd or 4th round then mid 1st round... scouting is such an inexact science in baseball that its tough to worry about draft spot that much.

I'd love to agree with this. But I don't think it is true now with the new slotting which prevents true overslot picks. Almost all of the good players taken in third or fourth round were guys who slipped due to demands. That can no longer be fulfilled with the current format. It took the Boston and Rays draft tool away from them.

[Ibanezsondajuice]

Ok and out of how many picks and Jim Johnson is the best one made by the O's outside the top 12 in ten years?

[Austin]

I didn't say there was no talent. But your odds of picking one is not great. I don't think they've done it since Brian Roberts have they?

It's hard to draft late in the first round when you are a perennial losing team for 14 years. Before 2013, the Orioles hadn't had a late first round draft pick since 2001.

The Orioles actually got pretty good value with Hunter Harvey last year with the 22nd pick.

[Ibanezsondajuice]

I mean with any pick outside the top 10 or 12. 2nd round. 3rd round. 30th round. Harvey remains to be seen.

[Austin]

I mean with any pick outside the top 10 or 12. 2nd round. 3rd round. 30th round. Harvey remains to be seen.

What are you looking for, superstar players? The Orioles have developed Jim Johnson, Nolan Reimold, David Hernandez, Chris Ray, Erik Bedard, John Maine, Zach Britton, Brad Bergesen and some others - all drafted after the first round. Not the greatest list in the world but still major league talent.

[Ibanezsondajuice]

I'd rather have Cruz or Morales or Ubaldo or Santana than any of those guys. And that's out of about 400 picks in 10 years?

[Austin]

I'd rather have Cruz or Morales or Ubaldo or Santana than any of those guys. And that's out of about 400 picks in 10 years?

That'st just off the top of my head, I didn't pour through spreadsheets of all the Orioles picks. I'm OK with losing the pick for Ubaldo or Santana but I can't get behind signing Cruz.

[Ibanezsondajuice]

That's because they haven't produced anyone outside of the no brainer top picks like Wieters, Markakis, and Machado

[Can_of_corn]

That's because they haven't produced anyone outside of the no brainer top picks like Wieters, Markakis, and Machado

Shows how little you know. Markakis wasn't a "no brainer" pick, he was signability pick.

If you can't even get that right...

[Ripken]

I think Morales would be a great addition in the 5 hole. I just hate that there's a pick attached. Same with the couple of solid pitcher left. There's a case to be made that signing two of those guys, and losing the 2nd, would be worth it. Add two good players and just know this draft will suffer. Hopefully next year the only real money would go to extending CD (mostly covered by Nick going away) and you have all your picks again. I'm perfectly fine with Wieters leaving and I don't think JJ will be hard to extend. Manny has a bunch of control years left. It's really not that bad... but they need to do something

[weams]

Shows how little you know. Markakis wasn't a "no brainer" pick, he was signability pick.

If you can't even get that right...

I think Andy was appalled that we had drafted Wieters

[Ibanezsondajuice]

Whether they were no brainer or not I guess is a matter of opinion. My point is the only ones we've gotten right are ones in the top 7 overall.

[weams]

I think Morales would be a great addition in the 5 hole. I just hate that there's a pick attached. Same with the couple of solid pitcher left. There's a case to be made that signing two of those guys, and losing the 2nd, would be worth it. Add two good players and just know this draft will suffer. Hopefully next year the only real money would go to extending CD (mostly covered by Nick going away) and you have all your picks again. I'm perfectly fine with Wieters leaving and I don't think JJ will be hard to extend. Manny has a bunch of control years left. It's really not that bad... but they need to do something

Unfortunately, I've read that this years is an extremely strong and deep draft for pitching. And if we don't have a pick or two, someone else gets two good pitchers.