Who do you want to trade the farm for.

[DrungoHazewood]

Who was the guy who thought signing a New Zealand-based softballer was a good idea? Is he still around?

I thought that was a great idea. Cost about a buck fifty, and showed the organzation was willing to look under every rock for talent. Zero risk, low-to-moderate chance of reward. The only "risk" was people mocking the organization, but all innovation carries the risk of infuriating hidebound traditionalists.

One of 1,000 things the MacPhail and prior flavors of the organization did wrong was putting on blinders and refusing to accept that there was talent available somewhere besides the draft and trades.

[MrOrange82]

I thought that was a great idea. Cost about a buck fifty, and showed the organzation was willing to look under every rock for talent. Zero risk, low-to-moderate chance of reward. The only "risk" was people mocking the organization, but all innovation carries the risk of infuriating hidebound traditionalists.

One of 1,000 things the MacPhail and prior flavors of the organization did wrong was putting on blinders and refusing to accept that there was talent available somewhere besides the draft and trades.

"Off the beaten path" talent might exist, but the O's sure didn't find it in New Zealand.

[weams]

I thought that was a great idea. Cost about a buck fifty, and showed the organzation was willing to look under every rock for talent. Zero risk, low-to-moderate chance of reward. The only "risk" was people mocking the organization, but all innovation carries the risk of infuriating hidebound traditionalists.

One of 1,000 things the MacPhail and prior flavors of the organization did wrong was putting on blinders and refusing to accept that there was talent available somewhere besides the draft and trades.

Pita Rona is six foot seven 210 lbs. He is learning to hit I do not think he will make it. But he is a beast of a kid in person. Big. Strong. Kinda like when they turn those soccer players into basketball players when they are Seven feet tall.

[DrungoHazewood]

"Off the beaten path" talent might exist, but the O's sure didn't find it in New Zealand.

You're going to miss on some things. The world works that way. If you don't you're being far too conservative. They're far better off with a plan than includes New Zealand softballers than one that relies solely on a half dozen good draftees a year.

[weams]

"Off the beaten path" talent might exist, but the O's sure didn't find it in New Zealand.

He sure was someone worth taking a shot on. He still has as much chance of making the majors as any of the 600k Dominican 16 year olds.

[Can_of_corn]

Pita Rona is six foot seven 210 lbs. He is learning to hit I do not think he will make it. But he is a beast of a kid in person. Big. Strong. Kinda like when they turn those soccer players into basketball players when they are Seven feet tall.

Shame Baseball is so hard to learn.

In related news Bubba Starling had a good week recently.

[weams]

Is Bubba playing football again? Because he will never play baseball. I mean in the MLB.

[Can_of_corn]

Is Bubba playing football again? Because he will never play baseball. I mean in the MLB.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/prospect-hot-sheet-july-25-glasnow-retains-top-spot/

Team: high Class A Wilmington (Carolina)

Age: 21

Why He’s Here: .524/.583/.810 (11-for-21), 6 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 5 RBIs, 3 BB, 4 SO, 2-for-2 SB

The Scoop: Starling hit .127 in April and pretty much erased any good memories of a strong finish at low Class A Lexington last summer. Here we are in July and once again, he’s starting to put things together. Starling is hitting .319/.358/.458 this month while cutting his strikeout rate to reasonable levels (though he still ranks second in the Carolina League with 112). He still has problems squaring up the ball to let his natural power play, but he clearly doesn’t need to get sized for shoulder pads yet.

I like his chances better then I do Hobgood's.

[MrOrange82]

You're going to miss on some things. The world works that way. If you don't you're being far too conservative. They're far better off with a plan than includes New Zealand softballers than one that relies solely on a half dozen good draftees a year.

I don't think it's an either/or proposition concerning the two plans you laid out. Rona was a pretty silly signing.

[davidhusker]

I voted Price and Beltre, although more so on price. I'd give up Rodriguez and Bundy for Beltre but that would be the end of Hardy so you might as well throw him in and get one of the Rangers good pitching prospects back.

[Can_of_corn]

I don't think it's an either/or proposition concerning the two plans you laid out. Rona was a pretty silly signing.

I will take 100 Rona over one Seong-Min Kim.

[weams]

I don't think it's an either/or proposition concerning the two plans you laid out. Rona was a pretty silly signing.

Hardballtalk.

I learned about 10 million things when talking with Oakland’s Director of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi, who is utterly brilliant and will be a GM very soon. But one thing that sticks with me most is how the A’s will spend countless hours and endless energy trying to avoid traps. People who run baseball teams are constantly running into traps. This player throws 100 mph but can’t throw strikes — hey, take a chance. This player wants more money than he’s worth but can help the team — hey, take a chance. This player can’t hit yet but his attitude is off the chart — hey, take a chance. This player is a local legend and people are saying he’s a future star — hey, take a chance. All of these are traps.

The A’s take chances too … but they are very careful to make bets they believe in. And the A’s would NEVER bet on Bubba Starling, not even if he grew up inside O.co stadium. Starling has power, he has speed, he has extraordinary athleticism … and he strikes out three times as much as he walks. That’s all the A’s need to know. The A’s will never, ever bet on young players who are that overmatched in the strike zone. That’s not to say that those players always fail — some develop plate discipline and become good players. Some become stars. But the A’s don’t have the money or resources to bet on longshots. And make no mistake: Players who strike out three times more than they walk are longshots.

In a way, this is the Billy Beane “we’re not looking to sell jeans” philosophy. He tries to build an organization that does not care how a player looks and, instead, cares about how a player performs. Bubba Starling can do things that make your jaw drop. He can unload 500-foot home runs, he can steal bases standing up, he can leave you awestruck. But he can’t hit, and the A’s would never bet that he will learn. The Royals did.

I’m not sure you could do much better in describing the difference between the Royals and the A’s than this.

In the 2011 first round, the Royals took Bubba Starling — a spectacular local athlete whose supporters called him “toolsy and raw.” The Royals, because they’re the Royals, didn’t care enough about the raw part He’s currently hitting .186 with a .286 slugging percentage in Class A Wilmington with 61 strikeouts against 22 walks.

Later in the 2011 first round, the A’s took Sonny Gray — a gifted pitcher with a dazzling curveball who led Vanderbilt to their first College World Series. Some scouts were down on him because he’s only 5-foot-11. The A’s, because they’re the A’s, didn’t give a damn about that. He’s currently 6-1 with a 2.45 ERA.

[Can_of_corn]

Hardballtalk.

Yet they fell into the 10 million dollar closer trap.

Isn't it ironic, dontcha think?

[foxfield]

Best answer given has been none.

[MrOrange82]

I will take 100 Rona over one Seong-Min Kim.

If you're trying to line up some kind of internet arms/drug deal, you're barking up the wrong...poster on an Orioles message board.