One Scout?

[Tony-OH]

Stockstill responds: http://www.orioleshangout.com/ttakeArticle.asp?ID=1322&page=ttake

[Who's On 1st]

Nice post.....

I have chatted with Dave many times in Bowie and he seems to be very willing to discuss how the players are coming along.

[RShack]

Stockstill responds: http://www.orioleshangout.com/ttakeArticle.asp?ID=1322&page=ttake

Well, how cool is that? We start off with some premise, based on what somebody saw somewhere... and the premise is completely wrong, but we have a little argument about it anyway... and in the end we end up learning something about the Actual Truth. Very nice. Thanks to David Stockstill for giving a damn and passing the word along.

I wish we could learn more stuff this way (except maybe for the wrong-premise part ;-) I understand that Andy & Co. aren't gonna go spilling the beans about anything they don't want everybody to know, which is fine with me. I don't want everybody knowing my secrets either. But it sure would be nice if we could learn more about the organization and how it does things. So, if there's anyway that Tony & Co. can have conversations with David or other people from Andy & Co., just to clue us in about aspects of how things actually work, that would be truly great.

We know pretty much how Andy views the task at hand, and we know the kinds of priorities he seems to have set. But that's been mainly about talent issues. I wish we could find out more about player-development issues. How has the franchise looked recently, not about kid-players, but about how the system does at developing those kid-players? What's the list of pro's and con's about how it's been? What's the priority list for improving things? Does Andy have an old dog-earred copy of "The Oriole Way" lying around? Is he getting it xeroxed for everybody? Etc., etc. Whatever we could learn about the Actual Truth would be wonderful.

It'd also be wonderful to just know more Actual Facts about the scouting side of things. How many scouts are where? Who are these guys? How does the FO deal with whatever the scouts tell them? It would we great if we could get a day-in-the-life scenario about how things happen for the people involved. Not to second-guess, but just to learn and better understand. These are the hidden members of the Oriole family, but what they do looms very large. We have some clue about what DT does. It's probably not a complete or accurate clue, but at least it's some clue. I wish we had a clue about what the rest of the folks do, the guys who we never see. They're just as much a part of how Oriole baseball actually happens as the stuff we read about in the papers.

[wayne25]

Well, how cool is that? We start off with some premise, based on what somsomewhereebody saw ... and the premise is completely wrong, but we have a little argument about it anyway... and in the end we end up learning something about the Actual Truth. Very nice. Thanks to David Stockstill for giving a damn and passing the word along.

I wish we could learn more stuff this way (except maybe for the wrong-premise part ;-) I understand that Andy & Co. aren't gonna go spilling the beans about anything they don't want everybody to know, which is fine with me. I don't want everybody knowing my secrets either. But it sure would be nice if we could learn more about the organization and how it does things. So, if there's anyway that Tony & Co. can have conversations with David or other people from Andy & Co., just to clue us in about aspects of how things actually work, that would be truly great.

We know pretty much how Andy views the task at hand, and we know the kinds of priorities he seems to have set. But that's been mainly about talent issues. I wish we could find out more about player-development issues. How has the franchise looked recently, not about kid-players, but about how the system does at developing those kid-players? What's the list of pro's and con's about how it's been? What's the priority list for improving things? Does Andy have an old dog-earred copy of "The Oriole Way" lying around? Is he getting it xeroxed for everybody? Etc., etc. Whatever we could learn about the Actual Truth would be wonderful.

It'd also be wonderful to just know more Actual Facts about the scouting side of things. How many scouts are where? Who are these guys? How does the FO deal with whatever the scouts tell them? It would we great if we could get a day-in-the-life scenario about how things happen for the people involved. Not to second-guess, but just to learn and better understand. These are the hidden members of the Oriole family, but what they do looms very large. We have some clue about what DT does. It's probably not a complete or accurate clue, but at least it's some clue. I wish we had a clue about what the rest of the folks do, the guys who we never see. They're just as much a part of how Oriole baseball actually happens as the stuff we read about in the papers.

Actually, it was posted right here at the HO, by Dr shorebird, on the springtraining info posted out front. I noted Dr. Shorebird had listed ONE dominican scout, and posed the question about that. I'd say that's a pretty valid source to ASK a question. I am in agreement however that it was nice of Mr. stockstill to take time to inform us. HOWEVER, THE line about not being able to compete for the Bonus babies is very misleading. It makes it sound as though only Boston and NY sign these guys. There are Many teams that sign them, including SF and Washington. So they need to step up and stop making excuses in this area. IMO

[Tony-OH]

Actually, it was posted right here at the HO, by Dr shorebird, on the springtraining info posted out front. I noted Dr. Shorebird had listed ONE dominican scout, and posed the question about that. I'd say that's a pretty valid source to ASK a question. I am in agreement however that it was nice of Mr. stockstill to take time to inform us. HOWEVER, THE line about not being able to compete for the Bonus babies is very misleading. It makes it sound as though only Boston and NY sign these guys. There are Many teams that sign them, including SF and Washington. So they need to step up and stop making excuses in this area. IMO

That was not his line, that was mine. I mentioned those teams because they are in our Division but I certainly agree there are more teams that go after the DR bonus babies. David doesn't see them getting into that area as of now, but that could change with the right player, right price.

[Frobby]

I think it is great that (1) Dave Stockstill looks at this forum, and (2) he took the time to answer this question. I feel much better informed about what we are doing in the Dominican now. So Dave, if you read this, you rock!

Now what we need to do is to put together a list of the dozens of other questions we'd like Dave to answer.....

[RShack]

I think it is great that (1) Dave Stockstill looks at this forum, and (2) he took the time to answer this question. I feel much better informed about what we are doing in the Dominican now. So Dave, if you read this, you rock!

I agree. Except #2 is way rarer than #1. I don't know how many people connected with the O's ever read things here. But, whatever that number is, it's way bigger than the number of people who bother to take a minute just to tell us the truth and give us a clue. Not that I blame them. They're getting paid to do their job, not babysit us. But still. It's a very important time for the O's, and it's nice when somebody takes a sec to clue us in about it.

Now what we need to do is to put together a list of the dozens of other questions we'd like Dave to answer.....

OK, I'll go first (since I already did ;-)

1. How has the franchise looked recently, not about kid-players, but about how the system does at developing those kid-players? Most everything on the planet has pro's and con's, and nobody's perfect. What's the list of pro's and con's about how the O's player-development system has been?

2. What's the priority list for improving things?

3. How is the Goal State different than it was back when The Oriole Way was working? How is the ideal the same? And how is it different?

[Frobby]

1. How has the franchise looked recently, not about kid-players, but about how the system does at developing those kid-players? Most everything on the planet has pro's and con's, and nobody's perfect. What's the list of pro's and con's about how the O's player-development system has been?

2. What's the priority list for improving things?

3. How is the Goal State different than it was back when The Oriole Way was working? How is the ideal the same? And how is it different?

I think your first question is a good one, but not one that Stockstill or anyone else would likely answer in public, as it could embarass certain persons with responsibility for certian areas.

However, I will offer one opinion of my own: player development is vastly superior now compared to when Flanagan took over. A couple of examples:

1. Strict enforcement of pitch limits on young pitchers.

2. Forcing young pitchers (e.g. Beato) to work on secondary pitches rather than just relying on their best pitch.

3. Drastic reduction in the number of serious arm injuries to pitchers (see no. 1).

4. More uniform drills installed throughout the minors (instituted by Doc Rodgers when Beattie and Flanagan first arrived).

5. Replacement of a number of managers and coaches who weren't cutting it (not sure I agree with every move, but overall the quality is way up).

6. Much more of an effort not to rush players before they are ready.

There may be a few more things that Tony, Doc Shorebird and the other OH staff could add.

[Tony-OH]

Guys, please don't post questions expecting David Stockstill or any other executive to answer them.

We'll try to arrange an official question and answer with David sometime in the future, but it's unfair to start throwing out questions with the expectation of a response.

David and others have taken the time to contact us when they want to talk directly to our Hangouters and we appreciate them doing this. However, we don't set expectations nor should we.

We appreciate your support and of course, if you have a burning question, ask it, and I'll see what I know or can come up with by calling around.

Just remember, I have much better contacts within the minor league system and scouting sides of the house then the major league team right now, but hopefully we can change that this year. No Andy MacPhail on speed dial yet.

[Frobby]

Guys, please don't post questions expecting David Stockstill or any other executive to answer them.

I hope you realize I was just kidding, Tony, hence the in my post.

On the other hand, I would be interested in what you have to say in answer to RShack's questions, especially question no. 1. I still haven't forgotten the article you wrote right at the end of the Thrift regime that spelled out in exquisite detail how disorganized the whole minor league operation was at the time. I'd love that to be reprinted sometime so we could all remind ourselves just what the situation was when Flanagan arrived.

[NewMarketSean]

And to think, Rshack was fine with 1 scout.

[Tony-OH]

I hope you realize I was just kidding, Tony, hence the in my post.

On the other hand, I would be interested in what you have to say in answer to RShack's questions, especially question no. 1. I still haven't forgotten the article you wrote right at the end of the Thrift regime that spelled out in exquisite detail how disorganized the whole minor league operation was at the time. I'd love that to be reprinted sometime so we could all remind ourselves just what the situation was when Flanagan arrived.

The God's honest truth answer is I was more involved with the minor leagues back when I did the Thrift piece and now, after tours in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as being in Hawaii for three years, I'm just getting my contacts and information back up within the system.

It use to be I had sat down and chatted with just about every player and seen them play multiple times by the time they reached Bowie, but now there are several guys I haven't seen very much and I don't know too many of the players personally. With the change in managers and instructors, this is going to be a year in which we have to beat the bushes a little more to get caught up.

That's going to start with me going down to Sarasota right after Easter for three days and with our minor league reporters doing a lot of legwork once the season starts. I will be going to a lot more games this year, but I also have to do my major league stuff as well.

What I do know is that the system's talent is beginning to improve, but it still has a ways to go in the positional prospects. I agree that there has been a marked improvement in pitching injuries and I'm interested myself as to why. It'll be interesting to see what the people closest to the situation believe is the reason for the recent run of success.

Is it better scouting? Better development? Luck? I really don't know the answer.

Hitting development remains an issue and again, I don't know the answers. Nick Markakis and Brian Roberts are the only two players to be drafted and developed into solid everyday major league batters by the Orioles over the last 12 years of so and that covers three different scouting directors and four different Farm Directors.

Is is the scouting or is it the minor league development? Or is it a combination of both?

The Orioles drafts are littered with absolutely terrible picks on the offensive end, but other than Jayson Werth, very few players have found better success when they left the organization, so it does lead me to believe it's been bad drafting or bad drafting philosophies.

Obviously a player like Matt Wieters or even Nolan Reimold if he stays healthy could be the third player to be developed, and Billy Rowell and Brandon Snyder still hold tremendous promise, but the Orioles weak part of their minor league system remains on the offensive end and I don't have the answers as to why.

Maybe by the end of the year I'll at least have some theories.

[Frobby]

The God's honest truth answer is I was more involved with the minor leagues back when I did the Thrift piece and now, after tours in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as being in Hawaii for three years, I'm just getting my contacts and information back up within the system.

That is refreshingly honest.

Hitting development remains an issue and again, I don't know the answers. Nick Markakis and Brian Roberts are the only two players to be drafted and developed into solid everyday major league batters by the Orioles over the last 12 years of so and that covers three different scouting directors and four different Farm Directors.

Is is the scouting or is it the minor league development? Or is it a combination of both?

One thing that has struck me is that the Orioles (I think) have had a roving minor league pitching instructor who ensures that pitching is taught in a uniform way throughout the system, but I'm not sure there always has been an equivalent hitting instructor (although it looks like they have one now). The teams all have pitching coaches, but it seems there is no coach whose sole responsibility is to coach hitting, rather they have managers and then other coaches with general responsibilities. I could be wrong about that, but that's what Doc's org chart seems to suggest. Is that typical in other organizations?

[RShack]

Guys, please don't post questions expecting David Stockstill or any other executive to answer them.

I'm already there. These guys have actual jobs to do, they're not paid for fooling around with us.

We'll try to arrange an official question and answer with David sometime in the future, but it's unfair to start throwing out questions with the expectation of a response.

I completely agree. In my initial response for this, I was wishing for exactly what you just said. Thanks!

ps: My personal opinion is that it's fine to come up with things that we're curious about. I don't expect David or anybody else with the O's to answer them directly here. No matter what they said, it would never be enough, there would always be more stuff asked of them. No good deed goes unpunished, etc.

[RShack]

And to think, Rshack was fine with 1 scout.

Do you read? Here's a direct quote from my post: "I don't know how many they need either, but they are going-in on that baseball academy, and in general are acting like they've got a clue. So how come you're so sure they're idiots if they have 1 guy?"