The Orioles Failed Prospect Team

[ChuckS]

Alex Ochoa had a decent career, mostly as a fourth outfielder and never played for us. He did net us Bobby Bonilla who helped us make the playoffs in 96. 

I wouldn't consider him a failed prospect either way. They can't all be stars.

Delmonico is still tbd and no longer in the organization.

lot of hot garbage from the late 90's and early 2000's.

[allquixotic]

A team's success or failure is largely dictated by their farm system and the ability to take top talent and make them viable ML players that can contend at a high level. Just a few massively successful prospects coming out of every year, or even every other year, can turn a team around instantly. Just look at Aaron Judge or Mike Trout. We've had non-losing records in the years Manny has been with us largely because of his success. 

I guess the difference is that teams like the Dodgers can insulate themselves against a horrible prospect year by purchasing successful ML veterans from other teams. We can't and never will, unless Baltimore grows economically at a much faster rate than LA and catches up to the point where our owner can put that kind of money down while still making a profit. Then we could sign Manny, Schoop and Bundy to long-term contracts, buy replacement-level pitchers to replace our failed starters, DFA Ubaldo, DFA Hardy and Davis and just buy good players that are better and less injury-prone to replace them.

[weams]

On 6/24/2017 at 2:00 AM, maybenxtyr said:

Matt Hobgood certainly deserves some love.

I'm sure his friends and family give him that. He's not a professional MLB player to get the fan adoration, unfortunately. But then, that's not really love. 

[weams]

On 6/24/2017 at 9:37 AM, Enjoy Terror said:

Why would Mychal Givens be on there?

Nick Delmonico is 24 in AAA with an .800 OPS. I think he's on a short list for a promotion soon.

Tony always liked him. I think he had a personal issue while with the Orioles and later the White Sox. He was young. 

[maybenxtyr]

18 minutes ago, weams said:

I'm sure his friends and family give him that. He's not a professional MLB player to get the fan adoration, unfortunately. But then, that's not really love. 

No, it was a bit of a joke. He was an early draft pick that just never had it happen.

[Ohfan67]

On 6/23/2017 at 9:40 PM, Malike said:

I guess I don't get why Givens is on the team. He's a legit ML player....  Don't tell me he is failed because he's a pitcher now, he's having a lot of success in the Majors.

Agree. I don't remember him being highly touted as a SS. I had never really heard of him until he was moved to the mound. 

[Frobby]

5 minutes ago, Ohfan67 said:

Agree. I don't remember him being highly touted as a SS. I had never really heard of him until he was moved to the mound. 

He was ranked our no. 2 or 3 prospect by OH one year, as an infielder, but he never hit.   

I will say, his infielder training serves him very well as a fielder on the mound.    He's got really good reflexes and instincts on anything hit in his vicinity.   

[Ohfan67]

34 minutes ago, Frobby said:

He was ranked our no. 2 or 3 prospect by OH one year, as an infielder, but he never hit.   

I will say, his infielder training serves him very well as a fielder on the mound.    He's got really good reflexes and instincts on anything hit in his vicinity.   

Man, I don't remember that at all. 

[Tony-OH]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

He was ranked our no. 2 or 3 prospect by OH one year, as an infielder, but he never hit.   

I will say, his infielder training serves him very well as a fielder on the mound.    He's got really good reflexes and instincts on anything hit in his vicinity.   

Yep, that was after his Aberdeen year and I liked what I saw from him there and during BP. The swing looked short and compact but he wasn't able to put it together as a hitter. Thankfully he did as a pitcher.

[Elbren]

On 6/24/2017 at 1:35 AM, Cumberbundy said:

There are the guys who were in the mlb top 100 to start the year. Most of the list was in the top 100. 

Jimmy Haynes pitched in the ML's for almost a decade.  While he certainly didn't reach his potential (he was mediocre, at best), he definitely had a better career than all of the guys you listed.

[Tony-OH]

In my mind, a failed prospect can't have any kind of major league career. Just playing a few years is quite an accomplishment so I would have a different list. Here's my failed prospect list:

C: Brandon Snyder - Yes, I know he now has 120 games in the major leagues, but as the 13th overall pick who was drafted over Jacoby Ellsbury he has failed
1B: Calvin Pickering - For a 35th selection he was great pick, but struggled in the major leagues despite being a top MLB prospect at one point.
2B: Mike Fontenot - Actually had a decent major league career with the Cubs, but as the 19th overall pick, he was selected over David Wright later in the round.
SS: Bryan Bass - 1st round sandwich selection that never got out AA
3B: Billy Rowell - Not only bombed, but was selected over Tim Lincecum
OF: Mark Smith - 9th overall selection ended up getting 1081 ML PAs, but mostly as a pinch hitter, 4/5 OF. Manny Ramirez was drafted 4 picks later.
OF: Drungo Hazewood - 19th overall selection got a cup of coffee and never a hit.
OF: Keith Reed - 23rd overall pick barely got a cup of coffee despite some good tools
DH: Rick Elder - Big 1st round pick cold hit a ball a country miles, but injuries and curveballs did him in eventually.
UTL: Ed Rogers - Aged three years one off season and his prospect status disappeared. Never quite made it to "The Next A-Rod" status.

P: Matt Hobgood - 5th overall pick was a disaster a pro
P: Garrett Olson - Was never able to pitch with a major league baseball. His curve left him in the majors.
P: Wade Townsend - Never signed as the 8th overall pick and eventually bombed in the Rays system. This was the draft that DeMacio reportedly was told to draft a college pitcher. Jered Weaver picked four picks later would have been a better choice.
P: Adam Loewen - 4th overall pick was selected over Zack Greinke (6) and Prince Fielder (8) not to mention Scott Kazmir (15), Nick Swisher (16) and Cole Hamels (17)
P: Chris Smith - Who can forget this 7th overall pick being hurt upon arrival? May be the worse pick in Orioles history.
P: Beau Hale - Succumbed to injuries an never made out of AA despite being 14th overall selection (Chase Utley was next pick)
P: Mike Paradis - 14th overall selection was never very good
P: Matt Riley - Probably the biggest developmental screw up in Orioles history. The talent was there but mismanagement led to injury and almost no big league career.
P: Alvie Shepherd - Imagine drafting a college pitcher with 5.71 ERA with 21st overall pick. Not surprising he bombed in the minors.
P: Chris Myers - 1987 7th overall pick washed out of organized minor league ball by age 23. Kevin Appier was selected tow picks later.
 

[Frobby]

I have trouble putting Fontenot on the list, because of the 50+ guys drafted at no. 19, his 4.5 rWAR ranks 14th.

I'll always feel that Loewen's failure was strictly injury-related.    That kid had talent.    

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I have trouble putting Fontenot on the list, because of the 50+ guys drafted at no. 19, his 4.5 rWAR ranks 14th.

I'll always feel that Loewen's failure was strictly injury-related.    That kid had talent.    

And he did make it to the majors as a position player.  Maybe if he had been a man of his word he would have done so for the O's?

[Frobby]

1 minute ago, Can_of_corn said:

And he did make it to the majors as a position player.  

And then back again as a pitcher.   Quite amazing.

[murph]

I had forgotten Riley even made it the majors and had to go look at what he did and he did something that has to be somewhat unique, I would think.  He has a career 0.0 War.  He managed 0.6 war in his strong 10 innings in 2003, but his stint with Texas in 2005 cancelled that out and 99 and 2004 cancel each other out.  

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rileyma01.shtml