Poll: Day 1

[YardBirds13]

I hate trying to grade drafts on draft day. You just dont know. Not picking on the OP, just saying in general, for all drafts. Let's just wait and see.

So Incomplete would be my choice.

[JTrea81]

Maybe fewer picks was a good thing for Jordan in the past two drafts...

[SoBo]

Well, I've been in meetings all day and it seems like Joe Jordan just got dumb over night. Yes, I was pulling for Smoak at 4, but I like the Matusz pick very much. I actually like the fact that the guy didn't rely on his fastball for his success in College. What a moron Jordan is for taking a guy that can actually pitch, instead of a guy that can throw really hard.

Onto the Avery selection. I love when people get all bent by previous failures from similar players. Kind of like the group that hates Flacco because Boller sucks. Or this Avery guy sounds a lot like Darnell McDonald, what a terrible pick. Yet he compares to Carl Crawford. How many times have people gotten fired up for passing on Crawford for Reed and Bigbie? Both College players, btw.

I'm sorry guys, but this uproar over these first 5 picks is laughable to me. Ryan Minor was the next Cal, how did that work out? Or Jeffrey Hammonds was the next Rickey Henderson. Joe Jordan has done a fine job evaluating talent in the past 2 drafts, I don't see how this one should be viewed any different. The FO has repeatedly stated that you do not draft for need in baseball. So why are we so shocked that the draft unfolded in this fashion?

[Frobby]

Of course, I really have no idea, and only time will tell how good these picks were. But we didn't address needs at all, and our 2nd - 4th rounders all sounded like reaches. So I gave the draft a D. But, for all I really know, it could turn out to be an A.

[TonySoprano]

We traded Tejada and Bedard to help jumpstart our farm system. What did we accomplish today on that end?

[SoBo]

Of course, I really have no idea, and only time will tell how good these picks were. But we didn't address needs at all, and our 2nd - 4th rounders all sounded like reaches. So I gave the draft a D. But, for all I really know, it could turn out to be an A.

I guess that's my point. Unlike football, where draft picks are relatively projectable, baseball is much more difficult. I gave it an A- based largely on the fast track that Matusz is going to be on and the immediate impact he should make and Jordan's previous track record. AM has made it clear that he wants to build around pitching and defense. Seems like mission accomplished to me. And the fact that AM also has stated on several occasions that he feels you can buy your bats in FA. I tend to agree with him. In reality, grading a baseball draft seems rather silly to me.

[SoBo]

We traded Tejada and Bedard to help jumpstart our farm system. What did we accomplish today on that end?

Bedard's heir apparent, Carl Crawford and BRobs successor. Sounds good to me.

[theobird]

We traded Tejada and Bedard to help jumpstart our farm system. What did we accomplish today on that end?

Well I would say we got a LHSP who is thought to be very close to ML ready right now, followed by 4 very good athletes who run well including a middle IFer. The response to this draft makes me laugh. No matter who they picked, we were going to have to wait at least a couple years to be able to grade the draft out.

[IamtheSkip]

They drafted like they already had some good young position players on the club, and they were trying to just get some guys in the pipeline for a ways down the road.

That's not even close to the case.

[SoBo]

They drafted like they already had some good young position players on the club, and they were trying to just get some guys in the pipeline for a ways down the road.

That's not even close to the case.

Maybe they didn't like the position prospects available when they were selecting (besides Smoak who they have stated they liked) and plan on moving the wealth of pitching talent to fill those holes? Rome wasn't built in a day. And the draft is just one tool for filling holes on your ML squad.

[Camden_yardbird]

I voted but I really think I have to wait for a statment from Jordan about what he was doing before giving a first evaluation. He could see some promising angles that not even the best evaluator on this board could see.

[Three Run Homer]

I hate this draft. Matusz is a good prospect but we needed an impact bat at this spot and we didn't take one. I don't know why we're taking all of these speedy slap-hitter types. It's very hard for a player with no power at low levels of competition to maintain their success as they move up the ladder.

Matusz will be a good pitcher. None of the other picks so far will do a damn thing in the major leagues in my opinion.

[Camden_yardbird]

I also don't see how getting the consensus best pitcher in the draft makes it a bad draft either. Seriously, most everyone thought Matusz was the best pitcher in the draft and we got him, how could that ever be bad. Seems kind of petulant to me.

[SoBo]

I could be wrong, but wasn't Reimold a major reach in the 2nd round a few years back? Now he's considered one of the best corner OF prospects in baseball. I'll reserve judgement for a few years.

[napbow]

I love the Matusz pick. I am disgusted with the fact that we picked Matt Angle three more times. It's not the individual players, its the fact they basically all have the same evaluation.

D.

The worst part about this is that I was thinking to myself at 1:00 PM that "this is the most important draft in the O's history."

I hope this post makes me look foolish.