Brian Graham talks Orioles prospects from Sarasota

[Luke-OH]

http://www.wbal.com/article/298783/21/brett-talks-to-brian-graham-about-the-orioles-top-prospects

Worth a listen, key things that stood out to me.

- Sedlock might not be fully healthy yet

- DL Hall throwing 92-94 deceptively easy in live BP

- He seemed to indicate that Tanner Scott was an opening day option for the big club, I'd previously heard he was definitely ticketed for Norfolk.

- He seemed very open to Mountcastle moving off third, pretty much saying I don't know where he'll end up

- Very excited about some of the young pitcher's bullpen sessions in minor league camp, he named Lowther, Baumann, Hall, Bishop, and Dietz. Not sure if it means anything, but Dietz was the first name out of his mouth.

- Praised Sisco's bat and defense

[eddie83]

I heard this the other day. 

He was very honest about Mountcastle. Didn’t waste time trying to sell anyone on his glove. 

I still think we should keep Chance down for a little bit not to waste a service year on him but it seems his odds of going north are decent. 

[interloper]

Is Mountcastle basically untradeable because teams know he has no defensive position? Outfield is a possibility but they haven't tested him there yet so there's no information. 

I'd really love it if we could flip him for a pitching prospect, but I feel like teams have already wised up about him.

[Luke-OH]

4 minutes ago, interloper said:

Is Mountcastle basically untradeable because teams know he has no defensive position? Outfield is a possibility but they haven't tested him there yet so there's no information. 

I'd really love it if we could flip him for a pitching prospect, but I feel like teams have already wised up about him.

Willie Calhoun is a worse defensive player than Mountcastle by far and was the centerpiece of the Yu Darvish deal.

[interloper]

Just now, Luke-OH said:

Willie Calhoun is a worse defensive player than Mountcastle by far and was the centerpiece of the Yu Darvish deal.

Then I would have traded Mountcastle yesterday. We can find hitters, why not get a jump on the rebuild by getting some pitching for this guy? 

[Ruzious]

5 minutes ago, interloper said:

Is Mountcastle basically untradeable because teams know he has no defensive position? Outfield is a possibility but they haven't tested him there yet so there's no information. 

I'd really love it if we could flip him for a pitching prospect, but I feel like teams have already wised up about him.

He'd be the very last guy I'd look to trade - partly because that decreases his trade value.  

[Ruzious]

1 minute ago, interloper said:

Then I would have traded Mountcastle yesterday. We can find hitters, why not get a jump on the rebuild by getting some pitching for this guy? 

You cannot just assume the O's can find hitters at his level.  And when you have a htter like Mountcastle at 20, you don't give up on him finding a position.  

[DirtyBird]

6 minutes ago, interloper said:

Then I would have traded Mountcastle yesterday. We can find hitters, why not get a jump on the rebuild by getting some pitching for this guy? 

The timing of Mountcastle becoming a full time major league bat should fall perfectly in line with Trumbo being gone.

[Can_of_corn]

1 hour ago, DirtyBird said:

The timing of Mountcastle becoming a full time major league bat should fall perfectly in line with Trumbo being gone.

I too hope they release Trumbo before the start of the 2019 season.

[jabba72]

Moundcastle seems to be quickly turning into COF. 

1 hour ago, interloper said:

Then I would have traded Mountcastle yesterday. We can find hitters, why not get a jump on the rebuild by getting some pitching for this guy? 

I would do this but would other teams? The smart move for the O's would probably be just to sign Lynn or Cobb for 3 years.

[Tx Oriole]

2 hours ago, interloper said:

Is Mountcastle basically untradeable because teams know he has no defensive position? Outfield is a possibility but they haven't tested him there yet so there's no information. 

I'd really love it if we could flip him for a pitching prospect, but I feel like teams have already wised up about him.

I'd rather keep him. 

[Frobby]

The other thing I picked up from the interview is that Graham is sky high on Harvey but “he just doesn’t have enough experience in the high minors.”    So forget the idea of him going north with the big club.

As to Dietz, I remember Graham being very high on him last spring, too.    Or maybe that was Doc Shorebird.   In any event, I’m glad he’s looking good and hope it carries over into the season moreso than last year.

[Luke-OH]

Just now, Frobby said:

The other thing I picked up from the interview is that Graham is sky high on Harvey but “he just doesn’t have enough experience in the high minors.”    So forget the idea of him going north with the big club.

As to Dietz, I remember Graham being very high on him last spring, too.    Or maybe that was Doc Shorebird.   In any event, I’m glad he’s looking good and hope it carries over into the season moreso than last year.

Graham did praise Dietz last spring too.

https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/orioles-matthias-dietz-stands-out-in-first-camp/

I didn't watch Dietz much during the season, but when I went back and watched a bunch of video after the season was over, I was impressed. He definitely looked better than the results. Just a really raw pitcher, like a high school pitcher, mechanically stiff, little feel for pitching. The stuff is good though, really good at times, he's a guy who could have Gausman velocity with more life. If he figures it out, he could be something. They knew he was raw when drafted, he was going to be a project, and he has been perhaps a bigger project than they expected, but the raw talent may be better than expected as well. He just needs to command his secondaries and continue to learn how to pitch. He's a guy who in fastball counts throws a fastball right down the middle, but still only allowed 6 home runs.

[theocean]

42 minutes ago, Frobby said:

The other thing I picked up from the interview is that Graham is sky high on Harvey but “he just doesn’t have enough experience in the high minors.”    So forget the idea of him going north with the big club.

As to Dietz, I remember Graham being very high on him last spring, too.    Or maybe that was Doc Shorebird.   In any event, I’m glad he’s looking good and hope it carries over into the season moreso than last year.

Obviously, Harvey could use some experience in the high minors since he hasn't pitched much in so long. But, how much of a pitcher's development is just a young kid growing?

For instance -  Bundy was drafted at 18, Gausman was drafted a year later out of college. But, Gausman was closer to being Major League ready. Is part of that just Gausman was older and had more time to finish growing?

I have no idea here, just looking for some insight of someone who knows.

[Can_of_corn]

4 minutes ago, theocean said:

Obviously, Harvey could use some experience in the high minors since he hasn't pitched much in so long. But, how much of a pitcher's development is just a young kid growing?

For instance -  Bundy was drafted at 18, Gausman was drafted a year later out of college. But, Gausman was closer to being Major League ready. Is part of that just Gausman was older and had more time to finish growing?

I have no idea here, just looking for some insight of someone who knows.

I would say that, in hindsight, Gausman wasn't as Major League ready as the Orioles thought.