Richie Martin hype

[interloper]

I'm trying to control my hype on this kid.

0-3 last night but a spectacular diving play. Seems to have an idea at the plate. 3 of his 9 hits this spring have been XBH, and not just doubles that squirt past the third baseman either. They've been hit deep. 

@Luke-OH - prior to ST you mentioned wanting to see his swing path change. Have you seen any evidence of that to this point?

At the very least we have a fast, defense-first guy with a little bit of offensive upside. I enjoy watching him play and feel like he could be a nugget of some sort. 

He definitely looks like a shortstop out there in a way that, say, Beckham did not. What I mean by that is he seems fluid and natural, and makes good throws.

[Moose Milligan]

I'm trying to control my hype on him, too.

If the Orioles come away with a Rule 5 steal I might start wondering about other things, like if the earth is flat.

[Frobby]

20 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

I'm trying to control my hype on him, too.

If the Orioles come away with a Rule 5 steal I might start wondering about other things, like if the earth is flat.

It would be pretty telling if Elias hit on his first Rule 5 pick in a way that Duquette never did.   And don’t sleep on Jackson, either.    

Of course, I think mlb.com predicted the O’s would pick Martin, so it wasn’t exactly earth-shattering news when they did.    And it helps a lot to have the first pick.

[Moose Milligan]

3 minutes ago, Frobby said:

It would be pretty telling if Elias hit on his first Rule 5 pick in a way that Duquette never did.   And don’t sleep on Jackson, either.    

Of course, I think mlb.com predicted the O’s would pick Martin, so it wasn’t exactly earth-shattering news when they did.    And it helps a lot to have the first pick.

Yep.  I'm trying to remember if DD ever picked a position player for a Rule 5 pick.  Flaherty, right?  Other than that, it almost always seemed like he was going after quad-A type arms, guys that you just knew wouldn't pan out.  

[clapdiddy]

8 minutes ago, Frobby said:

It would be pretty telling if Elias hit on his first Rule 5 pick in a way that Duquette never did.   And don’t sleep on Jackson, either.    

Of course, I think mlb.com predicted the O’s would pick Martin, so it wasn’t exactly earth-shattering news when they did.    And it helps a lot to have the first pick.

I can see Martin starting and Jackson as a super-utility guy to start.  

[Moose Milligan]

If Martin can put up a .725 OPS I'd be thrilled.  Looks like the defense is there.

[interloper]

12 minutes ago, Frobby said:

It would be pretty telling if Elias hit on his first Rule 5 pick in a way that Duquette never did.   And don’t sleep on Jackson, either.    

Of course, I think mlb.com predicted the O’s would pick Martin, so it wasn’t exactly earth-shattering news when they did.    And it helps a lot to have the first pick.

Yeah I don't believe DD ever had the first pick. Though I'm sure there are a million #1 Rule 5 guys who flamed out also. At the end of the day, we just didn't have any infielders and the pick in hindsight was pretty obvious, despite the fact that his good offensive year was potentially flukey. Elias was quoted as saying getting infielders was keeping him up at night. Lol. 

I mean, just looks at our IF this spring. Martin, Jackson, and Ruiz - all guys other teams didn't want - are outplaying any infielder who was already here. Villar will be fine, obviously, and Nunez is the power guy who will do his thing. But other than that? Vielma was DFA'd before ST even started. Wilkerson has looked pedestrian. Peterson is a guy and that's all you can say about him. No one else was even here last year! Escobar, Vincej, Reinheimmer, Alberto, and Bostick were all imports this spring. 

[Sanfran327]

3 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Yep.  I'm trying to remember if DD ever picked a position player for a Rule 5 pick.  Flaherty, right?  Other than that, it almost always seemed like he was going after quad-A type arms, guys that you just knew wouldn't pan out.  

Didn't he also pick Santander? I wouldn't close the book on him just yet.

[Frobby]

3 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Yep.  I'm trying to remember if DD ever picked a position player for a Rule 5 pick.  Flaherty, right?  Other than that, it almost always seemed like he was going after quad-A type arms, guys that you just knew wouldn't pan out.  

Flaherty, Almanzar, Tavarez, Santander.    Still hope for Santander to turn into something.   

[interloper]

Just now, Sanfran327 said:

Didn't he also pick Santander? I wouldn't close the book on him just yet.

Yep. And Rickard, which I think is a solid little pick as far as the Rule 5 goes.

 

[Moose Milligan]

1 minute ago, Sanfran327 said:

Didn't he also pick Santander? I wouldn't close the book on him just yet.

 

Just now, Frobby said:

Flaherty, Almanzar, Tavarez, Santander.    Still hope for Santander to turn into something.   

 

Just now, interloper said:

Yep. And Rickard, which I think is a solid little pick as far as the Rule 5 goes.

 

I've been schooled.  I knew there were some obvious names I was forgetting.  Then again, I just try to forget Rule 5 stuff altogether.

 

[Frobby]

1 minute ago, interloper said:

Yep. And Rickard, which I think is a solid little pick as far as the Rule 5 goes.

 

Oops I forgot Rickard on my list.    

[ChosenOne21]

T.J. MacFarland was also a rule 5, IIRC

 

[interloper]

You would have to say Rickard, Flaherty, and MacFarland were the best 3 picks. None of them amounted to much actual WAR, but they're all useful. MacFarland went on to have a great season after he left the Orioles, of course, but I think he's hurt now. 

Santander still has a chance to be the best. Martin I think is the most "actual god-given baseball talent" guy we've selected though. 

[oriole]

I’ll just take an above average SS and any offense that comes with it is a bonus. Beckham was rough to watch and the Machado crap was just depressing.