1st Round Pick - Matt Hobgood - RHP - HS

[rolliefingers]

Welcome, Matt's Uncle!

Please know that our skepticism and criticisms are based partially on ignorance because Matt was not on most of our radar screens for the #5 pick. That said, like a lot of folks here, I'm liking the pick the more I learn about Matt.

Best of luck to Matt and his family, and thanks for stopping by.

[snatch311]

Ya, with that bat, looks like he could've ended up doing some damage in the NL. Hey, there's always interleague if he makes it.

[WebLink21]

It's odd being a family member and reading all these posts. A bit surreal as all these fans talk about someone I've known for the past 18 years. For what it's worth' date=' here's my take.

Someone posted that they saw the video of all of us going nuts when we heard Matt got picked up the Orioles and that we must be a whole new group of fans. That's so true. I'm already looking for Orioles gear to wear ASAP.:thumbsup1:

We are extremely excited that Matt will get the opportunity of a lifetime and we hope that both Matt and the O's will be happy with their decision. As Matt has already said, he loves playing baseball. He studies it like someone who's studying for an important final exam. The O's didn't get some prima donna who has "issues". They got a down-to-earth kid who cares about game and cares about the fans. He's always willing to take time to take a picture with a fan or sign an autograph for a kid. He's about as humble as they come.

At the presentation for the National Gatorade award, after everyone got a chance to say something about Matt, he said how grateful he was to each and every person who showed up (about 30 in all and it was long, emotional night that all there will remember).

His weight...

I remember telling Matt last year that, from my complete lack of knowledge of professional sports, it was my opinion that it seemed like he had all the skills to make it to the big leagues but that he just needed to look the part. The picture of him someone posted here shows him from last year. The one that shows him holding the Gatorade trophy shows him now. I'm telling you he looks SO much different. The kid is really strong and looks amazing.

And hey, that's my sister (Matt's mom) you're talking about. Be kind! She's been raising 5 kids practically on her own for many years now. Matt's dad suffered for about 6 years with his cancer before he died and my sister really kept it all together through some incredibly tough times.

It was a reach picking him 5th...

We knew it would come across that way. All I can say is that Matt felt that the O's organization fit his personality well and from what I gather, Jordan and the GM of the club felt the same way. I'll be right up front and say that I don't know much about baseball especially at the professional level but from all I've heard, the scouts loved him. There were always about 10 to 15 at every game with their radar guns taking notes. His fastball starts around 92 for the early innings and then gets faster - around 95. When things start getting tough, Matt actually gets better. He's fun to watch and I'm not just saying that because we're related. He's exciting to watch and he's a winner and if that puts peoples' butts in seats, then I think he's going to be a perfect match for the Orioles.

And Matt WANTS to play for the O’s. Did you see some of the interviews with others who got drafted in the top 10? One guy said that his college choice was going to let him play 1st base as if he was wavering in order to get more cash. Another said that he didn’t care where he played but that he just wanted a chance to play in the majors. Matt told the GM that was very excited to be an Oriole, that he would work hard, and that he wouldn’t let him down. You just picked some kid in the first round to be on your team and they don’t act excited about being on your team?! Matt is completely jazzed to playing for the O’s! My sister said to tell you all that they’ll be in Baltimore in two weeks to sign so Matt can get playing ASAP.

From everything I read here on this message board, it sounds like the O's have a great minor league system and I'm sure they're going to fine tune his game to make him the best player possible. Time will tell if Matt will rise up to be worthy of the 5th pick of the draft but he's risen to the challenge every time before so...

Give the kid a chance!

I'm proud to say I'm Matt's uncle.

BTW, did I mention he co-lead the nation in homeruns?:2yay-thumb:

[url']http://www.maxpreps.com/national/baseball/national_sport.aspx?gendersport=boys,baseball&urpath=,national[/url]

and click on Leaderboard

Very cool post. I personally would like to thank you for taking the time to write this. It really gave me a lot of information about Matt. I was already a fan of the pick, but reading this makes me really want to cheer for him even more. I did not know about his dad and cancer. I went through something similar so I know how strong of a person it can make you. Please tell Matt that he already has a lot of fans that will be pulling for him the whole time. Tell him do not listen to people saying he was an "overdraft". Most of those were just reactionary. Most of them also thought that Markakis, Matusz, and Snyder were "overdrafted" as well and were not happy with getting Jones back for Bedard.

There are many fans that love the pick. I am a huge fan and really think that he is going to be in the major league rotation soon. I am very excited to watch his development!

[ChaosLex]

So, we've got Matt Hobgood's uncle on the boards? Not to mention George Sherrill's brother and David Hernandez's father? :clap3:

Welcome!!!

[TJ Wrangler]

It's odd being a family member and reading all these posts. A bit surreal as all these fans talk about someone I've known for the past 18 years. For what it's worth' date=' here's my take.

Someone posted that they saw the video of all of us going nuts when we heard Matt got picked up the Orioles and that we must be a whole new group of fans. That's so true. I'm already looking for Orioles gear to wear ASAP.:thumbsup1:

We are extremely excited that Matt will get the opportunity of a lifetime and we hope that both Matt and the O's will be happy with their decision. As Matt has already said, he loves playing baseball. He studies it like someone who's studying for an important final exam. The O's didn't get some prima donna who has "issues". They got a down-to-earth kid who cares about game and cares about the fans. He's always willing to take time to take a picture with a fan or sign an autograph for a kid. He's about as humble as they come.

At the presentation for the National Gatorade award, after everyone got a chance to say something about Matt, he said how grateful he was to each and every person who showed up (about 30 in all and it was long, emotional night that all there will remember).

His weight...

I remember telling Matt last year that, from my complete lack of knowledge of professional sports, it was my opinion that it seemed like he had all the skills to make it to the big leagues but that he just needed to look the part. The picture of him someone posted here shows him from last year. The one that shows him holding the Gatorade trophy shows him now. I'm telling you he looks SO much different. The kid is really strong and looks amazing.

And hey, that's my sister (Matt's mom) you're talking about. Be kind! She's been raising 5 kids practically on her own for many years now. Matt's dad suffered for about 6 years with his cancer before he died and my sister really kept it all together through some incredibly tough times.

It was a reach picking him 5th...

We knew it would come across that way. All I can say is that Matt felt that the O's organization fit his personality well and from what I gather, Jordan and the GM of the club felt the same way. I'll be right up front and say that I don't know much about baseball especially at the professional level but from all I've heard, the scouts loved him. There were always about 10 to 15 at every game with their radar guns taking notes. His fastball starts around 92 for the early innings and then gets faster - around 95. When things start getting tough, Matt actually gets better. He's fun to watch and I'm not just saying that because we're related. He's exciting to watch and he's a winner and if that puts peoples' butts in seats, then I think he's going to be a perfect match for the Orioles.

And Matt WANTS to play for the O’s. Did you see some of the interviews with others who got drafted in the top 10? One guy said that his college choice was going to let him play 1st base as if he was wavering in order to get more cash. Another said that he didn’t care where he played but that he just wanted a chance to play in the majors. Matt told the GM that was very excited to be an Oriole, that he would work hard, and that he wouldn’t let him down. You just picked some kid in the first round to be on your team and they don’t act excited about being on your team?! Matt is completely jazzed to playing for the O’s! My sister said to tell you all that they’ll be in Baltimore in two weeks to sign so Matt can get playing ASAP.

From everything I read here on this message board, it sounds like the O's have a great minor league system and I'm sure they're going to fine tune his game to make him the best player possible. Time will tell if Matt will rise up to be worthy of the 5th pick of the draft but he's risen to the challenge every time before so...

Give the kid a chance!

I'm proud to say I'm Matt's uncle.

BTW, did I mention he co-lead the nation in homeruns?:2yay-thumb:

[url']http://www.maxpreps.com/national/baseball/national_sport.aspx?gendersport=boys,baseball&urpath=,national[/url]

and click on Leaderboard

Thank you for taking the time to share this with us, and I hope you decide to keep posting. From everything I've read, Matt seems like a great person and someone who will be a great asset to the Orioles organization. I wasn't a fan of the pick at the time, but it grew on me. I can't wait until Matt signs and we get another talented arm in the minors. It's a good time to be an O's fan.

[Arthur_Bryant]

Yes, I'm quoting my own post because I found the answer.

Looks like he pitched 68.1 innings. I'm guessing the Orioles would probably allow him to get 20-30 more, if he signs quickly? Maybe send him to Bluefield for 5-6 starts?

There was a quote from Jordan on draft day to the effect that his body type makes it possible to rack up more innings than they might otherwise. He is a hoss.

Maybe not this year, but with time I think they may be less worried about innings counts.

[Mooreisbetter27]

It's odd being a family member and reading all these posts. A bit surreal as all these fans talk about someone I've known for the past 18 years. For what it's worth' date=' here's my take.

Someone posted that they saw the video of all of us going nuts when we heard Matt got picked up the Orioles and that we must be a whole new group of fans. That's so true. I'm already looking for Orioles gear to wear ASAP.:thumbsup1:

We are extremely excited that Matt will get the opportunity of a lifetime and we hope that both Matt and the O's will be happy with their decision. As Matt has already said, he loves playing baseball. He studies it like someone who's studying for an important final exam. The O's didn't get some prima donna who has "issues". They got a down-to-earth kid who cares about game and cares about the fans. He's always willing to take time to take a picture with a fan or sign an autograph for a kid. He's about as humble as they come.

At the presentation for the National Gatorade award, after everyone got a chance to say something about Matt, he said how grateful he was to each and every person who showed up (about 30 in all and it was long, emotional night that all there will remember).

His weight...

I remember telling Matt last year that, from my complete lack of knowledge of professional sports, it was my opinion that it seemed like he had all the skills to make it to the big leagues but that he just needed to look the part. The picture of him someone posted here shows him from last year. The one that shows him holding the Gatorade trophy shows him now. I'm telling you he looks SO much different. The kid is really strong and looks amazing.

And hey, that's my sister (Matt's mom) you're talking about. Be kind! She's been raising 5 kids practically on her own for many years now. Matt's dad suffered for about 6 years with his cancer before he died and my sister really kept it all together through some incredibly tough times.

It was a reach picking him 5th...

We knew it would come across that way. All I can say is that Matt felt that the O's organization fit his personality well and from what I gather, Jordan and the GM of the club felt the same way. I'll be right up front and say that I don't know much about baseball especially at the professional level but from all I've heard, the scouts loved him. There were always about 10 to 15 at every game with their radar guns taking notes. His fastball starts around 92 for the early innings and then gets faster - around 95. When things start getting tough, Matt actually gets better. He's fun to watch and I'm not just saying that because we're related. He's exciting to watch and he's a winner and if that puts peoples' butts in seats, then I think he's going to be a perfect match for the Orioles.

And Matt WANTS to play for the O’s. Did you see some of the interviews with others who got drafted in the top 10? One guy said that his college choice was going to let him play 1st base as if he was wavering in order to get more cash. Another said that he didn’t care where he played but that he just wanted a chance to play in the majors. Matt told the GM that was very excited to be an Oriole, that he would work hard, and that he wouldn’t let him down. You just picked some kid in the first round to be on your team and they don’t act excited about being on your team?! Matt is completely jazzed to playing for the O’s! My sister said to tell you all that they’ll be in Baltimore in two weeks to sign so Matt can get playing ASAP.

From everything I read here on this message board, it sounds like the O's have a great minor league system and I'm sure they're going to fine tune his game to make him the best player possible. Time will tell if Matt will rise up to be worthy of the 5th pick of the draft but he's risen to the challenge every time before so...

Give the kid a chance!

I'm proud to say I'm Matt's uncle.

BTW, did I mention he co-lead the nation in homeruns?:2yay-thumb:

[url']http://www.maxpreps.com/national/baseball/national_sport.aspx?gendersport=boys,baseball&urpath=,national[/url]

and click on Leaderboard

Welcome to the board! It's always cool to have a family member of one of our birds or baby birds posting.

[BringBackMagic]

"It's just someone calling your name," a subdued Matzek said afterward. "It means a lot on a personal level, but it doesn't mean a lot in a business way. It's just the start, it's really not anything huge, but it definitely means something.

"We'll just see how Colorado negotiates and what happens."

http://www.ocvarsity.com/articles/matzek-first-lot-2457829-think-process

Now compare that to the video we saw of Hobgood.

His dad says

"It's going to be a long negotiation, I have a feeling," Jeff Matzek said. "If the Rockies are serious about what they're doing, they'll get a deal done."

Ugh. I'm liking Hobgood more by the day

[geschinger]

It does look, at this point in time, as if the O's will be spending less on this draft which I think is a mistake. To me spending big on the draft is the best way to keep costs down.

It all depends on context... If Jordan thought Hobgood was a better choice than say a Maztek he's spending a lot less on his 1st round pick. It's feasible in other rounds that there could be similar dynamics. I.e. depending on how things played out it clearly could have been a mistake to spend more on the draft. Spending less is only a mistake if Jordan was consistently passing on players he would have picked for financial reasons... I've yet to see any evidence that is the case.

[Whatss]

The more I read about this kid the more I like this pick....

Durability, velocity, great CB, can even hit for power..... plus high character.... think about this...

Matt Wieters, Adam Jones, Markakis, Matusz.... not only are most of our young players really good, they have great characters....

I'm getting really excited as a fan. It may take a few more years but for once, we actually have a bright future.... we haven't been able to say that in a very long time.

[Matt's Uncle]

Bringbackmagic hit it right on the head. The interview on MLB.com with Matzek right after he found out he was drafted would've made me as a team owner or GM want to send the kid back to Little League. I know it's a business but for godsakes at least have a little enthusiasm about what just happened.

When Matt finally gets to play that first game in the minors, go up to him with your kids and say hello. Ask for a picture with him or an autograph. I promise you he'll one of the nicest young men you've ever met. He's amazingly approachable and you'll be feeling a lot more comfortable about Jordan's choice even more so.

I'm already saving for a plane ticket out there!

[Can_of_corn]

Spending less is only a mistake if Jordan was consistently passing on players he would have picked for financial reasons... I've yet to see any evidence that is the case.

Not trying to sound like Jtrea here but how many drafts in a row do the O's have to avoid Boras clients before you think thier might be a connection?

Jordan and the O's are not going to admit to frugality. In the end we will see how much is spent on the draft, and how much is spent on the latin american free agents. My guess is the number will not go up from last year.

[Crazysilver03]

Not trying to sound like Jtrea here but how many drafts in a row do the O's have to avoid Boras clients before you think thier might be a connection?

Jordan and the O's are not going to admit to frugality. In the end we will see how much is spent on the draft, and how much is spent on the latin american free agents. My guess is the number will not go up from last year.

Well this is only the 2nd draft that we didnt draft a Boras client, but the Orioles would have taken Strasburg or Ackley if they were still on the board.

But just because they are spending less, it doesnt mean they are getting less value. Why mess with Boras and his overhype machine when you can get someone of the same talent for a lot lower cost by spending more money on your scouting.

What people call frugality can be called smart spending by other people.

[Crazysilver03]

Bringbackmagic hit it right on the head. The interview on MLB.com with Matzek right after he found out he was drafted would've made me as a team owner or GM want to send the kid back to Little League. I know it's a business but for godsakes at least have a little enthusiasm about what just happened.

When Matt finally gets to play that first game in the minors' date=' go up to him with your kids and say hello. Ask for a picture with him or an autograph. I promise you he'll one of the nicest young men you've ever met. He's amazingly approachable and you'll be feeling a lot more comfortable about Jordan's choice even more so.

I'm already saving for a plane ticket out there![/quote']

I have watched the video of Matt when he learns he was drafted several times now. It always brings a smile to my face. He seems so mature for his age and I only wish him the best moving forward.

[geschinger]

Not trying to sound like Jtrea here but how many drafts in a row do the O's have to avoid Boras clients before you think thier might be a connection?

I hope you would agree that a particular player being a Boras client does not automatically equate to being the best player on the board.

As for how many years we'd have to go without signing a Boras client before I would start to think that maybe we dropping his clients from consideration? A whole lot more than two considering we drafted/signed a couple from the 2007 draft.