1st Round Pick - Matt Hobgood - RHP - HS

[PaulFolk]

"I just had a gut feeling on this one. ... In the end, something told me to do this."

"I would never have taken a guy at 5 that I thought was a big project. This guy knows what he's doing. He'll be fine."

"We feel like he's ready, physically, to be challenged. ... We're going to be able to stack some innings on this guy. ... It's more of a Kevin Millwood type of package for me."

"I really have a lot of confidence in Dave Smith, our pitching coordinator. ... We've got a good pitching philosophy in our player development department."

On Hobgood's stuff: "He throws up to 95, 96. He'll attack hitters with his sinker. It's good stuff. It's power. He's got a curveball, he's got a slider, he's got a changeup. ... He doesn't use his changeup enough, but he's got quality to all of them."

On whether this was a signability pick: "This was not a money saver. We scouted this guy all year long. It had nothing to do with money. It's who I want, and who our staff [wants]."

On choosing between Hobgood and Wheeler: "It was tough one. I settled on the one that I liked a little bit more. ... It was more intangible stuff [that separated them]."

[Tony-OH]

Terrible pick...Way too many more talented players available to go with this pick..Definitely a reach IMO.

Doesn't even throw that hard, especially for his size.

He sat 92-93 all spring and ran it up to 94-95. Not sure what velocity you are looking for.

[nemO821]

Joe Jordan comments

http://masnsports.com/2009/06/joe-jordans-comments-on-pickin.html

[rolliefingers]

Hey, most everyone was disappointed with the Matusz pick when it happened and look at how good he is now. I 'll hold judgement until he starts pitching in the minors. From the short clips they showed his curved looked good.

Matusz was the consensus top college pitcher in that draft.

Hobgood, far as I can tell, is not a top anything in this draft.

I don't get it.

But the weirdest, to me, is that the Orioles are so worried about signability: with the successes of picks like Wieters and Jake Arrieta, you'd think the Orioles would understand more than everyone else how to benefit from other teams tight wallets.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/rt/rt.php?rtId=17&nocache=1244588339#new

Uh, yes. What he said. What gives?

[Hank Scorpio]

"I just had a gut feeling on this one. ... In the end, something told me to do this."

"I would never have taken a guy at 5 that I thought was a big project. This guy knows what he's doing. He'll be fine."

"We feel like he's ready, physically, to be challenged. ... We're going to be able to stack some innings on this guy. ... It's more of a Kevin Millwood type of package for me."

"I really have a lot of confidence in Dave Smith, our pitching coordinator. ... We've got a good pitching philosophy in our player development department."

On Hobgood's stuff: "He throws up to 95, 96. He'll attack hitters with his sinker. It's good stuff. It's power. He's got a curveball, he's got a slider, he's got a changeup. ... He doesn't use his changeup enough, but he's got quality to all of them."

On whether this was a signability pick: "This was not a money saver. We scouted this guy all year long. It had nothing to do with money. It's who I want, and who our staff [wants]."

On choosing between Hobgood and Wheeler: "It was tough one. I settled on the one that I liked a little bit more. ... It was more intangible stuff [that separated them]."

Here's where the knee jerkers call Jordan a liar, I guess...

[ChaosLex]

Gee, that concerns me.

They are now at no. 11 and Matzek is still on the board even though every pick between 5 and 10 was a pitcher. Obviously the O's weren't the only team with concerns about him.

Jordan's out on a limb with this pick, but he's paid to make his own judgment, not to pick whoever the voters on MLBTradeRumors might like. Looking at the video shown on MLB.com after the pick, that's a wicked curve he throws.

Agreed. IF he can control it.

[Sports Guy]

Uh... I have to giggle at this post sequence.

I just read what Tony said in his newest thread....Makes me feel a little better about the pick...But I think we should have gone another way.

Oh well, hopefully this kid can get in here, stay in good shape, develop that change and be a big dominant type pitcher.

[Austin]

LIAR!

letters

[Frobby]

."

I just heard Wheeler interviewed and I must say, he didn't seem like the sharpest knife in the drawer.

[Sports Guy]

He sat 92-93 all spring and ran it up to 94-95. Not sure what velocity you are looking for.

I was hearing 89-92...As I just said, I just read what you wrote about him...so it makes me feel better about the pick.

[BringBackMagic]

Terrible pick...Way too many more talented players available to go with this pick..Definitely a reach IMO.

Doesn't even throw that hard, especially for his size.

Per Tony - Getting vibes on Hobgood. Stuff is reportedly much better than any of the publications have listed. Hobgood has sat 92-95 all spring, and has been as high as 98 according to reports. CB is a currently already above major league average and is reportedly better than Wheelers. He shows a decent change as well. Has a great makeup and some of the guys who saw him said he looks like a young R. Clemens.

How hard do you expect a guy to throw? How hard would be acceptable for a guy his size? 103 mph?

[AgentOrange]

Thanks for this Paul.

But none of this will matter. I am sure people will say he just said this because he had to.

[McLovin]

I'm not sure it's realistic to say that ANY HS pitcher is going to 'go to Bluefield and get some innings in.' 30 innings or so, maybe, right? He's a HS'er coming off a full season.

[Moose Milligan]

I like the fact that there are multiple reports that he's got a mean streak and a bulldog mentality. A competitor.

Signability isn't a huge issue. If we can get guys like Arietta and Bundy types in the later rounds because we saved a little up front, who cares?

The more I read, the more I like him.

I trust Jordan and those guys more than anyone here on the board. Sorry.

[Mackus]

Definitely a reach at #5, no doubt about that.

Only potential saving grace for this pick is if Jordan truly thinks he's worth the pick and all the other scouts have got it wrong, he's great at his job so hopefully that ends up being the case. Also, we're very likely to spend a lot in the mid-late rounds on signability guys now, which is a good thing.

I don't think any of us can actually be happy with this pick. The best anyone here can say is that we trust Jordan and hopefully we'll eventually see what he says. Anyone who says they genuinely like this pick over any of the other top HS for any reason other than "In Jordan We Trust" is just being overly optimistic and orange-colored in their view. This is a guy nearly none of us had heard of before 4pm today, so there is no way anyone can genuinely like this pick over the more touted guys.

So, lets hope Jordan is as smart as we hope he is!