1st Round Pick - Matt Hobgood - RHP - HS

[Shopay]

Sounds like Jordan graded Hobgood and Wheeler the same in terms of stuff, upside, etc.....but felt Hobgood was better in between the ears.

If that is the case and he believes that, it is hard to fault him for going that route.

Reading between the lines, this is how I see it as well.

[blid]

Argh, should've picked Smoak!

[Terps23]

The same... 5th in the organization, behind Patton and in-front of Erbe.

Some people would have each of Hobgood / Wheeler / Matzek 3rd behind just Tillman and Matusz... but I think that is unfair to Arrieta and Patton...

These are HS kids with a lot to prove.

IMHO no way do any of them jump Arrieta... But possibly Patton. Definately no lower than 5th. Still, I just think with the 5th pick in the draft the guy chosen should generate a little more optimism than this guy.

We'll see.

[Arthur_Bryant]

I think makeup is even more important to this organization than we suspect. You can hear it and read it in the interviews of almost all the good young players, top to bottom.

Hobgood apparently fits on that basis.

One thing makes me nervous, after seeing the videos. I have known a lot of 19-YO athletes, and if they start out with a body like that, they almost always have weight problems later on, sometimes just two or three years along.

That, I don't like.

[BaltimoreFan]

People being "disappointed" is pretty comical.

Has a single person on this board ever seen Hobgood pitch?

I'm pretty sure Jordan and the front office have a decent idea of where they're going.

[Camden_yardbird]

Almost everyone who gets selected in the first round of any professional draft is a picture of perfect physical shape at the end of high school.

All I can say is Kwame Brown...

I agree that many are in top physical shape, but they all aren't. And I do think there is a difference between the guys who are in gym shape and the guys in HS who just have that type of matablism that allows them to have zero body fat because they play sports.

[bigelow]

When i was hearing all the weight issue problems i started to think about Stephen Strasburg out of high school or even Joba Chamberlain at Nebraska. So i think he might have started to get his weight issues together this year and was sitting in the mid 90's and jordan decided to take a risk on his make-up. Its a part of his upside. Get this guy down to a good 225-230 he could be special like some of the others.

[dorfmac]

He just looks like his name should be Hobgood.

Hobgood just doesn't sound like a good baseball name. This guy is going to be a MLBust.

/kidding

[Leitch]

A couple of nuggets by Kevin Goldstein about our pick and about Matzek/Purke/etc.:

Kevin Goldstein (3:44:57 PM PT): Bryan,

I think the difference is that Wieters and Arrieta were WORTH what they got. Matt Purke is NOT worth $7M.

Kevin Goldstein (2:46:58 PM PT): Norman (San Jose ): who would you take, Porcello or Maztek at the same point in their career?

Porcello and it's not even close. All of these guys WANT a deal like Porcello, but none of them is even close to him on a talent level at the same point. They just line up well with what is usually the top high school arms. Porcello was the best prep righty scouts had seen since Beckett.

Reading Jordan's quotes make me feel pretty good about the pick.

[Tony-OH]

Did I miss something or is it suddenly ok to go off topic on OH??? Please stay on the subject.

[ChaosLex]

Did I miss something or is it suddenly ok to go off topic on OH??? Please stay on the subject.

Sorry Tony.

[waroriole]

In my mind he leaps ahead of Britton, Zagone, Bundy, and Noel (know he has the visa issues)... I could have Spoone close to him if Spoone ever shows a return to health.

I really think you're underrating Britton here. I would have Britton as #4.

[Why Not?]

People being "disappointed" is pretty comical.

Has a single person on this board ever seen Hobgood pitch?

I'm pretty sure Jordan and the front office have a decent idea of where they're going.

....or at least a much better idea than any of us.

I echo your sentiments. Everybody's got an opinion, but 99.9% of those opinions are just re-hashing whatever's been written in BA or other sources.

[Three RBI Homer]

Did I miss something or is it suddenly ok to go off topic on OH??? Please stay on the subject.

My bad Tony. Just too good of an opportunity to pass up. Thread was dying down a bit had to lighten it up (tucks tail between legs curling up in fetal position) Wait what?

[Goop]

I don't really follow the amateurs that much, so I really know absolutely nothing about Hobgood. What I will say is I will at least give him a chance before passing judgment on him when he hasn't even pitched a single inning of professional baseball yet. Good luck to you Matt and welcome to the O's organization.