Poll: Are you disappointed with the lack of international signings?

[hoosiers]

Please refresh my memory about the timeline AM established for the O's developing into a serious presence in Latin America.

I'm not being a smart-ass, I just don't recall exactly what he said or exactly when he said it...

http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080217&content_id=2376724&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=bal

Second paragraph:

Andy MacPhail, Baltimore's president of baseball operations, announced earlier this month that the Orioles will begin to diversify their international interests. John Stockstill has been tabbed to head up that effort, and the hope is to take one year to survey the lay of the land before jumping into the foreign markets with renewed vigor and enthusiasm.

It's been 17 months and two July 1 signing periods since the article was written and it's difficult to believe we have jumped into the foreign markets "with renewed vigor and enthusiasm". This is not to say there have not been tangible signs of improvement - there have, but I thought we would be suitors for all levels of talent.

[Moose Milligan]

Just another chance to add talent to the system for nothing but cold hard cash and it looks like we're putting up another goose egg. This has been my issue with AM. With the exception of a few winter trades he doesn't do much to improve the club. You can't stay incative for 8 months and expect to keep pace with contending teams.

And yet a lot of people seem to be happy with where our minor league system is...graduating Wieters, Reimold and about to promote the Big 3.

Interesting.

[JTrea81]

And yet a lot of people seem to be happy with where our minor league system is...graduating Wieters, Reimold and about to promote the Big 3.

Interesting.

That's great but where is the next crop?

There's a giant void of positional talent until you get to the lower minors. We've got a lot of role players and utility guys, but not many offensive studs.

[carolinaoriole]

Tony-OH doesn't think we're players for Sano and bigbird says we're not signing any impact international talent.

Lots of teams (including the abysmal Nats and Pirates) are running around signing talent while the O's have done... well, squadoosh.

Does this bother anyone or is it much ado about nothing? Poll to come...

It is the biggest much ado about nothing in the history of mankind and is important to those who would gripe if they found a million dollars on there driveway, they would be mad that that they would have to carry the money inside!!!!!!!!!!

I wonder if these so called fans would be so much in a hurry if they owned the team and it was there 6 million dollars.

would they give it to this kid.

This is silly!!!!

I have a question for you guys

Are you grown ups or are we dealing with children here?

That is the only way that I can make any sense of this entire obsession wanting to spend other peoples money

[BaltimoreTerp]

http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080217&content_id=2376724&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=bal

Second paragraph:

Andy MacPhail, Baltimore's president of baseball operations, announced earlier this month that the Orioles will begin to diversify their international interests. John Stockstill has been tabbed to head up that effort, and the hope is to take one year to survey the lay of the land before jumping into the foreign markets with renewed vigor and enthusiasm.

It's been 17 months and two July 1 signing periods since the article was written and it's difficult to believe we have jumped into the foreign markets "with renewed vigor and enthusiasm". This is not to say there have not been tangible signs of improvement - there have, but I thought we would be suitors for all levels of talent.

Well, what does "vigor and enthusiasm" mean?

That quote simply could mean that they were spending a year looking at things, than building an academy and scouting system which takes time on its own.

Plus, as was mentioned, we really don't know if any one has or has not been signed outside of a few top players.

Honestly I wouldn't be surprised either way: if we were in on many of these top players and signing a bunch of lesser players, or if we were still building things and not making more than a couple minor pick-ups.

I'm honestly surprised that even two full years in people STILL don't understand that we're not going to get the information on things like this from the people in charge until they want us to get it, and therefore we are always going to be behind.

[Peace21]

This is the crux for me. When I see small market teams start signing higher profile guys, I start thinking that nothing has truly changed. I said before that I was told that the Orioles don't think the high profiles guys are worth the risk because they don't pan out all that often and it's lost money.

OK, I certainly understand not throwing money around, but if you send the right scouts down there to evaluate them and determine their worth, I can't see how we never sign any high profile guys while teams like the Pirates and Twins are.

I know we didn't put any money into the DR program for many, many years, and we've suffered for that by limiting our talent streams.

What I want to know is if the Orioles were planning to spend $20 million+ on Teixeira this season, why not put some of that money into the DR guys and sign some of the higher profile guys the scouts like.

Of course, I would also competely start over with our Dominican scouting team since it has done little to nothing over the last 20 years.

I didn't even need to read through the rest of this thread. This point right here is what needs to happen and why we aren't a factor in the DR.

[Peace21]

I have had people that know alot about what goes on in the DR and teams scouting records,mention to me that Stockstill is either a big tool or is not good when it comes to evaluating talent.

[bej6789]

That's great but where is the next crop?

There's a giant void of positional talent until you get to the lower minors. We've got a lot of role players and utility guys, but not many offensive studs.

So besides the big 3 pitchers, super stud catcher and everyday LF -- where is the next crop? That just sounds weird to me, almost unrealistic. You're talking about 5 starters for the next 5 years with your franchise... and you ask where the next crop is. This team is designed to win with pitching, and by all accounts... at least 3/5 of the rotation is taken care of, maybe even 4/5. With where the system has been, I'm incredibly grateful. The trade deadline hasn't happened yet, so we don't know where we are going to be. But if you told me when Mcphail was here day one that within 2 seasons we'd have an OF for 10 years and 3 pitchers who all grade out well... I'd take that. Oh yeah, we also have a franchise catcher to boot. Forgive me for not asking for more. We did all with "just a few trades." I'm not complaining.

[Peace21]

So besides the big 3 pitchers, super stud catcher and everyday LF -- where is the next crop? That just sounds weird to me, almost unrealistic. You're talking about 5 starters for the next 5 years with your franchise... and you ask where the next crop is. This team is designed to win with pitching, and by all accounts... at least 3/5 of the rotation is taken care of, maybe even 4/5. With where the system has been, I'm incredibly grateful. The trade deadline hasn't happened yet, so we don't know where we are going to be. But if you told me when Mcphail was here day one that within 2 seasons we'd have an OF for 10 years and 3 pitchers who all grade out well... I'd take that. Oh yeah, we also have a franchise catcher to boot. Forgive me for not asking for more. We did all with "just a few trades." I'm not complaining.

Good lord let the big 3 get here first. I hope they also live up to the hype to when they get here or it will really be bad. Its good to have depth and see whats coming behind what you already have. Competition is a great thing.

[hoosiers]

I didn't even need to read through the rest of this thread. This point right here is what needs to happen and why we aren't a factor in the DR.

We did do this. According to articles, we've been in a new facility since April 2008.

[hoosiers]

Well, what does "vigor and enthusiasm" mean?

That quote simply could mean that they were spending a year looking at things, than building an academy and scouting system which takes time on its own.

Plus, as was mentioned, we really don't know if any one has or has not been signed outside of a few top players.

Honestly I wouldn't be surprised either way: if we were in on many of these top players and signing a bunch of lesser players, or if we were still building things and not making more than a couple minor pick-ups.

I'm honestly surprised that even two full years in people STILL don't understand that we're not going to get the information on things like this from the people in charge until they want us to get it, and therefore we are always going to be behind.

You'd have to ask our FO what "vigor and enthusiasm" mean to them.

The quote obviously meant we were taking a year to look at things and that year has passed.

I believe signings are reported to the Commissioner's office.

Let me make clear that I expect our FO has been investing in a greater scouting infrastructure and signing low $ kids - that seems to be the best value. I believe there is also value in many of these signings between $100k and $500k and our FO appears to have missed that boat this year.

Finally, regarding the "two years in" comment, it appears our FO went out of the way to provide information for mulitple MASN articles on international scouting. It is a bit disappointing to not receive quality updates after whetting our appetites.

[Peace21]

We did do this. According to articles, we've been in a new facility since April 2008.

Have you seen any pictures of it? Not being a jerk. Just saying. How do we know its what measures up with the rest? Besides correct me if I am wrong, but isnt our DR team piggy backing the Brewers team? I thought I remember reading that somewhere.

[BaltimoreTerp]

You'd have to ask our FO what "vigor and enthusiasm" mean to them.

The quote obviously meant we were taking a year to look at things and that year has passed.

I believe signings are reported to the Commissioner's office.

Let me make clear that I expect our FO has been investing in a greater scouting infrastructure and signing low $ kids - that seems to be the best value. I believe there is also value in many of these signings between $100k and $500k and our FO appears to have missed that boat this year.

Finally, regarding the "two years in" comment, it appears our FO went out of the way to provide information for mulitple MASN articles on international scouting. It is a bit disappointing to not receive quality updates after whetting our appetites.

As a great philosopher, Wesley, once said, get used to disappointment

You really didn't dispute anything I said, though.

[BaltimoreTerp]

Have you seen any pictures of it? Not being a jerk. Just saying. How do we know its what measures up with the rest? Besides correct me if I am wrong, but isnt our DR team piggy backing the Brewers team? I thought I remember reading that somewhere.

Have you?

[Peace21]

Have you?

Check Jtrea's thread on this subject. The last post in that thread should say it all. BTW our minor league field in Sarasota is still junk too. Teams are reluctant to play there.