Hobgood 7/23 Start

[PBR Street Gang]

Player IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA

Hobgood, M 2.0 1 3 2 3 3 0 9.00

Nerves I bet.

[RVAbird]

It doesn't seem like he's getting hit hard but his command seems off and the wild pitches/passed balls/errors haven't helped his cause. I'm sure as he tries to bury that big breaking ball in the dirt it's going to be tough for young, inexperienced catchers.

Oh well, still some rust to shake off. At least he's missing bats.

[mark_beckens]

It doesn't seem like he's getting hit hard but his command seems off and the wild pitches/passed balls/errors haven't helped his cause. I'm sure as he tries to bury that big breaking ball in the dirt it's going to be tough for young, inexperienced catchers.

Oh well, still some rust to shake off. At least he's missing bats.

As a former catcher in college and semi-pro, if you know it's coming, which you better, you always expect it in the dirt and prepare youself to have to block it. You set up higher, so you can move latererally and are expecting to have to move and get dirty.

[TakebackOPACY]

It doesn't seem like he's getting hit hard but his command seems off and the wild pitches/passed balls/errors haven't helped his cause. I'm sure as he tries to bury that big breaking ball in the dirt it's going to be tough for young, inexperienced catchers.

Oh well, still some rust to shake off. At least he's missing bats.

Yup.

1st Inning

• Walked the first batter.
• Batter advances to 2nd on Wild Pitch
• Walks second batter.
• Third batter flies out. Runner on 2nd base must've advanced.
• Fourth batter grounds to SS. Lead runner scores. Force out at 2nd. Throwing error (must've gone for the double play and thrown it away.)
• Fifth batter strikes out looking.

2nd Inning

• First batter walks.
• Runner advances on a passed ball.
• Second batter hits a double. Runner scores. Batter advances to third on throw home.
• Third batter out on sac fly. Runner scores.
• Fourth batter strikes out swinging.
• Fifth batter strikes out looking.

[itsernst]

Yup.

1st Inning

• Walked the first batter.
• Batter advances to 2nd on Wild Pitch
• Walks second batter.
• Third batter flies out. Runner on 2nd base must've advanced.
• Fourth batter grounds to SS. Lead runner scores. Force out at 2nd. Throwing error (must've gone for the double play and thrown it away.)
• Fifth batter strikes out looking.

2nd Inning

• First batter walks.
• Runner advances on a passed ball.
• Second batter hits a double. Runner scores. Batter advances to third on throw home.
• Third batter out on sac fly. Runner scores.
• Fourth batter strikes out swinging.
• Fifth batter strikes out looking.

You can see the talent is there. Once he gets back into routine I think we will see dominance.

[RVAbird]

As a former catcher in college and semi-pro, if you know it's coming, which you better, you always expect it in the dirt and prepare youself to have to block it. You set up higher, so you can move latererally and are expecting to have to move and get dirty.

Mkay...I guess catchers don't commit passed balls then.

[PoleyFan]

Player IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA

Hobgood, M 2.0 1 3 2 3 3 0 9.00

I'm liking the 3Ks and 1H in 2IP, but hope to see the BBs decrease as he works on his stuff. Maybe he'll stretch his pitch count to 3 or 4 innings next time and we'll get to see a little more.

[TakebackOPACY]

I'm liking the 3Ks and 1H in 2IP, but hope to see the BBs decrease as he works on his stuff. Maybe he'll stretch his pitch count to 3 or 4 innings next time and we'll get to see a little more.

That explains the walks. He wanted to throw 3 or 4 innings worth of pitches, but knew they were only going to let him pitch 2 innings. That's my story and I'm sticking with it.

[mark_beckens]

Mkay...I guess catchers don't commit passed balls then.

It's not a passed ball if the ball is in the dirt.

[PoleyFan]

You can see the talent is there. Once he gets back into routine I think we will see dominance.

I think so, too. The daily throwing program is an adjustment in and of itself compared with the typical HS pitching routine, and he's seeing a drop in his normal velocity right now, but I think once he builds his stamina and continues to work on his changeup he'll find more success.

Wonder if he threw the changeup at all today, and if so, how it looked?

[Three Run Homer]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it somewhat unusual for a pitcher, even a top draft pick, to go straight to minor league short-season competition right out of high school? It seems like most of the time that we draft someone out of high school, we send them to Sarasota and don't see them for more than a couple of token appearances until next season.

[mark_beckens]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it somewhat unusual for a pitcher, even a top draft pick, to go straight to minor league short-season competition right out of high school? It seems like most of the time that we draft someone out of high school, we send them to Sarasota and don't see them for more than a couple of token appearances until next season.

They sent him a level higher then most other HS dratees.

[TakebackOPACY]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it somewhat unusual for a pitcher, even a top draft pick, to go straight to minor league short-season competition right out of high school? It seems like most of the time that we draft someone out of high school, we send them to Sarasota and don't see them for more than a couple of token appearances until next season.

Bobby Bundy (8th round) was the first HS pitcher the O's took last year. He didn't sign until August, which was expected. Bundy had the exact kind of circumstances that lead one to expect it would take until August to get him signed. After pitching just 2 innings last summer, Bundy is essentially starting his career in Bluefield with Hobgood.

In 2007, the O's didn't take a HS pitcher until the 24th round (Daniel Klein, who went to UCLA instead of signing). Justin Moore was the first HS pitcher drafted and signed by the O's that year (26th round; 789th player). I don't remember, but I think Moore signed late too. Just like Bundy, he had the circumstances where you would expect him to sign late if he signed. Moore is in Bluefield now too.

Apples and oranges at least.

[Camden_yardbird]

BUST!!!

We should have drafted Smoak...

[BRob51]

BUST!!!

We should have drafted Smoak...

We should have drafted Salazar.