And with their first pick in the 2010 draft, the O's select...

[QBsILLEST1]

With the second or third pick we need a college player who can help us sooner rather than later. I'd prefer a hitter but if a top college pitcher like Matusz is available you have to take him.

The problem is that there arent too many quality college bats who can come up and help us nearly right away....Theres Brentz and Colon. If we go position player, Id rather go HS for Nick Castellanos.

Both Pomeranz and Ranaudo are similar to Matusz in that they have good high ceilings and are safe too. Matusz IMO would rank over both of them slightly, but thats nothing against them, Matusz is just really good. The thing is though, I dont expect a guy like Taillon to move quite as fast as Ranaudo or Pomeranz, but he wont be too far behind them. IMO right now Taillon has about as good of an arsenal as either of these 2 college arms and yet hes 3 years younger and will wind up better. In the end he could have a 4 pitch arsenal all atleast above average like Matusz, but a much better fastball....

[bigelow]

I hate to go back to back with high school pitchers but it looks like a deep position.

Tailon 1A

Cole 1B

[section18]

Why? We are currently the third worst team in baseball and we are 38.5 games out of first if we lose tonight. We drafted a high school pitcher this year who won't arrive in Baltimore until probably 2012 or 2013. If we can't get quality free agents to come here unless we drastically overpay we have no choice but to wait for the drafted players to make the ML roster. I feel more confident about the college guys because they have been tested longer and you can judge their progress better. We can't afford to wait three or four years for young players

[geschinger]

Why? We are currently the third worst team in baseball and we are 38.5 games out of first if we lose tonight. We drafted a high school pitcher this year who won't arrive in Baltimore until probably 2012 or 2013. If we can't get quality free agents to come here unless we drastically overpay we have no choice but to wait for the drafted players to make the ML roster. I feel more confident about the college guys because they have been tested longer and you can judge their progress better. We can't afford to wait three or four years for young players

Sure we can. The goal should be to create a consistent pipeline of talent into the organization for the long haul. I prefer the college player if we're talking about equal talent but if we think a HS kid is a better long term risk/reward option that is who we should take.

I would also point out that there are other options. I don't know why you would think that the options are either going big in FA or waiting for drafted players to make the ML roster. Those are not the only ways to get good talent into a Baltimore Orioles uniform.

[RVAbird]

Sure we can. The goal should be to create a consistent pipeline of talent into the organization for the long haul. I prefer the college player if we're talking about equal talent but if we think a HS kid is a better long term risk/reward option that is who we should take.

I would also point out that there are other options. I don't know why you would think that the options are either going big in FA or waiting for drafted players to make the ML roster. Those are not the only ways to get good talent into a Baltimore Orioles uniform.

This. Thank you for responding with exactly what I had in mind.

(I have to spread the rep...)

[QBsILLEST1]

Why? We are currently the third worst team in baseball and we are 38.5 games out of first if we lose tonight. We drafted a high school pitcher this year who won't arrive in Baltimore until probably 2012 or 2013. If we can't get quality free agents to come here unless we drastically overpay we have no choice but to wait for the drafted players to make the ML roster. I feel more confident about the college guys because they have been tested longer and you can judge their progress better. We can't afford to wait three or four years for young players

Drafting for need is no good. We are going to have a logjam in the rotation as it is, no need to jam it up when we can more wisely get someone like Taillon, who will not only be ready right about when we will need him, but looks to end up being much better than any college arm or position player in the draft. As I said above, Taillon has a huge pitchers frame that will allow him to be a workhorse, while at the same time providing 4 atleast above average pitches. Like I said earlier, his arsenal in the end will be like Matusz's but with a much better fastball. If Matusz as it is projects to be a #1/2, ok imagine Taillon.....A legit #1......

Disclaimer- Aside from Matusz having excellent stuff, he also has plus command and plus pitchability. If Taillon can get half the command and half the pitchabilty Matusz has he will probably be a #1 IMO. Since his fastball is as good as it is, he may be able to get away with just solid command and solid pitchability IMO.....

[clarence]

Drafting for need is no good. We are going to have a logjam in the rotation as it is, no need to jam it up when we can more wisely get someone like Taillon, who will not only be ready right about when we will need him, but looks to end up being much better than any college arm or position player in the draft. As I said above, Taillon has a huge pitchers frame that will allow him to be a workhorse, while at the same time providing 4 atleast above average pitches. Like I said earlier, his arsenal in the end will be like Matusz's but with a much better fastball. If Matusz as it is projects to be a #1/2, ok imagine Taillon.....A legit #1......

Disclaimer- Aside from Matusz having excellent stuff, he also has plus command and plus pitchability. If Taillon can get half the command and half the pitchabilty Matusz has he will probably be a #1 IMO. Since his fastball is as good as it is, he may be able to get away with just solid command and solid pitchability IMO.....

I don't believe it is possible to have a logjam in a major league rotation. If it were possible, it could only lead to positives such as trading one of those in the logjam for more talent that is already proven way more than draft picks. Or, heaven forbid, you build a bullpen that has capable pitchers in it.

[PBR Street Gang]

JJ needs to avoid the temptation of taking another HS player in the top 3 rounds. His record on HS players is spotty at best.

[LookinUp]

Are either of these HS pitchers anywhere near the level of a Porcello or Kershaw when they came out? If so, I think you have to go that direction.

[Stotle]

Are either of these HS pitchers anywhere near the level of a Porcello or Kershaw when they came out? If so, I think you have to go that direction.

Cole's breaking ball isn't consistent enough yet to be a Kershaw, but his fastball is right up there. Taillon's FB/CB combo could be comparable. Of course Kersh is a lefty, so he gets a little wink and a pat on the bum in this race, I'd think.

[clarence]

JJ needs to avoid the temptation of taking another HS player in the top 3 rounds. His record on HS players is spotty at best.

I don't know if I agree with this when it comes to the first round if the talent is special. I do think we could have done more to help the big league club sooner with a pick other than Hobgood. Every scouting director probably has a spotty record in regards to high school talent, but if the best player available at #3 next draft is a high school kid, we should still grab him and not let signing bonus be an issue.

What bothers me is the last two second round picks. They seem like extreme projects. I would have liked to have seen us take the best available college talent with these picks. Yes, Avery and Givens are gifted athletes, but the question marks that came with them were huge.

[LookinUp]

I'm just catching up on the draft board for the first time in many weeks. I know it's early, but it looks like an exciting year to be #3.

And so it goes for O's fans.

[QBsILLEST1]

Are either of these HS pitchers anywhere near the level of a Porcello or Kershaw when they came out? If so, I think you have to go that direction.

Taillon has drawn Porcello and Kershaw comparisons, as some say hes up there in that class. IMO itd be easier to answer that question next year after we get to see what he does between now and then.

But IMO its safe to say at this point, hes the best HS pitcher out of HS since Porcello....

[QBsILLEST1]

Cole's breaking ball isn't consistent enough yet to be a Kershaw, but his fastball is right up there. Taillon's FB/CB combo could be comparable. Of course Kersh is a lefty, so he gets a little wink and a pat on the bum in this race, I'd think.

I wasnt deep in the draft a couple years ago when Kershaw was drafted, so all I really can do is search for past Kershaw scouting reports, which most I can find are from when he was drafted. IMO from looking at that, the difference is that Kershaw gained some velo after he was drafted because everything I see on him says 92/93 MPH with the fastball. Nowadays I believe hes mid 90's and can probably top out slightly higher. If thats the case, then coming out of HS, Taillon may have the better fastball at this point. And also Taillon has a future 4 pitch arsenal and Kershaw at the point of being drafted only had a 3 pitch arsenal, I dunno if he added another pitch or not. Im sure you could make arguments either way, Kershaw was a lefty, had a bit of projection from what he looked like, one of the best curves around. Taillon is apparently maxed out physically, but hes 6'7 and will be able to take the workload of a ML starter pretty easily. His fb/cb combo is comparable to Kershaw now, but Kershaw out of HS? I dunno itd be close, and if Kershaw gets the slight just because hes a lefty, IMO that tells you what kind of talent Taillon is regardless.

[OriolesMagic83]

I think the O's need to go with a college player. High school players are too difficult to project, and the O's have had terrible luck with them. Notable high schoolers who were developed by the O's in the last 10 years? Seems like a really short list.

Best college hitter or a college pitcher like Matusz