International FAILURES Continue...

[MemorialStadKid]

You know we really need to be in on these types of players. I mean it is a tough pill to swallow when we are told we can't compete for the top end players (the Tex's, Holliday, Lackeys etc) and then we don't appear to be sufficiently investing in international scouting for the low risk guys. Its like a double whammy.

If this is true it is really disappointing.

A lot of the AM-defenders would point to using low-cost, low-risk moves as a way to compete.

But he isn't even doing all he can on that front.

It begs the question - What ARE they doing in the warehouse?

MSK

[Stotle]

Again, I am not making excuses and I am on record saying it is inexcusable if this league has the majority of the best players but I would like a little more clarification. Is one of these 3 guys Sano's agent, I can't recall his name? If he isn't one of the three guys, it would be interesting to find out if Sano played in the league.

The league started this winter, so Sano would have already been signed.

[Birds of B'more]

Also, though most teams' scouts have shown up regularly for games, Mejia notes that some teams -- like the Chicago White Sox and the Baltimore Orioles -- still have not had a regular presence at games.

Maybe Mejia just hasn't seen our scouts at these games because they like to lay in the weeds.

[Frobby]

I've made the argument in other threads that we have made good progress in the DR and other international locales in the last 2 years, and that you can't necessarily go from 0 to 60 in 0.1 seconds in terms of personnel and spending. But this truly seems indefensible. Unless there's a very good explanation, someone's head ought to be rolling over this one.

By the way, I saw a Yankees' top 10 prospect list that had FOUR undrafted players from the DR, including their top prospect Jesus Montero (a catcher whose bat may be even better than Wieters') and the pitcher they traded (along with Melky Cabrera) to acquire Javier Vazquez. Our farm system looks to be in much better shape than the Yankees overall, but it is ridiculous that we are so far behind in this market.

By the way, Melewski (not Roch) is the guy at MASN who should be asked to follow up with Stockstill on this. Unless, of course, Tony does (hint, hint).

[Hooded Viper]

The league started this winter, so Sano would have already been signed.

Gotcha, thanks.

[Moose Milligan]

A lot of the AM-defenders would point to using low-cost, low-risk moves as a way to compete.

But he isn't even doing all he can on that front.

It begs the question - What ARE they doing in the warehouse?

MSK

Pissing you off, apparently

Jokes aside, this really is indefensible.

Oh well...thats how the Orioles roll, yo. Too bad they don't check the OH enough so we can hold them accountable.

[TiredofLosing20]

A lot of the AM-defenders would point to using low-cost, low-risk moves as a way to compete.

But he isn't even doing all he can on that front.

It begs the question - What ARE they doing in the warehouse?

MSK

No one is pointing to soley using low-cost low risk moves just that high cost high risk moves RIGHT NOW don't make sense. You can disagree with this view but in virtually every thread you post you feel the need to mischaracterize this point of view as "we should never sign free agents ever" For the gazillionth time, that is not what any of us are saying.

As for your point, you are right, if you are not the Yankees or Red Sox you really need to be much more opportunistic and take advantage of this front with any amount of info you can gather especially considering there is clearly some talent in this league.

PS - What makes it even more indefensible is that those are the two clubs kicking our rear in that market. So even the haves are taking advantage of that market.

[mspeller]

I gotta agree, it inexcuseable if they don't have a scout there.

They have spent more recently in international scouting, but why not go to these showcases.

The execs are too busy letting the market percolate!

[NCRaven]

Gee, the Orioles have gone from no presense in the DR to a minor one. That's news. I certainly think that we need to take every opportunity to find talent. But, I also know that $millions have been wasted on signing bonuses for international prospects that never do diddly.

All this means to me is we're not there yet and still have a good ways to go. Just like up until a few years ago our amateur scouting and drafting was pretty horrendous and so was our player development. But, we're getting better in all of those areas and I expect further improvement down the road both domestically and internationally. It's not all doom and gloom.

[Mackus]

Gee, the Orioles have gone from no presense in the DR to a minor one. That's news. I certainly think that we need to take every opportunity to find talent. But, I also know that $millions have been wasted on signing bonuses for international prospects that never do diddly.

All this means to me is we're not there yet and still have a good ways to go. Just like up until a few years ago our amateur scouting and drafting was pretty horrendous and so was our player development. But, we're getting better in all of those areas and I expect further improvement down the road both domestically and internationally. It's not all doom and gloom.

This is different than just not signing players. There is no real excuse for not having enough guys on the ground or anything like that.

This is a situation where the players are all pooled together, and you get to see them play each other. You don't have to tredge into the jungle and determine if the best kid in a small pond is worth signing. Its a gathering of some of the talent that is still around, it just seems ignorant to, well, ignore that.

[hoosiers]

Let's see what the FO says. Just because we do not have a "regular" presence is not a big deal necessarily. How many teams are in the league? How many kids are signed away from the league? Perhaps our FO wants to scout where the leagues are not. Perhaps Mejia has an axe to grind.

Just throwing stuff out. I still think it is difficult to deny that our FO has made big strides in two years internationally and this little anti-nugget does little to change that opinion. If we still have loads of catching up to do, that's not a surprise to me either and should not be a surprise to many here.

Of course, all that matters at the end of the day is the talent haul and the bets of our FO lay with the 36 or so kids already signed in 2009. It's going to take another few years before we understand if our FO is approaching this in a sensible manner or not. If a couple of those kids pan out, then negative implications such as the above will ultimately mean very little.

[Stotle]

Let's see what the FO says. Just because we do not have a "regular" presence is not a big deal necessarily. How many teams are in the league? How many kids are signed away from the league? Perhaps our FO wants to scout where the leagues are not. Perhaps Mejia has an axe to grind.

Just throwing stuff out. I still think it is difficult to deny that our FO has made big strides in two years internationally and this little anti-nugget does little to change that opinion. If we still have loads of catching up to do, that's not a surprise to me either and should not be a surprise to many here.

Of course, all that matters at the end of the day is the talent haul and the bets of our FO lay with the 36 or so kids already signed in 2009. It's going to take another few years before we understand if our FO is approaching this in a sensible manner or not. If a couple of those kids pan out, then negative implications such as the above will ultimately mean very little.

Sorry to respond to you:

1. 4 team league (around 80 players)

2. at least 7 players have been signed to bonuses ranging from mid-five to low-six figure deals (which I believe is your declared "sweet spot" for international signings)

[TiredofLosing20]

Sorry to respond to you:

1. 4 team league (around 80 players)

2. at least 7 players have been signed to bonuses ranging from mid-five to low-six figure deals (which I believe is your declared "sweet spot" for international signings)

Yeah.. provided that the statement of the O's not having a regular presence is true this is just embarassing really.

[ChaosLex]

The more things change...

[Sports Guy]

The bottom line is this just isn't a big deal to the Orioles...or at least not as big a deal as it should be.

No one can tell me any different.

They just don't see this is a priority.

Just another reason we are miles behind Boston and NY.