Great news from Hobgood

[baltfan]

You say not everyone's built like Anderson or Roberts yet you want Hobgood to be around 10-12% body fat?

17% is a good number for the big boned body frame he has.

You are kidding yourself if you think either of those guys are 10-12% body fat. More like 6%.

[Can_of_corn]

22% body fat is an embarrassment for a professional athlete. 17% is a slightly more acceptable level, though at his age I would like to see something in the 10-12% range. Of course not everyone will be built like Brady Anderson or Brian Roberts, but we don't need another Sugar Bear.

Just to throw out a point of reference on 22% body fat.

Current U.S. Army body fat requirements for regular duty:

Age 17-20 - 20%

Age 21-27 - 22%

Age 28-39 - 24%

Age 40+ - 26%

So yea, last fall Hobgood would have been on the "fat boy" program if he was in the Army.

[TakebackOPACY]

22% body fat is an embarrassment for a professional athlete. 17% is a slightly more acceptable level, though at his age I would like to see something in the 10-12% range. Of course not everyone will be built like Brady Anderson or Brian Roberts, but we don't need another Sugar Bear.

I just wanted to concur with your thoughts on these numbers. 22% body fat for an active 19 year-old athlete is not a good sign of things to come. They needed to give him some nutritional guidance and encouragement, and he needed to embrace it. It sounds like this is exactly what happened, and that's hopefully a great sign of things to come.

Hobgood should be commended for this. And based on Joe Jordan's post-draft comments about Hobgood's "intangibles", it's obvious that Jordan would not be surprised by Hobgood's off-season work.

[LookinUp]

I can't believe that people are surprised that a high school athlete wasn't on an aggressive nutrition and weight loss program.

He had 22% body fat because he probably went out, struck out 15 batters, hit 2 hrs and then went home and played PS3 every day. He was a natural athlete and a heavy guy. This is not at all uncommon.

Now, as a professional, he has to become a professional athlete. This actually gives me hope to believe that he does have room to grow physically, just not in the traditional description of grow.

[cnmilton]

I'm just saying that he is still very young, and that he is by far not the only "kid" who had baby fat to start his career. Guys like Joba cc sabathia and Felix Hernandez are all not the epitome on peak physical health but are still quite effective on the mound.

[baltfan]

I can't believe that people are surprised that a high school athlete wasn't on an aggressive nutrition and weight loss program.

He had 22% body fat because he probably went out, struck out 15 batters, hit 2 hrs and then went home and played PS3 every day. He was a natural athlete and a heavy guy. This is not at all uncommon.

Now, as a professional, he has to become a professional athlete. This actually gives me hope to believe that he does have room to grow physically, just not in the traditional description of grow.

I beg to differ. I was a high school athlete 20 years ago. We knew far less about nutrition then and couldn't google the information that we needed. Yet all of the athletes were acutely aware of the importance of being in shape and strove to be in shape.

All of that being said, I agree with the majority that it seems Hobgood has the right attitude now (though he references not making the goals the Orioles set for him) and hopefully will get this under control. There are plenty of examples of athletes, Charles Barkley comes to mind, who once they paid attention to this stuff were able to get in shape.

[AlbNYfan]

Good for him. I am not not a huge fan of Hobgood, but hope I am wrong. The thing about the minors, however, is that the meal money very poor. These are young, fast food generation kids and just as soon pound away subs, pizza, and Mc whatever as to eat healthy. A lot are away from home for the first time and make worse choices than usual. I am always amazed that teams that invest millions into the draft choices do apparently little about the food they eat day to day.

[Can_of_corn]

I can't believe that people are surprised that a high school athlete wasn't on an aggressive nutrition and weight loss program.

He had 22% body fat because he probably went out, struck out 15 batters, hit 2 hrs and then went home and played PS3 every day. He was a natural athlete and a heavy guy. This is not at all uncommon.

I knew a quote like this existed last night and I didn't have time to find it.

I was told Hobgood has less than 10 percent body fat. The "out of shape" comments seem to be as misguided as the assumption he only throws 88-92.

[LookinUp]

I beg to differ. I was a high school athlete 20 years ago. We knew far less about nutrition then and couldn't google the information that we needed. Yet all of the athletes were acutely aware of the importance of being in shape and strove to be in shape.

All of that being said, I agree with the majority that it seems Hobgood has the right attitude now (though he references not making the goals the Orioles set for him) and hopefully will get this under control. There are plenty of examples of athletes, Charles Barkley comes to mind, who once they paid attention to this stuff were able to get in shape.

Ehhh...I think the truth lies somewhere in the middle of doing nothing and being a physical specimen. Either way, it's good news that the character we valued so much seems to be paying early dividends.

I'm going from memory here, but I think I remember that the Hobgood we drafted was already in much better shape then the Hobgood who played as a junior. I vaguely remember a Josh Bell-like story about him being overweight but working on it to improve. Hopefully he's really committing to being in great shape.

%bodyfat aside, the trend is clearly good news.

[DuffMan]

Matt Hobgood is going to be the new Billy Rowell around here in that he will be discussed constantly and there will be countless questions of if he was just a signability pick.

[srock]

How can you be "out of shape" when you are that young and an athelete to being with?:scratchchinhmm:

18 year old's don't have a clue about much. That's why most of them have to go to college before anyone will give them money and professional responsibility.

In the baseball world, college is replaced by the low minors. This is were players learn to become professional athletes.

Also, out of shape is a relative term. I'm guessing if you stack Hobgood up with the average 18 old he looks like Zeus. But compared to his peers, who all profile as one of the 300, he is behind the curve.

[Old#5fan]

18 year old's don't have a clue about much. That's why most of them have to go to college before anyone will give them money and professional responsibility.

In the baseball world, college is replaced by the low minors. This is were players learn to become professional athletes.

Also, out of shape is a relative term. I'm guessing if you stack Hobgood up with the average 18 old he looks like Zeus. But compared to his peers, who all profile as one of the 300, he is behind the curve.

Maybe so and I hope your explanation is correct but color me a skeptic as why in the world would Jordan invest a first round pick in anyone who was "out of shape" and needed to "lose weight" and was still in HS? With all the other top prospects available why go there to begin with other than in a lower round?

[LookinUp]

Maybe so and I hope your explanation is correct but color me a skeptic as why in the world would Jordan invest a first round pick in anyone who was "out of shape" and needed to "lose weight" and was still in HS? With all the other top prospects available why go there to begin with other than in a lower round?

Are you not creative enough to come up with any possibilities? How about, he interviewed well, he had already show year-to-year physical improvements, he has an incredibly solid build (big legs), he already flashes one of if not the best curve ball in the class, his coaches spoke highly of him, his teachers spoke highly of him?

I just came up with these possibilities off the top of my head.

Do you really think Jordan should discount all of the positives he saw with Hobgood because he's a high schooler who's not affiliated with a major workout program/advisor? Do you think for one second that most high school athletes are in "professional" condition?

Don't be so simple.

[Old#5fan]

Are you not creative enough to come up with any possibilities? How about, he interviewed well, he had already show year-to-year physical improvements, he has an incredibly solid build (big legs), he already flashes one of if not the best curve ball in the class, his coaches spoke highly of him, his teachers spoke highly of him?

I just came up with these possibilities off the top of my head.

Do you really think Jordan should discount all of the positives he saw with Hobgood because he's a high schooler who's not affiliated with a major workout program/advisor? Do you think for one second that most high school athletes are in "professional" condition?

Don't be so simple.

Well, to me being out of shape and over weight should have caused the lad to fall out of first round consideration by any team. You don't reward someone for being in that condition by overlooking it. That sends a bad message IMO, although it is good that apparently he is working out now. He should have been doing so before he was drafted to impress the scouts which is what I don't fathom.

[Tony-OH]

I knew a quote like this existed last night and I didn't have time to find it.

Like I said in the quote, I was just passing on what I was told. I have never seen Hobgood personally just to set the record straight.