How would you feel if Harper falls to us and we pass on him?

[ChaosLex]

Let's face facts, Harper probably isn't going to fall to us. I'll be shellshocked if the Gnats don't take him. Ditto the Bucs (if he falls in their laps).

Still, I'm curious to see how y'all would feel...

[LookinUp]

I'd assume there's a really good reason.

[Edit: I should have voted for option #2.]

[JamesI]

As long as the pick doesn't feel like an attempt to pick someone who will sign cheap, I'll be ok with passing on Harper. Not that I think we'll get the chance to take harper anyway.

[EL_Coyote]

No sweat off my back. JJ/AM know what they're doing

Joe Jordan and Andy McPhail are handsomely paid professionals. They have a staff of professional scouts at their disposal and are going to make the best decisions regarding the draft that they can whether it's the 3rd overall choice or the 20th round.

If they think someone else is better equipped to help build the team then I trust them. In five years time all the gripping about Matt Hobgood could be completely forgotten. I think we as fans and part of our culture to spend our money has taught us to feed into the hype machine far too often.

[wickedwitch]

It depends on who we pick instead.

[scottbbfm]

It depends on who we pick instead.

ditto. No Hobgood picks - back the truck up. I didn't mind the Hobgood pick - but there's a difference between #3 and #5. And I'd say its unlikely we get that high of a pick for the forseable future.

[rhall]

This should be prefaced by saying, "if the draft were held today"...

For me, it was a close call between "okay" and "discouraged". I picked "discouraged".

At the time of the draft, all we know is usually just the concensus view. If the O's make a pick that goes against the concensus, it will most likely be because they are either making poor decisions or know something we don't know. That scenario sounds an awfull lot like poll option #3. They either know something we don't, or are giving us a legitmate reason to be disappointed in their decision making.

If you acknowledge those scenarios, but still say "no sweat off my back", that's an apathetic view of the draft. You don't really care who the O's pick. If you are "enraged", then you took an unyielding position. Nothing is right unless it's exactly what you would have done.

[rooster1]

I would be pretty outraged. Talent like that only comes around every once in a blue moon.

[JTrea81]

Yep you do not pass on Harper, period.

[Big Mac]

Yep you do not pass on Harper, period.

Pretty close-minded statement here.

What if Harper struggles this season? What if our scouts don't think he's good enough to warrant a 15-20 million dollar signing bonus? What if they determine he has character issues?

To say at this point that there is absolutely no way you can pass on Harper, when it is impossible to know what the circusmstances and situation will be on draft day, is ridiculous.

[AlbNYfan]

How many people here have seen the kid play?? Really studied him? I know there have been reports of his greatness, and they may be true. But, sometimes these kids get tagged with unrealistic expectations. The greatest intangible all the top choices have, IMO, is how there life changes when they become instant millionaires, set for life? Do they maintain their dedication? Do they continue to be coachable??? There is so much more to totally evaluating a kid than the numbers.

[Mizerooskie]

I suppose it depends on the reasoning for passing on him. If it's for monetary reasons, I'd be furious, but if it's because they liked another player better, I'd be totally fine.

Since we'll never know if it's for monetary reasons, and at that point 2 other teams would have also passed, I voted that I'd be fine with it.

Just a note for those who think you do not pass on Bryce Harper, no matter what: look at the last "best prospect ever" prior to Strasburg. David Clyde was taken 1st overall in 1973 and did next to nothing in the Major Leagues. Who were taken 3rd and 4th in that draft? Robin Yount and Dave Winfield.

[JDubs]

ditto. No Hobgood picks - back the truck up. I didn't mind the Hobgood pick - but there's a difference between #3 and #5. And I'd say its unlikely we get that high of a pick for the forseable future.

Yes, especially since we don't have a round 2 pick. There is no reason to go cheap in the first round this year. We need a repeat of the Weiters draft were we pay up ithe first round. (For the record, I'm ok with last years draft, if it is a once an while thing. Some times you need to add late round, high risk/high reward guys to the system. Just not every year.)

[JDubs]

Yep you do not pass on Harper, period.

Pretty close-minded statement here.

Odd since his mind is usually like a parachute! I would say that WE do not pass on Harper, period. But even then, I add the caveat that thiw statement only applies if we determine the expectations are legit (and not like how we determined Lincecum wouldn't hold up). We have a system stocked full of great pitching prospects, but sprasely filled with positional prospects. I like pitching prospects better, but when a great talent falls to you in that scenario, we gotta take him.

[hobbycars]

This is a difficult poll. Hard to say if someonething happens to Harper between now and the draft and/or our scouts determine a stud college or hs pitcher is the way to go.

This is the problem. The Orioles lost credibility last year with the Hobgood selection. It is certainly possible we really did think Hobgood was above some other guys, but I highly doubt it. A decision was made on the first round pick and we picked Hobgood based on signability.

If we do that again this year, particularly with no #2 pick, we are definitely headed in the wrong direction from a draft perspective. I have to credit to Flanagan and Beattie for pulling the trigger on Wieters.

So my opinion of this organization in regards to the draft is highly skeptical right now. It is hard for me to have a firm opinion. However if the draft were held right now and Harper was not selected by all teams and us, you would have to think something is wrong.

I think the trading of draft picks will definitely help with this, but I just hope we take the Ravens approach from now on-take the best talent on the board.