What has Jordan really accomplished?

[Sports Guy]

A ton for Matusz. That was his call and he's been probably the best player from that draft so far.

Wieters was an easier decision, I put the credit there more on Flanny and Beattie for showing the willingness to spend what it took to sign him and MacPhail for actually signing him (despite the near heart attack he gave us all by waiting until right at the midnight deadline to get it done).

I just don't see how you should get credit for drafting advanced, highly rated college players when you are drafting in the top 5.

[JTrea81]

A ton for Matusz. That was his call and he's been probably the best player from that draft so far.

Wieters was an easier decision, I put the credit there more on Flanny and Beattie for showing the willingness to spend what it took to sign him and MacPhail for actually signing him (despite the near heart attack he gave us all by waiting until right at the midnight deadline to get it done).

It was Flanagan and Duquette not Beattie as Beattie was gone then. Flanagan scouted him and Duquette made the inroads with Boras to draft him.

[allstar1579]

I just don't see how you should get credit for drafting advanced, highly rated college players when you are drafting in the top 5.

Just like this year when you have Pomeranz as an advanced highly rated college player, but there are HS players that are better players that SHOULD be drafted before them.

[hoosiers]

There is if you don't trade from that depth to get hitting or if you don't spend big to get bats.

You mean like when we moved Garrett Olson for Felix Pie?

Or two years of Bedard for Jones, Tillman, Sherill and co?

[Sports Guy]

You mean like when we moved Garrett Olson for Felix Pie?

Or two years of Bedard for Jones, Tillman, Sherill and co?

Olson for Pie was a dump for a dump.

And trading Bedard isn't remotely what i am talking about..You should be smart enough to figure that out.

[Singleton]

In general, I agree, but to what end? In fact, the more I think about this post the more I think that you didn't read the rest of my post where I point out that they have used relatively high picks on hitters.

I don't care where they get them, but they need to get them. I'm not saying the O's need to focus solely on hitters. I'm saying they need to get better at the drafting/developing the ones they do get.

Yes. The "focus" on pitching folks makes it sound like we don't draft hitters at all. We've drafted plenty and few have turned out so far and of more concern, few really look to have big promise.

[LookinUp]

Yes. The "focus" on pitching folks makes it sound like we don't draft hitters at all. We've drafted plenty and few have turned out so far and of more concern, few really look to have big promise.

Yup, you said it better than me.

[Mackus]

I just don't see how you should get credit for drafting advanced, highly rated college players when you are drafting in the top 5.

Because there are often times enticing reasons to take other players. It wasn't like Matusz was obviously the only choice we should have made in that position. Hell, some people wanted Aaron Crow over him, yet alone Smoak.

You should get a ton of credit any time a draft pick works out really well, IMO. Even the "advanced, highly rated college players" flop more often than not. If the guy is clearly heads and shoulders above every other player in the draft then maybe you don't get as much credit for your scouting acumen, but even then its a solid job to get a pick right.

[wickedwitch]

Given that there were three players taken ahead of Matusz, clearly it wasn't an obvious, easy choice.

[mikezpen]

A lot of response to my post. A few thoughts.

I forgot to mention Bergeson-my bad-I think he's a keeper.But outside of he and Matusz, what Jordan pitching products are producing in Baltimore-none. You have Berken and Hernandez, but they are only on the fringe of possibility when you look at it.What Jordan products are really showing much promise in the minors right now. Arietta....and I'll add Britton even though he's been lousy for the most part.

People mentioned Bell and Tillman, but we didn't draft them so I didn't count them. Patton either.

Since Cal Ripken in 1982, the Orioles have produced two position players who had impact in Baltimore: Roberts and Markakis. That is pathetic. I cannot see one single position player in their system today who is remotely impressive as a possible impact player-NOT ONE.I don't even see any that are a good bet to make it as serviceable.

Jordan has to take major responsibility for this failure. And while his defenders here counter with the argument that he concentrated on pitching and not hitting, I'd respond that we haven't produced much in the way of pitching either.

I think the management and coaching are to blame too, but more and more I think a good part of the finger has to point at Jordan.

[PBR Street Gang]

The jury is still out on Jordan and at this point it shouldn't be. For every Weiters (no brainer) there is a Rowell. For every Matusz there is a (Hobgood - mixed results for such a high pick).

In Hobgood Jordan has hitched his star. If he develops this year he should keep his job...if he stays basically mediocre he should be held accountable.

His draft philosophy has been all over the place. One year we took right handed pitchers something like 10 times in a row??????? Another year it was a bunch of guys with high on base percentages? Then there are always the obligatory local guys within a 100 mile radius of OPACY?

Results should be the only barometer. If Jordan were a QB on an NFL team the fans would be looking for the next guy 2 seasons ago.

[aggie]

The jury is still out on Jordan and at this point it shouldn't be. For every Weiters (no brainer) there is a Rowell. For every Matusz there is a (Hobgood - mixed results for such a high pick).

In Hobgood Jordan has hitched his star. If he develops this year he should keep his job...if he stays basically mediocre he should be held accountable.

His draft philosophy has been all over the place. One year we took right handed pitchers something like 10 times in a row??????? Another year it was a bunch of guys with high on base percentages? Then there are always the obligatory local guys within a 100 mile radius of OPACY?

Results should be the only barometer. If Jordan were a QB on an NFL team the fans would be looking for the next guy 2 seasons ago.

I don't always agree with everyone but I love the passion of the fans on this site. You do your homework and love your O's

[DocJJ]

I don't give Jordan any credit at all for Wieters and Matusz when my 4 year old son could have picked them.

But I won't bash the guy either, because there really is a ton of luck involved. Look at the first 100 picks of each draft of the past 10 years and you see how few of them ever made it at all, let alone made it big....

Still, we don't really have much to show for the past several drafts. We'll see how Hoes and Avery develop the next 1-2 years. I don't hold out any hope for Rowell, Ryan Adams, Tyler Henson, Keiron Pope. Tyler Townsend can't even get on the field.

[wickedwitch]

Results should be the only barometer. If Jordan were a QB on an NFL team the fans would be looking for the next guy 2 seasons ago.

One cannot accurately evaluate a draft for at least five years afterward.

[H0smash]

If Jordan were a QB on an NFL team the fans would be looking for the next guy 2 seasons ago.

This is the worst analogy ever. He is not a QB, you cannot expect immediate results from the draft. And even if guys don't pan out it might not be Jordan's fault there is also the development side of the minor leagues. He probably hasn't done the best job, but name me someone available who you think would be better? I think you have to give the guy a few more years before you run him out of town. He's been solid, not spectacular, not horrible. This isn't the NFL, it takes a lot of prospects 3-5 years to get to the majors, and you don't really know how good they are for another three or four years after that.