Dixon Anderson - 6th round - RHP (Cal)

[hoosiers]

Doesn't sound like a reliever at all to me - per the BA write-up - which discusses the big frame and belief he could be a workhorse starter. BA mentions lots of potential.

Seems like a typical JJ pick - some refinement/improvement in his secondary offerings could provide for a very high upside.

[Three Run Homer]

Pretty good value for the 6th round. To some extent he reminds me of Brett Jacobson, the guy we got for Aubrey Huff--good arm, but hasn't had as much success in college as pure stuff would indicate.

Given that we do seem to have good pitching instruction in the minor leagues, guys like Anderson and Jacobson are probably a good investment for us--we'll have a better chance of maximizing their potential than other organizations that don't develop pitchers as well, and you can't teach velocity or frame.

[Sports Guy]

I think it really depends on what they do later. If Klein and Anderson are fast movers, then we're looking at instant additions to sure/shore up a serious weakness.

I'm okay with it - only because he's got a high floor with legitimate starter upside.

And, no, he's not specifically Bard-like stuff-wise, I meant more the approach to getting fairly refined arms with plus stuff in your pen, at a young age, and for cheap.

Yea, I knew what you meant.

It seems like there have been some higher ceiling positional guys on the board.

The one thing I wonder is this...Are the Orioles, at this point in the draft, drafting for guys that they feel will be role players, but contributors nonetheless, on the ML level because they drafted machado early on...a guy that will command a lot of money and be at least 3-4 years away.

[EL_Coyote]

Power arm w/ heavy sink. Likely reliever with starter (remote) possibilities.

I think we see a draft for need here. We're tired of not having any Daniel Bards.

Actually I think you've nailed it with that. I've no clue if it's a good choice or not. However at least with this choice it's a guy who can be groomed to fill a role he is slated for.

[Lucky Jim]

Doesn't sound like a reliever at all to me - per the BA write-up - which discusses the big frame and belief he could be a workhorse starter. BA mentions lots of potential.

Seems like a typical JJ pick - some refinement/improvement in his secondary offerings could provide for a very high upside.

That's fair. I think his floor (eek, sorry, ceiling was a bad typo) is a power arm out of the pen. Whether his stuff plays as a starter is a question regarding his upside, but I could see him moving up quickly as a reliever. Time-table will be far slower as a starter.

[Lucky Jim]

Yea, I knew what you meant.

It seems like there have been some higher ceiling positional guys on the board.

The one thing I wonder is this...Are the Orioles, at this point in the draft, drafting for guys that they feel will be role players, but contributors nonetheless, on the ML level because they drafted machado early on...a guy that will command a lot of money and be at least 3-4 years away.

We need to see how they spend later. Remember, they often make odd mid-range choices before spending big on guys later. A lot of times, it appears that Jordan doesn't like the cost of upside that falls to the 4-8th rounds, and prefers to buy it later.

I'm okay with that, provided they buy it. Somewhere.

[Sports Guy]

If the Orioles keep Anderson and Klein as relievers, is it safe to say they drafted them based on need?

[Lucky Jim]

If the Orioles keep Anderson and Klein as relievers, is it safe to say they drafted them based on need?

Not exactly, because both have legitimate starter potential.

Think Brett Cecil, maybe?

But the idea that you can fit a need with their floor, projection-wise, is nice insurance.

[EL_Coyote]

If the Orioles keep Anderson and Klein as relievers, is it safe to say they drafted them based on need?

Sounds like a safe conclusion to me. Considering the sorry state of the bullpen at present I really don't know that it's such a bad idea either.

[Sports Guy]

Sounds like a safe conclusion to me. Considering the sorry state of the bullpen at present I really don't know that it's such a bad idea either.

I don't think it is bad either.

I have no problems drafting for need, as long as it is a player you rate very highly.

I do prefer the idea of BPA over everything though.

[LookinUp]

If the Orioles keep Anderson and Klein as relievers, is it safe to say they drafted them based on need?

Anderson may be a reliever, but he's more of a project to me. I'd guess he'll end up a reliever, but with only one go to pitch, he doesn't profile anything like near-ready to me.

I'm thinking he'll turn into a David Hernandez type, which would be nice, just not a near-term ready guy.

[hoosiers]

If the Orioles keep Anderson and Klein as relievers, is it safe to say they drafted them based on need?

Why would one say BA Top 200 prospects are drafted for need? It's really not in JJ's profile to spend multiple top 10 picks on relievers.

IMO, both were drafted as starters with legit major league potential.

[RVAbird]

Doesn't sound like a reliever at all to me - per the BA write-up - which discusses the big frame and belief he could be a workhorse starter. BA mentions lots of potential.

Seems like a typical JJ pick - some refinement/improvement in his secondary offerings could provide for a very high upside.

Big frame is nice but his secondaries aren't good enough for him to stick in the rotation IMO. Let him pound the zone with the fastball out of the pen.

[mcgraw238]

http://www.baseballrumormill.com/2010/04/mlb-draft-notes-dixon-anderson-and-other-updated-scouting-report/

Dixon Anderson, California, RHP

In a recent outing against Arizona State, Dixon allowed just two runs over eight innings, with both runs coming in the eighth. Anderson worked at 89-93 with some sinking tail and held that velocity into the eighth inning. His slider flashed above-average, 79-83, sometimes flattening out, but he threw plenty of effective ones down and away to right-handers. His low-80s changeup was fringy and often finished up in the zone. A pitcher who can hold that velocity for 90-100 pitches and has movement on the fastball has to project as a starter, and Anderson also has the potential for an above-average second pitch in the slider.

[allstar1579]

Why would one say BA Top 200 prospects are drafted for need? It's really not in JJ's profile to spend multiple top 10 picks on relievers.

IMO, both were drafted as starters with legit major league potential.

Potential but I like them both a lot more as RP.