Third Hand Report on Hobgood

[PBR Street Gang]

So with this in mind our genius Drafter Joe Jordan picked him anyway at # 5 no less! If I was AM I would looking to replace someone and it wouldn't be Hobgood but the guy who made that decision. Was he on a cruise partying or something (paid for by the Yankees) or something when he made that pick?

A classic post! Your wisdom and insight certainly is positive addition to any and all discussions.

[clarence]

This pick stinks more and more. It is most definitely the icing on the cake of this season so far.

[PBR Street Gang]

When Jordan said hecame from a good family I immediately thought of this...

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Ironically the Dolphin fans wanted Brady (no arm) Quinn instead.

[clarence]

His family needs to tell him to act like a man, get in shape and go earn his money. I can handle it when a kid fails, but lack of effort is a character issue that should have been caught.

Fat at 19 becomes obese at 40.

[Tony-OH]

His family needs to tell him to act like a man, get in shape and go earn his money. I can handle it when a kid fails, but lack of effort is a character issue that should have been caught.

Fat at 19 becomes obese at 40.

Maybe it's not a family issue but a young man who needs to "wake up"? From what I heard the program Hobgood attended this off season did not focus on weight.

Well, I take that two ways. One, the Orioles need to get more involved in the off season activities of their prospects and two, this young man needs to realize that he's got a penchant for putting on weight and will need to work extra hard to keep it off.

I heard concerns about how he showed up after just taking about 6 weeks off between high school and showing up to Bluefield. That should have been a red flag for the Orioles.

I don't doubt Hobgood is a good kid and wants to do well, but as my life motto goes, "Actions speak louder than words."

You can tell everyone how much you care, but when you allow yourself to get out of shape and you don't perform up to the standards that your draft status suggests, then hopefully it's an eye opener.

Matt needs to be riding that stationary bike and running often during this season and this off season, his number one priority needs to be to find a place that will give him the tools to keep the weight off.

I believe that Matt has it in him, but only he can make it happen.

[mcgraw238]

Maybe it's not a family issue but a young man who needs to "wake up"? From what I heard the program Hobgood attended this off season did not focus on weight.

Well, I take that two ways. One, the Orioles need to get more involved in the off season activities of their prospects and two, this young man needs to realize that he's got a penchant for putting on weight and will need to work extra hard to keep it off.

I heard concerns about how he showed up after just taking about 6 weeks off between high school and showing up to Bluefield. That should have been a red flag for the Orioles.

I don't doubt Hobgood is a good kid and wants to do well, but as my life motto goes, "Actions speak louder than words."

You can tell everyone how much you care, but when you allow yourself to get out of shape and you don't perform up to the standards that your draft status suggests, then hopefully it's an eye opener.

Matt needs to be riding that stationary bike and running often during this season and this off season, his number one priority needs to be to find a place that will give him the tools to keep the weight off.

I believe that Matt has it in him, but only he can make it happen.

I'm not one to blindly criticize the O's minor league player development infrastructure, but it just seems like something isn't right here in the O's player development system relative to some of the other organizations.

[The Rick]

I'm not one to blindly criticize the O's minor league player development infrastructure, but it just seems like something isn't right here in the O's player development system relative to some of the other organizations.

Absolutely.

I heard a story about Strasburg the other day on the radio about how he came in to SDSU very much so overweight (About 250 lbs). Gwynn got him in touch with a personal trainer, monitored his off-season, and he lost a bunch of weight and put on some muscle. From there, his FB jumped from 89-100... not to mention his ridiculous movement.

I'm not trying to suggest that if Hobgood gets in shape he'll turn into a dominant force, I'm just saying that it can't hurt. And that it's pretty amazing that Tony Gynn and San Diego State University was able to take a pitcher who was unable to get drafted out of HS and turned him into the #1 pick a few years later.

For the O's to allow this to happen is pretty troubling. Sooner or later they are going to have to surgically remove their heads from their asses when it comes to developing their young talent. You can't always draft BA Top 200 Talent, sometimes you have to develop sleepers. Which never seems to happen for us.

[wickedwitch]

I'm not one to blindly criticize the O's minor league player development infrastructure, but it just seems like something isn't right here in the O's player development system relative to some of the other organizations.

Whether or not other teams do so,the Orioles should be arranging and paying for world class training for any top prospect in the off-season.

And on a slightly related note, the clubhouse "meals" that are supposed to be the players' dinners are not remotely nutritious. I doubt that most prospects can cook, and that plus the fact that they make virtually no money, it's probably very hard for the players to stay healthy during the season.

[Can_of_corn]

Whether or not other teams do so,the Orioles should be arranging and paying for world class training for any top prospect in the off-season.

And on a slightly related note, the clubhouse "meals" that are supposed to be the players' dinners are not remotely nutritious. I doubt that most prospects can cook, and that plus the fact that they make virtually no money, it's probably very hard for the players to stay healthy during the season.

Some teams, I think Cleveland is one, have taken it upon themselves to improve the spread with healthier choices. The way it works historicaly is the clubhouse attendent puts out the spread, based on contributions they get from players.

For what it would cost it would seem a no brainer for teams to toss a bit of cash for food and set up guidelines for what is served.

[crowmst3k!]

I'm not worried about Hobgood at this point in the game. He'll learn that he can't get batters out at a certain conditioning level, and will hopefully make the adjustments.

That said, I do wish that the pick was maybe used on a college bat or someone like Tyler Matzek. It seems to me like the pick was a reach.

[ChaosLex]

Disclaimer: As someone who's a friend to both Matt and his mom (although I know the latter much better than the former), my opinion might be biased.

That said, Matt's a wonderful person, and I in my heart, I truly do believe he'll be a valuable addition to this organization for years to come. Just my two cents.

[eb45]

There's no doubt that Matzek would have been the better pick, but the draft isn't just one round. It's very possible, indeed I'd say it's likely that it was choosing Hobgood over Matzek that allowed the O's to sign the impressive crop of overslotters that they did. If they had taken Matzek instead then they probably wouldn't have Ohlman, Berry, Cowan, or Coffey.

That said, I'm not entirely sure I wouldn't rather have Matzek than Hobgood and those four right now. Hopefully time will shift things in favor of the O's.

[PBR Street Gang]

Hopefully the Orioles will be firm with this kid and give him the help he needs.

Is that Stockstill's job? Just a question. I don't know.

[ScottieBaseball]

I believe that Matt has it in him, but only he can make it happen.

To take that a step further, I believe Matt's got a support system around him that will ultimately help him make it happen.

[Tony-OH]

To take that a step further, I believe Matt's got a support system around him that will ultimately help him make it happen.

Agreed, but there is only so much a support system can do for you. In the end, he's gotta want to do it and for the right reasons.