Third Hand Report on Hobgood

[Old#5fan]

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.

Does he not understand the need to be in better physical condition?

[Birds of B'more]

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.

http://forum.orioleshangout.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2175255&postcount=8

A friend of mine talked to an NL scout who says the O's organization is entirely lacking in conditioning, and that many of the players don't exactly rush their way through rehab. Overall, there's a real lack of energy, particularly at the top two levels.

Where there's smoke?

[Gurgi]

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?

Jordan has had some awful drafts. Rowell, Hobgood. These guys dont belong in the first round.

[RandyM]

Jordan has had some awful drafts. Rowell, Hobgood. These guys dont belong in the first round.

I am all about not liking the Hobgood pick, think it was a stretch, but that statement goes a little too far. Plus, Rowell wasn't a stretch pick when it was made. It just didn't work out well. Highsight is 50/50 .

I will say, there were a lot of people painting Hobgood in a nice picture when he showed up out of shape. Lot of us got crap for calling that out.

I will pile on the O's organization, but these are "professionals" even if they are 18 or 19. If you need a people hounding you then, you got a big uphill battle no matter what the organization does.

I would love to hear from Matt's family. I thought his uncle was posting here a couple times.

[Snutchy]

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.

This post is so far off and rude. Who are you to suggest that his family tell him to act like a man and get in shape? And how do you know that his weight is because of a lack of effort? Some people it just doesn't come easy for.

I hope this kid gets fatter and becomes the next C.C. Sabathia.

[melankfo]

Hearing reports like this makes me wonder about our minor league instruction/conditioning. I truly think this organization needs a thorough cleaning out.

I have to agree -- a thorough house-cleaning needed. Better teaching of fundamentals in the minors, better conditioning and even the scouting/drafting, which has been sub-par for years. The question is who should be in charge to replace the weak link employees in the system with better people? Probably no one person has the ability to do that -- so you need a small cadre of top people, strongly backed by Angelos and whoever is GM.

[DuffMan]

Are there any recent pictures of him in action?

Maybe Doc Shorebird can chime in.

[NewMarketSean]

LOL.

Just LOL.

That is all I can say right now.

[DrungoHazewood]

Jordan has had some awful drafts. Rowell, Hobgood. These guys dont belong in the first round.

I guess you could say they went a few picks too early, but both Rowell and Hobgood were rated by BA, BP, etc as first round picks at the time they were drafted.

If you're just using 20/20 hindsight, well, you could level the same criticism on several dozen first round picks and GMs since Rowell was taken.

[Slappy]

A shame, but he is young and he still has the potential. Like Tony said, only he can make it happen for himself.

Once again though, the OH board largely called this pick. This organization cannot continue to blow top ten picks. Fortunately, I don't think we did this year.

[soxhotcorner14]

My honest opinion on Rowell.. After watching him so many times.. If that is the approach to hitting the O's scouts/cross-checkers saw in HS.. Then the O's need to look in the mirror on that pick. Your first rounders should look like they have an idea.. especially when you're coughing up $2 million dollars for him. I don't know.

I'm not going to turn this into a Rowell bashing hi-jack. But you can't tell me looking at his approach and his skill-set you saw first round ability. Normally in busts, you can see some glimmer of hope at times. I just see a person who is lost at the pro-level both offensively and defensively.

[Frobby]

I'm not as ready to trash Hobgood as some here appear to be. I've always thought that Jordan was out on a limb with that pick, and if Hobgood didn't develop into a good major league pitcher, Jordan justifiably could be second-guessed heavily. But Hobgood is not having a terrible year for an 18-year old in the Sally League. I will be a lot more patient with him than some here are.

[rooster1]

He needs to get on the Tony Gwynn Strasburg program ASAP

[Can_of_corn]

But Hobgood is not having a terrible year for an 18-year old in the Sally League. I will be a lot more patient with him than some here are.

You do realise that he turns 20 on Aug 3rd right?

[McLovin]

I think it's nice that he made a full season team, and his results have been 'ok'.

On the other hand, his stuff sounds very Bergesen-like. He's basically having Brad Bergesen-like results at the same age and level - but with a lot more walks.

Meh.