Matt Hobgood Shut Down With Shoulder Injury

[ilbm88]

Matt is turning into chris smith part 2.

[sangar]

On the bright-side, it would be "great" if his lackluster Bluefield and Delmarva campaigns were caused by injury.

This is what I'm thinking. If we get this fixed we might see the Hobgood we expected to see.

[PBR Street Gang]

Jordan should be fired for this...three years ago. Hobgood is/was a nice story, but it's over Johnny.

[LookinUp]

Jordan should be fired for this...three years ago. Hobgood is/was a nice story, but it's over Johnny.

He should be fired because his top pick got injured? Oh please.

I'm on the record about 100 times saying that I'd have picked Matzek, but if he got injured he'd be in the same boat as Hobgood.

If anything, Hobgood's build probably made him less of an injury risk in the O's eyes. That almost had to go into the calculus when they were making the decision to pick him, a high school arm, that high in the draft.

What if Hobgood really is that 95-97 top end guy with a power curve and very good ground ball tendencies? What if it really is just the injury that has been keeping him down? Does that still mean that Jordan should be fired? Come on.

Leake wasn't on most people's radars at 1/5. It was two other more expensive high school arms and a college SS with questions about his defensive ability to stay at SS and pretty bad peripherals in his MiL time since.

I know hindsight is supposed to be 20-20, but that doesn't make it fair.

[Frobby]

I have to wonder if this shoulder problem may actually have existed since the summer of 2009, which would explain Hobgood's drastic loss of velocity since the O's scouted him.

[McLovin]

As has been said, it's not a terrible pick because he got injured. That stuff happens.

It was a terrible pick because his his ceiling looks to be Matt Albers - *if* he even makes it that far.

[waroriole]

As has been said, it's not a terrible pick because he got injured. That stuff happens.

It was a terrible pick because his his ceiling looks to be Matt Albers - *if* he even makes it that far.

How is his ceiling Albers? When he was drafted people were saying his ceiling could be Schilling.

[Crazysilver03]

As has been said, it's not a terrible pick because he got injured. That stuff happens.

It was a terrible pick because his his ceiling looks to be Matt Albers - *if* he even makes it that far.

When Albers was traded to Baltimore, he still had the potential for middle of the rotation starter. It was the Orioles that used him as a multi inning reliever.

[LookinUp]

When Albers was traded to Baltimore, he still had the potential for middle of the rotation starter. It was the Orioles that used him as a multi inning reliever.

Albers has a pretty good running fastball and a flat slider. Comparing his ceiling to the reported ceiling of Hobgood seems pretty silly to me. Maybe the world just knew less about Albers when we traded for him, but even Hobgood's supposed draft day value (not where the O's picked him) was higher than Albers's value ever was (23rd round pick).

[Frobby]

Here's a Melewski interivew of Hobgood on the subject of his shoulder issue and more: http://www.masnsports.com/steve_melewski/2010/12/hobgood-os-did-not-get-damaged-goods.html

"I did some light throwing in the middle of December, strictly to work on mechanics stuff, not start any throwing program. I just noticed there was some discomfort trying to get my elbow above my shoulder, which is where my arm slot should be.

"Did it once, it didn't feel that well. Did it a second time and then, you know, I made calls to the appropriate people," he said.

Hobgood, who missed time this past season with back spasms and shoulder soreness, isn't certain exactly how or when he hurt his shoulder. All he knows is that, after pitching with velocity between 92 and 94 his senior year, topping then at 96 and 97, he was throwing from 87 to 90 last year and just once touched 93 in a game.

He now feels the shoulder issue is the reason for the velocity loss.

"Exactly. Again, I couldn't tell you when it happened. I wasn't hiding anything before the draft, they didn't get damaged goods. I didn't ask to be chosen there, I went out and had the senior year I did because I put in hard work and I've continued to do that.

"Things haven't gone my way. I was just as dumbfounded as everyone else when I showed up to Bluefield (in 2009) throwing 88 and this past year at 88.

"I think now, assuming rehab goes well and I get back to what I do, I think things are going to be a lot better."

Hobgood said he had never before had any shoulder injury.

"That was what was surprising to me. I was at my strongest in high school. I was up to 93, 94 my sophomore year, hit 98 my junior year and was up to 97 just about every game I pitched my senior year.

"I have always thrown hard and always felt strong. I try to finish what I started and go deep into games. I want to be a workhorse, not a five and done guy. Like Nolan Ryan, finish what you start and throw 200 plus innings a year."

There's more to the interview than I've quoted here, and it's worth the read.

[waroriole]

Here's a Melewski interivew of Hobgood on the subject of his shoulder issue and more: http://www.masnsports.com/steve_melewski/2010/12/hobgood-os-did-not-get-damaged-goods.html

There's more to the interview than I've quoted here, and it's worth the read.

That was a good read. Hopefully, the rehab will straighten things out, but I'm not too optimistic right now.

[PBR Street Gang]

Peaked in high school. I think we al know the type.

[McLovin]

Albers has a pretty good running fastball and a flat slider. Comparing his ceiling to the reported ceiling of Hobgood seems pretty silly to me. Maybe the world just knew less about Albers when we traded for him, but even Hobgood's supposed draft day value (not where the O's picked him) was higher than Albers's value ever was (23rd round pick).

Current ceiling, not past.

[Tony-OH]

I'm sure everyone would like to look at the best case scenario, but I can count on one hand the amount of times a pitcher was shut down for shoulder soreness and rehab alone fixed the problem. in mnore cases than not, that rehab buys time until the eventual surgery.

Let's hope Matt can beat the odds, but it's a big reason why selecting a high school arm with an early first round pick is such a big gamble.

[Flosman]

I'm sure everyone would like to look at the best case scenario, but I can count on one hand the amount of times a pitcher was shut down for shoulder soreness and rehab alone fixed the problem. in mnore cases than not, that rehab buys time until the eventual surgery.

Let's hope Matt can beat the odds, but it's a big reason why selecting a high school arm with an early first round pick is such a big gamble.

Have you heard anything on what is actually going on with his shoulder? I have seen it called a strain rotator cuff. That seems better than a small tear. Just curious has to what your sources are saying. From his comments it sounds like this has been going on for a while and just recently got worse.