Getting to know O's first-round pick Matt Hobgood
In case you missed it, the Orioles signed first-round draft pick Matt Hobgood and introduced him to the crowd at Camden Yards during Saturday's game against the Washington Nationals.
Bluefield Orioles general manager Michael Showe said in an e-mail that Hobgood was set to join the rookie-level affiliate yesterday, and it's unclear at this time when he will make his first appearance with the team.
Check out the links below for additional Baltimore Sun coverage from over the weekend about Hobgood's signing.
• In his Sunday column, Peter Schmuck -- you can also find him here in the blogosphere -- talks about Hobgood's decision to bypass a baseball scholarship at Cal State Fullerton to start his professional career.
"I think the biggest thing is they've been really welcoming to us," [his mother] Becky Hobgood said, wiping her eyes. "That's what's important to us. It makes it easier to leave him here. Tomorrow, we go home without him, Tomorrow, he gets to start his dream career."
• Here are some photos of Hobgood, including several new images of the news conference during which he signed his first professional contract at Camden Yards.
• Mike Klingaman takes a look at five interesting, but mostly unknown facts about the young right-handed pitcher on The Baltimore Sun's Toy Department blog.
Hobgood hates to lose. At anything.
"I get competitive playing a game of Monopoly," he said. "When my (younger) sisters and I play this auto racing game on PlayStation 2, I let them get ahead and then I crush ‘em.
"I like to mess with people, let them think they’re beating me and then go after them. Sometimes in baseball I’ll get a little wild, walk a couple of guys and then tell myself, ‘You’ve got to get it done.’ Then I’ll strike out three people."
• Here is a video of Hobgood signing his contract and talking about the team, courtesy of Baltimore Sun photographer Karl Merton Ferron:
Finally, the folks at BaseballBeginnings.com e-mailed me over the weekend to pass along several other links to content about Hobgood on their Web site.
Author John Klima, who is also a former minor league baseball broadcaster, is the creator of Baseball Beginnings, and he seems to be one of the most knowledgeable sources about Hobgood on the Internet.
• Here is the pre-draft scouting report video of Hobgood, which also features a brief analysis of what you're seeing in the piece.
• Here is the scouting report about Hobgood. For what it's worth, the Web site ranks the first-round pick as a 55 overall, which means they see him as an above-average prospect who would grade out to a "B".
• Here is an interview with Hobgood from March. The California high school right-hander talks about several things, including his preference to remain as a starter in professional baseball.
• Here is a follow-up interview with Hobgood after the draft.
