A steal in the fifth round
Don Mattingly, who interviewed for the Yankees' job yesterday, said he's been making managerial moves in his head for years. I wonder if he ever imagined himself getting fired, because he won't last more than 1 1/2 seasons if he's hired.
Joe Torre was given a lot of rope. I can't see Mattingly getting that kind of slack.
Joe Jordan, the Orioles' director of scouting, recently watched fifth-round draft pick Jacob Arrieta pitch in the Arizona Fall League.
"We've seen a good curveball, slider, changeup. We've seen him really pitch," Jordan told me last night.
"He's got a workhorse body, an Andy Benes type of guy. I was really encouraged by what I saw. It was similar to what I saw his sophomore year at TCU. Delivery-wise, it looks like he's got some things ironed out. He's very confident. Facing wooden bats, he's a different guy. He really attacks with the fastball. He commands the fastball on both sides of the plate really well - 93, 94 mph."
Arrieta's stock dropped a little after his junior season, though he went 9-3 with a 3.01 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 98 2/3 innings. That didn't quite compare to the previous year, when he was 14-4 with a 2.35 ERA and 111 strikeouts in 111 innings, and was named Mountain West Conference Pitcher of the Year. But he hardly was a bust.
Signability issues also caused him to tumble to the fifth round. The Orioles regarded him as a first-round talent in the spring. They were going to grab him in the fourth, but didn't want to risk losing pitcher Timothy Bascom. They ended up with both of them.
Factor in catcher Matt Wieters in the first round, and the 2007 draft could turn out to be very productive for the Orioles. The reports on Bascom in the instructional league also have been encouraging.
Comments
The next time that you make an intelligent remark of statement, you should be outsted from the 5th Esate for embrassing your comrades.
Posted by: jim thomas | October 24, 2007 12:39 PM
Sounds great. Any news on the reports on Snyder and Reimold?
Also, interesting piece on the O's here: http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2007/10/needs-and-lux-5.html
You'd kind of have to agree with the analysis of the O's roster.
Posted by: Mark | October 24, 2007 12:43 PM
Keith Law and BA both wrote about seeing Arrieta in the AFL about a week ago. Reviews (paraphrased):
Works from 89-92, but touches 93-94. Average change up and slider, potentially an above average slider. Good build, needs to work on fastball control to make it in the bigs. Good probability of success as a 4-5 starter, could develop into a 2-3 if fastball control improves along with a better "out pitch."
So far, so good, especially for a 5th rounder. Keep stockpiling live young arms, for rotation, bullpen, and trades, and this team may come around eventually.
Posted by: KG | October 24, 2007 12:44 PM
Roch, it is nice to hear such good reports on the baby birds. I hope they move up quickly - yet timely for their development - and help us turn the tide. My first year as a fan was 1964 and in short order the baby birds along with some seasoned vets and Frank Robinson gave us a winner that started a long history of being the most successful team for 20 years plus. Oh for the glory days to return!
Posted by: BirdsFan | October 24, 2007 1:04 PM
Roch, make sure to tell Millar instead of an honoring him, the Red Sox used him as a glorified "Rally Monkey." And this is the same team that kicked him to the curb after 2005 thinking he was washed up. Does Millar need Red Sox Nation love that badly to be used like that?
Posted by: Jon | October 24, 2007 1:07 PM
Arrieta is a Boras client, right? Say whatever else you want about the guy, he is a pipeline to real talent. He can pick and choose his clients, and he chooses some good ones. I can understand not wanting to pay his prices on ML stars, but to avoid his draftee clients because they're too expensive has never made sense to me. Teams will sign a mediocre FA for a $5-6MM a year, multiple years, but they'll let a great young player go by because he might cost them $500,000 or $1,000,000 more than the going rate? Dumb.
Nice link on the traderumors.com analysis. He nails it on the roster realities. "Train wreck" is right on the mark. Interesting that he already puts Weiters up there among the frontline talent, and a cornerstone with Markakis. Hope he's right on that one.
Jon -- on Millar, it bothered me as much as anyone, but it's time to let it go.
Posted by: PhilF | October 24, 2007 2:04 PM
Didn't Andy Benes have arm injuries after just a few good years? Just wondering.....
It sounds as if 2010 could be a very good year if these guys develop along with others before & after them.....
Posted by: Brian | October 24, 2007 2:07 PM
Speaking of worst QBs to start in a Super Bowl, I believe the winner has to be David Woodley for the Dolphins in 1983 (XVII).
Squeezed in a Super Bowl in a strike-shortened season and went 0-for-8 in the second half.
He had a career QB rating of 65.7. He had 63 interceptions to 48 TDs.
Unfortunately I came across this:
Chicago Sun-Times, May 7, 2003
David Woodley, who started at quarterback for the Miami Dolphins in the 1983 Super Bowl, died of liver and kidney failure. He was 44.
Posted by: Rich | October 24, 2007 2:18 PM
I've said it before and I'll say it again. The O's need to stop signing low to mid level over the hill free agents. If they can't get Hunter or Dunn, then don't sign anybody. Go with a youth movement to see what you have and what you need. If they sign 4 or 5 more players over 30 this winter, I will officially give up.
Posted by: Anthony | October 24, 2007 2:47 PM
Memory fades since I can’t remember who showed up at what games, but I think I read something where Eddie Murray was actually in the air (a plane, that is) when Cal was giving his 2131 speech where Cal mentioned Eddie. Not only was Murray not there, he wasn’t able to catch the game on tv, if this account is correct.
McCrory sounds intriguing, but, after the rampant 7.00+ ERAs from our farmhands this past season, it’s hard to get excited. Let me know when he strings together two good major league outings in a row.
I would say that, just because Benson is on the 40-man roster, it doesn’t mean that the team’s penciling him in for 2008. The World Series is just beginning—there’s still a lot of the offseason to go.
As for the World Series, any predictions? I’m saying Red Sox in 6, though I’m rooting for the Rockies. The Rockies are a great story, but the Red Sox have been the best team in baseball all season.
Posted by: CRB | October 24, 2007 3:15 PM
I've given it considerable thought, and I really don't get what the big deal is about Millar. Maybe another player wouldn't have done it, and maybe another front office wouldn't have signed off on it...but he (...and they...) did. So what? It's not like he stunk up the Yards this year or is asking out of Baltimore. It was harmless fun, if you ask me.
To paraphrase what Jim Palmer said, stop worrying about Millar in Boston and start worrying about fixing this team for next year!!!
Posted by: swami | October 24, 2007 3:48 PM
Roch,
I sure hope Donnie Baseball lasts a good long time. In fact, I want the curse of Donny Baseball to last longer than the Curse of the Bambino.
I can dream.
Posted by: Oldschool Rich | October 24, 2007 4:27 PM
Nice to hear about the young pitching. Even better to hear about the effective scouting that leads to good drafting. I want to see a full plate of draft picks next year. If we found excellent value in the 5th round, imagine what we may have gotten if we had had our 2nd and 3rd round picks. Unless we can somehow get Hunter or A-Rod, then I don't want any free agent pickups that would cost a draft pick. Get the high pick for letting Patterson go, and maybe even steal an extra low pick by offering Benson arbitration then letting him walk, too.
Our road back to respectability goes through having a couple solid drafts. But for the next 9 days...
GO ROCKIES!!!!
Posted by: martin | October 24, 2007 4:30 PM
Roch,
Figured you'd like to see this... Laz Diaz made the WS umpiring crew.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2007/news/story?id=3075818
The Rockies are officially toast. Laz seems to hate any team I root for. And he has no problem showing it on the field.
Posted by: DC | October 24, 2007 5:18 PM
How safe is Jordan's job? Any indication what AMcP thinks about him?
Has anyone in the FO ever heard of the country of Japan?
Or the continent of Asia?
Posted by: tvdpdx | October 24, 2007 5:42 PM
I listened to your appearance on the Anita Marks show and resent the insinuation that I am only upset about Millar's appearance at Fenway because I am "jealous" of the Red Sox and have an "inferiority complex." I'm not sure why you presume to know my motivation for resenting his behavior just because it doesn't bother you at all. I was upset by his appearance because Boston is a division rival and because I have pride in the Oriole franchise. Nothing more.
Posted by: Joe Williams | October 24, 2007 9:35 PM
I don't recall mentioning you by name there, Joe.
Sorry if I offended. I didn't say the reasons you listed applied to everyone, but I guarantee they apply to many. I also noted how it's a division rival and how Red Sox fans invading Camden Yard is a major issue with people here. And how if it was Jay Payton going back to Colorado or Corey Patterson to Chicago, it wouldn't have caused the same uproar.
Posted by: Roch Kubatko | October 24, 2007 9:48 PM
There you go Roch your finally starting to learn what it's about here in Baltimore....your right we wouldn't be as upset if Payton went to Colorado or the whoever else but the fact is the Red Sox are a division rival and that is exactly why it is so frustrating....good job fella your starting to touch base with the fan base at least a little....
Posted by: Dave | October 24, 2007 10:10 PM
I appreciate the kind words, Dave, but I think it's worth pointing out that I was born in Annapolis, raised in Severn and graduated from the Univ. of MD. I was an Orioles fan since I could walk. I really do understand.
Posted by: Roch Kubatko | October 24, 2007 10:22 PM
Life is like a pen is!
When it is soft, you can't beat it.
When it is hard, there is a good chance you will get screwed.
Posted by: Robert L. Baer | October 24, 2007 10:35 PM
UMD eh roch? then i suppose you almost hurled after the MD / UVA game too huh...
to me that loss was worse than losing a complete series to the red sox...
Posted by: paul in stl | October 24, 2007 11:12 PM
I can't help but notice that the average pro-Millar posting contains better grammar and spelling than the average anti-Millar one.
Posted by: TS | October 25, 2007 8:41 AM
I'm not a velocity slut, but I'm tempering my enthusiasm about Arrieta (for my own sanity).
The organization's word on Olson was that he topped out at 92-93. Yet the entire time has was up with the big club, he peaked at 89 (from what I saw on MASN).
Arrieta was billed as a guy who tops out at 89 and now the organization says he can bring it at 93 or 94? I hope so, but I have to see it to believe it. velocity isn't everything, but it doesn't hurt.
Posted by: Mike P | October 25, 2007 11:41 AM