Orioles Rumors

MLB Draft Reactions

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | June 10, 2009 at 9:32am CDT

Let's round up some reactions to day one of the draft before day two gets underway…

There's not much buzz surrounding the players remaining, but, as MLB.com's Matthew Leach points out, Albert Pujols was drafted in the 13th round a decade ago.
So which impact players have yet to be picked? Baseball America says Max Stassi, Sam Dyson and Zack Von Rosenbuerg are the best available.
Baseball America's Conor Glassey reports that Stassi could go to UCLA if teams don't like his asking price.
Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun says Orioles first rounder Matt Hobgood looks like a young Sidney Ponson.
Red Sox first rounder Reymond Fuentes told David Laurila of Baseball Prospectus that his cousin, Carlos Beltran, phoned to congratulate him last night in the midst of the Mets-Phillies game.
Ryan Divish of the Tacoma News Tribune reports that the Mariners see Dustin Ackley as an outfielder.
In this MLB.com press release, GM Neal Huntington says signability was not the "primary factor" when the Pirates selected Tony Sanchez fourth overall.
ESPN.com's Keith Law was among those who thought the Pirates could have done better with that pick.
Law praises the Rockies, Cardinals and Twins for picking Tyler Matzek, Shelby Miller and Kyle Gibson, respectively. Law says all three pitchers have high-impact arms.

Draft Updates: Wheeler, Hobgood, Borchering

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | June 9, 2009 at 4:31pm CDT

A final round of updates for the draft, which is now just half an hour away…

Baseball America's John Manuel confirms Jon Heyman's report that the deadline for signing draft picks has been bumped back two days to August 17th.
Steve Melewski of MASN.com reports that the O's are interested in Zack Wheeler and Matt Hobgood with the 5th pick.
ESPN.com's Keith Law says the Orioles would take Hobgood if the Padres choose Wheeler.
Mark Bowman of MLB.com says it's a shame that Wheeler will likely be off the board by the time the Braves select 7th.
Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post says the Rockies, picking 11th, have interest in Hobgood and Bobby Borchering, a favorite of the D'Backs.
Paul DePodesta will blog about each Padres selection from an insider's perspective.

Draft Updates: Bonuses, Green, Sanchez, Epstein

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | June 9, 2009 at 11:13am CDT

The updates keep flowing in as the countdown to the draft continues…

Baseball America's Jim Callis reports that Tyler Matzek and Shelby Miller are among the players with large- even historic- demands.
Bill Shaikin of the LA Times reports that Angels scouting director Eddie Bane does not expect the Angels to see any of the players they draft make it to the majors this season.
Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star says "predraft buzz" has the Royals linked to college shortstop Grant Green.
MLB.com's Jen Langosch is "beginning to believe" the Pirates will select Boston College catcher Tony Sanchez with the fourth pick. Keith Law says they're considering him.
As Chuck Finder of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports, Sanchez wants to start playing and says he won't demand a large bonus.
Theo Epstein told Adam Kilgore of the Boston Globe that fans on the street will tell him who to draft. It may not be the NBA or NFL draft, but the MLB version is gaining prominence.
Epstein is proudest of selecting Jonathan Papelbon, back in 2003.
Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun reports that the Orioles are willing to spend on the draft and aren't afraid of choosing high school pitchers.
The Rockies, with three of the first 34 picks, "need to hit a home run" if you ask Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post. Tracy Ringolsby of Inside the Rockies says the team appears to be leaning towards pitcher Matt Hobgood.

Odds & Ends: Draft, Cardinals, Mets

By Eddie Schmid | June 8, 2009 at 8:01pm CDT

A dosage of mostly vague, speculative links to calm the nerves before tomorrow's draft:

Derrick Goold at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch gives part 2 of his rundown of potential picks for the Cardinals.
Nick Cafardo at the Boston Globe talked to one former scouting director who says the Nats should think "long and hard" before selecting Stephen Strasburg.
The Phillies have to wait until the 75th pick for their first draft selection, and David Gurian-Peck at MLB.com says they're leaning toward a high school player.
Dan Connolly at the Baltimore Sun dishes on the Orioles' draft options at pick no. 5. President Andy MacPhail says he's not afraid to dole out a large bonus.
Mark Bowman at MLB.com talked to Braves head of scouting Roy Clark and speculates the Braves will pursue pitching with the seventh pick.
Paul Hoynes at the Cleveland Plain-Dealer relays the opinion of Indians director of amateur scouting Brad Grant that the MLB draft needs a medical combine.
Matthew Cerrone at MetsBlog is fielding questions for an exclusive interview with Mets skipper Jerry Manuel.

Odds And Ends: Huff, Ackley, Strasburg

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | June 8, 2009 at 2:21pm CDT

Some more links to pass along…

Steve Melewski of MASN.com reports that Orioles president Andy MacPhail is "open" to talking with Aubrey Huff about a possible extension. Huff, a free agent at the end of the year, has been the subject of many trade rumors.
ESPN.com's Rob Neyer agrees with a suggestion Howard made on this site yesterday: Jon Rauch would be a good fit for the Rays.
Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Cards GM John Mozeliak was among those watching as two college hitters worked out at Busch Stadium this morning. Josh Phegley and A.J. Pollock took some swings in front of the Cardinals' scouting staff.
As Ian Browne of MLB.com points out, the Red Sox have drafted well in recent years even when they haven't had early selections.
MLB.com's Jim Street writes that it would be shocking for the Mariners to pick someone other than Dustin Ackley.
As ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick reports, Angels scouting director Eddie Bane is amazed by Scott Boras because he intimidates, but "never says a price."
Tim Keown of ESPN the Magazine passes along one scout's thoughts on Stephen Strasburg: "He'd be a front-of-the-rotation guy for almost every team right now."

Orioles Considering Sano?

By Eddie Schmid | June 6, 2009 at 8:35pm CDT

The Baltimore Sun's Jeff Zrebiec reports that the Orioles invited 16-year-old phenom Miguel Angel Sano to a workout at their baseball academy in the Dominican Republic yesterday. Orioles Director of Player Development David Stocksill came out of the tryout "impressed."

Sano has been linked most often to the Pirates, who are rumored to be offering as much as $4MM to obtain the coveted shortstop prospect when international free agents are able to sign this July 2nd. Zrebiec notes that the Orioles have never dropped more than $1MM to acquire an international free agent.

Are Mets Too Injured To Deal?

By Howard Megdal | June 5, 2009 at 5:42pm CDT

It is a given that with the news today that J.J. Putz will miss upwards of the next three months, Jose Reyes out an undetermined length of time, and Carlos Delgado still far from resuming baseball activity, that the Mets will be at the center of any number of rumors. But what is unclear at this point is just how New York can make deals, with the depth an organization would trade now missing from the Mets.

After all, it was assumed that any deal the Mets would make for either Nick Johnson of the Nationals or Aubrey Huff of the Orioles would include hard-throwing Bobby Parnell. That's right, the same Bobby Parnell who is taking over the eighth inning for Putz. He's no longer an extra arm.

The same is true of minor-league shortstop Ruben Tejeda, batting .281/.381/.377 as a 19-year-old at Double-A. The Mets can't afford to deal him, with Reyes, Ramon Martinez and Argenis Reyes all on the shelf. He's next in line to play shortstop.

So who would go? Jonathon Niese and his 8.05 Triple-A ERA? Nick Evans, hitting .200 at Double-A Binghamton after an .093 start at Triple-A Buffalo got him demoted? The Mets have holes, but they may have an even harder time cobbling together a package to fix those holes.

Orioles Release Jamie Walker

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | June 5, 2009 at 2:44pm CDT

2:44pm: Roch Kubatko of MASN.com reports that it's official; the O's announced they've released Walker.

1:55pm: Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun reports that the Orioles will release lefty reliever Jamie Walker. Baltimore still owes Walker about $3MM, but they were no longer satisfied with his production. To replace Walker, they called up Alberto Castillo, another lefty who pitched for the O's last year and has performed well at Triple A Norfolk so far in 2009.

Zrebiec writes that the move is "not all that surprising" because lefties are hitting .458 against Walker this year. The pitcher signed a three year deal worth $12MM before the 2007 season.

Draft Update: O’s, Strasburg, Tate

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | June 5, 2009 at 10:58am CDT

An update on the draft, which is now just four days away…

Steve Melewski of MASN.com spoke with Orioles president Andy MacPhail and heard that the O's don't expect to shy away from players who figure to demand large bonuses. MacPhail repeats a line we've heard him say before: "You can buy the bats, but you have to grow the arms."
There's been lots of commentary on Stephen Strasburg's blazing fastball. But as ESPN.com's Keith Law reports, Strasburg complements his heater with an out-pitch curve and a major league average fastball. Law says Strasburg's repertoire would allow him to compete in the majors now. For $15MM, $20MM or even more, the Nationals can have him in their rotation next spring.
Players who have a legitimate shot at playing more than one sport have increased power in negotiations because they have more options. Law says Donovan Tate, a top high school player whose father Lars played in the NFL, had dropped football before realizing it would give him more leverage in the draft.
MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo points to some draft-eligible pitchers whose arms have been overused. Mike Minor, who could be a top-three pick, threw 134 pitches in a game a week ago. That's more than any major leaguer's thrown in a game this year.

Rosenthal On Guthrie, Rangers, Glaus

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | June 5, 2009 at 9:17am CDT

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that the Orioles would consider dealing Jeremy Guthrie under the right circumstances. Here are the details, along with highlights from the rest of his column:

Teams have inquired to see if Guthrie, who makes just $650K this year, is available. The Orioles would only move him if they hear "an overwhelming offer."
The O's are reluctant to move George Sherrill, who's pitching well and remains under team control through 2011.
Danys Baez is more likely to be dealt.
The Rangers could lose Josh Hamilton for an extended period, but that won't stop them from dealing a bat for a reliever. Rosenthal writes that the Rangers could replace a player like Marlon Byrd or Hank Blalock internally.
The Rangers will consider pursuing a top starting pitcher.
The Mariners aren't about to deal anybody away for now. "I think right now we are still in it," GM Jack Zduriencik said. The Mariners are 5.5 games out in the AL West.
If Troy Glaus proves he can hit, but has trouble playing third upon his return, the Cardinals could deal him to a team in need of a first baseman or DH.

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