At around 7:30 last night, the Orioles drafted RHP Dylan Bundy with the fourth overall pick, Joe Jordan got his man. The general concensus was that Bundy would go to the Orioles, but Anthony Rendon not being selected within the first three picks definitely shook things up. Cole, Hultzen, and Bauer were the top three picks, I was fairly nervous that they would jump on Rendon simply because he was there. I dislike Rendon only because of that shoulder injury that hampered him this year.

I was definitely pulling for Bundy for a number of reasons, but I'll narrow it down to three to keep things simple.

1- Highest Cieling- Bundy had the highest potential by far out of anyone in the 2011 draft class. To say his high school stats were impressive this year would be a huge understatement. That being said, it was high school baseball, but after watching this kid pitch I was really impressed. He already has very polished movements, and a plus fastball that has reached 100 mph at some points this year, not too bad for a high school senior.

2- Work Ethic- Bundy is a workhorse.Period. I found this video on YouTube, one of many of Bundy's workout routines, where he is strengthening his rotator cuff by hitting a punching bag. Nothing too special, that's to be expected of a potential top five draft pick, but I forgot to mention at the time of the video Bundy was fourteen. Any kid with this kind of drive and work ethic who can perform day after day with a positive attitude should be welcomed with open arms. According to the draft coverage on MLB.com, Bundy is currently squattin 500 lbs. and leg pressing 1250 lbs. I would take this kid over anyone else in the draft class based on his training and conditioning alone, which is a welcome sight after seeing Hobgood's pudgy face on draft day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tP75ZTK5EcI

3- Future Ace- Dylan Bundy has the potential to be the future ace that the Orioles have lacked since they lost Mussina to free agency. As much as I like Brian Matusz, Bundy could be a high velocity, high strikeout pitcher. I really can only say so much about his arm because footage of Bundy is limited, as is my pitching knowledge. However, based on what I've read, seen, and heard about Dylan Bundy I'm nothing but impressed.

To be completely honest, two weeks ago if you told me the Orioles would go for Dylan Bundy at #4 I would have been pretty disappointed, as I was hoping for a college arm, like Trevor Bauer or Danny Hultzen; that could move quickly through the system. After taking the time to research him, I found him to be highly talented, dedicated, and disciplined. I hope to see him move through the minors quickly, and be in the rotation by 2014 at the latest, good pick Joe Jordan.

A full recap of today's draft results should be posted by the end of the night.

And With the Fourth Overall Pick....

Tonight begins the 2011 MLB Amateur draft, and MacPhail and company are almost destined not to screw this one up. Really, they can't, there are 5 what I consider premium talents to be had within the first round. Those talents being: UCLA RHP Gerrit Cole, Rice 3B Anthony Rendon, UVA LHP Danny Hultzen, RHP Dylan Bundy (HS), and UCLA RHP Trevor Bauer. Unless Joe Jordan goes with someone with a Bartolo Colon physique that isn't one of the aforementioned the draft will be a success. I personally feel that the picks will go in that order, with Bundy as the 4th pick. He looks to have the highest cieling in the draft, so hopefully he will be wearing orange and black by the end of the day.
More to follow.
Andrew

Goodbye Guthrie?

Today I read a MASN article written by Stacey Long, a main contributor on Camden Chat and guest blogger for MASN. It was an article discussing the possibility of the Orioles dealing Jeremy Guthrie at some point this year for some younger talent, her general consensus is that if a good enough offer is laid on the table, the Orioles should take it. As much as it pains me to say this, I agree with her, I would hate to see Guthrie go, I think it would be best for a young building organization.

Guthrie is 32 going on 33, so he is definitely getting up there in years, there's no doubt about that. He could still be productive into his mid-thirties, but I think Guthrie has hit is ceiling, which was basically what you saw if you watched Tuesday night's 3-2 loss to Seattle, which was a complete game loss in which Guthrie looked phenomenal. I would hope that MacPhail could at least get an arm with some potential that can make it to the majors in a year or two. Guthrie is a truly underrated pitcher who would make a great addition to any team looking to contend that needs some pitching help, so the interest will definitely be there come July, and the Orioles need to take advantage of it.

I can't say enough about Guthrie's attitude and work ethic and how much he has contributed to the Orioles, and what a good clubhouse presence he is,  but in my opinion, if anyone is going to go at the trading deadline it would be Guthrie, Guerrero, or Scott, and I would feel indifferently about losing the latter two.

Without Guthrie the rotation would definitely take a hit, and that has to be taken into consideration, but it would still be a solid five man rotation headed by Matusz and Britton. As Stacey points out, the Orioles need to build, and they can't be sentimental when making these decisions, unfortunately this may mean saying goodbye to Jeremy Guthrie.

PTY Clothing

Are you tired of the four or five generic jerseys and shirts you can buy outside the gate and in the park? Are you looking for some really creative great Orioles gear at a good price? Well look no further than Protect This Yard Clothing. I learned of PTY from Camden Chat and was instantly a fan, they carry a wide variety of shirts, all unique, that you won't be able to find anywhere else. Right now I'd have to say my favorite shirt is the Matt Wieters "DON'T. RUN. EVER." shirt seen below, which I purchased today. 

 The website is really user-friendly and I'll definitely be sporting this shirt at my next Orioles game, that is unless a Nolan Reimold shirt gets designed between now and then. 

So head on over to PTY, the link can be found on the side of the page, and you can also hit them up on Facebook, they're very personable and friendly.

-Andrew.

The New Adventures of the Old Nolan Reimold

I know, another long writing hiatus, but what can I say? Sometimes you just get busy. That however, is neither here nor there. I won't give you a recap of the Orioles' 2-1 win over Seattle, because I would simply be re-stating what Jeff Zreibic will say tomorrow, only in a more amateur manner.

What I want to do today is take a look at a player who was poised for a breakout last season, but faced some setbacks, Nolan Reimold. Let me start off by saying I'm a big Reimold fan, but I'll try not to let that eminate into the piece.

In 2009, Reimold made a good run at the American League Rookie of the Year, posting some impressive stats. In 104 games Reimold hit 15 homeruns, drove in 45, stole 8 bases, and had a batting average of .279. Fairly impressive for a rookie outfielder, unfortunately his season ended early with him going on the DL to repair his achille's tendon. Reimold was back in 2010, however, his game was not. In 39 games he hit only 3 homeruns and barely batted over the Mendoza Line (.200) at .207.

I attribute Reimold's struggles to a number of different detractors. Primarily I think he was rushed back from the injury that took him out in 2009, and he really just didn't have enough time to get his form back. Also, he dealt with some personal issues off the field, out of respect for Nolan I won't speculate on that matter, but it definitely hurt his game. As a result of his abysmal play he was sent to Norfolk to try and find his swing, where he stayed for the remainder of the seaon.

Fast forward to Spring Training 2011 and Nolan Reimold was locked in a struggle with Felix Pie for a roster spot as a fourth outfielder. While his play was impressive and he seemed to have rebounded from 2010, he was still sent back to Norfolk to start the season.

Earlier this month when Derek Lee went on the Disabled List Reimold was called up from Norfolk. I had always liked Nolan and I was hoping he would re-establish himself as the left fielder of the future hitting for power and average. Well, he did. While the current sample size is limited to 9 games it is still impressive nonetheless. In 9 games he's hit as many homeruns as he did all of last season, has driven in seven runs, and is batting an impressive .360. Moving away from statistics, I believe that Reimold has a great deal of potential, he has a nice mix of power, speed, and a good approach at the plate.

My hope is that he can finish the season something like 18 homeruns, 72 RBI, and a .282 batting average, which all seem like realistic numbers at this point. One thing is a little unclear though, when Derek Lee comes off the DL what does that mean for Nolan Reimold? Right now Luke Scott is playing first base and Reimold is in left field, the position formerly occupied by Scott. Personally I feel like Scott will be dealt at the trading deadline to a contending team that could use some left handed power, maybe someone like Tampa Bay. I don't know how much The Orioles could get for Scott, but at least it would give Reimold everyday play.

This raises some questions for 2012, as trading Scott would mean in 2012 the Orioles are missing Scott, Lee, and Guerrero, as I doubt either of the latter two will be re-signed, but that's another post for another day. In closing, let's hope this year's Nolan Reimold is Nolan Reimod circa 2009.

Notes and Recap

The Orioles won tonight's game, a close match, with the final score being 3-2. Jake Arrieta had an impressive outing, only giving up one run, a homerun in the first inning to Jeff Franceour, his eighth of the season. Arrieta was able to get his game under control and held the Royals scoreless for six innings.

This was a big step for Arrieta, who has struggled some this season with control, not only did he show his full potential tonight, he squashed concerns about the soreness in his hip. One of the most impressive aspects of Arrieta's game was the eight strikeouts he recorded. Arrieta could potentially develop into an impressive #2 or #3 pitcher, and improving his K/9 ratio would only increase his value as a pitcher.

As for the bats, Roberts started off the game hot with a double, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Derek Lee. Nick Markakis finally broke out of a slump with a solo shot to give some cushion to the bullpen, which they needed. Kevin Gregg closed out the game successfully, that being said, I'm still slightly putting Gregg in in the 9th inning when the score is 3-2.

Chris Tillman should go tomorrow, I'm expecting a good game from Tillman, he should have regained his movement and some of his speed, so as long as he is provided some run support, we should see good results. I think the offense is primed for a rebound, especially with Markakis' homerun tonight, hopefully the leadoff spots will be back to packing a 1-2 punch.

Down on the farm, Manny Machado is tearing up the South Atlantic League, he leads the Delmarva Shorebirds in runs (20), homeruns (5), RBI (21), walks (18), OBP (.445), and slugging (.611). Pretty impressive for an eighteen year old kid right? Machado was named the Orioles' minor league player of the month and the SAL's player of the week. If Machado keeps his production at this pace, he should see a promotion to Frederick shortly, this kid obviously has a bright future ahead of him, and he probably won't be rushed through the system. Machado is performing so well, that he is overshadowing the impressive performances of some of his teammates, like Johnathan Schoop, who makes up the other side of the left infield. 

5/03 - Update

Yeah, I know its been a while since I've written anything, but its not like anyone ever reads this site anyway. Nonetheless, I wanted to give an update on how the season was going, in my opinion at least.

The season started off fast and furiously, with the Orioles winning their first four games in a row, including the season opener against Ray's ace David Price. The injury bug hit hard and early, with J.J. Hardy going on the 15 day DL with an oblique strain, joining Brian Matusz who went down with an intercostal strain.

While the season started with much hope, as you know, we hit a lengthy eight game losing streak; which was difficult to watch, but even more difficult to see Itzturis floundering at the plate with the bat.

However dark the night was, eventually the sun rose again, and the Orioles started to win. Since the end of the losing streak, the Orioles have gone 6-4, with the bullpen blowing at least one of those games. My recap is going to touch on some of the good things and bad things (there were lots), that I've seen since my last post.

The Good

1. The bats are swinging- The offense is by no means stellar, or to the point it should be, but they are making definite progress. They played an impressive game tonight against the White Sox in which they had a four run rally late in the game, which showed the ability to at least mount a rally. Roberts has hit quite well as of late and its encouraging to see Wieters develop more offensively, I think he may finally develop into the power threat catcher he was hyped up to be; or at least come close.

2. The Baby Birds- The young Orioles rotation has pitched quite well over this past stretch, the most impressive being Zach Britton. While Tillman certainly had his struggles, especially against the Yankees, he pitched well tonight, only allowing one run and walking two over five innings. There has been some concern over his drop in velocity, but he seems to have worked through the kinks in his mechanics, so hopefully he remains stable for the rest of the season. I could go on and on about Zach Britton, but I'll just say that this kid is one to watch, he's 5-1 so far... and he has yet to pitch in the month of May, not too shabby. Jake Arrieta has thrown pretty well in my opinion, after six starts he's 3-1 with 25 K's, his ERA and WHIP are both inflated, but given the proper run support, Arrieta has been a solid starter and still posessses alot of untapped talent.

3. Robert Andino- I know it seems like a menial point, but Andino has served as a pretty good fill-in for the injured Hardy, I still prefer Hardy, but Andino has come a long way from where he was at the beginning of Spring Training. He seems to be hitting fairly well, with a .343 BA over the past two weeks it will be interesting to see if he keeps that up. He's not much of a power hitter, with only two out of his twelve hits being extra base hits, but he does make solid contact, and with his solid BB/K ratio, he seems to get on base at least once per game. While his defense is nothing to write home about, his bat is far superior than the alternative (the worst hitter in baseball in 2010), and he is continually making improvements under the guidance of Buck Showalter.

The Bad

1. The Bullpen- I shouldn't have to say more here, Kevin Gregg and Michael Gonzalez have a habit of making any relief situation very scary, very fast. Sometimes they come through, Gonzalez had a nice outing Saturday, but he as a long way to go to make his salary worth-while, which isn't likely. Koji Uehara seems to be back to full strength, and it looks like most of his appearances will come in close situations where there isn't room for Kevin Gregg to give up a run.

2. Inconsistency- While the bats have been coming alive recently, and run production is up, it still tends to be inconsistent, which is a definite area of improvement.

3. Plate Discipline- This is an area that has improved since the losing skid, but there is still a fair amount of first pitch swinging, which usually results in an out, again small point, but room for improvement.

Well that was my update, from here on out, I will try to make my postings more frequent, let's hope the Orioles are prepared to face the Royals tonight in the first of a three game series!