Tonight’s MLB Draft should lack much suspense with the initial 4 positions.
Strasburg is obviously going to the Nationals. Ackley is widely seen as going second overall to the Mariners.
There are a fair amount of final mock drafts that have Donovan Tate going to San Diego with the third pick.
With the fourth pick, Pittsburgh has reached a pre-draft deal with the Catcher Tony Sanchez. This is an over-reach on talent alone, and a deal based on getting a player at the price they went.
If there are no surprises in the aforementioned picks, the O’s will have their choices of a number of players at 5.
They have had UNC Pitcher Alex White, and Georgia HS Pitcher Zack Wheeler to Camden Yards.
The O’s have made it known that they have concerns over Aaron Crow, and there are rumors that the price tag for Tyler Matzek could be more then they want to afford.
Late Tuesday afternoon, Jonathan Mayo has Twittered that the O’s will consider HS Pitcher Matt Hobgood.
http://twitter.com/JonathanMayoB3
Hobgood has some pedigree, but if this comes to fruition, it would have to been seen as a signability deal as well. On the other-hand, if that is who Joe Jordan and the Scouting Department likes best; I have no problem with it.
Here are some links to information on Hobgood:
http://sanjose.bizjournals.com/sanjo…/06/08/CG28101
http://mvn.com/outsider/2009/05/mlb-…t-hobgood.html
http://baseballbeginnings.com/2009/0…hobgood-video/
http://baseballbeginnings.com/2009/04/11/matt-hobgood-scouting-report/
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/…ontent=hobgood
If it allowed the O’s to spend over-slot in lower rounds to get some additional higher end talent that falls (for whatever reason), those could be other reasons to support the selection.
Ultimately I believe the Orioles will select White.
I continue to believe the pick should be USC’s SS Grant Green.
The rumors today on Green have the O’s potentially interested at 5, along with the Tigers at 9, KC with the 12th pick, and St. Louis with the 19th.
One Baseball America Mock Draft from this morning had Green out of the 1st round.
Yesterday, Baseball America stated that there are rumors floating that Green had a hand-injury to start this year.
This only peaks my interest further in Green, as it gives rationale for his early season-struggles, beyond having ‘draft-itis.’
One thing you continue to hear about Green, is that teams are wary of his salary demands, particularly with having Boras as his agent.
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