229 replies to this topic

[Tucker Blair]

Where would he play if he comes up after the All Star break? I guess he would platoon in LF with McLouth? Betemit should be back by that time and he will be the DH vs RHP.

I honestly have NO clue. It was surprising to hear

[Mike B]

The man is putting up some numbers but he has not played in 2 years and I am not sure bringing up even to platoon with McLouth makes sense.  Move him to Norfolk, see if he continues to hit and then maybe September call up.  I think it is better to get 500 minor league AB's then playing once or twice a week against lefties. 

Maybe the Shark, found another gem though.

[Mike in STL]

Yeah, no need to rush him up here as long as the Os offense continues to be top of the board in everything. Unless he's the next Yasiel Puig and can slug .600 over through July.

[Mackus]

Agree that there isn't any rush to get him up to Baltimore since everyone in front of him has been hitting well.

 

I do think he needs to be at Norfolk, though.  26 year-olds in AA are supposed to hit like he has been doing.  I know it's more impressive since it's his first American experience and he's been on the pine for a while, but unless they are working on some really specific things with him, I don't know what he's getting at AA that he couldn't at AAA against better competition.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Agree that there isn't any rush to get him up to Baltimore since everyone in front of him has been hitting well.

 

I do think he needs to be at Norfolk, though.  26 year-olds in AA are supposed to hit like he has been doing.  I know it's more impressive since it's his first American experience and he's been on the pine for a while, but unless they are working on some really specific things with him, I don't know what he's getting at AA that he couldn't at AAA against better competition.

 

What makes you think the competition is better at AAA? It's pretty well established that there is better talent at AA, with more experience at AAA. If you think he needs to be at AAA, to be against guys with a similar level of experience, I could buy that argument more.

[Mackus]

What makes you think the competition is better at AAA? It's pretty well established that there is better talent at AA, with more experience at AAA. If you think he needs to be at AAA, to be against guys with a similar level of experience, I could buy that argument more.

 

Because the competition is better at AAA.

 

I would agree that sometimes a lot of the better prospects are at AA than at AAA, but there is no doubt that AAA is a better league than AA.  If you just took half the teams from AA and half the teams from AAA and swapped them, the teams moving up would do far worse and the teams moving down would do far better.

[Tucker Blair]

BSL: Henry Urrutia Scouting Report

http://baltimorespor...couting-report/

 

[BSLChrisStoner]

IHJJR: Interview w/ Urrutia

http://www.ihatejjr....t-henry-urrutia

[Mike B]

Real nice write up and interview.  In reading the interview Henry comes off a a likeable guy, who is thrilled to be here.

 

Tucker, Just curious, is ranking him as a 4th OF based on what you have seen to date or based on a skill set you think he may be lacking?

I think based on not playing for 2 years, as you mention, the total package may not be visible yet.

 

I am hoping the Shark found another good player.

[Tucker Blair]

Thanks Mike.

 

I think it's a little bit of both. I don't think he displays super tools or anything drastically plus (e.g Jonathan Schoop ++ Batspeed and Power). He's more of an overall average player in all phases. That's not a knock at all, but you usually want a little more from a corner OF. 

But there is still a little unknown with Urrutia. He very well could have more in the tank and the rustiness and time off is hiding it.

 

Either way, the Shark definitely did a solid job.

[Adam Wolff]

Urrutia is hitting .405 over his last 10 games, with 6 multi hit games.

 

Season: 177 ab's, .350 average, 62 hits, 15 doubles, 7 hr's, 34 rbi, 17 bb's, 32 k's, .961 OPS

[Mackus]

What the hell is he still doing at Bowie?  He's 26!  Move him up!  His Bowie numbers are next to meaningless given his age (his total lack of experience gives them some import, but it's waning as he continues to rake), even Norfolk won't mean a ton, but at least it's a higher level of competition and solid numbers there would make you feel more confident about him possibly helping out at the MLB level, whereas his solid AA numbers don't mean much at all.

[Tucker Blair]

What the hell is he still doing at Bowie?  He's 26!  Move him up!  His Bowie numbers are next to meaningless given his age (his total lack of experience gives them some import, but it's waning as he continues to rake), even Norfolk won't mean a ton, but at least it's a higher level of competition and solid numbers there would make you feel more confident about him possibly helping out at the MLB level, whereas his solid AA numbers don't mean much at all.

AAA numbers won't make anyone feel anymore confident. I've said it 100 times, but the Orioles don't feel as if AAA is that much different from AA. They don't really care where he plays. I also feel just as confident about his game at AA as I would AAA. There is a very very misconstrued theory that AAA is better talent and competition. The Eastern League has some TOUGH competition. He's going to be facing Jameson Taillon on Saturday. There may be a few pitchers in the entire AAA that are on his level in terms of stuff. That's it. AA has plenty of guys like this too. I mean, Kevin Gausman was there. He's another good example.

 

I just think there is a common misconception about people needing to be promoted to AAA. The Orioles certainly don't care about it either, which is really the main thing that matters. AAA to the Orioles seems to be a place where they send people to work on things they failed at with at the MLB level. Schoop is the very rare exception over the past few years.

[Mackus]

Anyone who thinks AA is eqaully as tough as AAA is flat out wrong.  That's an absurd statement.

 

There may be better prospects at AA than at AAA, but the overall level of the league is absolutely better at AAA.  Not one ounce of doubt about that.  If the Orioles think AA is an equal league, then they are stupid.

[Tucker Blair]

Anyone who thinks AA is eqaully as tough as AAA is flat out wrong.  That's an absurd statement.

 

There may be better prospects at AA than at AAA, but the overall level of the league is absolutely better at AAA.  Not one ounce of doubt about that.  If the Orioles think AA is an equal league, then they are stupid.

No the league is not overall better. The approach, the experience and the gameplay is better. The talent is roughly the same, with minor exceptions here and there. Once you reach the higher minors, many other factors come into play. AAA might very well be a smarter league, but the talent is roughly the same as AA.

[Mackus]

Talent isn't what matters, it's how good is the league overall.  There are far more AAAA type players at AAA than AA.  Guys who are legit prospects are probably only 10-20% of the league.  The remainder is filler.  The organizational filler is far better at AAA than AA, that's why whenever a team calls up a nobody, 28-32 y/o veteran for a few days or weeks, they always come up from AAA, not AA.

 

AAA is undoubtedly a harder, more difficult league.  The competition is better.  I'm sure if you take a snapshot of all the players at AA and then at AAA, that quite often the total future WAR contributed at the MLB level is often times higher at AA than AAA, but that's not what matters when determining if the league as a whole is a stronger league.

 

It's harder to produce at AAA than it is at AA, because the players you are playing against are better.

 

Saying that AA is a harder league would be like saying that the ACC is a tougher basketball league than the NBDL.  Sure, there may be better overall prospects in the ACC than the NBDL, and more future stars, but the NBDL is undeniably a more difficult league with better competition.

[Tucker Blair]

Talent isn't what matters, it's how good is the league overall.  There are far more AAAA type players at AAA than AA.  Guys who are legit prospects are probably only 10-20% of the league.  The remainder is filler.  The organizational filler is far better at AAA than AA, that's why whenever a team calls up a nobody, 28-32 y/o veteran for a few days or weeks, they always come up from AAA, not AA.

 

AAA is undoubtedly a harder, more difficult league.  The competition is better.  I'm sure if you take a snapshot of all the players at AA and then at AAA, that quite often the total future WAR contributed at the MLB level is often times higher at AA than AAA, but that's not what matters when determining if the league as a whole is a stronger league.

 

It's harder to produce at AAA than it is at AA, because the players you are playing against are better.

 

Saying that AA is a harder league would be like saying that the ACC is a tougher basketball league than the NBDL.  Sure, there may be better overall prospects in the ACC than the NBDL, and more future stars, but the NBDL is undeniably a more difficult league with better competition.

We will agree to disagree.

 

Considering I spend my entire summer watching the minors, I don't really have anything else to add other than we just simply disagree.

 

Also, not once did I say AA is a harder league, nor that AAA isn't more of a challenge. I said that the difference is so minimal that is really matters little.

[LanceRinker]

Did I read that right? Triple-A is FAR more competitive because they have more Quad-A players at that level than Double-A and players at the Triple-A level are "smarter"? 

 

It's about overall talent - period. There are players with more talent and ability overall at the Double-A level than at Triple-A. There's a reason all the filler is in Triple-A and it's because those players have had their chances, 9 times out of 10, and there's no concern with rushing their development. So if a player comes up from Triple-A and fails then it's really no biggie because it's not like they're coming up for a lot of playing time anyway where players from Double-A are your long-term prospects and players that still have quite a bit of projectibility left. 

 

Why do you think some of the more talented prospects in the game will skip Triple-A altogether? But don't take my word for it, reach out to talent evaluators like Jason Parks or scouts with a team and ask them - they'll tell you.

[Mackus]

No, it's not all about talent.  It's about how you can harness that talent.  AAA players are better players right now than AA players.  That's why they are there.  It's insane to argue that the level of competition is equal between the two levels.

 

I said nothing about being smarter.  The players are better.  The prospects very often are better at AA than AAA, but prospects are only 4-5 players per team at most.  The organizational filler, which makes up at least 75% of the league, is far better at AAA.  Just because one in ten players can skip AAA altogether, it doesn't at all mean that AA is a better or even equal league.

 

I think the ACC v NBDL analogy explains my position well. 

[LanceRinker]

No, it's not all about talent.  It's about how you can harness that talent.  AAA players are better players right now than AA players.  That's why they are there.  It's insane to argue that the level of competition is equal between the two levels.

 

I said nothing about being smarter.  The players are better.  The prospects very often are better at AA than AAA, but prospects are only 4-5 players per team at most.  The organizational filler, which makes up at least 75% of the league, is far better at AAA.

 

I think the ACC v NBDL analogy explains my position well. 

Okay, so then I'm assuming you watch a lot of minor league ball then or have spoken to talent evaluators or front office folks/managers that have expressed that?