550 replies to this topic

[RShack]

Maybe I'm remembering wrong and mixing up Cuba and Japan?

 

Unless they have multiple tiers of leagues like we do, they're all gonna be a mixed bag of talent levels... no way around that... which makes translating numbers a lot harder...

[SportsGuy]

In regards to this particular prospect, he's 25...I don't care if its equivalent to single A or AAA, those numbers suck.

[Cisc-O's]

http://m.mlb.com/new...yuan-from-china

 

Itchy apparently Scratchy was too high priced.

 

[RShack]

http://m.mlb.com/new...yuan-from-china

 

Itchy apparently Scratchy was too high priced.

 

 

Probably more about building relationships with China than it is about the player's future....

[Chris B]

Probably more about building relationships with China than it is about the player's future....

 

Yeah, I'm cool with this.

[Coker]

Irving Ortega, signed by the O's during the 2014 international signing year was just promoted to the GCL team, after a solid effort on the DSL1 team. Here's a report from BA that I touched on a few pages back:

 

The Orioles are also intrigued by 18-year-old Dominican shortstop Irving Ortega, who signed for just $60,000 in October. Ortega, who’s 6-foot-2, 165 pounds, is a defensive-oriented player who impressed the club with his hands, range and arm strength.

[Greg Pappas]

Might the O's show interest in 29-year old power-hitting South Korean 1B- Byung-ho Park? He appears likely to be posted after the season (laughter is warranted).

https://twitter.com/...193278997004288

[Matt_P]

Might the O's show interest in 29-year old power-hitting South Korean 1B- Byung-ho Park? He appears likely to be posted after the season (laughter is warranted).

https://twitter.com/...193278997004288

 

Wouldn't be surprised. Orioles have a hole and did end up signing Chen and Wada.

[Mackus]

I'd be interested even if we do bring back Davis.  They spent $8M on Wada and $12M on Chen, though.  Would have to think this guy gets a good bit more given his better track record (though Kang was better at the same age in 2014, but that was by far his best season) and he gets to piggyback a bit off of Kang's good season (Kang had a $5M post and $11M contract).  Show of hands of who sees the Orioles paying $30M or more for a guy from the KBO?

[Chris B]

Weren't the O's banned from the KBO?

[Greg Pappas]

Weren't the O's banned from the KBO?

 

I believe it was our scouts that were banned after the embarrassing incident with Seong-Ming Kim and the KBO.

 

http://www.camdencha...ioles-korea-kbo

 

Meanwhile back in Baltimore, despite being banned from scouting in Korean competition, Orioles have not shied away from signing Korean talent by acquiring RHP Suk-Min Yoon, one of the nation's finest pitchers. While the nightmares of Seong-Min Kim have not died down between Korean baseball fans, they are counting on Yoon to survive in the tough AL East environment and Orioles seemed to have gained a good amount of fan support from the nation. Korea has definitely emerged as one of the major baseball powers and Orioles have been aware of it. The Kim fiasco was a result of overeagerness and clumsiness - it ruined a team's reputation and almost a player's career. The wise thing for both teams and athletes to do is to revisit and make wiser decisions to avoid repeating another Seong-Min Kim incident.

[Coker]

Might the O's show interest in 29-year old power-hitting South Korean 1B- Byung-ho Park? He appears likely to be posted after the season (laughter is warranted).

https://twitter.com/...193278997004288

I'm sure the O's will be interested, but I'd be a little surprised if the posting process doesn't oust us from the beginning. Though, DD is a fan of the newer posting rules. 

[Coker]

BA released the number of International Signings so far for the 2015-16 year. The O's signed 20 players. That's 4 more than last year!

In comparison:
Yankees - 57 players

Red Sox - 45 players

Rays - 43 players

Blue Jays - 17 players.

 

Edit: As far as I can tell, we only have info on like 14 of the players. BA will be releasing reports on every player signed for over 100k.

[Mackus]

Hey if you can't get quality at least we've got a distinct lack of quantity to go with it...

[Chris B]

http://www.baseballa...YuqR4yQ0PkSo.97

 

Leading the pack with the top O's international signing in 2015....LHP Alexander Wells of Australia for $300,000!!!

[BaltBird 24]

It's like they almost ignore the fact that there's a ton of talent in Latin America. 

 

I applaud their efforts in trying to find talent in obscure places like Australia, or that they even seem a bit more aggressive in the Asian market even if they aren't going after the elite talent over there, but the fact that they are seemingly uninterested in Latin America is just mind boggling. 

 

Oh well, I guess we should just accept the fact that the minor league system is just not very valued by the current regime. 

[Mackus]

I'm totally ok with the team making the case that it's better to diversify in Latin America and bring in many cheaper players rather than spend all their budget on one or two big acquisitions.  I don't know if I agree, but at least if they have a working theory, they are still bringing in talent and giving themselves a chance at hitting on some cheap lottery tickets.

 

But not spending on quality while also not bringing in quantity is unforgivable.  MacPhail was weak in Latin America but, remarkably, Duquette has actually been a step backwards.  He is due much more scrutiny on this matter than our local beat reporters bring on him.  The major league team being successful lately does not excuse completely dropping the ball on developing minor league talent through every venue possible.  They spend everything they are allowed to in the draft (some have questions about how they go about doing that and how they value losing or obtaining picks, but at least you have to respect that they spend what they can), why not do everything they can internationally as well?

[Mike B]

It's like they almost ignore the fact that there's a ton of talent in Latin America. 

 

I applaud their efforts in trying to find talent in obscure places like Australia, or that they even seem a bit more aggressive in the Asian market even if they aren't going after the elite talent over there, but the fact that they are seemingly uninterested in Latin America is just mind boggling. 

 

Oh well, I guess we should just accept the fact that the minor league system is just not very valued by the current regime. 

I am not sure not valued is the right word.  I think the idea not to spend on impact players in a bidding situation stems all the way back to before AM, and in my mind is an Angelos thing.

The Orioles shy away from competitive bidding in just about every aspect of player acquisition.

We are constantly looking for the hidden gold type.

I see teams like the Twins spending on a guy like Sano, and just get frustrated that we are not going to be in on guys like that that can impact your team positively for years.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Regimes change, but the constant is the Ownership.  Seems clear that there is some sort of mandate from above not to be more involved Internationally (and particularly with Latin America) than they are.

 

Don't know you can ever have a flourishing system when that is the case.... and I don't understand why Angelos would not want to invest more resources (not just player acquisition, but scouting, etc) at obtaining the talent as it's no real secret that development from within is cheaper in the long-run... 

 

[Coker]

Let's just say that BA's international review for the Orioles wasn't very inspiring. At all.

 

Out of the alleged 20 players the Orioles signed, BA decided to write up info on two of them. Yep. Two. Oh...maybe it's because the O's have spent just around 1M on international amateur free agents - and only two over 100,000.

Alex Wells,LHP from Australia was their largest signing at $300k.
 

He’s 6-foot-1, 190 pounds with his stuff mostly a projection, including a fastball that parks in the upper-80s to go with a curveball and changeup.

The O's gave Gillian Wernet, RHP, from Aruba $225k in August of 2015.

He has a big, strong frame at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds with a lively fastball up to 92 mph and room to gain velocity. He has a wide-ranging repertoire for a young pitcher, with five pitches between his fastball, cutter, curveball, slider and changeup. He might narrow his arsenal in the near-term, with his curveball his best secondary pitch right now.