Hobgood continues to receive good news about his shoulder

[Jordan Tuwiner]

www.masnsports.com/school_of_roch/2012/ ... ulder.html

Matt Hobgood, the fifth overall pick in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, is flying home to California for the holidays after receiving good news earlier today from Dr. Craig Morgan.

Hobgood said he passed all of the tests administered by Dr. Morgan, who performed surgery in April to tighten the pitcher's right shoulder capsule.

"He laid me on my back and tested my shoulder in terms of flexibility, and he said it's right in terms of where it needs to be," Hobgood said. "He said it looks strong and I'm going to make him look good eventually."

Hobgood also had this to say on Twitter:

Just saw Dr. Morgan again & got another great report on my shoulder! Excited for what's in store for this year #Blessed

[ofahn]

I wonder if there's still enough time to develop him as a SP? We may have to focus on two pitches with him and hope he can be a middle reliever.

[thezeroes]

I wonder if there's still enough time to develop him as a SP? We may have to focus on two pitches with him and hope he can be a middle reliever.

He turned twenty-two this past August, so yes, I believe he can be developed. The issue that may arise is having to place him on the 40 man roster during the winter of 2013-14 but a better idea of what he is/will be should be ascertained by then.

[ofahn]

He turned twenty-two this past August, so yes, I believe he can be developed. The issue that may arise is having to place him on the 40 man roster during the winter of 2013-14 but a better idea of what he is/will be should be ascertained by then.

Most 22 year old pitchers have spent either the last three years accumulating innings in the minors or college. Hobgood will be lucky to pitch 60 innings this year and 100 next year. He really won't be ready to go 150 or so until he's 25. IMO that profiles as a guy that needs to convert to a reliever.

[thezeroes]

You did not ask if his development would fall within the timetable of the "Rule 5" eligibility.

I had thought that if given the extent of the injury and rehab required that by , as you stated, his age 25 year he could develop into a reliable starting pitcher that would be MLB ready. He could be started off as a short man out of the bullpen to control his innings in 2013 (60/70 Innings) and see if he could/would acclimate himself to that role and if he is lights out leave him in that role. If he seems to get his strength back and forces the club to look at him in a starters role, I do not believe he should be pigeon holed into only a relief role and could be stretched out at age 24.

This player had a ton of potential and I think he was not handled properly. With a Peterson tutelage he may come around in a shorter time period but I would think your timetable of age 25 may very well be the expected return to a starters form. I just do not think the door should be closed, locked and sealed on him at this point.

[ofahn]

I just do not think the door should be closed, locked and sealed on him at this point.

Maybe not, but I can see the Doorman getting VERY impatient.

[thezeroes]

Maybe not, but I can see the Doorman getting VERY impatient.

Just about quitting time this happens.

[Matt P]

Good for him, hope it works out, but I have no expectations.

[Old Sneakers]

I'm thinking baby steps. There is still hope the team can develop him in any role then so be it. I'm not going to plan his future.

[dan72]

Shoulder injuries are even worse than Tommy John. I hope he can come back but like most I have no expectations. I have been super critical of the O's for drafting him. I really wish they would avoid high school pitchers.....way too risky.

[ofahn]

I really wish they would avoid high school pitchers.....way too risky

The counter argument to that would be Zach Britton (3rd Rnd), Chris Tillman (2nd Rnd), and some guy...what's his name...um, give me a minute....oh yeah, Dylan Bundy (1st Rnd).

My criticism of the Hobgood pick at the time was that our farm system was too thin on pitching to use the #4 pick on a HS pitcher. We needed a college pitcher because they would gave been ML ready sooner. Mike Minor and Mike Leake are already contributing in the ML. Either of those guys would have made some great trade bait this winter.

[Old Sneakers]

I really wish they would avoid high school pitchers.....way too risky.

College and HS prospects both carry risky equally. College players because their bodies have more wear and tear. Some suggest that players aren't protected as much as they would be were they playing professionally. With High School kids, they aren't done growing. Maturity and much less of a complete package. The appeal of a HS prospect is that teams think they can maximize their talent by working with them and managing them.

Pitching is tough to develop regardless. Position players less so. Unfortunately, the Orioles haven't had huge success either way. In the 2009 draft most folks (myself included) wanted Tyler Matzek. A player that hasn't exactly had a stellar career so far.

[docjj]

I doubt he ever throws a major league pitch. Shoulders just don't hold up well. Elbows can come back, but shoulders extremely unlikely. He was supposed to be a pretty good hitter in high school. He should contemplate the switch to position player.

[dan72]

High school pitchers carry far more risk.

Major league teams signed 102 high school pitchers taken in the first round from 1981 through 2000 (not including supplemental first-round picks). Yet only 15 of those 102 pitchers won 20 games for the team that drafted them, a group that included Dwight Gooden, Roy Halladay, CC Sabathia and Josh Beckett. For every one of those brass rings, there were three total busts. Of those 102 high school first-rounders, 44 never reached the majors.

"Generally they are high risk/high reward," says Padres G.M. Josh Byrnes, who used three first-round picks this year, including supplemental choices, on high school pitchers. "We realize there is some power in numbers. Hopefully one or two deliver."

When Duquette was the general manager of the Red Sox, he used his first-round pick on a high school pitcher three times in a five-year period (1995--99). None of them reached the big leagues. "The volume of failure is great," Duquette says about the industry's track record with high school pitchers. "That's really sobering, especially when people say they're experts."



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