Giolito throwing on flat ground

[docjj]

Giolito is on schedule with his rehab. He's throwing on flat ground, and will have about 1 week to throw of a mound for scouts before the draft.

I think the Hobgood fiasco will have scared the O's away. My bet is they take Correa, though many are predicting Gaussman.

[ofahn]

My bet is they take Correa, though many are predicting Gaussman

I would rather take the safer bet of a college pitcher. Giolito might be the best pitcher available in the draft but he's a big risk that our depleted farm system can't afford that right now.

As well as this team has played so far this year; in all honesty only Chen and Hammel have been consistent. Can you REALLY say the team can count on Arrieta, Matusz, Hunter, or Britton? There is good reason to have serious doubts about each of them. Wada should be back next year but he hasn't proven he's a ML pitcher, much less a dependable starter. Combine that with the fact that the next legitimate starter prospect that we can expect to come out of our farm system will be DYLAN Bundy next year and little else after him and you can see the argument for a college pitcher that might be able to contribute in 2014. For the record I did not forget Chris Tillman. I just see him as a late inning reliever, and think the team will too before the year is over.

I'd choose the college pitcher this year for the same reason I would have in 2009. We need pitching SOONER rather than later. DYLAN Bundy was the exception as he is, IMO, a once in a decade HS pitching prospect who will be ML ready on the same schedule as a college pitcher.

[OriolesRedskins28]

My bet is they take Correa, though many are predicting Gaussman

I would rather take the safer bet of a college pitcher. Giolito might be the best pitcher available in the draft but he's a big risk that our depleted farm system can't afford that right now.

As well as this team has played so far this year; in all honesty only Chen and Hammel have been consistent. Can you REALLY say the team can count on Arrieta, Matusz, Hunter, or Britton? There is good reason to have serious doubts about each of them. Wada should be back next year but he hasn't proven he's a ML pitcher, much less a dependable starter. Combine that with the fact that the next legitimate starter prospect that we can expect to come out of our farm system will be DYLAN Bundy next year and little else after him and you can see the argument for a college pitcher that might be able to contribute in 2014. For the record I did not forget Chris Tillman. I just see him as a late inning reliever, and think the team will too before the year is over.

I'd choose the college pitcher this year for the same reason I would have in 2009. We need pitching SOONER rather than later. DYLAN Bundy was the exception as he is, IMO, a once in a decade HS pitching prospect who will be ML ready on the same schedule as a college pitcher.

Well Said. Gausman seems like a good option.

[CSPitt17130]

I'd choose the college pitcher this year for the same reason I would have in 2009. We need pitching SOONER rather than later. DYLAN Bundy was the exception as he is, IMO, a once in a decade HS pitching prospect who will be ML ready on the same schedule as a college pitcher.

If the pitcher who you (the Orioles) think will ultimately be the better pitcher will take a little longer to get to the Orioles, you have to be willing to wait. Every team would like to be better now than later, but trying to rush the process by selecting a lesser talent who is more major league ready only slows down the process in the long run.

The goal in building a team should not be to try to get everything to fall into place creating a "window" of competitiveness" for a few years while your best players are in their prime. Instead, continually add the best talent you can in any form you can.

[Vandy]

I think the Hobgood fiasco will have scared the O's away. My bet is they take Correa, though many are predicting Gaussman.

With a new scouting directer and front office, I doubt the Hobgood pick will be of any significance to the direction of future draft selections. Besides, Giolito is much more talented than Hobgood, so if he is deemed to be healthy and signable I think we'd all have to be happy about that.

[Matt P]

Giolito seems to be a consensus top pick. Hobgood was looked at by most as not getting drafted in the top 20. Joe Jordan thought he was smarter for some reason and wasted our top pick on him. Hobgood has nothing to do with Giolito or any future highly touted HS pitcher the O's may be linked to or interested in. People brought up Hobgood last year when the O's were being linked to Dylan Bundy too.

[birdwatcher55]

Giolito, I have read, is going to UCLA

[CSPitt17130]

Giolito, I have read, is going to UCLA

You have to stop posting about things you read this place or heard that place without posting links. Yes, lots of people think Giolito will end up at UCLA unless he's taken in the top few picks or a team gives him above slot money for their slot and then sign a bunch of under slot guys with the rest of their picks in the top 10 rounds. No one will know what he's doing until he signs or the deadline passes and he doesn't. Remember what happened with Josh Bell (the Pirates 2nd round pick) last year? He wrote a letter to every team telling them not to draft him because he was going to Texas. The Pirates drafted him anyway and he signed. Obviously teams can't throw endless money at Giolito that Pittsburgh was able to do with Bell, but let's just see what happens instead of making unsubstantiated claims. For all we know, he could throw a bullpen for the O's in the next couple weeks and he could be drafted by Baltimore.