I mean, I realize that GMing is a hard job, but didn’t he come to KC with nary a grey hair? It’s only been a bit over two years?

Is he secretly Dominican? Where’s his birth certificate?

jp howell for gathright????

CAROLINA IN MY MIND

• One look at Winston-Salem outfielder Paulo Orlando’s speed from first to third made scouts in attendance do a double-take during a recent Warthogs series at Kinston.

“I’m getting 4.25 (seconds) down the line,” one scout from a National League club said, “but it seems like he’s 4.25 from first to third. When he gets going, he’s one of the fastest guys I’ve seen this year.”

The 21-year-old doesn’t have that initial quick burst of speed out of the box, but the former Brazilian track champion in both the 100- and 200-meter relays is an 80 runner on the 20-80 scouting scale. And it’s a different kind of speed. It’s not short, sparkplug Joey Gathright-like wheels. Orlando’s speed is long and angular based on his 6-foot-3, 170-pound wiry-strong frame.

Signed out of Brazil in 2005 along with 2006 Futures Gamer Anderson Gomez by assistant general manager Dave Wilder, Orlando is the more advanced hitter of the two.

“It’s impressive how polished his at-bats are, based on his experience level,” the scout said. “He’s got good pitch recognition, plate discipline—he’s got a good idea of the strike zone with some barrel awareness and above-average bat speed. This is a guy.”

Through 97 at-bats, Orlando was holding his own on the field, hitting .278/.317/.392.

“He’s a quiet, reserved kid that’s still feeling his way through, still trying to find some self-esteem in some ways, I think,” White Sox farm director Alan Regier said. “There’s not a lot of baseball experience with him.”

Orlando started playing baseball when he was 14 on weekends in Brazil with Japanese players who introduced the game to the South American country.

“He’s legitimately one of the fastest, if not the fastest player in the minor leagues,” Regier said. “And that speed is one thing, but we’re absolutely thrilled with how he’s handled himself, how he’s been patient in the box, his route-running in center field. Even when he doesn’t take the best route in the world, he’s got closing speed to make up for it.”

I’m still not excited by the profile as it is still similar to what KC has at that level already. We’ll see about him next year as he will probably open the season at AA.

I certainly hope Orlando works out for us, but speed only works if you get on base.

Now wait just one cottonpicking minute! Shealy doesn’t count but somehow this Orlando kid counts against him? Obviously I understand your point, but the Shealy acquisition was clearly an attempt to infuse some power into the lineup. It didn’t work, but that was the idea.

We’re better than that.

Good move, something for nothing, sell high, etc. Bullpen arms are largely fungible, which DM seems to get.

My question is, is that Mark Quinn in the upper right-hand corner of the poster? One of the legendary “4 horsemen”? Let’s see, which one of these is not like the other? Just for the record, I absolutely LOVED Mark Quinn. I thought he was going to be awesome. What a letdown. But, oh what a kung fu master!

by trading 28 year old scrap heap relievers. You acquire power through the draft and free agent signings. The best way being, the draft.

2007 – The Royals use the number 2 pick to draft Mike Moustakas, a HS SS/3B. He is hitting for great power at 19.

2008 – The Royals use the number 3 pick to draft Eric Hosmer, some say the best HS hitter in the draft. Most are confident we will sign him.

What is the problem? What do you want? We are not in fantasy land here. It all can’t come at once, DM concentrated on pitching when he first got here, now he seems to have shifted to getting some power in the organization, this is not a quick fix thing, and let’s hope that in 2010 we can really start to compete for the division.

If even one of those “light hitting, speed guys” turn into a good leadoff man then they will be a nice piece in a lineup of Moustakas, Hosmer, Butler, whoever else, think of the possibilities.

mad about the trading of HoRam it is equally unrealistic to think this kid is gonna be a ML player. Fans just wanted something better not a retread of the same ole thing.

“Even as I’m writing this, Moore has proven again that he gets it, because he just sent Horacio Ramirez to the White Sox in exchange for a toolsy outfield prospect named Paulo Orlando. Orlando’s a Grade C prospect because he’s still learning how to hit (.264/.310/.412 in A-ball) and he’s 22, but as Grade C prospects go he’s got a lot of upside. He’s fast as hell, plays great defense in center field, and he’s from Brazil, and as you would expect from a Brazilian baseball player, he has a lot less experience than most guys his age.
Given that the Royals picked up Horacio for nothing just three months ago, they just got an intriguing outfield prospect for free. Josh Newman, another lefty recently acquired on waivers, takes Horacio’s place. Given the nature of relief work and Moore’s track record, there’s no reason why Newman can’t be equally successful.” -Rany from Rany on the Royals

His whole article is about relief pitching and he closes with this. I think he is right on.

On the other hand, if also doesn’t show that Moore propery values OBP

overall it can be said that Dayton Moore still has a lot to prove as far as knowing how to build an offense, at best

1-1 with a double and a BB. Callem up