Braves Becoming Baltimore

by gondeee on Oct 15, 2009 6:02 PM EDT in Minor League News Comment 42 comments

The Atlanta Braves have an ex-Baltimore General Manager in Frank Wren, and now we have an ex-Baltimore Scouting Director in newly promoted Tony DeMacio. DeMacio replaces Roy Clark, who left Atlanta for Washington (which is becoming the new Atlanta). Wren and DeMacio both started with the Orioles in 1999. Of course, Wren was forced to leave after one season, but DeMacio stayed on until 2004. I was looking over some of his drafts in Baltimore and they don't look pretty, including the Orioles 2000 draft in which no one from that class until the 32nd round made it to the majors.

He's also worked in some other poor drafting frachises like the Cubs and the Pirates, but he's also worked in the Clevland scouting department, which generally does a good job of drafting players.

He comes from the scouting ranks, originally with the Braves, and his biggest claim to fame is that he was credited with signing Tom Glavine in 1984 and Chipper Jones in 1990. He has been affiliated with a Major League baseball organization for the last 26 years, and at the 2008 Winter Meetings he was honored with the Scout of the Year award, which is given to those who have devoted at least a quater century to the scouting profession.

This seems like a decent choice, but more than that it symbolizes the continuing new direction that this franchise is taking. This selection is Frank Wren's selection. Yes, DeMacio has a history with the Braves that dates back to 1983, but there's no denying his connection with Wren in Baltimore. Yes, the Orioles had other problems which prevented them from succeeding, so maybe we shouldn't hold that against Wren, but the success of a draft is used to judge the quality of a scouting director, and DeMacio's years as the Orioles' scouting director are not impressive. One has to hope that will not follow him to Atlanta. The draft is one of the key components that maintain the Atlanta franchise, and an integral part of the organization's success.

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super.

President of Marteeeny's Weeenies: The Official Fan Club for Martin Prado.
WE WANT PRADO AT 2B IN 2010!

by mvhsbball on Oct 15, 2009 6:11 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs

Not worried

Wren didn’t do well in Baltimore but has done well in Atlanta. Maybe this guy will to.

by jack dein on Oct 15, 2009 6:11 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

the success of a draft is used to judge the quality of a scouting director, and DeMacio’s years as the Orioles’ scouting director are not impressive.

all I would say is that the draft is also dependent upon the scouts under the scouting director.. and if they suck…then the scouting director has nothing to work with… its the optimist in me shining through

Heyward,Hanson,and Shaffer r ready now!! Why do you think they havent signed the "right handed bat"?

by fatazfoot on Jan 7, 2009 8:59 PM EST

by Swo12bv on Oct 15, 2009 6:11 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree with the big picture observation

and I think I like where it’s going, perhaps because I trust Wren.

Mat Gamel is way too cool for double consonants.

by VivaLosBravos on Oct 15, 2009 6:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Get ’em, Frank.

'Sugar ain't poison, but sugar will kill you. Too much of a good thing. Maybe not so sweet.'
(self-appointed President of Yunel's Cartel~~~)

by Chief Noc-A-Homa on Oct 15, 2009 7:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

+1 Chief

by Zeus12888 on Oct 15, 2009 9:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

we're fucked

by StottsEra on Oct 15, 2009 6:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

" I was looking over some of his drafts in Baltimore and they don’t look pretty, including the Orioles 2000 draft in which no one from that class until the 32nd round made it to the majors."

This can be very misleading. The reason i say this is because look at this years draft for us. Most think it was pretty bad. So i mean some of his drafts could have been Angelos butting in medling around or he could have had other crappy scouts around him which wouldn’t make him near as good. Just like Roy Clark isn’t nothin without good scouts around him. There could be reasons that we dont know of why some of his drafts weren’t so good. You see what he did when he was with the Braves when he had good scouts around him.

braves#1

by rockybull on Oct 15, 2009 7:43 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

People continually cite Wren's bad tenure with Baltimore without remembering that Angelos is effectively in charge of every baseball move to the detriment of his squad. I'd venture a guess that he had heavy influence over draft selections at least early round choices and that is not good for the organization but who is going to object with the guy signing the checks

by McCann's the Man on Oct 15, 2009 7:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

also that’s not so much a comment on wren as saying that we need to wait and see what this guy can do without an owner breathing down his neck

by McCann's the Man on Oct 15, 2009 7:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

In this week's ESPN chat

Jim Callis made a reference to Angelos’ meddling tendencies, so although he’s had some rough drafts, it may not be indicative of his overall body of work.

Any and all judgment should probably be withheld until we see what happens next June.

by hoboken_wood on Oct 15, 2009 10:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Given the history of interference by Angelos into baseball operations, I’ll forgive a lack of success there.

DeMacio began with the Braves and worked extensively with Paul Snyder and Roy Clark in the past. His draft philosophy is line with what we have seen from the Braves in the past (excluding ’09) and he has an impressive record as a scout. He worked with Frank Wren for a year in Baltimore but has over 10 years of experience in the Braves organization. I view this as promoting a company guy and not necessarily Frank Wren bringing in an old friend from Baltimore.

"Four of us wolves, running around the desert together in Las Vegas, looking for strippers and cocaine..."

by jeg on Oct 15, 2009 7:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Does this mean we can have Leo Mazzone back?

by possum187 on Oct 15, 2009 9:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

im fine with Roger McDowell.

President of Marteeeny's Weeenies: The Official Fan Club for Martin Prado.
WE WANT PRADO AT 2B IN 2010!

by mvhsbball on Oct 15, 2009 9:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

same.

hohohhohohoh its the offseason, time to rosterbate in public places

by esadb on Oct 15, 2009 9:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

he seems like he’s good at guiding the pitchers, but not forcing them to do something they dont wanna do.

President of Marteeeny's Weeenies: The Official Fan Club for Martin Prado.
WE WANT PRADO AT 2B IN 2010!

by mvhsbball on Oct 15, 2009 9:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

coincidentally,

he was also an Oriole

hohohhohohoh its the offseason, time to rosterbate in public places

by esadb on Oct 15, 2009 9:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

This is great news, really top notch. Two key positions in the front office being staffed by the people who turned the O’s from contenders to perennial punching bags.

by Lennox on Oct 15, 2009 9:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

eh

the Orioles will be a good team in 1-2 years. they have a nice nucleus in Markakis, Weiters and Jones, some soild veterans like Roberts and Scott, and some pretty decent pitching prospects on the way.

sucks theyre in the same division as the Skankees and Redcocks.

President of Marteeeny's Weeenies: The Official Fan Club for Martin Prado.
WE WANT PRADO AT 2B IN 2010!

by mvhsbball on Oct 15, 2009 9:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

ya...

idk anything about what roles these guys played in assembling the organization, but Matusz, Arrieta &co. (not sold on Tillman) they could go places.

Mat Gamel is way too cool for double consonants.

by VivaLosBravos on Oct 15, 2009 10:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Of those three, Tillman is head and shoulders the best. I didn’t see Matusz in person this year, but I watched most of his starts on TV and I saw all of Tillman and Arrieta’s home starts in AAA. Tillman is an ace in waiting and Arrieta is gonna be a great 2/3 guy.

"At least he didn’t nail the bitchy fat girl from Hell's Kitchen."
www.dropoutproductions.com

by cbwilk on Oct 16, 2009 2:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It sucks, but its not the end of the world.

As long as we still have good scouts, i think we’ll be fine.

hohohhohohoh its the offseason, time to rosterbate in public places

by esadb on Oct 15, 2009 10:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Meant to put this in the Roy Clark post

hohohhohohoh its the offseason, time to rosterbate in public places

by esadb on Oct 15, 2009 10:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I just read that the O’s had the highest attendance in baseball in the 1990s. sort of surprising. And irrelevant.

Mat Gamel is way too cool for double consonants.

by VivaLosBravos on Oct 15, 2009 10:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

i literally lold i dont know if that was ur intention

Heyward,Hanson,and Shaffer r ready now!! Why do you think they havent signed the "right handed bat"?

by fatazfoot on Jan 7, 2009 8:59 PM EST

by Swo12bv on Oct 15, 2009 10:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah, I started typing the comment and realized that it had no place in this thread, but I didn’t want to waste the calories I expended while typing it out.

Mat Gamel is way too cool for double consonants.

by VivaLosBravos on Oct 16, 2009 12:14 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

it’s not that surprising. they were a good team that competed (’roids aside) + Cal Ripken and his record chase + new ballpark.

Owning the Patriots since September 9, 1960

by Darin H on Oct 16, 2009 10:30 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

BA says

Tony DeMacio’s drafts with Baltimore were largely sabotaged by ownership interference.

http://www.capitolavenueclub.com/

by PWHjort on Oct 16, 2009 12:42 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

probably wont be much different in Atlanta..

President of Marteeeny's Weeenies: The Official Fan Club for Martin Prado.
WE WANT PRADO AT 2B IN 2010!

by mvhsbball on Oct 16, 2009 2:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

In a word, no. Our ownership group doesn’t do a damn thing with regards to baseball operations. All they do is control cash flow. They let the baseball people make baseball decisions.

http://www.capitolavenueclub.com/

by PWHjort on Oct 16, 2009 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well it was rumored that Clark and Wren butted head last draft over the Minor selection last years because of money and signability, so ya, that’s why I said it wouldn’t be much different

President of Marteeeny's Weeenies: The Official Fan Club for Martin Prado.
WE WANT PRADO AT 2B IN 2010!

by mvhsbball on Oct 16, 2009 2:49 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

well wren has nothing to do with the ownership…

by Hcgadawgs on Oct 16, 2009 3:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

but the difference...

in who you draft vs. how much you can spend overall on draft picks, is a significant difference in my eyes, if that is what people are trying to imply by Angelos meddling.

by Mr. Sanchez on Oct 16, 2009 7:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If anything, Wren’s success so far tells me that whatever happened in Baltimore should be disregarded as Angelos’s meddling. DiMacio gets a pass in my book, at least until we see a couple of draft from the guy.

by FineHamAbounds on Oct 16, 2009 8:26 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

agreed

by Hcgadawgs on Oct 16, 2009 9:30 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That’s the only way to assess DiMacio in my opinion…just gonna have to wait for a few drafts.

by Sparhawk on Oct 16, 2009 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Looking back on the drafts

His history is actually pretty good.

Per the Braves press release:

While with the Indians, DeMacio was involved in drafts that brought future major leaguers Manny Ramirez, Chad Ogea, Albie Lopez, Jon Nunnally, Paul Shuey, Paul Byrd and Herbert Perry to the Indians farm system. With the Cubs he was involved in the selections on Kerry Wood, Corey Patterson and Jon Garland, and his Orioles draft picks included such players as Larry Bigbie, Brian Roberts, Erik Bedard, Willie Harris, Nick Markakis and John Maine.

Considering how many prospects fail, having Chipper, Glavine, and ManRam on your resume (that’s 3 HOF calibur players if you don’t count Manny as debatable due to roids), you can’t be that bad.

by Andy Braves Fan on Oct 16, 2009 12:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

With the Cubs he was involved in the selections on Kerry Wood, Corey Patterson and Jon Garland,

EWWW!!!!

Heyward,Hanson,and Shaffer r ready now!! Why do you think they havent signed the "right handed bat"?

by fatazfoot on Jan 7, 2009 8:59 PM EST

by Swo12bv on Oct 16, 2009 8:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Willie Harris pick trumps those bad ones.

"My team of nine guys who hit like Albert Pujols and never ever bunt just beat your team with one Shane Victorino 472 to 3."

by justincredubil02 on Oct 17, 2009 2:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

im not syaing this is dispostive of my hatred or wonderment of our new scouting director… just that i wouldnt want those names on my resume

Heyward,Hanson,and Shaffer r ready now!! Why do you think they havent signed the "right handed bat"?

by fatazfoot on Jan 7, 2009 8:59 PM EST

by Swo12bv on Oct 17, 2009 11:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was more making a joke about Willie Harris than contributing to the discussion…lol

"My team of nine guys who hit like Albert Pujols and never ever bunt just beat your team with one Shane Victorino 472 to 3."

by justincredubil02 on Oct 18, 2009 4:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Also, the 2005-2006 draft

with the pirates…

he drafted McCutchen. 2006 drafted Brad Lincoln. WE all know what Cutch has done, and Brad Lincoln was a scout favorite, but consistently injured in his MiLB career. Can’t always predict that…

by Andy Braves Fan on Oct 16, 2009 2:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs