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Baltimore Orioles Hoping for Continued Success in the Rule 5 Draft

By Nate Wardle

Jul 20, 2016; Bronx, NY, USA; Baltimore Orioles right fielder Joey Rickard (23) drops a fly ball by New York Yankees left fielder Brett Gardner (not pictured) for a leadoff triple during the first inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 20, 2016; Bronx, NY, USA; Baltimore Orioles right fielder Joey Rickard (23) drops a fly ball by New York Yankees left fielder Brett Gardner (not pictured) for a leadoff triple during the first inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Baltimore Orioles’ Front Office is preparing for the Winter Meetings, which wrap up with the annual Rule 5 draft.

Peanut butter and jelly. Ernie and Bert. Cookies and milk. These things go together without second thought, similar to the Baltimore Orioles and the Rule 5 draft.

Many people believe that the Rule 5 draft is Dan Duquette’s favorite time of the year. Every year, at the end of the Winter Meetings, the draft is held, and invariably the Baltimore Orioles make a selection under Duquette.

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Dan arrived in November 2011, just before the 2011 draft. Since then, the team has selected Ryan Flaherty, T.J. MacFarland (2012), Michael Almanzar (2013), Logan Verrett and Jason Garcia (2014) and Joey Rickard (2015). Flaherty, MacFarland, Garcia and Rickard all stuck, and stayed with the Orioles.

Flaherty has largely remained with the Baltimore Orioles major league team, while Garcia was sent down to mature and improve his ability. MacFarland has been a rider of the Norfolk shuttle, and the verdict is on Rickard. The Orioles made a trade to keep Almanzar, and he remains in the organization.

A lot of people like to dismiss the Rule 5 draft, but recent players chosen in the draft have evolved into solid baseball players.

Of course, many of them went to numerous different teams before they established themselves, but the following list of names provides credibility to picking a player:

Scott Podsednik, OF
Johan Santana, SP
Endy Chavez, OF
Shane Victorino, OF
Jason Grilli, SP
Alejandro De Aza, OF
Brandon Weeden, P – thrown in for interest, not his MLB (or NFL) ability
Dan Uggla, 2B
Josh Hamilton, OF
Joakim Soria, RP
R.A. Dickey, SP
Everth Cabrera, SS
Darren O’Day, RP
Miguel Gonzalez, SP
Ender Inciarte, OF

These players are listed to most recent, so you can see there are no major players who were taken between Gonzalez (in 2008) and Inciarte (2012).

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However, for a team looking for a corner outfielder, the Baltimore Orioles are likely to weigh in. We will have to see if their selection can float with the Birds all season long.

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