KevinOrris.com

Here’s my latest article that I wrote for rotoinfo.com:

Over the past few days, we’ve seen quite a few prospects emerge into the big leagues, so why don’t we take a look at their 2010 Major League Outlook.

Thomas Diamond SP, Chicago Cubs

Diamond had a very impressive big league debut, but hasn’t always been the most touted prospect.  Back in 2006, was the last time that he was considered to be a dominant prospect with the Texas Rangers.  After missing the 2007 season, Diamond rebounded poorly and his numbers continue to slide, requiring him six years to make it to Triple-A, after being the 10^th overall pick in the 2004 draft.

This year, the Cubs took a gamble and brought him in to fill a rotation void in Triple-A Iowa, and he’s been more than capable of doing so.  In 108.1 innings pitched, he struck out 104 batters and posted a 3.16 ERA.  While he did strike out 10 Milwaukee Brewers in his debut, judging by his track record, he’s due to decline.  The sample size of success is just not great enough for me to consider him in any format besides NL-Only keeper leagues.

Brett Wallace 1B, Houston Astros

Wallace has been traded a handful of times over the past year, but that doesn’t mean that he lacks value.  Once considered a top Cardinals prospect, Wallace has put up solid numbers in every stop along the way to the big leagues.  This year alone, in Triple-A Las Vegas, Wallace hit .301 with 18 HR and a .868 OBP.

He’s going to be a regular in the Astros’ lineup, but you must remember that the ‘stros have just traded some of their best players in Roy Oswalt and Lance Berkman.  Therefore, he doesn’t have much talent surrounding him (sorry Carlos Lee and Hunter Pence), so the team has little to play for this year.  I’d consider Wallace to be a power threat in Minute Maid Park, but he’s not worth owning except for in deep leagues this year.

Peter Bourjos OF, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Bourjos has been one of my favorite prospects for some time, and has been turning quite a few heads with a .474 avg in July.  After the call-up was announced, the Angels have said that Bourjos will play center field and force Torii Hunter to right field.

Bourjos is the most versatile of the previously mentioned prospects, and definitely the fastest.  According to Baseball America, he “claims that no one has ever bested him in a footrace.” If he can stay away from injuries that have plagued him in the past (torn wrist ligament in 2009), he’s got all of the potential in the world.  Most people have overlooked him since being drafted in 2005, but he came into this season ranked #98 by BA.  Expect him to get regular playing time, and to provide help across the board.

Kila Ka’aihue 1B, Kansas City Royals

The Royals have quite a few prospects coming up through the system, who will look to change the face of the franchise in the next few years, and Ka’aihue is by far the farthest along.  While Royals fans have quite a bit to look forward to, there’s one dilemma; too much strength at the corner infield spots.  Luckily for the Royals, they play in the American League, where they have the chance to use a DH.

He’s going to struggle to obtain playing time unless he makes an immediate impact, but his power bat is a necessity in KC.  After this season, Jose Guillen will be gone, opening up the DH spot on a regular basis, and at that point, Ka’aihue should receive regular time.  Until then, don’t expect too much besides the occasional start.

Last week, I interviewed Mike Minor and Zack Cozart for Baseball Insiders, both of which were posted on BaseballInsiders.com.  Here are the links:

Mike Minor Interview

Zack Cozart Interview

FYI – I broke the Chris Sale call-up yesterday, and couldn’t be more proud of it.  Thanks to Chris for providing me the privilege to do so, and the people who I worked with all day on the story.

I’m pleased to announce that our logo has been released over at BaseballInsiders.com today, and it’s created quite a stir.  In the past 24 hours, we have received more traffic than ever before and hope to continue our success.  I owe a big thank you to a few people who have helped me over the past week to accomplish such great things including:

• Having my interview with Zack Cozart featured on BatsBaseball.com, the official website of the Triple-A Louisville Bats, thanks to Nick Evans.
• The interview was also linked to on MiLB.com, the official website for Minor League Baseball.
• Our excellent series of logos have finally been released, thanks to help from Aman Reaka.
• The content  has been fabulous, thanks to all of our writers.

If you haven’t heard the interview yet, check it out here and help us get to the top of the charts on Google!

Chicago Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee rejected a trade to the Los Angeles Angels sometime last week.  We haven’t yet found out who the Cubs would have received in return, but since Lee qualifies as a 5/10 player, he was able to nix the trade.  I’ve lived in Chicago my whole life, and if someone offered me the chance to go to LA for a few months and have a shot at the playoffs, there’s no way that I could pass that up.

Anyways, go to BaseballInsiders.com for an interview that I did yesterday with Mike Minor.  Great kid, and great pitcher.  As a Braves fan, I really hope that he pans out.

For those who have checked out my “Experience” page on KevinOrris.com, you’re well aware that I’ve held quite a few jobs in my short life.  To be honest, I haven’t even listed all of them, because the page would go on forever.  I have spent my fair share of time working in retail, manual labor, child care, and marketing jobs and I’d like to think that I’ve learned a few things here and there.

Here are some Do’s and Don’ts of things that I’ve learned while working for Nike in one of the country’s largest outlet malls:

• DO apply for as many jobs as possible.
• DON’T apply for just one job assuming that you will get it.

Most times companies will have “Now Hiring” signs up or associates will claim that they are hiring, but that isn’t always the case.  Be sure to apply regardless, but know that with such a tough job market, the stores only have the time to interview a fraction of the applicants.

• DO dress business casual when looking for a job, even if it’s as a shoe salesmen.
• DON’T wear competitors clothing in the store.

I’ve had multiple people sporting Adidas clothing into the Nike store asking for a position, and it often leaves a bad taste in my mouth.  Many people have come in to ask me for applications while wearing titled hats, ripped jeans, distasteful clothing, among other things, and these are never good signs.  It’s really sad how few people actually follow this one, because 8 times out of 10, I’ve had people come into the store wearing ridiculous jackets or flat brimmed Phillies hats tilted at a 25 degree angle asking for applications.

• DO introduce yourself to associates and managers that acknowledge you.
• DON’T just ask for an application. Make your presence felt, and hope that the associates will remember you and put in a good word for the interactions that you shared.

A good handshake can be a big advantage in the business world, but knowing how to verbally communicate can take you anywhere.  Everyone knows that one person who is a smooth talker and can get them in or out of any situation.  Just talk confidently and employers will respect you and often give you a chance at the position.  It’s easy to tell when someone desperate for a job comes into the store, because they stare blankly at the cashier and just ask “Can I have an application,” when you should be introducing yourself and asking the company if they are hiring.  Most companies now have online applications (including Nike) which requires a URL.  People never write down the URL (nikebiz.com).

• DO show interest in the position.
• DON’T display desperation to get the position.

People often try to convince you how they are the right person for the position when they are just applying, when in reality, associates won’t remember your name or much about you, unless you make a negative impression.  Although I worked with Nike for well over three years, I don’t know too much about shoes, but perspective employees would always ask me about shoes and tell me about their collections to prove their knowledge.  Knowing more than me (a cashier) doesn’t mean that you’ll get the job.  It will instead, make me want you to work elsewhere.  If you can’t get along with associates, don’t plan on getting along with customers.

• DO act “first time fresh.”
• DON’T overly acknowledge associates that you know. (Don’t give them crazy handshakes or anything over the top. Say hello, feel free to briefly chat, but don’t distract them from their job)

“First time fresh,” means to always act professionally and as if you haven’t met them before.  That doesn’t mean that you have to re-introduce yourself, or anything of the sort, but to keep yourself upfront and avoiding distraction when talking to people.  I can’t stand when a fellow associate has a friend come in and try to apply for a position, because often times they’ll talk to their friend for some time, distracting them from their work.  It’s frustrating when people aren’t pulling their weight, and it’s even worse when their being distracted by someone trying to obtain a job.  You know that if those two people are scheduled together, they won’t get much done.

• DO put down as much availability as possible for your schedule.
• DON’T ask for weekends off.

Employers receive hundreds of applications, especially in a time when so few jobs are available and so many people are seeking them.  Don’t expect to hear back from every company that you applied with, especially if you ask for weekends off.  That is the biggest turnoff to hiring managers, because weekends are the busiest times for stores, and if you cannot help out then, your hours will be scarce.

And the worst of all…

• DO carry a nice folder with you that includes resume’s, cover letters, and can store applications, as well as paper to write down web addresses for online applications.
• DON’T carry around a beat up paper folder, much less, no folder at all which displays the 50 applications that you picked up from other stores.

I cannot begin to explain how much this frustrates me, so I’ll leave you with this.  Apply to as many places as possible, and if you follow these tips, I guarantee that you’ll hear back from quite a few different places and should be interviewing very soon!

As you may know, I work for Dell as a Campus Representative to help promote the brand and the products that compose it. If you haven’t heard yet, Dell is releasing a great new product next week, the Dell Streak. It’s a 5″ android tablet that is drawing attention among tech forums, websites, and gurus.

If you can do me a big favor, and go to this link, you will do me wonders with my job with Dell, and you’ll get exclusive offers!

Some would consider me a work-a-holic with the amount of work that I’ve put into BaseballInsiders.com over the past week.  Between the design, logo, content, podcasts, audio editing, Twitter, Facebook, interviews, I’ve spent quite a bit of time assembling everything.  Because of that, I haven’t had the time to post anything on KevinOrris.com recently, but I’m proud to announce that I had the privilege to interview Chicago White Sox 1st round pick in this year’s Rule 4 Draft, Chris Sale, earlier this week.

Click here to check out the interview.

I will be in the city of Chicago tomorrow helping out with the Dew Tour, and then it’s off to Indianapolis for the weekend.  I’ll be attending the Nationwide Series race at O’Reilly Race Park, followed by the Indianapolis Indians game on Sunday.

Here’s my latest article at Rotoinfo.com regarding Mike Moustakas:

Mike “Moose”  Moustakas has been considered an elite prospect for a few years now, but after a disappointing 2009 campaign, he suffered a free-fall down many rankings.  Moose has proven all of his naysayers wrong this year with a very impressive campaign and a recent promotion to Triple-A Omaha.  Here’s what I had to say about Moose on May 18^th on a different website:

Plenty of people know of Moustakas as the Royals first round pick in 2007, who has been a failure until this year. While the stats looked alright in 2007 and 2008, Moustakas struggled mightily in 2009. His batting average is up from .250 to an impressive .364, and his walk rate is up from 6% of his plate appearances to 12% this year. Things couldn’t be better for Moustakas right now, so it’s time to take advantage of his hot start.

He started 2009 ranked between 10-15 on most prospect lists, but has since fallen to at least the 30’s on a variety of lists. Now the hitting friendly Texas League has helped him rebound back to his former status. Most power hitters take a while to develop their true power in the minors, but Moustakas has hit 22 and 16 home runs in each of the past two seasons. Baseball America cites a strong pitchers park as an excuse for his struggles last year (.205/.266/.373 at home).

He’s relatively new to third base, but he’s worked very hard to improve with the glove.  For now, Moustakas is on a hot streak and is on his way back up to the top. If someone still doesn’t believe, be sure to take advantage of the opportunity to snatch him up. He’s going to continue to rise up the ranks and could see a promotion to Triple-A in the very near future if he continues to hit over .350.

That was two months ago, when Moose appeared to be on the hottest streak of his life, and while his average has since subsided to .347 in Double-A, he has regained the popularity of an elite prospect and is making his case for being named Minor League Player of the Year.  While it appears that he will finish out the season in Triple-A, he should see big league action come June 1^st, 2011.  In order for him to receive a September call-up, he would have to be on the 40-man roster, which he currently is not.

Expectations for Moose are all over the board with his recent resurgence, with some still considering him a future bust.  For those who watched the Futures Game this past weekend, you will remember that Moustakas was the recipient of most of the attention from the broadcasters for his impressive display in batting practice.  He was able to hit balls about 460 feet to the right field stands, and through the concourse openings.

He’s only 5’ 11” and weighs in at 230 lbs, which is a cause for concern, but unless we see more weight gain, his size shouldn’t hinder him too much.  Either way, his frame is built for power, and if he can supplement that with consistent contact, he will always find a way to play in the American League.

I don’t foresee him receiving the hype of Jason Heyward or Stephen Strasburg, however, he’s going to draw attention to a weak Kansas City team that would appreciate his bat any day.  The promotion to Triple-A makes the Omaha Royals an interesting team to watch, with Moose and Alex Gordon, who recently moved from third base to the outfield, in the middle of the lineup.  Whether you like him or not, it’s hard to disagree with the fact that he’s been one of the best players in the minors this year, and is deserving of the hype.

The big project that I was referring to the other day is my brand new website, www.BaseballInsiders.com.  Joel Henard and I decided to start the site a few weeks back and have since been planning the layout and overall content plan and we’re happy to announce the official launch of the website.

The site will feature interviews, podcasts, and articles focusing on all things baseball, particularly fantasy.  What separates us from the competition is our high quality interviews and the insight that they provide.  Between the two of us, we have interviewed hundreds of baseball people including players, scouts, agents, writers, and coaches.  We’re going to feature two weekly podcasts, including Joel’s famous Fantasy Friday.

Be sure to check it out and let us know who you want us to interview at TalkingBaseballLive@gmail.com.

Cubs beat writer, Tom Sullivan, just wrote an article regarding Jim Hendry’s future in Chicago. Here’s what Sullivan had to say.

Jim Hendry has the support of Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts, who said Sunday he has “the highest level of confidence” in his general manager.

But Ricketts wouldn’t go so far as to commit to Hendry after this season.

“The fact is right now Jim is our general manager,” he said. “I support him. I think he does a great job, and we’ll just take it one day at a time.”

Hendry has two years left on his contract, while manager Lou Piniella is in the final year of his. Ricketts was also brief in his remarks about Piniella.

“Lou is a great manager, one of the best managers of all time, for God’s sake,” he said. “Obviously the year hasn’t gone like we’d all hoped, but I don’t think the turning point is any one person.”

To read the rest of the article, click here.

I don’t consider the Cubs to be contenders at all, but since they don’t really have any movable pieces, the team will likely stay the same.  If that’s the case, the offense has potential to breakout and make things interesting in the Central.  Without pitching, it’s easy to eliminate the Brewers.  The Pirates and Astros are already non-factors.  The Cardinals will remain near the top all year.  The Reds are the game changers in this division, but their bullpen cannot possibly keep up the success and we’ve already seen Mike Leake start to falter.

That being said, the Cubs have an outside (and nearly impossible) shot at winning the division.  I do, however, feel that they will put pressure on the top teams in the division to make deadline moves, if they can continue scoring runs.  Until then, they’re stuck with the big contracts of Alfonso Soriano, Aramis Ramirez, Kosuke Fukudome, and Carlos Zambrano.