Ken Rosenthal takes a shot or two at the Orioles

Well, it wasn't Keith Law this time. A frequent critic of the Orioles over the years, Ken Rosenthal takes a few pokes at the team in a column today. The former Baltimore Sun reporter and columnist, who now works for Fox Sports and MLB Network, makes some valid points and remains, in my opinion, one of the top writers/analysts that covers the game. However, Rosenthal does seem to often have a little extra zing or two heading the O's way. To me, the timing of today's posting, on the same afternoon the club opened its refurbished and plush spring home with a resounding win is interesting. "The Orioles' farm system is again thin, putting them at a severe disadvantage as they try to compete in the game's toughest division, the AL East," Rosenthal wrote in his Fox Sports column. "The team's offseason moves, while a good-faith effort to end the franchise's streak of 13 consecutive losing seasons, represent nothing more than a Band-Aid." Rosenthal calls the Orioles farm system "thin," but does note some of the club's increased spending in the draft in recent years. But he says the club hasn't done enough. "It's too early to judge the successes of those past four drafts, though some of the indicators from '09 and even '10 are troubling. However, it's not too early to question the Orioles' strategy of investing heavily in the draft at the expense of pursuing international talent," Rosenthal writes. "Smart teams do both. The Orioles are practically a zero internationally." His lengthy article concludes this way: "No doubt, the franchise is in a much better place than it was a year ago. But rival executives often refer to the Orioles as a sleeping giant, and the description still applies. For the Orioles to regain their footing, their farm system needs to gush with talent, not offer dribs and drabs. Right now, in the area that matters most, the O's aren't good enough."