BBTF's Notes in a Minor Key Discussion

Sunday, June 15, 2008

2008 draft signings

Open thread for posting draft signings - please post them as you hear about them.

I do not like to analyze the draft until we have the majority of the signings completed and some of the players start getting PT with wood bats and the like. FWIW, the short-season leagues open this week (June 17 for the NY/P, Northwest, Appy, and Pioneer, June 19 for the GCL, June 22 for the AZL).

Mike Emeigh Posted: June 15, 2008 at 03:25 PM | 245 comment(s)
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201. Harold Reynolds: An Erotic Life (AG#1F) Posted: August 15, 2008 at 12:13 PM (#2904437)

Tim Melville officially signs with the Royals for about $1.25 million.

202. Mike Emeigh Posted: August 15, 2008 at 01:29 PM (#2904493)

From BA, again:

Indians sign Zach Putnam (5th) and Bryce Stowell (22nd) and will announce Trey Haley (2nd) and TJ House (6th) today. All got over-slot contracts.

James Darnell (2nd) signs with SD, $740K.

Jordan Danks will apparently sign for $525K with the White Sox.

-- MWE

203. DKDC Posted: August 15, 2008 at 03:54 PM (#2904666)

Matusz signs.

$3.2MM, major league deal.

204. MM1f Posted: August 15, 2008 at 05:43 PM (#2904796)

Rays ink 2nd rounder Kyle Lobstien (prep LHP from Flagstaff, AZ) to a 1.5 mil (20th overall money) deal.. according to BA.

BA also says that the Yanks just bought late round pick Garrison Lassiter, a prep SS from Winston-Salem, NC, away from UNC. Lassiter is a good late round guy to sign by all accounts, especially since it seems the Yanks have some money to get rid of since Cole turned 'em down.
Hopefully they'll just leave my damn Blake Monar alone.

205. Mike Emeigh Posted: August 15, 2008 at 08:10 PM (#2904913)

BA confirms that Red Sox have signed both Westmoreland ($2M) and Hissey ($1M). Boston has also pulled an offer to Alex Meyer, who now seems certain to attend Kentucky.

-- MWE

206. Mike Emeigh Posted: August 15, 2008 at 09:04 PM (#2904968)

Reds done making offers to Alonso.

-- MWE

207. Mike Emeigh Posted: August 15, 2008 at 09:07 PM (#2904976)

Cashman confirms Cole won't sign.

-- MWE

208. Mike Emeigh Posted: August 15, 2008 at 09:16 PM (#2904987)

Hopefully they'll just leave my damn Blake Monar alone.

Sounds like they will. It's also looking unlikely that they'll sign Bittle.

-- MWE

209. cult of basebaal Posted: August 15, 2008 at 10:13 PM (#2905081)

It's also looking unlikely that they'll sign Bittle.

medical issues with his shoulder ... frankly i thought bittle was a weak draft at that slot, so i wouldn't mind having the do over next year

210. 1k5v3L Posted: August 15, 2008 at 10:59 PM (#2905113)

Nick Piecoro writes the Dbacks are unlikely to sign Daniel Webb and Danny Hultzen

No movement on deadline day

211. cult of basebaal Posted: August 15, 2008 at 11:24 PM (#2905140)

bleich has signed, from BA:

If Gerrit Cole follows through and goes to UCLA as he has said, then Stanford lefthander Jeremy Bleich will be the Yankees’ top signee from the 2008 draft. The Yankees signed Bleich Friday night, though terms of the deal have not been reported. A supplemental first-rounder, Bleich reportedly did not exceed MLB’s bonus recommendation for his No. 44 slot, believed to be $863,000.

212. Templeusox has reached his genetic threshold Posted: August 15, 2008 at 11:31 PM (#2905146)

BA updated and said he has signed for 700K, well below the slot value for 44. Poorly produced by the Bleich camp.

213. cult of basebaal Posted: August 15, 2008 at 11:35 PM (#2905148)

BA reporting that Alonso has signed with the Reds. No details yet.

214. Harold Reynolds: An Erotic Life (AG#1F) Posted: August 15, 2008 at 11:45 PM (#2905153)

A's sign Pepperdine OF Brett Hunter for a seventh round record $1.1 million.

215. Al Kaline Trio Posted: August 15, 2008 at 11:54 PM (#2905162)

Wow the A's are getting to be pretty stacked with pitchers. I feel like the pressure is on for Beane to show what he's really worth consolidating a championship team.

216. cult of basebaal Posted: August 15, 2008 at 11:57 PM (#2905163)

MLB.com reporting Alonso deal is a major league deal worth 4.5 mil

217. Harold Reynolds: An Erotic Life (AG#1F) Posted: August 16, 2008 at 12:02 AM (#2905165)

Smoak and Posey have done deals.

218. cult of basebaal Posted: August 16, 2008 at 12:10 AM (#2905166)

wow ... padres got it done with dykstra for 1.15

219. Harold Reynolds: An Erotic Life (AG#1F) Posted: August 16, 2008 at 12:12 AM (#2905167)

Yanks officially fail to sign Cole.

220. cult of basebaal Posted: August 16, 2008 at 12:19 AM (#2905172)

nationals officially fail to sign crow

221. Harold Reynolds: An Erotic Life (AG#1F) Posted: August 16, 2008 at 12:21 AM (#2905173)

Wow! What a huge risk by Crow. I can't imagine he improves his stock next year.

222. Master of Karate and Friendship (Kyle C) Posted: August 16, 2008 at 12:23 AM (#2905175)

Any word on Alvarez or Hosmer?

223. cult of basebaal Posted: August 16, 2008 at 12:23 AM (#2905176)

from BA on the crow negotiations

One source indicated the Crow camp, led by his agents the Hendricks Brothers, dropped their demands to $4 million from the $8-$10 million range, and that the Nationals came up from slot to $3.3 million, but that the two sides ran out of time and wiggle room and couldn’t work out a compromise.

224. Harold Reynolds: An Erotic Life (AG#1F) Posted: August 16, 2008 at 12:36 AM (#2905181)

No MLB deal for Alvarez, if he did sign, because no contract was submitted to the union for approval.

225. Harold Reynolds: An Erotic Life (AG#1F) Posted: August 16, 2008 at 12:39 AM (#2905183)

Alvarez signed. $6 million, no MLB Deal.

226. Harold Reynolds: An Erotic Life (AG#1F) Posted: August 16, 2008 at 12:40 AM (#2905184)

Eric Hosmer signed, no terms yet.

227. cult of basebaal Posted: August 16, 2008 at 12:42 AM (#2905187)

scheppers a non-sign

228. Der Komminsk-sar Posted: August 16, 2008 at 01:12 AM (#2905198)

he's a type of player i overrate, but the nats pickup of outfielder/crow insurance policy j.p. ramirez is an interesting one - very polished bat, decent athlete, but might be limited to lf. surprised he got a mil. reminds me a bit of matt sulentic.

229. knucklehead7 Posted: August 16, 2008 at 01:50 AM (#2905211)

Bowden's take:

They made... their first proposal to us came on August 12, for $9 million. That offer did not change until 11:40 tonight when they moved dramatically to $4.4 million. We worked extremely hard at this. As you know, last year Ross Detwiler signed for $2.1 million; he was the sixth player taken overall. And Brian Matusz signed for $3.2 million. At the end of the day, we stepped up and went to $3.5 million in an attempt to sign him, and unfortunately we couldn't get it done. We wish him nothing but success and good luck and it's unfortunate. I think the only good thing -- in previous years, you wouldn't have gotten another first-round pick the next year. That being said, from our perspective, we'll have two picks next year in the top 10, and we'll just have to wait 10 more months. Obviously we're very disappointed though.

230. MM1f Posted: August 16, 2008 at 01:55 AM (#2905213)

And Brian Matusz signed for $3.2 million

The difference, of course, is that Matusz signed for a 3.2 bonus on a Major League deal. If the Nats offered a ML deal and a 3.5 bonus it seems silly of Crow to turn that down, but I assume the GM is being slick with his words and the offer was a straight 3.5 bonus and no MLB deal.

231. a bebop a rebop Posted: August 16, 2008 at 02:00 AM (#2905216)

Justin Smoak's deal was for $3.5M. Rangers second-rounder Robbie Ross signed for $1.575M -- as Jamey Newberg notes, approximately the same bonus as #17 Blake Beavan got last year.

I'm pleased the Rangers got these deals done -- I had been a bit concerned.

232. MM1f Posted: August 16, 2008 at 02:13 AM (#2905220)

Gosh, I can't believe the Rockies didn't open up the checkbook and make a run at signing Dominguez.
I know hes raw and stuff, but man I think they're going to regret doing that.
He might be the most valuable returning college draftee from this class in terms of value to his team. Either him or Scheppers.
Hes also got a case for being the most overall talented college returnee, behind just Scheppers and Wilson in my book.

233. PanRains Posted: August 16, 2008 at 11:42 AM (#2905399)

Same site also reports that Alex Wilson (Cubs 10th) is headed back to school and that Bryce Stowell (22nd round) has signed with the Indians.

Any of you college guys - can you tell me why Bryce Stowell got so much money? $725,000 seems like early second round slot money, and BA doesn't even have a report on him (although pre-draft they rated him the 58th best talent in California, when the 45th best talent in CA was their #198 overall prospect). That's also only spots lower than Jeremy Bleich, who got about the same amount of money.

I was able to find a couple of old reports on him that make him sound like a decent prospect, but nothing fantastic. Did he go to the Cape and find like 5 mph, or finally get a curve down, or something like that?

234. MM1f Posted: August 16, 2008 at 12:19 PM (#2905410)

233,
PG sez (about his Cape stint):
Stowell showed pretty much what I have seen of him in the past. He has a nice, projectable build with a high waist and a strong lower half, where he generates most of his power from. That power produces fastballs that sit in the low-90s and topped out in the all-star game at 93. He has been able to reach back for more in the past to approach the mid-90s, and he also mixes in a nice breaking ball that he seems to throw two variations of. His slider is harder, a pitch he uses to get batters swinging in the dirt, and he also knows how to take a little bit off of it for more of a true curveball that he throws for strikes. He has good fastball command, although he does have a pronounced head whip as part of his delivery that seems to put added an unnecessary pressure on this throwing shoulder.

It still doesn't sound like he is nessecarily a 2nd round guy but I think we saw alot of teams deciding to overpay guys bonuses just to so the team can make sure to add a bunch of talent to their systems.
For instance, Ryan Westmoreland got the 2nd most money of any high schooler outside of those taken in the top 10 but I don't think he was generally regarded as one of the top 5 HS prospects in the country.

235. Mike Emeigh Posted: August 16, 2008 at 01:43 PM (#2905442)

So, when all is said and done, the unsigned early picks are:

1st: Crow (Nationals), Cole (Yankees), with Fields (Mariners) pending - because he was a college senior, the Mariners have until 1 week before the '09 draft to sign him
1S: All signed
2nd: Scheppers (Pirates), Bittle (Yankees)
3rd: Davidson (Astros)
4th: Kipnis (Padres)
5th: Dominguez (Rockies), Cooper (Angels)

-- MWE

236. MM1f Posted: August 16, 2008 at 01:51 PM (#2905447)

You left out Zach Cone (HS OF from Jeff Francouer's HS) who was the only unsigned guy in the four pick long supplemental third round.

PS-
In case anyone cares I am ecstatic about how things worked with this draft. Monar came to school for IU and UGA brought in two third round picks plus two top prep RHPs who fell due to signability.
Of all the recruits UGA only really lost Spruill and DeVall.

237. MM1f Posted: August 16, 2008 at 01:52 PM (#2905448)

And Georgia got Holder back : )

238. Mike Emeigh Posted: August 16, 2008 at 02:02 PM (#2905451)

You left out Zach Cone (HS OF from Jeff Francouer's HS) who was the only unsigned guy in the four pick long supplemental third round.

I did. Forgot about that round. Cone was drafted by the Angels.

-- MWE

239. Mike Emeigh Posted: August 16, 2008 at 02:10 PM (#2905456)

FWIW: PG Crosschecker rated Stowell 5 spots behind Bleich among California prospects. Both were in the 4-10 round grouping.

-- MWE

240. Mike Emeigh Posted: August 16, 2008 at 02:15 PM (#2905459)

Stowell rated #133 overall in PG Crosschecker's rating (it took me a while to find it). The scouting report said that his fastball sat at 90-92, topping at 94, with good movement and sinking action, and he had much improved command of it.

He got paid what he did because he had leverage as a draft-eligible sophomore.

-- MWE

241. Harold Reynolds: An Erotic Life (AG#1F) Posted: August 16, 2008 at 02:34 PM (#2905462)

So, when all is said and done, the unsigned early picks are:

1st: Crow (Nationals), Cole (Yankees), with Fields (Mariners) pending - because he was a college senior, the Mariners have until 1 week before the '09 draft to sign him
1S: All signed
2nd: Scheppers (Pirates), Bittle (Yankees)
3rd: Davidson (Astros)
4th: Kipnis (Padres)
5th: Dominguez (Rockies), Cooper (Angels)

Do all of them warrant compensatory picks next year?

242. MM1f Posted: August 16, 2008 at 02:59 PM (#2905473)

I want to say only the guys in rounds 1, 2 and 3 do.

243. Mike Emeigh Posted: August 16, 2008 at 04:13 PM (#2905519)

If a team fails to sign a first rounder or a second rounder, that team gets a pick in the same round, one slot later, with the regular draft order continuing around it. If a team fails to sign a third-rounder, that team gets a supplemental pick between rounds 3 and 4.

-- MWE

244. PanRains Posted: August 16, 2008 at 07:41 PM (#2905697)

Cool. Thanks guys, for the Stowell info. I'm not begrudging him his money, and it seems like he's an actual talent, not a usual 22nd rounder. It's not my money, and it brings talent into the Indians org, so I'm cool with it.

And, has been mentioned before (I think with the Tim Fedroff signing) I'm not sure the Tribe's gonna let too many draft-eligible sophomores remain unsigned. At least for the next few years.

245. OCD SS Posted: August 16, 2008 at 09:04 PM (#2905911)

Do all of them warrant compensatory picks next year?

I've heard that next years class doesn't look as good this year's, but I think that get's said almost every year.

For those who think the Yankees are going to go nuts and sign a bunch of expensive FA's, it looks like their draft status isn't going to be affected a whole lot...

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2008 draft signings

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