Draft notes: Cameron Maybin signs

[colbyjack]

Crack of the Bat-Craig Hansen signs

 

The Boston Globe also has reported this info (they beat me Jim...http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif ). He could be up with the team by the end of the year for a playoff push.

[colbyjack]

The Tigers are having some troubles signing Cameron Maybin. Right before the draft, we heard some rumblings that Maybin may be tougher to sign than initially thought, and if he's asking for more than $3 million dollars (more than the money Humber got from the Mets as the 3rd overall pick in '04), I think it was more than just coincidence that he fell to the 10th overall pick.

 

Last year Homer Bailey took a little longer to sign, as the Brewers opted for Mark Rogers, who signed quickly. Again, I don't think it's a coincidence that they passed on Maybin and Braun signed within a week or two. The Brewers under Jack Z. certainly like getting their draftees into camp as soon as possible, with Rickie Weeks being the only one of his first-round picks that didn't sign by the end of June.

 

And since Phillip Humber's name was brought up, and since I didn't see this mentioned on the minor league forum or anywhere else, Humber is out for the rest of this year after having TJ surgery.

 

BA's draft notes

[Past Member]

Any new news on Upton, Gordon, Maybin, or Pelfrey?

[colbyjack]

Catching up on our draftees from this past June, I stumbled across Lake City CC's site, which noted that Cameron Maybin was heading to campus, and may try to make the Tigers sweat by attending the JC. That of course would make him a DFE candidate, a path Justin Upton is also pursuing (although I don't remember which CC Justin had enrolled, there is a story somewhere on Baseball America's site).

 

Gordon supposedly was on Nebraska's campus, but did not attend classes. He is supposed to visit the Royals this weekend, but the sides are still far apart. The Royals reportedly are offering about a $3.8 million dollar signing bonus, while Gordon wants a deal comparable to what Drew got (a $4 million dollar signing bonus and a MLB deal worth about $5.5 million total). The Royals do not want to give him a MLB contact.

 

I haven't heard anything about Pelfrey.

[dadofandrew]

So, what team is Matt Harrington pitching for?

 

Someone needs to hand those young men a pen. $3.8M is life changing money, take it and run.

[SoCalBrewfan]

Tennessee RHP Luke Hochevar was another possible high pick as a polished college arm. He slipped to the Dodgers with pick #40 and last I heard he hadn't signed with the Dodgers, though he wasn't going to attend class until this week.

[Cracked Bat Collector]

I know pohlman posted this but it's been over a week and I haven't seen any answers anywhere. Is there any new news on Upton, Gordon, Maybin, Pelfrey, or Hochevar?

[jwaltz]

Gordon is in KC and attended a Royals game. I'm sure this is a good sign.

[colbyjack]

Justin Upton:

While he threatened to attend Louisburg JC in North Carolina, he isn't attending school in the fall, obviously interested in signing a pro deal with the D-Backs. The D-Backs reportedly have offered a $4.7 million dollar signing bonus, or at least a deal worth that much. According to Bob Nightengale about a week ago, the negotiations between the D-Backs and Upton went sour, but I haven't seen anything other than that blurb to support that. With $4.7 million dollars on the table, Upton will eventually sign with the D-Backs.

 

Alex Gordon:

As noted, Gordon attended a game in KC this weekend, and was supposed to get the royal treatment in KC. According to reports, the Royals most recent offer was a $3.8 million dollar signing bonus, with Gordon seeking a deal similar to the $5.5 million dollar contract, which included a $4 million dollar signing bonus, similar to what Stephen Drew received last spring. That's still a big gap to cover, so I don't expect Gordon to be signed simply by some extra courting on the part of the Royals.

 

Cameron Maybin:

Originally reoprted to be on Lake City CC's campus, the Tigers seemed to have called Maybin's bluff, and as of 8/29, Maybin was not planning on attending a JC to continue the negotiations similar to Justin Upton. Maybin was asking for $3 million + before the draft, and he still is. The Tigers started to creep towards $3 million dollars, but suddenly their offer dropped dramatically to slot value, which is around $1.95 million. Speculation offers that owner Mike Ilich (sp?) got involved, otherwise Maybin was expected to be signed by the end of the summer.

 

Mike Pelfrey:

Not much word on Pelfrey, but news rarely leaks out regarding Boras advisees. He did not return to Wichita State, not that anyone ever thought he would, but likely is pushing for a deal similar to what Jered Weaver got ago, a $4 million dollar signing bonus.

 

Luke Hochevar:

See Pelfrey. The Dodgers reportedly have offered $2 million to sign Hochevar, who fell to the 40-something pick due to signability concerns. I'm sure Hochevar (& Boras) doesn't want to think of a $2 million dollar deal after winning the Roger Clemens' college pitcher of the year award, and probably is looking for money similar to what Pelfrey is looking for. Once one of these guys signs, the other may follow, but that may not happen for a long time.

[H0FFY]

I wonder if any research could be done to see the $value of these big first round payments. It seems to me maybe a team should PASS in the first round and spread the $4mill saved into the later rounds.

 

Maybe we (I) can relax for the next decade, knowing the Brewers will not be having such problems, because they will draft not so high each year. But to be honest, the Crew should be congratulated for picking guys that did not cost the earth and actually have advanced to the cusp of MLB careers (I think Weeks and Fielder here).

 

Again, back to the 4-5 mill some of these big guys want. You could simply avoid that cost and sign some 10mill a year free agent. You can consider you got a sure thing (the FA) at a 50% discount.

[pogokat]

That's come up before Hoffy, because some teams seem extra willing (the mariners) to lose their first round picks...I think these things work out sometimes...but i think it is in a teams best interest to not get involved in this stuff...

 

Zimmerman is already haelping the nats...and gordon isnt even signed yet...to me, thats a big dif...

 

i'm glad we have a gm that doesnt get involved in this stuff..

[colbyjack]

But to be honest, the Crew should be congratulated for picking guys that did not cost the earth and actually have advanced to the cusp of MLB careers (I think Weeks and Fielder here).

 

I'm not sure if Weeks can be tossed into the same group given the contract he signed, which is a lot closer to what Stephen Drew made and what Alex Gordon is looking for than what Fielder got. But I agree with your point, and as exciting as it can be to draft within the top several picks, I am happy that this is probably something we won't have to worry about for the next several years.

 

i'm glad we have a gm that doesnt get involved in this stuff.

 

Melvin gets plenty involved with the draft, as it seems to be the owners that cause more problems when they start laying down the law, but again, I definitely agree. The organization took a gigantic turn for the better when they focused their resources on scouting and player development, and allowing those departments to do their thing, when Dean Taylor came aboard.

[SoCalBrewfan]

Just one update...apparently Hochevar is not taking classes this fall...he has enough credits to be eligible for baseball in the spring, but also can continue to negotiate with the Dodgers. There's talk of common ground looking like a $3+M minor league deal (which he apparently prefers so he gets the cash up front).

[SoCalBrewfan]

Wow...the Hochevar negotiations with the Dodgers have become very wierd.

 

www.baseballamerica.com/t...hevar.html

 

Apparently he switched agents over the weekend, agreed to a $2.98M deal, then got a call from Boras and switched back, voiding the deal.

[ja002h]

Weird only begins to describe that.

[colbyjack]

That story popped out just after the weekend, with everyone denying everything at the time. Just a bizarre set of circumstances, and I think everyone involved should feel embarassed. The Iorg family has to feel a little violated.

 

I know Boras gets a bad rap, and in many ways, he should, but I am not a big fan of this new agent making a name for himself, Sosnick. I remember reading a story focusing on him in BA shortly after the draft, a story that painted him in a positive light, but I couldn't bring myself to accepting his tactics.

 

Plus, technically it's illegal to not be a lawyer while advising these players.

 

And Logan White really put his foot in his mouth leading to him getting burned...bad...by Boras.

[SoCalBrewfan]

White is supposed to have behaved completely appropriately...he said he wouldn't even speak to Sosnick until he had something from Hochevar saying Sosnick was his representative.

 

Today's LA Times reports that the $2.98M offer has been withdrawn and that there have been no further negotiations. Not surprising, of course.

[pogokat]

someone wrote a book about sosnick...but i don't remember what its called or who wrote it...

 

helpful, aren't I?

 

anyway, it should be easily found at B&N

[colbyjack]

More news on the Hochevar front:

 

www.baseballamerica.com/t...hevar.html

 

General manager Paul DePodesta has informed Boras the $2.98 million offer is no longer available.

 

"It's certainly not a punitive measure on our part," DePodesta told the L.A. Daily News. "It's just something we felt we needed to do in order to help clear up some of the events of the past couple of weeks in hopes of settling the situation. This will afford us some time to reevaluate our position before moving forward."

 

How ever the organization moves forward, its bonus offer to Hochevar is likely to move backward. The publicity of Hochevar?s Labor Day weekend regarding contact with agents and contract negotiations all but eliminated his college eligibility, removing the greatest leverage Hochevar had in contract talks--the threat of returning to Tennessee.

 

Hochevar is going to lose a lot of money based on this, and likely a lot of respect. I'm sure the Dodgers and their fans are regretting taking this young man. I really liked the way he pitched, but he certainly has made some poor decisions over the last few weeks.

[colbyjack]

Cameron Maybin finally signs, a $2.65 million dollar bonus, just in time for the Tigers' instructional league:

 

www.baseballamerica.com/t...aybin.html