Signing Draft Picks

Kevin Goldstein has a great article up at Baseball prospectus about whether or not this year's draft picks will get signed and the whole recommended slot process.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=6545

Question: So where are we at right now in terms of the 2007 draft?

With 10 days to go before the newly-implemented signing deadline of August 15, 13 of the 30 first-round picks, including eight of the first 12 picks are still without a deal. In addition, there are 26 players between the supplemental first round and the fifth round who are also officially unsigned.

Question: Wait a second--what do you mean by "official?"

There appear to be plenty of deals where all the terms have been agreed upon, but they're just not signed and announced yet. All of these deals include bonuses that are far greater than the slot recommended by MLB. For example, Detroit has signed fifth-round pick Casey Crosby for what is believed to be $750,000; rumors abound that Atlanta has agreed to terms with first-rounder Jason Heyward for approximately $1.7 million, and the Yankees have agreed on several above-slot deals, including around $1 million for fourth-round pick Brad Suttle, and somewhere between $750-900,000 for tenth-round pick Carmen Angelini.

Question: So why aren't these deals announced yet?

On the surface, because MLB doesn't want the over-slot deals being used in negotiations to raise the bonus demands of the legitimately unsigned picks. That said, it's an exercise in futility. "Once a deal is done, everyone knows it's out there," said one scouting director; teams talk to each other, and agents quickly let their good deals be known. As another scouting director put it, "I really don't know who they think they are fooling."

Given those comments, I feel pretty certain that Beavan and probably Borbon as well will get done (perhaps even already done). In fact, if a deal is already done, but waiting until the last minute to be announced it explains the lack of public handwringing by the Rangers and quiet from the Beavan camp.