21 of their first 25 picks signed and not going over their allotment? Wow is all I can say. Incredible draft - at least at this point in time. Good looking picks, good depth, quality, ceilings, some safety picks, some really high ceiling/high risk picks - overall a bit of everything. I really, really like it. Then they went out and got it done signing wise. Just a great job. Only time can finish the grade for the draft now.
Perhaps my favorite rule change is the final date. It'll be nice having these players in the fold so early.
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Does anyone have any insight on what the holdup is with those two? Is Boyd considering returning to Oregon State for his senior season? Does Ortiz have some type of leverage I'm not aware of? I would think as a high school kid from Puerto Rico he would be looking forward to signing.
Oh well, no need to sweat the small stuff. Not only did the Reds have what looks to be a great draft, they backed it up by signing their top 14 picks (and many more). And they still have almost 3 weeks to sign Boyd, Ortiz and the other remaining unsigned picks.
Adam Matthews hasn't signed yet, but he's telling people on twitter that he thinks he'll be in Montana this year.
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My guess is that they and the club have been waiting to see how much of the bonus pot remains and what room that gives them for some added amount. For instance, as I noted earlier here, the club could decide that they're willing to pay the penalty going up to some amount to sign these other draftees.
Someone note, probably correctly, that while Boyd has the option of returning to school, it does not guarantee that he'll move up in the draft, the only place where he'll up his price tag. But maybe he can get double the $100K slot money (we gave Kivel five times his slot, as one example). As for Ortiz, the only thing I can find on him is that we drafted him and he's considered one of the top catching prospects. No info on where he's committed for college. I would assume he has, if for no other reason than to have some leverage.
My guess is these two will sign at higher than the stated slot money. If the running total is correct, we're about $92K shy of the cap and then we're paying 75% on every extra dollar. Given the amounts we paid in late round bonuses last year, I suspect we could choose to move into that range up to 5% and pay that price.
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Joey Housey signed.
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Anyone else surprised it didn't take more than slot to sign Tanner Rahier? For a guy that was projected to go in the first round, I would think he would have got more like $750K (instead of $649K) after going in the second round. But hey, glad everything worked out. Not only was this a great draft for the Reds, but the organization did a great job of getting everyone* signed.
(*-Got all the important picks signed. But I would still like to see Boyd, Ortiz and others sign on the dotted line.)
I wasn't surprised. I think he just wanted to play baseball, and signability was never a concern. Not playing for his high school team and having unique workouts apparently cost him thousands. But if helped make him a better Major Leaguer in the future, then maybe it will have made him millions.
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3 more per fay:
1AA. Jeffery Gelalich, UCLA
7. Beau Amaral, CF, UCLA
10. Jeremy Kivel, RHP, Spring High, Texas
http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/201...-sign-3-picks/
On twitter, Adam Matthews said "I’m leaving soon for Montana for pro ball," so I'd call that one a done deal.
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Fay is hilariously behind the times when announcing these signings on Twitter. If he's going to tweet them, he should do it when everyone else finds out and simply post a disclaimer that the signings are unofficial. You know, like most other baseball writers do. Then you can come back later and say it's official when the team says it's official. But he just makes himself look foolish IMO. (Per usual.)
It would be funny if someone tweeted back at him "Reds sign Joey Votto." (Not that I would condone that type of behavior.)
Just a reminder that the signing deadline is a week from today, July 13th.
“In the same way that a baseball season never really begins, it never really ends either.” - Lonnie Wheeler, "Bleachers, A Summer in Wrigley Field"
The Baseball Emporium - Books & Things.
The Baseball Bookstore
http://tsc-sales.com/
http://tscsales.blogspot.com/
http://silverscreenbooks.com/
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