Jim Callis at Baseball America has updates on the Rays unsigned draft picks from the first 10 rounds: 1 LeVon Washington, of => Seeking over-slot bonus
2 Kenny Diekroeger, ss => Expected to attend Stanford
3 Todd Glaesmann, of => Expected to get over-slot bonus
4 Luke Bailey, c => Expected to get over-slot bonus
5 Jeff Malm, 1b => Expected to get over-slot bonus
9 Kevin James, lhp => Expected to get over-slot bonus
10 Derek Dennis, ss => May get over-slot bonus
I know he is a boras client but how does Levon deserve over slot?Did picks 31 and 32 sign for over slot?
ReplyDeleteWashington was over drafted....I would rather have Diekroeger sign,if given a choise of the two.
ReplyDeleteLevon better sign at slot. If he doesn't he will regret it when the rays so no thanks and he is drafted in round 5+ a few years from now.
ReplyDeletePlease sign Diekroeger.
I don't know what the players before and after LeVon signed for, I let my BA subscription lapse. Maybe someone else can help...
ReplyDeleteOverall, I'd be very happy if 5/6 sign and ok with 4/6. Remember, if we fail to sign a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd rounder we get essentially the same pick again next year (one spot later) plus our regular 2010 picks. For all other rounds, we either sign them or the pick is lost.
Agree with RtR, LeVon should take 1st round money while it's on the table.
ReplyDeleteBut that raises another point, if we don't think he'll improve enough to go higher in 3 years, then did the Rays make a mistake in picking him in the first place?
Because if he does sign, I hope he's better for us 3 years from now. High school players are such a gamble.
More on Malm from here: http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/high-school-sports-scene/2009/aug/13/gormans-malm-sign-rays/
ReplyDeleteJeff Malm has made his decision.
The former Bishop Gorman baseball star agreed to a contract with the Tampa Bay Rays, he confirmed in a text message Thursday night. Malm, a first baseman and pitcher, picked playing professionally over attending the University of Southern California, where he committed to play in college.
Malm said the contract was sent to Major League Baseball for approval and he hoped to sign it in the next couple days. Malm spent all Thursday in Tampa becoming acquainted with the Rays’ organization.
Malm will not play for Bishop Gorman in the American Legion World Series, which begins Friday in Fargo, N.D.
Even more on Malm from here: http://www.lvrj.com/sports/53216657.html
ReplyDeleteMalm, who took a physical examination Thursday in St. Petersburg, Fla., said he'll probably join the Single-A Charlotte Stone Crabs in Port Charlotte, Fla., for the final two weeks of the season.
The Rays view him as a first baseman. "They said my pitching days are over," Malm said.
More on Glaesmann from here: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/baseball/blog/ncaabb_experts/post/Countdown-to-draft-deadline-Thursday-s-juice?urn=ncaabb,182805
ReplyDeleteAn industry source told us Thursday that Glaesmann likely will ink a deal with the Rays this weekend.
Why would Malm start out in A+ ball? Wouldn't he join the GCL Rays instead?
ReplyDeletePersonally, I would prefer the Rays not sign Levon if he wants even a penny over slot and instead put some extra money towards Diekroeger.
ReplyDeleteI think the Rays are likely to get a better player with the 31st pick next year than Levon. I don't think this is the case for Diek.
Maybe Levon will destroy college ball and end up a top ten pick? I don't know, but I'd be willing to take that risk if he wants more than slot.
I thought the concensus was that Diekroger was an overdraft? Who are the Internationals that Topkin quoted Friedman from Thursday - "We took a lot of tough signs this year and, as a result, we were more aggressive in Latin America than we otherwise would have been," Friedman said. "Our preference is to sign them all and have the kids that we signed in Latin America, but we'll see how it lines up."
ReplyDeleteWas that the consensus? You may be right. I was just going off of the scouting reports which say he has off the charts athletic ability and is extremely intelligent. Whereas the reports on Levon are much more mixed.
ReplyDeleteI went back to BA to recheck their top 200 ratings for the top 10 Rays picks still out there.
ReplyDeleteLeVon Washington, of, Gainesville HS (National Rank: 29)
Kenny Diekroger, ss, Menlo HS, Atherton (#49 California, not in top 200 nationally)
Todd Glaesmann, of, Midway HS, Waco (National Rank: 53)
Derek Dennis, ss, Forest Hills Central HS, Grand Rapids (National Rank: 130)
Don't you wish you could sign a kid and have him prove he's worth the money at a professional level, before giving it to him? Also, wish free agents had more of a chance to break into baseball. For the most part, they are treated like extra baggage- such a shame as some are actually better than draftpicks.
ReplyDelete