2006 Dbacks Draft Thread

[coyoteshockeyfan]

The signings of Miller and No. 1 overall pick Luke Hochevar leave just two unsigned first-round picks in Missouri righthander Max Scherzer (No. 11, Diamondbacks) and Miller's former teammate, righthander Daniel Bard (No. 28, Red Sox).

Both situations are less straightforward than those of Miller and Hochevar. Scherzer, like Hochevar represented by Scott Boras, had an injury-plagued season, and the Diamondbacks do not currently have a scouting director, as Mike Rizzo left the organization for the Nationals. General manager Josh Byrnes was handling the negotiations for the Diamondbacks, as if often the case with Boras clients and potentially large deals.

Bard and the Red Sox are believed to be farther apart, as Bard was seeking more than the $1.2 million slot bonus the Red Sox had offered.

The Yankees have reached an agreement with righthander Ian Kennedy, their first-round pick (21st overall), for $2.25 million, but the deal has not been formally announced.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/draft/news/262119.html

 

[devilfan02]

We'll get the Scherzer deal done, I'm more worried about Anderson. School is starting soon so we'll find out.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

"The D-Backs have an offer on the table to second-round draft choice Brett Anderson with a week left in the negotiating process.

Anderson, a left-hander from Stillwater (Okla.) High, has signed a letter-of-intent to play for his father at Oklahoma State, and classes start a week from Monday. The D-Backs lose his rights once he attends his first class.

Bonuses in the second round have run from $1 million to $600,000."

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=71596

 

[devilfan02]

Exactly a week till school starts at Oklahoma State and still waiting on Brett Andersons decision. Heres a pretty good article, although it's from July 28th, that's informative on the situation. He has some good things to say about the Dbacks as an organization and it sounds like he may be leaning to sign.

Pitcher weighing college or pro


By Jacob Longan
STILLWATER NEWSPRESS (STILLWATER, Okla.)

STILLWATER, Okla. —
Brett Anderson insists he has not made a decision on his future.

The former Stillwater High ace pitcher has signed to play for his father, head coach Frank Anderson, at Oklahoma State. But he was also drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks 55th overall last month and is debating whether to play in college or turn professional. He said nothing has been decided, but “negotiations are starting to pick up a bit.”

If he comes to OSU, Anderson would not be eligible for the draft again until 2009 — after his third collegiate season.

“You want to go into the 2009 draft and show everyone that you should have been a first-rounder,” said Anderson on Thursday.

The former Aflac All-American and ace of the Junior National Team is spending the summer in Cincinnati playing for the Midland Redskins, the Connie Mack club he played with last summer.
Meanwhile, he is negotiating with the Diamondbacks, seeing if they make him an offer worth skipping college. Anderson said he is not looking for a certain dollar figure, but he wants more than the $635,000 signing bonus that went to that draft position last year.

“(I’ll sign) when I’m comfortable and I feel like they are offering me what I think I should be offered,” Anderson said.

He added that going to OSU “would be awesome. It’d be fun to play with my buddies. I’m torn.”
His buddies include three Cowboy signees who are on the Midland squad with him. All are, like Anderson, left-handed pitchers — Lubbock, Texas, natives Thomas Keeling and Tyler Lyons and Vermillion, Ohio, product Andrew Oliver.

Anderson said Oliver, who was drafted 516th overall in the 17th round by the Minnesota Twins, is in a similar situation in that both are hoping to get offered more than their draft spot typically gets.
The two Texans were not drafted.

Also, Anderson said the fact that fellow southpaw OSU signee Chris Armstrong of Owasso, Okla., signed with the Angels after being taken 432nd overall in the 14th round does not affect his decision.

“If I don’t sign (with the Diamondbacks), I’d be really happy to come (to OSU) and bring my friends there and do everything I can to bring my father’s team to the College World Series and win a national championship,” Anderson said.
Anderson was dominant in his three seasons in Stillwater. As a senior, he went 9-0 with two saves. In 57 1/3 innings, he allowed 27 hits, six runs with only three earned runs for a 0.37 ERA, 102 strikeouts and nine walks. That 11.3 strikeouts-to-walks ratio is impressive, but it is not even the best of his three SHS campaigns — he had 62 strikeouts and only one walk as a junior.

The career numbers are simply astounding — 22-2, eight saves, 1642?3 innings pitched, 94 hits allowed, 276 strikeouts, 21 walks and a 0.9 ERA.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

"The Diamondbacks have sent in big gun Jeff Moorad to handle their side as contract negotiations with second-round draft choice Brett Anderson reach the final hours.

The D-Backs will lose their rights to Anderson once he attends his first class at Oklahoma State, where his father is the baseball coach. Classes are to begin Monday.

“It’s important’’ to sign a second-round pick, “but as with anything, we have to do so responsibly,’’ Josh Byrnes said."

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=72010

 

[overseascardfan]

"The Diamondbacks have sent in big gun Jeff Moorad to handle their side as contract negotiations with second-round draft choice Brett Anderson reach the final hours.

The D-Backs will lose their rights to Anderson once he attends his first class at Oklahoma State, where his father is the baseball coach. Classes are to begin Monday.

“It’s important’’ to sign a second-round pick, “but as with anything, we have to do so responsibly,’’ Josh Byrnes said."

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=72010

Sending in Moorad a former agent means they are really trying to sign this guy. I would hate to lose this kid, who was considered one of the top three prep pitchers in this years draft class. That's why I cringe at drafting high schoolers because some of them have strong ties to the schools they commit to (especially since Brett's dad is the baseball coach at OSU). I think he will attend OSU, which hurts us since we could have had Joba Chamberlain with the pick.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

"Progressing: The D-Backs are continuing to negotiate with second-round pick Brett Anderson. The left-hander has enrolled at Oklahoma State University, where his dad is the head coach. The D-Backs retain Anderson's rights until he attends his first class at OSU. Classes there start Monday, but Anderson could likely not have to attend a class until mid-week.
"I think we're making progress, but we don't have a deal yet," said general partner Jeff Moorad, who has worked with assistant GM Peter Woodfork on the negotiations."

http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com...t_id=1620269&vkey=news_ari&fext=.jsp&c_id=ari

 

[devilfan02]

I'm really hoping we can sign Anderson. He was predicted by most to be drafted in the middle of the 1st round but dropped to us because of signabilty concerns. He def has the stuff to be a great starter in the big leagues. It shows how serious we are about signing him since Moorad went himself to head up the negotiations. I have a feeling he won't make a decision till mid-week. If he shows up for class tomorrow I'll be upset

 

[Stallion]

I'm really hoping we can sign Anderson. He was predicted by most to be drafted in the middle of the 1st round but dropped to us because of signabilty concerns.

It sounds like all the teams that passed on him were right. I hope we can get it done too, but we're really running out of time with classes already under way.

 

[devilfan02]

Todays Republic-
Short hops

Contract talks are progressing with second-round draft pick Brett Anderson, a left-handed pitcher. Anderson, set to begin classes at Oklahoma State, where his father is the baseball coach, has given Arizona a couple more days to wrap things up or he will play college ball instead...

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/0822dbnotes0822.html

 

[nathan]

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/0824dbnotes0824.html
Left-hander Brett Anderson, the club's second-round draft pick, has agreed in principle to a contract that will pay him a signing bonus of $950,000 over the next two years. The deal is expected to be finalized today.

Anderson, who was set to begin classes this week at Oklahoma State where his father is the baseball coach, was to receive tuition expenses totaling some $80,000 for use when he plans on continuing his education.

 

[Stallion]

About time. Way to get it done, D-backs!

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

With Bard now signed, Scherzer is the only 1st rounder still without a contract.

 

[devilfan02]

With Bard now signed, Scherzer is the only 1st rounder still without a contract.

Seems like it's always us. I'm not worried.... Boras is a clown who thinks Scherzer is the best big arm in the draft and we are known for signing our 1st round picks very late.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

With the Red Sox signing their first-round pick, pitcher Daniel Bard, on Monday, Diamondbacks draft pick Max Scherzer is the only unsigned player remaining from the first round.

The Diamondbacks and Scherzer, selected 11th overall out of the University of Missouri, are still in the "preliminary stages" of contract negotiations, according to General Manager Josh Byrnes.

That comes as no big surprise, considering Scherzer is represented by Scott Boras, who did not return a call seeking comment. Boras clients often take the longest to sign.

When asked if there's reason to be concerned whether the two sides will reach an agreement, Byrnes said: "We'll see. It's never a guarantee that you sign your first-round pick."

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/0906dbnotes0906.html

That doesn't seem to spark a whole lot of confidence.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

The Diamondbacks continue to have dialogue with Scott Boras, the agent for No. 1 draft pick Max Scherzer. "We're beginning the process," Boras said.
Boras and D-Backs general manager Josh Byrnes have spoken, and Boras said they planned on talking again soon.
Scherzer is the lone selection from the 2006 First-Year Player Draft that has not signed a contract yet, but the fact that the process is taking a little longer is not unexpected given the right-hander's workload this past season at the University of Missouri.
"We had a meeting earlier in Arizona, and we knew he wasn't going to pitch this summer," Boras said. "He's been working hard on his conditioning."
According to Boras, Scherzer is on the same conditioning program that other Boras clients like Jered Weaver, Luke Hochevar and Mike Pelfrey were on before they signed their professional contracts.
"We've had a lot of success with it," Boras said.

http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com...t_id=1677297&vkey=news_ari&fext=.jsp&c_id=ari

 

[Stallion]

How are negotiations still going on? Did he not attend classes at Missouri? Is he just sitting around somewhere waiting for Boras to get what he wants?

Go D-backs.

 

[boondockdrunk]

http://www.oregonlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/sports/1164081326189160.xml?oregonian?spbo&coll=7

Buck hopes lifting helps ailing elbow
Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Yes, Dallas Buck has a problem with his pitching arm, and it's not minor. No, he's not having Tommy John surgery -- just yet.

"I want to avoid it as long as I can," the two-time Oregon State all-America right-hander said Monday. "It's probably inevitable at some point, but I don't want to do it yet."

Buck, the third-round draft choice of the Arizona Diamondbacks, said he has a 40 percent tear in the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, the same injury that caused former major league star Tommy John to have his elbow rebuilt in the 1970s and became part of both orthopedic surgery and baseball vernacular.

"It might have been a problem long before last year," said Buck, who got the win in Oregon State's NCAA championship-clinching victory over North Carolina on June 26. "It didn't just happen all of the sudden. I'm not putting out the possibility that (the tear) goes all the way back to high school.

"It never really hurt, and the arm was always strong from the weightlifting I was doing for football."

Buck is back in the weight room. He took out a membership in a fitness center near his Albany home and is working to build up the muscles around the elbow.

He said he hasn't lifted seriously since the winter of his sophomore year at OSU, when he was still playing football for the Beavers. He was at his best as a pitcher when he was lifting.

Buck is confident that the weight-room solution will work. He'll know more when he gets to spring training in Tucson, Ariz.

"It's hard to tell without throwing," he said. "I haven't thrown since instructional league in September. They (Arizona) told me not to do a whole bunch of throwing."

So he's putting off surgery for now.

"Some guys," he said, "pitch their whole career with tears."

--Norm Maves Jr.

I do not like this move; get the surgery over with and start pitching some time next year.

 

[devilfan02]

^I agree. This doesn't make sense. I'm very surprised that the Dbacks are being this lax with their 3rd round pick.

 

[overseascardfan]

I don't get it. The tear might have occurred in HS, it never really hurt? How come we couldn't get a hold of his medical history? If he played the whole year w/ it why is it such a big deal now, how did he find out how bad the tear was?