Stephen Drew Thread

[ActingWild]

Stephen Drew Status

So now that we've got this extra cash to sign him has anyone heard if we're any closer to completing the deal? It would be great to add his talent to our team.

 

[Moose Lady]

Does anyone know whether this guy is actually worth the mega millions they are throwing at him? And how soon would he be ready for the ML? I just keep thinking about Travis Lee and how all that money meant that he didn't have to do anything except show up.

 

[AZZenny]

I tend to agree with you, Moose Lady. Baseball America did a review last year and as I mentioned elsewhere here, the vast majority of super-bonus draftees in the last 5-10 years did not end up living up to the hype - think Travis Lee and John Patterson and that's sort of par for the course. Of course a few do pan out, rather unpredictably, so it's like a slot machine for a compulsive gambler.

Baseball America says they still think we'll sign Drew. BUT - if we don't, we get an extra draft pick for him. If I read this right, and I may be wrong, we would get #1 for our worst record, #31 (first-round supplemental pick) for Sexson, #51 (last of the first round supplemental) for Drew, #52 (first pick in the Second round), #84 (first pick in Third round) and #86 (Marlin's third round pick) also for Sexson. So - this can't be right - we could get six picks in the first 100 draftees?! Shoot - save the Drew money, we're gonna need to spread it around a little bit in June.

 

[devilalum]

I tend to agree with you, Moose Lady. Baseball America did a review last year and as I mentioned elsewhere here, the vast majority of super-bonus draftees in the last 5-10 years did not end up living up to the hype - think Travis Lee and John Patterson and that's sort of par for the course. Of course a few do pan out, rather unpredictably, so it's like a slot machine for a compulsive gambler.

Baseball America says they still think we'll sign Drew. BUT - if we don't, we get an extra draft pick for him. If I read this right, and I may be wrong, we would get #1 for our worst record, #31 (first-round supplemental pick) for Sexson, #51 (last of the first round supplemental) for Drew, #52 (first pick in the Second round), #84 (first pick in Third round) and #86 (Marlin's third round pick) also for Sexson. So - this can't be right - we could get six picks in the first 100 draftees?! Shoot - save the Drew money, we're gonna need to spread it around a little bit in June.

Great, this will give us lots of young talent to trade for mediocre vets that nobody else wants or guys coming off major injuries.

 

[azdad1978]

Arizona to resume talks with Drew

By Dan Zeiger, Tribune

The Diamondbacks are preparing to resume talks with Stephen Drew, the major leagues’ lone unsigned 2004 first-round draft selection.
“We’d like to revisit that and see if something can get done, and we’ll get moving on that this week,” general manager Joe Garagiola Jr. said.

Official discussions with Scott Boras, the agent for Drew — the shortstop from Florida State who Arizona took with the 15th overall pick — have yet to be scheduled. But Garagiola said he is hopeful a deal can be worked out in time to give Drew a full spring training.

Negotiations stalled after Drew turned down a reported four-year major league deal with a $3 million signing bonus. If the D-Backs cannot work a deal with Drew, he is eligible to be chosen in this June’s draft.

The other two remaining unsigned first-round draft picks, Rice pitchers Philip Humber (New York Mets; third pick) and Jeff Niemann (Tampa Bay; fourth pick), recently agreed to terms, receiving bonuses of $3 million and $3.2 million, respectively.

That could help set the market for Drew, a projected top-five choice who many teams passed on because of a potential high price tag.

“It’s hard to say, but any signings at the top of the draft can bring things into better focus,” Garagiola said. “We’ll study those signings and see how they were put together, then see how that relates to what we want to do.” Another Rice pitcher, Wade Townsend (No. 9 overall pick), was unable to reach an agreement with the Baltimore Orioles and returned to school. He is not on the Owls’ roster, however, and will likely play in an independent league until the draft.

ARBITRATION

February arbitration dates have been set for Arizona’s eligible players, pitchers Casey Fossum and Mike Koplove, but Garagiola would like to maintain the team’s track record of avoiding the courtroom.

Only two D-Backs players — Jorge Fabregas in 1998 and Damian Miller in 2001 — have gone to arbitration.

“You always want to get cases settled, but we want to do it with a number we’re comfortable with,” Garagiola said. “We won’t settle just to settle.”

Fossum submitted a salary proposal of $1.35 million; Arizona countered with $800,000. Koplove submitted $970,000; the D-Backs $750,000.

SHORT HOPS

The D-Backs are continuing to pursue another outfielder.

Talks with the Oakland Athletics concerning Eric Byrnes are ongoing, and Garagiola has spoken with the Boston Red Sox about Jay Payton. Garagiola said the team is studying a number of other players as trade or free agent signing possibilities.. . .

Arizona is seeking approval from Major League Baseball for rehabilitating position players Luis Gonzalez (elbow), Troy Glaus (shoulder) and Matt Kata (shoulder) to report to spring training with pitchers and catchers on Feb. 16.

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=35266

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Great, this will give us lots of young talent to trade for mediocre vets that nobody else wants or guys coming off major injuries.

Thats funny, the only real major prospect I remember trading is Brad Penny. Thats a pretty impressive track record considering how many years of vet-dominated win-now baseball we've had.

 

[Dbackmomma]

Unsigned first rounders

The other two remaining unsigned first-round draft picks, Rice pitchers Philip Humber (New York Mets; third pick) and Jeff Niemann (Tampa Bay; fourth pick), recently agreed to terms, receiving bonuses of $3 million and $3.2 million, respectively.

Last time I looked, Jered Weaver had not signed either; however, many of us in California expect that the recent signings of the other first round pitchers will definitely have an impact on that situation.

 

[AZZenny]

I agree with you. Generally, THUS FAR (fingers crossed and anti-jinx smiley: ) the D Backs have not thrown true top prospects away. I have felt like that is 's one saving grace as a GM, in fact. They throw MONEY away on worn out veterans, to my dismay, but I can survive that.

But there have been two top youngsters traded - I think Vicente Padilla panned out as darn good, even if he's having some personal/performance issues in the past year. Both Penny and Padilla were appropriately traded for critical pieces who did help move us along to the 2001 trophy and ring.

Lyle Overbay will prove to be a very solid major leaguer, probably, and I hated to see Capuano go, but have to give those two a few years before concluding they were primo prospects.

That's one reason this offseason has seemed stressful to me - new management may have different values, and every time I turn on my radio or come online in the afternoon I hold my breath praying they haven't traded one of the handful of real studs for some fungible or over-the-hill warm body.

 

[AZZenny]

Fer cryin' out loud, Dbackmomma - this is a newspaper article!! A Tribune article, no less, where they can't afford checkers or editors. You expect FACTS to be correct? Or grammar? SHEEESH!!!!

 

[schillingfan]

I tend to agree with you, Moose Lady. Baseball America did a review last year and as I mentioned elsewhere here, the vast majority of super-bonus draftees in the last 5-10 years did not end up living up to the hype - think Travis Lee and John Patterson and that's sort of par for the course. Of course a few do pan out, rather unpredictably, so it's like a slot machine for a compulsive gambler.

Baseball America says they still think we'll sign Drew. BUT - if we don't, we get an extra draft pick for him. If I read this right, and I may be wrong, we would get #1 for our worst record, #31 (first-round supplemental pick) for Sexson, #51 (last of the first round supplemental) for Drew, #52 (first pick in the Second round), #84 (first pick in Third round) and #86 (Marlin's third round pick) also for Sexson. So - this can't be right - we could get six picks in the first 100 draftees?! Shoot - save the Drew money, we're gonna need to spread it around a little bit in June.

If the Mariners 1st round pick is in the top 15, which it should be, given they were 63-99, you get their second pick for Sexson, plus a supplemental 1st round pick since he was a type "A" free agent. However, since Seattle signed a higher rated free agent (Adrian Beltre), the Dodgers will get their second round pick and the D-Backs will get their 3rd round pick.

You get a supplemental first round pick for not signing Stephen Drew. So you get your own picks in the first 3 rounds, plus Seattle's third round pick and two supplemental first round picks.

This assumes that neither Glaus or Ortiz were offered arbitration by their teams, which I believe is true, thus the D-Backs do not surrender any of their own picks for signing free agents.

 

[devilalum]

Alright.

If the Dbacks aren't trading away all the good talent then where has it gone?

You can read about all the great young players we have in Lancaster, etc... but when will a home bread star emerge from the system? This will be the teams 8th season and they actually drafted players in 97.

Every "can't miss" prospect I can remember hearing about seems to have missed.

Durazo, Cust, the big 3 untouchable pitching prospects Penny, Peterson and ?

They paid huge for Lee.

Cory Myers!?!?

I know they haven't been around long enough to develop a long list of talent but there isn't one home grown player on the current roster that I could ever imagine playing in an All Star game.

I sure hope you minor league experts are right about the young talent. Maybe Webb will bounce back this year, I remember during his rookie season everybody was saying he was the next Maddox, now all I hear is he'll never be anything more than a third starter.

 

[AZZenny]

There's a difference between in-house hype and outsider-rated 'topness.' I may be wrong, but I do not believe we've had any youngsters ranked in the top 25-30 national prospects other than maybe Penny. Last year, on Baseball America's weekly hot prospect sheet, which lists their top 20 for each week, Conor Jackson and Carlos Quentin practically took up residence. I'll be interested to see where they are ranked overall for 2005 when BA is done with its current series on each team's prospects.

Cust is a perfect example of a hyped pseudo-top prospect we traded; if you looked at his performance and numbers with a cool and neutral eye, you would have dumped him in a heartbeat. Terrero is another one, IMO. All tools and no brain won't make it in the majors. But face it - we are hardly alone in this - MOST draft picks, for most teams, including highly touted kids, won't make it to the Majors much less thrive there, but they are your bargaining chips so you hype them. Teams have 2 or 3 guys - if they're lucky - who are absolutely untouchable all the way through the minors.

 

[devilalum]

I hope you're right about those 2.

Did you know Zito was taken 3 picks after Myers?

 

[Dbackmomma]

Oops !!!

AZZenny ...
So sorry ... I forgot it came from a paper. And being out here on the Left Coast, I wasn't aware that the inlanders had problems with their news reporters as well.

 

[schillingfan]

Last time I looked, Jered Weaver had not signed either; however, many of us in California expect that the recent signings of the other first round pitchers will definitely have an impact on that situation.

Weaver, of course, being the other Boras client who dropped to the Angels because of signability issues.

I think you guys will be sorry if you sign Steven Drew. The Drew brothers, plus Boras, act as though they are entitled to everything. Think Travis Lee.

 

[Cland]

Weaver, of course, being the other Boras client who dropped to the Angels because of signability issues.

I think you guys will be sorry if you sign Steven Drew. The Drew brothers, plus Boras, act as though they are entitled to everything. Think Travis Lee.

I agree. I really don't want him considering how much he is going to end up costing. Maybe I'm old school or something but I don't see how someone could hold out and demand that much money without playing a single game. Unfortuantely, its probably going to take some freak injury or something like that for these kids to realize the risks they're taking listening to Boras.

 

[minercon]

Now if we were vindictive...we could just not give anymore offers and let him reenter the draft.....and then pick him with our first choice and offer him minimum and let him squirm. Would he reject us a second time and never play....of course , we would just have to offer him less than our last offer to him. Only problem is he could produce little out on the field just to spite us...

 

[Dbackmomma]

Can someone explain ...

then pick him with our first choice and offer him minimum and let him squirm. Would he reject us a second time and never play

If a player is drafted at the end of his senior season and chooses not to sign with the MLB club who drafted him, what is the point where that club loses the "rights" to that player ? Is it the following draft?

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Now if we were vindictive...we could just not give anymore offers and let him reenter the draft.....and then pick him with our first choice and offer him minimum and let him squirm. Would he reject us a second time and never play....of course , we would just have to offer him less than our last offer to him. Only problem is he could produce little out on the field just to spite us...

If a team does not sign a player and he re-enters the draft, that team may not draft that player again. This is unless the player signs something beforehand stating that that team can re-draft him.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Rules say you can't pick him once again if he chooses to re-enter the draft. I also don't understand why people are so opposed to paying a guy who was the consensus best player in the draft.

 

[Mulli]

Rules say you can't pick him once again if he chooses to re-enter the draft. I also don't understand why people are so opposed to paying a guy who was the consensus best player in the draft.

Thanks Mao. Good points.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

I also don't understand why people are so opposed to paying a guy who was the consensus best player in the draft.

I agree, especially when one considers that even before the draft had taken place one of the Diamondbacks farm guys (cant remember who exactly, probably Rizzo or Jones) remarked on how weak this years draft was, stating that only about a dozen of these guys would be first rounders in a normal year.

 

[AZZenny]

I am opposed for a couple reasons - it's a crap shoot whether bonus babies pan out, and that's a lot of money - it's the difference between a lousy FA starting pitcher and a decent one with a track record, for example. Two, I don't like the entitled attitude Boras seems to instill in his young clients, and if we cave, it just reinforces that in both Drew and in Boras. Third, the knock on Drew, apart from the cost, was that many scouts said he only played hard when he felt like it, and was not an especially team-oriented guy. Fourth, it WAS a weak draft, and in many years Drew likely would not have been in the top five players. And finally, we have six picks in the first 100 draftees of 2005, so we will need more dough than usual to sign the top picks. Maybe they'll have just as much promise with less headache.

 

[BC867]

... we have six picks in the first 100 draftees of 2005, so we will need more dough than usual to sign the top picks. Maybe they'll have just as much promise with less headache.

I agree. Let him go by(e).

 

[Dbackmomma]

Fourth, it WAS a weak draft

Say it ain't so ... I thought some of the picks were pretty darn good, myself