Buster Posey Rumors

Latest On Pedro Alvarez

Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has a source that claims the Player's Association will only focus on the status of Pedro Alvarez' contract and not on the contract of Eric Hosmer. Kovacevic says the MLBPA will argue that Hosmer's contract was only delayed so the Pirates could have more time to negotiate with Alvarez. However, Jonathan Mayo obtained a copy of the grievance filed by the union which suggests that Alvarez' contract will not be the sole focus (emphasis Mayo's). The Commissioner's Office, without notice to the MLBPA, unilaterally determined to permit Clubs to negotiate with drafted players after...   Continue Reading

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Drama Over Pedro Alvarez Contract

4:51pm: Jim Callis' analysis is a must-read at Baseball America. There is a legitimate chance Alvarez is treated as if he didn't sign, and will become eligible for the '09 draft. 2:08pm: Jonathan Mayo, Jenifer Langosch, and Kevin Goldstein dig up more details. Turns out Hosmer turned down $5.5MM prior to the deadline, but agreed to $6MM during an MLB-approved extension. The Nats may have had an extension for Aaron Crow as well. THURSDAY, 8:19am: MLB and the Pirates say the grievance is without merit, while Boras says the Bucs violated MLB's rules and need to "come clean." Dejan Kovacevic...   Continue Reading

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Post-Draft Roundup: Hosmer, Smoak, Strasburg

Below I've collected more interesting remaining links regarding the amateur draft. The Royals bumped their offer from $5MM to $6MM and signed top pick Eric Hosmer. Rany Jazayerli was surprised to see Hosmer effectively get more than #1 pick Tim Beckham. The Royals joined the Red Sox and Pirates as teams spending around $10MM on draft picks this year. The Rangers resisted a Major League deal for Justin Smoak, and ultimately signed him to a $3.5MM minor league deal. Owner Tom Hicks pined for a hard slot system. The story of pitcher Chris Gruler, picked third overall by the Reds...   Continue Reading

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Giants Sign Buster Posey

11:29pm: Callis says it's a record $6.2MM, but a minor league deal. 11:19pm: Jim Callis says the Giants have signed Posey. Terms are not yet known. 10:31pm: Just a half hour before the deadline. MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo is hearing conflicting reports about whether Giants top pick Buster Posey has signed a $6.75MM big league deal.   Continue Reading

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Draft Pick Signing Update: Posey, Matusz, Alonso

10:51am: Baggarly has the latest on Posey. He says it's a "spitting contest" between Scott Boras and Posey's agency to have the highest-paid draft pick. 7:46am: The latest links involved unsigned first-round draft picks. Sam Mellinger explains the decision Eric Hosmer faces. He might have to go against Scott Boras' advice. Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle denies Andrew Baggarly's Buster Posey report yesterday, calling it "premature Posey-ing." Schulman talked to the Giants' director of player personnel, who said the deal is not done and the number is not $7.5MM. There is no verbal agreement, either. Schulman also heard...   Continue Reading

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Giants To Sign First Round Pick Posey

According to Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News, the Giants have agreed to a $7.5MM Major League deal for top draft pick Buster Posey. Baggarly's sources call it a "done deal." The Giants are drawing much praise for their draft efforts this year.   Continue Reading

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Draft Day Roundup

The draft is just four hours away. We'll be live-blogging it here at MLBTR. Here are today's draft links. Baseball America's brand new top 30 projections. According to Keith Law, Mariners doctors gave the thumbs up on Tanner Scheppers and the team could take him at #20. Law says the Nationals seem to be debating between Kyle Skipworth and Aaron Crow at #9. Law adds that first baseman Yonder Alonso has an $8MM rumored asking price, which could cause him to drop. Alonso is roughly the 11th-best player in the draft, combining various expert rankings. Speaking of huge demands, Buster...   Continue Reading

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Mayo's Latest: Alvarez, Orioles, Cashner

MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo has some draft tidbits tonight. The idea has been floated that the Rays could draft Pedro Alvarez with an eye on moving Evan Longoria to second base down the road. Alvarez's position really shouldn't be a concern - Carlos Pena might be gone by the time he's ready. Mayo's heard buzz that the Rays have narrowed it down to Alvarez or Buster Posey, despite what Tim Beckham's dad said. Standard speculation is that the O's are looking at Brian Matusz and Justin Smoak, but Mayo's heard there might be a non-Beckham dark horse. The White Sox have...   Continue Reading

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Baseball Blogs Weigh In: 2008 Amateur Draft

With last year's top pick, David Price, making his pro debut yesterday, we are now two weeks from the 2008 "Rule 4 Draft" and the top of the draft is not as clear this time around. There are five candidates that could go in the top slot: Buster Posey, the FSU catcher; Vanderbilt's third baseman Pedro Alvarez; San Diego lefty Brian Matusz; Southern California high school catcher Kyle Skipworth, and Georgia high school shortstop Tim Beckham. Earlier this week we heard that the Rays were leaning towards Posey or Alvarez, while the Pirates were said to be torn between Alvarez...   Continue Reading

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Rays Leaning Toward Posey Or Alvarez?

Today from Buster Olney's blog: I talked to a couple of folks with rival teams who say that their understanding is that Tampa Bay is leaning toward picking either Florida State catcher Buster Posey or Vanderbilt third baseman Pedro Alvarez. Olney apparently hasn't heard much about the Rays considering shortstop Tim Beckham, though other insiders such as Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo have him in the mix. Mayo says "it's still very much in the air" among five candidates for the Rays.   Continue Reading

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Odds and Ends: Millwood, Posey, Igawa

Here's the latest link collection. Former Dodgers GM Paul DePodesta is now blogging for the public. He currently works for the Padres as Special Assistant for Baseball Operations. In his words, Kevin Millwood felt a stabbing pain even though he hadn't been stabbed. He's on the shelf with a groin injury, taking him off the trade market temporarily. Rays Index had some quality draft links yesterday about the Rays and their #1 pick. Jim Callis of Baseball America says catcher Buster Posey is "the current favorite." Joel Sherman wonders what might've been if the Yankees had signed Ted Lilly instead...   Continue Reading

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Rays Could Take Catcher No. 1 Overall

In a recent blog post, ESPN's Peter Gammons told us not to be surprised if the Rays take Florida State catcher Buster Posey first overall in the June draft. Posey, a former shortstop, has the skills and frame to behind the plate in his career. Baseball America's Jim Callis recently analyzed the Rays' most likely options (print issue 0809). He doesn't see the Rays choosing Boras-represented corner infielder Pedro Alvarez. Pitchers Brian Matusz and Aaron Crow and shortstop Tim Beckham are the top talents after Alvarez. Callis, like Gammons, notes that the Rays could go for Posey if they choose...   Continue Reading

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Royals Considerations For No. 3 Pick

Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star has an article discussing the Royals' third overall pick in the June draft. The Royals are giving the usual line about taking the best available player. It seems logical that the Rays could take shortstop Tim Beckham first, and then the Pirates would take corner infielder Pedro Alvarez. That'd leave pitchers Aaron Crow and Brian Matusz and first baseman Eric Hosmer as possibilities for KC. Saberscouting did a mock draft today, suggesting Crow and Hosmer as the likely candidates. Additionally, ESPN scouting guru Keith Law dropped me a line suggesting catcher Buster Posey...   Continue Reading

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Considerations For A's With 12th Pick

As you know, the A's have the 12th overall pick in the June draft. Jim Callis' always-informative Ask BA segment in the latest Baseball America print magazine (issue 0809) discusses some possibilities. Callis suggests shortstop Gordon Beckham would make sense if available - he's likely to wind up somewhere in the infield long-term. Callis also rattles off a couple of catchers (Kyle Skipworth and Buster Posey), pitcher Christian Friedrich, and outfielder Aaron Hicks. Friedrich may be a consideration for the Giants at #5, however.   Continue Reading

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