Kyle Parker Rumors

Draft Notes: Whitson, Indians, Harper

By Ben Nicholson-Smith [August 17, 2010 at 3:32pm CDT]

The smoke has cleared and all but three of the first 50 picks signed deals. Barret Loux (Diamondbacks) and Dylan Covey (Brewers) did not sign, but both pitchers had medical issues that influenced the dialogue they had with the clubs that selected them. Here are the details on the third player who did not sign, plus Baseball America's winners and losers:

John Manuel of BA lists the Nationals, Pirates, Anthony Ranaudo and Bud Selig as winners. The losers? The Brewers, Padres and the process itself.
Padres GM Jed Hoyer told XX Sports Radio in San Diego that the Padres had a verbal agreement with Karsten Whitson for $1.953MM on draft day. The club boosted its offer as high as $2.1MM, but Whitson and his representatives were holding out for more, so the sides didn't reach a deal. You can listen in on Hoyer's comments here.
ESPN.com's Keith Law finds it "hard to see [Whitson] beating the Padres' offer … in the 2013 draft."
In the same piece, Law explains that he believes Bryce Harper and the Nationals both did well with last night's deal.
The Indians spent $9.3MM on the draft, Indians scouting director Brad Grant told MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince (Twitter link).
The Rockies are allowing first-rounder Kyle Parker to play college football, but their $1.4MM bonus is protected if he gets injured, according to Tracy Ringolsby of FOX Sports (on Twitter).

Rockies Sign Kyle Parker

By Ben Nicholson-Smith [August 16, 2010 at 11:11pm CDT]

The Rockies signed first-rounder Kyle Parker to a $1.4MM bonus, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America (on Twitter). Parker, who quarterbacks Clemson's football team, will be allowed to play football, according to Tracy Ringolsby of FOX Sports (Twitter link). However, he signed for less money than he would have obtained for agreeing to focus on baseball.

Rockies Discussing Deal With First Rounder Parker

By Tim Dierkes [July 21, 2010 at 8:12am CDT]

8:12am: Parker will announce he'll return to Clemson to be their quarterback as a sophomore, tweets Tracy Ringolsby of Inside The Rockies, but the Rockies can still sign him by August 16th. Jim Callis of Baseball America says Parker had given the Rockies a July 20th deadline to sign him to a baseball-only contract.

WEDNESDAY, 7:19am: Renck tweets that he's heard Parker will make an announcement today.

TUESDAY, 9:30pm: The Rockies don't have a deal with Parker yet, according to Renck (via Twitter). The negotiations are taking time, partly because the sides had a lot to discuss. The Rockies are willing to "be creative" and accomodate Parker's desire to play football (Twitter link), but they would offer a smaller bonus if they allow him to play football.

10:44am: Rockies first-round pick Kyle Parker is expected to agree in principle on a deal today, tweets Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post. Renck believes the contract will be closer to $2MM than $3MM. Parker would join Todd Helton and Seth Smith as Rockies who played quarterback in college.

Parker was drafted at #26, where the slot recommendation might be below $1.5MM. Parker has to be paid extra to be lured away from three years of football eligibility and the starting quarterback gig at Clemson. He projects to land in an outfield corner if he chooses baseball.