I’ll keep track of links, signings and speculation here. This post will be pushed to the front until the signing deadline has passed. Use this post to discuss the latest rumors, news, and of course, signings.
Update – 12:05 PM
Update – 11:59 PM
Ive got no news on Machado…#Orioles
Brittany Ghiroli
Britt_Ghiroli
Update – 11:56 PM
#Orioles This is Wieters territory. He signed with four minutes to go. Still waiting …
Dan Connolly
danconnollysun
Update – 11:45 PM
#Orioles We have 15 mins left and I’m hearing nothing new on #MannyMachado. Thought you should know. Stay tunedDan Connolly
danconnollysun
Update – 11:11 PM
#Orioles Still waiting on news about #MannyMachado Was told an hour ago negotiations were “Ongoing.” Crickets lately.Dan Connolly
danconnollysun
Update – 4:48 PM
Quotes from Matt Bywater:
“Not so much progress at this point,” Bywater said. “I’d like to be optimistic, I guess we are kind of at a standstill,” he said.
Update – 4:41 PM (8/16)
Austin Urban wants to play pro ball:
Urban was taken in the 27th round and told me a few moments ago that he hopes this day ends with his agreeing to terms with the Orioles. He has a college commitment to Penn State, but said his goal is to join the O’s and begin his pro career.
“It is for sure. I think it’s a good organization with some good young players and I’d like to be a part of it,” Urban said.
I asked him if he felt the negotiations had a reached a point that the sides were not that far apart.
“I think so. Some things are just dragging out right now.”
Update – 3:32 PM
Jordan said that the Orioles could use the money that was set aside for the two college pitchers and put it toward a toward a couple of high school players they selected later in the draft. Austin Urban, a right-handed pitcher out of Pennsylvania selected in the 27th round, and Jaime Esquivel, a right-hander out of Texas picked in the 28th round, could now get offers.
“We’ll complete our draft with some younger high school players that do want to go play, but have basically been waiting on me to extend an offer to them,” Jordan said.
Update – 3:22 PM
Based on what I’ve heard from my brother’s coach, who also serves as a part time scout for the orioles, it sounds like Urban is headed off to school and is asking for way more than the orioles feel he’s worth. However, that could change if the reports on Anderson and Bywater are true.
Update – 3:01 PM
Quotes from Joe Jordan:
“I’m not worried,” Jordan said of Machado’s signability which, along an unprecedented amount of top picks this year, figures to go down to the wire. “I’m not surprised by anything. It’s the way it is. And I don’t have to like it, but there’s only so much we can do right now.”
Jordan said negotiations with both Anderson and Bywater were expected to be difficult when they gambled on selecting them and the organization wasn’t misled by either player.
“I can’t be irresponsible,” Jordan said. “I work off of the value that our staff puts on these players. And there are times when I feel like I get out of my comfort zone. I feel like we are overpaying some, but never to the degree where I think I shouldn’t be doing this, but I’m doing it anyway.”
Update – 2:32 PM
Matt Bywater still open to signing:
“We are still in negotiations,” Bywater, a 21-year-old lefty said this afternoon from his home in Thousand Oaks, California. “It’s not a done deal on either side.”
Update – 2:18 PM
Orioles still confident Machado will sign, expect talks to heat up tmrw evening. their 6th & 7th rd picks are looking like they wont sign.Brittany Ghiroli
Britt_Ghiroli
The O’s won’t sign sixth-round pick RHP Dixon Anderson and likely won’t reach an agreement with seventh-rounder LHP Matthew Bywater, either. Jordan said he knew going in that both of them would be tougher signs, and the Orioles gambled because they were the best available players at the time.
I just got back from the Johnstown baseball tournament. My brother’s team won, beating Austin Urban’s team to win the championship. I didn’t get to see him throw unfortunately and I believe he injured his thowing hand sliding into second on a double. He looked okay as a hitter.
His body has a lot of room to fill out. Based on what I’ve heard from my brother’s coach, who also serves as a part time scout for the orioles, it sounds like Urban is headed off to school and is asking for way more than the orioles feel he’s worth. However, that could change if the reports on Anderson and Bywater are true. I still think the O’s will sign Bywater, but if Anderson does head back to school, here’s hoping they increase their offers to guys like Urban, Esquivel, and Robinson, and maybe get a few of them signed.
Thanks for the update! Looks like Anderson is a definite no, and Bywater is a pretty sure bet not to sign. But, we said the same thing about Givens last year…so we’ll see.
“We’ll complete our draft with some younger high school players that do want to go play, but have basically been waiting on me to extend an offer to them,” Jordan said. -from orioles insider
Well, there you go, sounds like we have some contingency plans in place and perhaps guys like Urban, Esquivel, and Robinson are who he’s referring to here. I agree with a comment you made a few days ago, that if not signing Anderson and/or means getting some later round high ceiling high school guys, then we’re probably better off going that route.
I’ve been hearing we may end up signing 50th rounder, Phillip Walby. If we don’t get Bywater or Anderson signing Robinson is a must.
Its interesting because we just signed Esquivel to $225K and to me he is a better prospect than Urban is even though Urban seemed to get more press. Both guys top out in the low 90′s, but Esquivel I believe is more projectable and his curveball flashes plus. Urban’s secondaries I believe lag pretty far behind his FB at this point….So, I can’t imagine JJ signing Urban to some ridiculous number after the bar has somewhat been set with Esquivel, though I could b e wrong…..it depends on how much they want Urban….
I think at this point in time, Urban has the better fastball between he and Esquivel, but i’d guess that Esquivel has a better feel for the secondary offerings.This isn’t really surprising, because BA has stated that Urban has only been pitching for two years. He may not ooze projection, but I think he’s got a chance to be a very good get for us if we dish out the money. Sometimes, if you really believe in a kid and your development team, you’ve got to take a chance on a guy and overspend. If Jordan believes that in 3 years, Urban could get drafted out of Penn St as a 1st or 2nd round talent, then he better be willing to spend 500-600K.
I really, really hope that Jordan likes what he sees with Urban and Robinson and signs them. If we’re unable to sign Bywater, I’d definitely like to see us go all in for these two, especially since Anderson is a no go.
I agree, if we’re going to contend we need to add as many high ceiling arms to the system and hope a few of them develop. I still think we need to have a balance of HS/college arms, so I like the fact we got Schmarzo, and I’d really like to see us get Robinson as well.
I’ve heard the odds of signing 50th rounder Philip Walby are getting better and better…
Walby is another good one to add to the mix. Good FB that touches 93 with command of the pitch is all I really know about him, but its a good starting place for a HS pitcher…..
According to Urban (via Melewski’s blog) it seems like something will get done tonight. Paraphrasing here, but he said he likes a lot of the young players they have and that he wants to join the organization and start his pro career.
Now we’ll just have to wait and see, but it seems very promising. Let’s cross our fingers and hope for some good news about Robinson.
Robinson to me sounds like Guthrie. Good FB, good command, solid average secondaries. The big question for me is how much projection is left in his secondaries? Has anyone heard anything at all about him?
I am also curious, what is the big deal about Gonzalez? His ceiling seems so limited, no projection, HS pick, good command. WHat is his upside, something like Bywater? I don’t exactly understand why take a pick like him in the 11th round…
I am not high on Robinson at all and I hope that he prices himself out of the Orioles. He is a torn labrum or TJS waiting to happen and throws similar to Burnett, Prior, etc… and it is easily going to be a trouble arm at some point.. You just have to prey that he is John Smoltz and can throw in this manner without an issue.
No arm issues best motion out there compare to Maddox and you will see. Never any health issues.
Alex Gonzalez? He sits in the high 80′s with his fastball and his CB and CH are already above-average…seems like he has a high upside to me.
I’ve been hearing the same thing…looks like Austin is ready to play pro ball and the Orioles have been impressed.
Jordan (or anyone), who do you guys feel is a must sign (beyond Machado)?
Urban isn’t a “must” sign but he would be a nice addition to our system. I don’t think anyone beyond Machado is a “must sign”, at this point.
I’m not sure there are any must signs outside of Machado, but it’d be nice to see Urban and Robinson brought on board. Both guys were said to have the talent to be selected in the 4th-8th round area, so it would certainly be nice to add more talent to our system.
Wow didn’t see Jordan post right before me but it looks like we were sharing the same thoughts haha.
Tony at Orioles Hangout is reporting that Bywater signed.
Thanks for the heads up!
Unless it is one minute left, Manny is being Manny and going to junior college. He wants 6.5 million and with Tallion signing for 5 million, I see it as too big of a difference with the window down to 30 minutes.
Its done. Hearing 5.8M
It is ear marked in the upper 5.7 million and the sticking point was not the money. It was a major league contract that allowed his arbitration clock to start right away.
When will Scott Boras and other agents learn that most 18 year olds get rushed through the system when doing these types of deals whether they are ready or not. The Orioles went down that territory with Adam Loewen and we see how well that worked out for his career.