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Post by philinla on Jun 9, 2007 18:28:36 GMT -5
Six figures await draftees Weems, Danielson still have option for college if offer isn't satisfactory BY ROBERT SPRUCK - Staff Writer Following the 2005 Major League Baseball amateur draft, Colby Rasmus decided that he wasn't going to sign for anything less than $1 million.
The St. Louis Cardinals offered the 28th overall selection $800,000. He turned it down. The Cardinals then offered $900,000, and again, he turned it down.
"You have to come up with that bottom-line number," Russell County coach Tony Rasmus said. "That's the figure that you are not going to budge from. They might come up and meet it... . Colby wasn't going to move from the figure he came up with."
Eventually, St. Louis offered the oldest Rasmus the opportunity to become a millionaire, and he accepted the offer.
Now, two years later, Russell County's Danny Danielson and Columbus High's Chase Weems find themselves in a similar position.
While neither will receive a $1 million signing bonus like Colby did, they'll likely have the opportunity to sign for six figures.
Like Colby, Danielson and Weems have viable alternatives. Both Weems and Danielson have signed with Alabama.
Weems was taken in the sixth round, 214th overall, by the New York Yankees, and Danielson went in the seventh round, 236th overall, to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday in the second day of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft.
"I have come up with the figure, and if they don't meet it I go to school," said Danielson, who was 14-1 with a 0.88 ERA this spring. "There is nothing at all wrong with going to Alabama."
While Danielson wouldn't disclose his number, his asking price is almost assured to be higher than the average signing bonus for the 236th pick. The average bonus from 2003-2005 for that pick has been $57,500, according to Baseball America.
Weems will also likely find himself asking for a larger sum than the last few 214th picks have signed for. The average signing bonus during that span has been $110,000.
In 2003, the Yankees signed Jose Perez for $210,000 -- much higher than the other No. 214 picks have signed for.
Being that it's the Yankees, Rick Weems, Chase's father, is optimistic about how the negotiations will go.
"The Yankees don't worry about the round a player is taken," said Rick Weems, who hasn't had any contract discussions with the Yankees. "They said they figure out what they feel the player is worth, and that's what they pay them."
Weems could have been selected in the third round by the Philadelphia Phillies.
"We turned it down," he said. "It wasn't the right situation, and it wasn't the right money."
Weems appears closer to signing than going to Tuscaloosa, Ala., to play for the Crimson Tide.
"We have had some in-house visits with the Yankees (before the draft)," Rick Weems said. "They have a plan... . More than likely, he'll go to the Gulf Coast League this year. They want him to put on some weight. They have a plan."
For most recent high school graduates, it's the biggest decision of their life. With that being the case, Rasmus has tried to tell Danielson about all aspects of it.
"I feel obligated to tell him all the good things and the bad things," Rasmus said. "I just want to make him aware that there is a lot of good and bad no matter what decision he makes."
Now, it's up to Danielson to make his decision based on what he feels is best for him.
"There are a lot of things that can happen," Rasmus said. "You can go to Alabama and be a superstar or a flop.
"If you go pro, there's the chance to make millions or wash out in a year or two."
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Post by philinla on Jun 9, 2007 18:31:50 GMT -5
Devil of a bat
Weems having one of best offensive seasons in Columbus High's history
BY ROBERT SPRUCK - Staff Writer
Columbus High catcher Chase Weems maintains he doesn't know his batting average, how many runs he's driven in or how many extra-base hits he has. And the senior, who has signed with Alabama, doesn't want to know his offensive statistics. "I just try to go out and drive in runs and get on base to help the team," said Weems, who will likely be drafted on the first day of June's Major League Baseball amateur draft. "I don't worry about the number of hits. I just want to produce for the team." So what Weems might not know is that he's having one of the best offensive seasons in the school's history. He tied Ric Bishop's single-season home run record when he launched his 14th home run against Blessed Trinity in the quarterfinals. Weems is on pace to shatter the mark for highest batting average in a season. Bishop set that record in 2003 when he hit .496. The left-handed hitting Weems is hitting .542. He also has 44 RBIs, eight doubles and 28 runs scored. Columbus will need another strong performance from Weems when it travels to Guyton, Ga., to play South Effingham in the Class AAA semifinals at 5 p.m. today The Blue Devils (26-7) swept the Mustangs (21-10) in the 2005 semifinals en route to their most recent state championship. Weems attributes much of his success to getting stronger during the offseason. At the end of his junior season, he weighed 155 pounds but has bulked up to 175. Besides working out before school, Weems has tried to increase his food intake. "I ate more peanut butter and jelly sandwiches," he said. "I just ate more food." After having 11 extra-base hits -- including four home runs -- in 2006, Weems has 24 this season. "The main thing for me has been gaining weight," he said. "I guess all of the hard work is paying off." With him having so much success at the plate, teams have started pitching around him. He hasn't let that affect him and has continued to remain disciplined at the plate. He leads the Blue Devils with 24 walks -- almost twice as many as the next closest player. "When I get my one good pitch to hit I have to go after it," he said. "I have to remain focused." Columbus coach Bobby Howard said it's a gift that Weems has always had. "He knows when it is a good pitch and when it isn't," Howard said. "He isn't going to try to do too much with a pitch. He is going to hit the ball wherever it is pitched." He has often come through for the Blue Devils with runners in scoring position, much like he did in second game against Blessed Trinity. Weems was 3-for-4 with four RBIs in the 10-1 second-game win. "It's amazing how many timely hits that he has for us," Howard said. "He has carried us throughout the season."
From BaseballAmerica:
Quote: "Weems could be the Thomas Hickman of this year's Georgia draft class. Hickman remained tucked away in the hills of north Georgia last year until his stock soared in the weeks before the draft and he was taken by the Marlins in the second round. Weems' Columbus High made a late surge into the 3-A semifinals, and he was the Hornets' catalyst. He has athleticism and a sound swing from the left side, but his best tool is his arm strength, which grades as a 65 on the 20-80 scale. His footwork is fine behind the plate, but he has stiff hands and he's not an adept receiver, leading to questions about his ability to stay behind the plate. He's committed to Alabama, and it could take second-round money to get him signed."
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Post by philinla on Jun 9, 2007 18:36:52 GMT -5
No worries for Weems Catcher feels he has options if he's not satisfied with draft BY ROBERT SPRUCK - Staff Writer Columbus High's Chase Weems isn't going to let the Major League Baseball amateur draft stress him out.
He doesn't plan to sit around a computer and watch the countless names appear this afternoon when the 2007 First-Year Player Draft begins at 2 p.m. The first round and compensation picks will be televised for the first time on ESPN2.
Weems said he is going to treat today like any other day. He has told the teams to call his father, Rick, if they are going to select him.
"If I get drafted, then I get drafted," Weems said. "If I don't get drafted, then I go to Alabama and play baseball. I am going to wait and see what happens. I'm not worried about it."
Weems shouldn't have to worry about whether he is going to get drafted. The only question is how high the catcher will be taken.
His stock has increased during his senior season, and he'll likely be selected in first 10 rounds today. He is ranked as the 13th-best prospect in Georgia, according to Baseball America, and could be drafted as high as the third round. Weems batted a school-record .546 and hit a record 15 home runs during his senior season.
Having signed with the Crimson Tide has provided Weems with an option if he isn't satisfied with where he is selected.
"It definitely has taken a lot of the pressure off of me," said Weems, who was the All-Bi-City Player of the Year in baseball. "It's not as if I'm not going to play baseball again. It will either be with the pros or at Alabama. Both of them are the next level, and that's where I'm trying to get to."
Weems won't be the only Bi-City high school player selected on Thursday or Friday. Russell County's Danny Danielson will be drafted anywhere between the third and 10th rounds today, Russell County coach Tony Rasmus said.
Harris County pitcher Caleb Brewer, Russell County's Courtney Jefferson and Glenwood's Nathan Kilcrease all could be drafted.
Weems, who drove in 48 runs this season, has received interest from about six or seven teams and went to five tryouts this spring.
His increased power and ability to hit the ball to all fields has impressed some of the scouts. Weems, who hit four home runs as a junior, didn't expect to have the chance to be drafted at this time last year.
"I had no idea that I would be drafted," he said. "It shows that all the hard work has helped me to achieve what I have."
He isn't a one-dimensional player. Besides driving in runs, Weems showed a strong arm this season. He threw out 44 perfect of base stealers.
"Most of (the scouts) liked my arm," he said. "They also felt I had a good approach at the plate."
Just how much they liked him will be determined this afternoon. It just might take Weems a little longer to find out as he doesn't plan on watching it.
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Post by philinla on Jun 10, 2007 13:03:59 GMT -5
Yanks have signed Barreda, Snyder and Williams as well as this undrafted player:
Post-draft phone call lifts Minor
BY WILL LARKIN ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR wlarkin@svnmail.com
When the New York Yankees selected Connecticut catcher Lawrence Day with the 1,453rd pick of the 2007 first-year player draft Friday, Robbie Minor started to weep.
The Yankees were the last team on the board, and the final pick of the 50th round was Minor's last chance to extend his baseball career.
Or so he thought.
Two minutes after their final pick, the Yankees called Minor, who was in his room in Rock Falls, contemplating a future that didn't include the sport that saw him star at shortstop for the Rockets and Evansville University.
By the time Minor hung up, he was a member of the most prestigious organization in professional sports.
"I was in tears after that last pick," Minor said. "I was just sitting there thinking how my last college game was the last game I'd ever play. Then the call came and I went from a valley to a peak."
Minor agreed to his first professional contract over the phone, and he will join the rookie league Gulf Coast Yankees in Tampa on Sunday.
"The money's not much, but all I wanted was a shot," Minor said. "I'm just going to go down there and give it my all, just like I always have."
Evansville coach David Seifert called Minor shortly after the Yankees did. Seifert said he'd just talked to eight other teams that were ready to sign his former player.
"Obviously, the Yankees are pretty organized," Minor said. "I had actually been talking to about half the teams, and they weren't one of them. So for them to call me right away says a lot."
Minor spent the next hour on the phone with friends and family, explaining his whirlwind of a day.
"It hasn't sunk in yet," Minor said. "You always dream about being a pro baseball player, and when it happens you don't really know how to explain it."
One of the first people Minor called was Rock Falls coach Donnie Chappell, who was paying extra attention to the draft this year with Minor and 2007 grad Seth Blair going through the process.
"The last couple days have been pretty wild," Chappell said. "You always hope to coach one player who's that good. I've had two, and to see them both go on the same day was pretty neat."
Blair dropped all the way to the 47th round, where he was picked by the Oakland Athletics. Blair will probably attend Arizona State now, but he still became the second Rocket draftee ever. Shortstop Eduardo Acosta was selected in the 35th round by the Dodgers in 1991 but never played in the majors.
Blair's potential Sun Devils teammate Brett Zawacki of LaSalle-Peru was taken in the 12th round by the Cardinals, and Rockford Guilford pitcher Cody Scarpetta was picked in the 11th round by the Brewers. Dundee-Crown shortstop Elliot Soto, who homered and tripled against Rock Falls in Monday's Class AA supersectional, was picked in the 13th round by the Twins.
Sauk Valley Community College pitcher Jordan Tiegs went undrafted and will honor his commitment to the College of Charleston. Tiegs was selected in the 46th round by the Reds in 2006 as a draft-and-follow, a concept that is now against MLB rules. Under current rules, a team loses its rights to a drafted player on Aug. 15. Previously, a team kept those rights until two weeks before the following draft.
"That's why Jordan didn't get drafted, and that hurt a lot of guys," SVCC coach Al Ready said. "But he has a bright future ahead of him at a great program."
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Post by sinctybldh on Jun 13, 2007 13:42:19 GMT -5
David New Jersey: Jim what did you think of the sopranoes ending and what do you think about the yankees draft?
Jim Callis: (2:40 PM ET ) Sopranos ending was fine with me, though like many people I thought my Tivo had failed on me. Life isn't full of tidy endings and closure, and I liked that you could make of the end what you wanted. To me, it's that Tony was going to be constantly looking over his shoulder and needed to enjoy the good moments, as A.J. mentioned in the final scene.
As for the Yankees draft, the Andrew Brackman gamble was well worth it. Even if he needs elbow surgery, no reason he can't bounce back from that. As with the Red Sox, the Yankees drafted a lot of talent and now need to sign it.
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Post by philinla on Jun 13, 2007 13:44:58 GMT -5
Callis says the Red Sox drafted the most talent. I think he's nuts.
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Post by sinctybldh on Jun 13, 2007 13:47:42 GMT -5
i think they had a very solid draft. They were taking alot of ranked players. i just hope they don't sign them all.
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Post by philinla on Jun 13, 2007 13:59:20 GMT -5
i think they had a very solid draft. They were taking alot of ranked players. i just hope they don't sign them all. I liked Dent and a few of their other picks, but overall, I thought their strategy for position players wasn't great. Some of their guys, including the catcher don't hit very well.
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Post by sinctybldh on Jun 13, 2007 14:16:09 GMT -5
I liked Middlebrooks. I was pissed that we didn't get him.
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Post by philinla on Jun 13, 2007 14:23:42 GMT -5
I liked Middlebrooks. I was pissed that we didn't get him. I trust our scouts. They really seemed to be thorough.
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Post by philinla on Jun 14, 2007 10:27:18 GMT -5
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Post by philinla on Jun 14, 2007 15:26:34 GMT -5
signings so far:
Austin Krum Manuel Barreda Nick Chigges Braedyn Pruitt Dave Williams Ryan Wehrle Justin Snyder Craig Heyer Jason Kiley Gary Gattis Jeff Livek Matt Pilgreen Chris Carrara Brian Chavez Fred Jones Chris Raber Larry Day Ryan Zink
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Post by italirican on Jun 14, 2007 15:54:58 GMT -5
how many more are we expecting to have signed by the deadline?
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Post by philinla on Jun 14, 2007 16:30:08 GMT -5
how many more are we expecting to have signed by the deadline? Oppenheimer says they are going for the max out of the 50 rounds. They won't sign 50, but they'll make 50 offfers and a bunch will be overslot targets.
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Post by sinctybldh on Jun 14, 2007 17:12:38 GMT -5
main ones i want are carpenter and peavey signed
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Post by philinla on Jun 14, 2007 17:27:50 GMT -5
main ones i want are carpenter and peavey signed those are good, but there are about ten or twelve more you should be hoping for.
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Post by philinla on Jun 15, 2007 1:08:29 GMT -5
BTW, I now realize the reason that why they only signed 1 DFA guy before the draft and wouldn't raise their big for Ladendorf was that they could roll the DFA budget into the signability kids.
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Post by philinla on Jun 17, 2007 18:56:43 GMT -5
Angelini is a guest of the Yanks tonight, has a locker and is taking infield with the team. Get it done, Yanks!
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Post by pemoco on Jun 17, 2007 20:08:38 GMT -5
'Country boy' headed to Big Apple Yankees' draft pick Howes eager to return to New York By Kevin T.Czerwinski / MLB.com
OMAHA -- Isaiah Howes has only been to New York City once. But if what he did during that week in the Big Apple is any indication of how the self-described "southern country boy" handles life in the big city, the Yankees should be pleased.
The Bombers selected the Louisville senior in the 11th round of the First-Year Player Draft earlier this month, just two weeks after he blitzed the competition during the Big East championships at Keyspan Park in Brooklyn. Howes blasted a league-record four homers in the tournament while driving in eight runs and has remained hot ever since.
The slugging outfielder was 3-for-5 in Sunday's 12-4 victory over Mississippi State in a College World Series elimination game, keeping the Cardinals alive for at least a few more days. His performance at Rosenblatt Stadium has been superb [5-for-10, two RBIs] and he's hoping the experience will continue.
The thought, however, of donning pinstripes and getting back to New York is very alluring. Howes likely will start his professional career in the New York-Penn League at Staten Island, just a stone's throw from his big performance in Brooklyn. If he continues to hit the way he has since the Big East tournament, the NY-Penn League had better be prepared.
Howes is batting .410 [25-for-61] in his last 14 games, all postseason affairs. He has seven homers and 22 RBIs during that stretch.
"I really liked that park in Brooklyn," Howes said. "I was playing well there. I'm looking forward to going to Staten Island, too. That's where they said they'll probably send me and I hear that's a great park as well. Being a southern country boy, though, I'm not sure how I'm going to react when I get there [New York]."
Howes is hitting an eye-popping .396 with 18 homers and 71 RBIs heading into Tuesday's game against the loser of Sunday night's Rice-North Carolina contest. There's an outside chance he could reach .400 by tournament's end if the Cardinals don't get eliminated. He's already raised his average four points since arriving in Omaha.
Those numbers, even with the ever-present specter of an aluminum bat getting some of the credit, are incredible. Howes admits he doesn't have a great deal of experience with a wooden bat, only playing for a while in a wood bat circuit last summer. Still, he's not worried.
"Talent is talent," he said. "Obviously, there will be an adjustment and period of transition going from metal to wood. But I like to work hard, so I'm not worried."
The one thing that Howes admits he needs to address is his number of strikeouts. He has whiffed 66 times in 275 at-bats [once every 4.1 at-bats], including three times in two CWS games.
"I realize that's one of the things I have to work on," he said. "My defense [five errors, three assists] can obviously get better and maybe my baserunning, too. There's always room for improvement."
Ultimately, the Yanks are hopeful that Howes ends up producing like the player whose game he's patterned his after -- Boston slugger Manny Ramirez. Howes is a lifelong Red Sox fan and idolizes Ramirez, so he laughed a little and said it would take some getting used to pinstripes.
"I just love the way Manny plays," Howes said. "He has such a carefree way about his game. Not to mention the fact that he's one of the best hitters ever. I try to model myself after him.
"Our coach [Dan McDonnell] always tells us to stay on an even keel, too. Don't get too high or low and stay relaxed and have fun. If I don't stay relaxed I get uptight, so I like to go with the carefree mentality. The times I'm struggling are the times I'm not having fun."
Howes should be having fun in Staten Island before the end of the month. He says he's going to sign right away, that he's "not going to argue over a couple hundred bucks." He wants to get back to New York and continue his assault on the Big Apple.
Based on what he did during his last visit there, who could blame him.
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Post by philinla on Jun 19, 2007 0:18:12 GMT -5
Sublett has apparently signed and will be heading to SI.
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Post by philinla on Jun 20, 2007 22:33:30 GMT -5
Olbrychowski signed!
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Post by philinla on Jun 20, 2007 22:40:01 GMT -5
Yankees announce signings: The Yankees announced on Thursday that they have come to terms with 21 of their selections from the 2007 First-Year Player Draft.
Fifth-round selection Adam Olbyrchowski, a right-handed reliever from Pepperdine University, is the highest-drafted pick to sign. Other signees from the top 10 rounds include second baseman Damon Sublett from Wichita State University, a seventh-round pick, and center fielder Austin Krum from Dallas Baptist University, a ninth-round pick.
The Yankees' other announced signees are: right-hander Manuel Barreda; right-hander Nicholas Chigges; third baseman William Pruitt; right fielder David Williams; right-hander Ryan Zink; shortstop Ryan Wehrle; second baseman Justin Snyder, right-hander Craig Heyer, right-hander Jason Kiley; center fielder Gary Gattis; third baseman Brandon Laird; right-hander Jeffrey Livek; right-hander Matt Pilgreen; second baseman Christopher Carrara; shortstop Brian Chavez; right-hander Fred Jones, first baseman Christopher Raber and catcher Lawrence Day.
The Yankees also made three pre-Draft signings (left-hander Tim Dennehy, right-hander Phil Bartleski and left-hander Kyle Thomas) and four post-Draft signings (shortstop Robbie Minor, catcher Frank Lonigro, right-hander Alexy Still and right-hander Michael Hyde).
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Post by philinla on Jun 20, 2007 23:11:37 GMT -5
On days like this it's great to remember they are still building a bright future. Olbrychowski could be this year's Kontos.
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Post by philinla on Jun 21, 2007 0:15:53 GMT -5
Isaiah Howes is reporting for the weekend.
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Post by philinla on Jun 21, 2007 12:23:14 GMT -5
Suttle signed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Correction: Suttle has an agreement with the Yanks but hasn't signed it yet, for whatever reason.
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Post by philinla on Jun 27, 2007 17:31:12 GMT -5
Taylor Holiday and Matt Morris from Irvine have both signed!
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yatqb
New Member
Posts: 44
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Post by yatqb on Jun 27, 2007 19:35:13 GMT -5
Taylor Holiday and Matt Morris from Irvine have both signed! Phil, what can you tell us about them. Is Holiday the CF that people were high on?
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Post by philinla on Jun 27, 2007 20:04:14 GMT -5
Holiday's a natural leadoff man, Morris is a pretty good hitting corner of.
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Post by philinla on Jun 29, 2007 10:58:06 GMT -5
Pope signed and they are working hard on Angelini, so I expect a signing there soon.
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Post by shockman on Jun 29, 2007 13:56:26 GMT -5
I have high hopes for Angellini and Suttle
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