SUNDAY, 9:34am: Jim Callis of Baseball America has the numbers: "A baseball source said Fields will receive $1.75 million, splitting the difference between MLB’s $1.5 million recommendation for his draft slot and the $2 million he was seeking, pending the results of a physical he took on Saturday."
Callis notes while the deadline to sign draft picks was August 15, Fields and Seattle were allowed to continue negotiations due to Fields having exhausted his college eligibility.
FRIDAY, 7:07pm: The Seattle Mariners have reached an agreement with Josh Fields, their first-round selection in the 2008 draft, MLB.com’s Jim Street reports.
Street writes that the deal was delayed by a $500,000 gap between the $2MM deal he wanted and the $1.5MM the Mariners were offering.
Fields, 23, was the closer for Georgia in 2008. He also was the Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Year last season while helping the Bulldogs reach the finals of the NCAA College World Series.
The Mariners selected him as the 20th overall selection.
