9:15pm: Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun quotes Orioles scouting director Gary Rajsich (on Twitter) as saying that talks between the two sides are still progressing.
7:57pm: Kevin Gausman, the No. 4 overall pick in this year's draft is unlikely to sign with the Orioles because his heart is still with Louisiana State University, writes Albert Buford of the New Orleans Times-Picayune:
"This is turning out to be a tough decision, but as of now my heart is still with LSU," Gausman said. "There are still things for me to accomplish as a Tiger. I still want to play in and win the College World Series, and with a lot of guys coming back next year I believe we can do it."
Gausman was the first pitcher taken in this year's draft, going ahead of fellow college righties Kyle Zimmer (Royals) and Mark Appel (Pirates). Earlier today, it was reported that Appel is also leaning toward returning to college for another season, rather than signing in Pittsburgh.
Electing to return to LSU would mean forgoing a sizeable bonus for Gausman. MLB's recommended bonus for the fourth overall pick in the draft is $4.2MM. If he does decide to return to LSU, the decision won't have as much to do with the Orioles as it would a desire to leave his mark on LSU baseball, writes Buford.
well looks like a few options from this years Draft for the Astros picking number one again (assuming they stay last) That being said I could see Gausmans stock staying the same or higher.
I still could not seeing them draft Appel though. They will want to sign a guy for a little cheaper for more money for other picks(like they did very well at this year)
Any prospects in the draft next year that are #1 type picks other then these two?
If Gaussman wont sign at number 4 who is to say his money demands are lower than appel? As for next years draft right now the favorite is Austin Meadows a typical 5 tool OF that swings from left side, Clintin Holtin (RHP), Stephen Gonsalves (LHP), and Jeremy Martinez (C) are others to keep an eye on, the best college pitcher that is for sure in 13 draft is ryan stanek who isn’t as good as appel or gaussman.
Yikes.
Is it safe to assume this is a ploy to get every last dollar?
My friends think that too, I think he really might not sign.
Think we might have disagreed on both 1st and 2nd round..
I think Gausman will still sign. next year is deeper than this year, if by some chance Gausman is getting faulty info from his rep. O’s will still get the pick even if he don’t sign and Duquette has *ALWAYS* signed his 1st round pick anyway..
Might be why the kline signing was (possibly) gone ahead with. O’s may have been trying to get him to sign for a bit less, seeing that kline was not willing to budge much (if any) over the next 6 days, so went ahead and finished the deal with him and just left the rest of the time/cash to work on Gausman with a finite amount of $$$ at hand.
Pretty sound theory at least…
I am coming around to it happening, but with the O’s, nothing really surprises me.
Why bother wasting time putting your name in for the draft?
You don’t “put your name in” for the draft man.
You do have to file paperwork, or fill out a card or something. I know of a couple of guys who didn’t (1 went to play college football, another college bball). There was a high school this year that was a top 5 round pick that didn’t fill it out because he was committed to college
I was shocked to read this. I guess he knows he will get drafted again, might as well make as much of his college years as possible. Weird though
He’ll get drafted again if he has a decent year and doesn’t get injured. I understand his desire to continue to play for LSU; but with $4.2M on the table; he’s making a big gamble with his future.
Not that weird. The sure fire #1 overall pick has blown off the NFL and more money a number of times
He will sign. Classic leverage play. It is not a coincidence that Appel leaked a similar comment through Heyman earlier today.
He is a smart player who does not want to be ruined by a terrible team with no player development. Look at the Orioles history of young pitching prospects that they drafted. Because they do not have any other options at starters they are forced to bring up guys way too early. I pray to god that they do not ruin Bundy and call him up this fall even if his stuff is ready.
Go back to school and wait for anyone but the orioles to draft you kid. Smart man!
The list of successful Oriole pitching prospects is indeed short, but it doesn’t mean the Orioles are incapable of developing a pitcher. Prospects, by their very nature, do not often pan out.
I think anytime you’ve got 4 million on the table, and you turn it down with the possibility of the offer falling considerably next year, it’s not a smart move.
BTW, his pitching coach at LSU, Allan Dunn, is a former Oriole bullpen coach from 2007-2010 and was named the minor league pitching coordinator in 2011.
So you’re suggesting the smart move is to turn down 4 million from the O’s to go back to LSU to work with a former Oriole employee.
Yes to work with a former employee rather than be ruined by a current employee of the team. Peter Angelos and co. have invested in terrible scouts as well as personnel which is why the system is so dismal and the prospects never pan out. He is not dumb to turn down 4 million if it means his career will never amount to anything. Its not about the money sometimes folks, most players actually wanna be able to pitch in the Majors for a sustained amount of time. With the Orioles Gausman is realizing that if he waits another year, he may or not get hurt and therefore drop in the draft, but at least he will not get drafted by the lowly orioles. Its a a win-win in every sense. He will take the good with the bad
Gausman went #4 in a weak draft class; if, indeed, he returns to LSU, is it realistic for him to expect to move up in the draft considering there’s only 3 spots he can go and it’s a much deeper class? If this is a ploy to squeeze every last penny from the O’s, then fine; if he’s serious about returning to LSU, then (IMO) he should be prepared to accept less money next year (assuming, as seems likely, that he’ll slip lower than #4 next year given the 2013 draft class and only the three superior slots in which he could go).
Furthermore, that doesn’t take into account the whole injury possibility or lousy season, either of which would really decimate his draft position in 2013.
If this is anything but a tactical bargaining position, it seems decidedly shortsighted to me.
Actually, most scouts and analysts say that the 2013 class is weaker. Keith Law was just tweeting about it today as a matter of fact.
Since the 2012 draft (and during) the pundits almost universally asserted that the 2013 class is superior to the former (although I haven’t followed the class since the draft, so things might have changed since then), so I’m merely repeating their analysis. Above, Johnsilver also cited the superiority of the 2013 class to the year prior, so I’m not alone in this contention.
However, if I’m mistaken, then I retract that part of my previous statement (although, I still assert that it’s a huge gamble for Gausman b/c he has just 3 spots available to move up, and there’s still the injury and/or poor performance gorilla in the room). I feel compelled to note that dylan said the 2013 class is “weaker,” while SMJenkins claimed that it is “fairly similar [to the 2012 class] at this point;” perhaps this illustrates the ambiguity and subjectivity involved in prospect analysis, which would undoubtedly lead to vastly different conclusion by different pundits.
It’s all academic, I suppose, but I’m curious: do you (dylan & SMJenkins) disagree that Gausman is undertaking an enormous risk, for whatever reason(s), should he return to LSU?
Finally, I struggle to take much of what Keith Law says seriously. Obviously, that doesn’t mean he’s incorrect about the 2013 class being weaker than the 2012, I just find it difficult to buy into b/c I’ve heard the opposite from so many pundits over the last few months. That said, I suppose I should defer to Law b/c he’s certainly is privy to more information than I am, I just struggle to do so.
Remember a couple weeks back when Albert Almora loved college and wasn’t going to sign? This is probably nothing more than a ploy to try and get more money.
I loved my college but I would’ve immediately bailed for four million dollars.
gausman and appel will both sign,not going to risk injury and won’t get a bigger bonus next year…. boras u are no longer needed!
Well I guess that’s that…
I will never understand why a kid would pick to go to school over playing baseball.
I’m sure people use the “well, I want an education” line. Even if he does go to university, there no guarantee that he’s going to make more than 50k a year. Heck, there’s no guarantee that he’s ever gonna find a job.
and then there are the “Well, he might get hurt and never have a career” people. Universities aren’t going anywhere. He can always go to school later.
Exactly.
If you take a $4MM bonus and blow your arm out in your first pro season, you still have $4MM.
If you pass on $4MM and blow your arm out as a senior in college, it’s unlikely that you’ll make $4MM over the course of your entire life.
Sounds like typical Boras style posturing to me. I won’t believe this about Gausman or Appel until after the deadline. I think they will both sign, and neither team will budge on their offers by going over the amount that would cost them a draft pick next year.
As a current LSU student, I can tell you that no one is in a hurry to leave. It’s a great environment with amazing fans who love LSU baseball (as well as other sports). I know I wouldn’t want to leave after just 2 years. It’s an amazing experience. I truly believe this has nothing to do with money. If Gausman stays, LSU is easily top3 going into next season. And with a great coaching staff, he’ll continue to improve. Geaux Tigers!
It may not be about money for you and most other LSU students but young Mr. Gausman has an offer for $4.2 million on the table. I am quite certain that nearly all of the LSU student body would happily give up campus life to pocket $4.2 million and get started on their dream career.
If for any reason his baseball career flames out and he never makes the big leagues, he can easily return to LSU but instead of just another athlete on scholarship, he returns as a wealthy young man.
I actually have a few friends that went to the same high school as him. Said he has good stuff, but kinda came out of no where, then from what I’ve read went from a top 10 pick out of high school to a 5th rounder, had a good year and then was a top 10 pick. If I was him I would sign. Unless that is he truly loves college, then stay. But if that is/was the case he should have made that known, not file the paper work or whatever you do.