Josh Bell Notes: Signability, Video

Posted by on June 10, 2011 | 2 Comments

A lot of rumors and speculation floating around about whether Bell will actually sign.

We’re going to talk a lot about Josh Bell this summer, as there is only one guarantee in this whole situation: if he does actually sign, it won’t happen before August 15th.  Here is one interesting update, along with some video of Bell.

-Baseball Prospectus talked about Bell in their podcast, focusing on his letter to teams telling them not to draft him (podcast here, talk starts at 52:56, h/t to OBN).  Apparently there were reports that the Red Sox and Tigers would draft him, although no one expected the Pirates to take him.  Keith Law mentions that his family is well off, and that it’s his family that doesn’t want him to sign.  Law, who was a guest on the podcast, mentions it might take $8 M, which would be near Bryce Harper money.

The most interesting note was in reference to the letter.  Kevin Goldstein threw out a rumor saying that MLB offered to make Bell ineligible for the draft, and that his mom said no. He said it was only a rumor, and not confirmed.  However, it does raise the question: if Bell really didn’t want to be drafted, why didn’t he just send a letter to MLB asking to be made ineligible?

-Here’s a few videos for those of you who haven’t seen Bell.  Really nice, smooth swing.  Very quick hands as well:

Bell hits a home run at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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About Tim Williams

Tim is the owner and editor in chief of Pirates Prospects. He started the site in January 2009, and turned it into his full time job during the 2011 season. Prior to starting Pirates Prospects, Tim worked with AccuScore.com, providing MLB, NHL, and NFL coverage to various national media outlets, including ESPN Insider, USA Today, Yahoo Sports, and the Wall Street Journal. He also writes the annual Prospect Guide, which is sold through the site. Tim moved to Bradenton in 2013, and will be providing live coverage all year of the Bradenton Marauders, GCL Pirates, instructs, mini camp, Spring Training, and lunches at Mixon's Fruit Farms.
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2 Responses

  1. Anonymous
    June 10, 2011 at 4:54 pm

    Tim, you said: “However, it does raise the question: if Bell really didn’t want to be
    drafted, why didn’t he just send a letter to MLB asking to be made
    ineligible?”
    What about “Why hire super-agent Scott Boras to rep you?”
    Perhaps Boras was getting him in the stable for when he is draft eligible out of college, that is my only thought.

  2. Anonymous
    June 10, 2011 at 11:13 pm

    Did Snake Boros and Bell try to pull off the John Elway ploy where Elway said basically that he would only sign with certain teams if drafted? Elway got his way; Snake and Bell got surprised. Three years in college or a spring playing indy ball await Bell unless he goes the thug Harper’s way to J.C. With possibly a hard slot in place in ’12 Snake may have cost his client $$$$$.