Over the weekend, Kendall Rogers of Perfect Game mentioned that a source put the chances of the Pittsburgh Pirates signing 2011 2nd round pick Josh Bell at 60%. Today, Rogers provides another update, saying that a source that was previously 50/50 on Bell signing is now 70/30 in favor of Texas. Another source Rogers talked to said it was all but a done deal that he will go to Texas.
We will probably hear a lot of odds and speculation on whether Bell signs between now and August 15th, but it’s a situation where we won’t know the result until the deadline actually arrives.
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August 3, 2011 at 6:11 pm
What will that wasted pick net?
August 3, 2011 at 7:46 pm
A second round pick for next year.
August 3, 2011 at 7:46 pm
A second round pick for next year.
August 3, 2011 at 7:55 pm
With a lack of solid OF prospects, especially with power, the Bucco’s need Bell. He’d instantly be a Top 5 organizational prospect. Nutting is going to have to open the coffers and hand Bell a blank check (Both Bell and Boras know this). The Bucco’s had to know this before drafting him and I can’t believe they’d let him get away. That would be a colossal failure in my humble opinion.
August 3, 2011 at 8:34 pm
a collosal failure? I don’t think so. It be nice to get him. It was a good opprutunity to snatch a talent we otherwise shouldn’t be able to get. A failure would be not signing Cole. They knew it was a risk to draft Bell, you take your shot and move on.
August 3, 2011 at 8:40 pm
With a system as barren as ours is for power hitting corner outfielder this is a colossal fail. If they don’t sign Cole then we might as well just trade Taillon and everyone else now.
August 3, 2011 at 9:09 pm
If we don’t sign COle than we get the number 2 overall pick next year. what “fan” gives up like that “we might as well just trade Taillon and everyone else now”. Plus Cole is going to sign he can’t get anymore money than what he would get this year
August 4, 2011 at 1:18 pm
Pirates were just playing the system to get an extra talent. He dropped that far because of signability, they get that pick back if they don’t. Just because there is a need this kid is probably 5 years away, with no guarantee. I just don’t see it as a failure. I think they took a chance, if they give a good offer and he turns them down so be it. That’s life. It’s not an either or type of thing. I want our FO to be aggressive like this.
August 5, 2011 at 8:06 pm
I don’t think any team, let alone our Pirates, should be taking players w/ our #2 pick w/ the mentality of ‘if we don’t sign him we’ll get compensated next year’. The Pirates need high level players in the system now. Better to not have drafted Bell if they didn’t think they could sign him, and have taken someone else who was an upper level talent that would sign. Round #2 is no place to be gambling on signing guys in my opinion, especially w/ a system like ours that needs to fatten up.
August 3, 2011 at 8:38 pm
Screw this kid, just let his punk a$$ go to school. What a waste of baseball talent.
August 3, 2011 at 9:07 pm
Are you an idiot. He’s going to be drafted after school. how is he a punk a$$ and what waste of baseball talent. like i said he can get drafted again
August 4, 2011 at 1:40 am
If he doesnt do well in school or hurts himself while playing in college he is out millions. Good for pirates but bad for him. You can still go to college if you play ball in the minors if it really is about education with bell.
August 3, 2011 at 8:49 pm
Jim Callis of Baseball America just tweeted that it would probably take $10 mill to sign him.
August 3, 2011 at 9:48 pm
I think that the Pirates will offer him up to 5mil (that is only my opinion). …..That is more than a fair offer.
There will be critics if he doesn’t sign but all they can do is offer him the money and if he would rather go to school what else can they do?
The Pirates signed a can’t miss 3rd baseman in ’08 for 6,3mil …what makes this guy so infailable?
August 3, 2011 at 10:56 pm
I would agree with piratemike, Bell is said to have a lot of talent from both sides of the plate however he has only faced high school pitchers up to this point. Our current 3b was supposed to be a can’t miss hitting talent and so far he is missing quite a bit (hope he figures it out). Bell wasn’t even considered a top 5 pick this year so why would you throw that kind of money at a highschool hitter??? 10mil really….I would offer 4-5mil. and if he says no then say good luck in college and move on…
August 5, 2011 at 1:01 pm
Scrappy……….I am with you and PirateMike. Well said.
August 6, 2011 at 4:54 am
All these rumors and sources being quoted as to the money Bell wants is being controlled by Boras. Information is being controlled by Boras. It is all done to exert pressure on the Buccos to up their offer. Bell was the 15th best prospect and the Buccos did the right thing in drafting him because Bell was vastly superior to the other available players at that pick. Bell is willing to sign. He could have pulled out of the draft if he was unwilling to sign. He could release a public statement right now that he will attend school. He hasn’t done those things ’cause he is willing to sign. His camp doesn’t expect $10 million. Cole will be close, but under that #. As a reference, Zack Lee signed for $6 million last year, but could have been a two sport superstar in colllege. If Buccos offer anything above $3 million, they have made a serious and fair offer. That would be a higher # than what Alie signed last year to be lured away from UNC.
August 10, 2011 at 12:53 pm
I agree, however I don’t think it is fair to compare Allie to Bell. Allie was nowhere hear the prospect Bell is in my opinion. Allie was only considered a pitcher, and one who could bring it but was very raw. As we can see this year, he can’t control his stuff very well – yet. Hopefully that changes.
August 14, 2011 at 2:06 pm
I agree that the talent level at this stage between Allie and Bell has a noticeable disparity. My comparison was to discuss the leverage each player had. Allie then and Bell now had scholarships to major college programs. The Bucs might be willing to pay more to Bell than Allie because of Bell’s perceived higher ceiling and more polish at this stage. However, I can’t see the Bucs offering anything close to the Dodger’s Lee deal. A Bucs offer to Bell probably tops out around $4 million.
You go to college to gain skills to have a career. How many careers outside of baseball will pay this young man that kind of money over his life. If he is offered around $3 to $4 million I think he signs because it’s too difficult too pass on that financial security. Of course, Gerrit Cole had potentially a similar decision but told the Yankees not to make an offer because he wanted to attend UCLA. I view Cole’s decision as the exception.
August 6, 2011 at 7:08 pm
The Pirates may have better luck this coming draft with his supplemental pick (which would be much higher than the Bucs will get otherwise, as a prob. middle of the pack picker)another high second round?
BEGINNING to watch the “all important lost column” already for the Pirates this year-only burghdood 7 losses from a #3 overall pick next year!!!!!!!
August 9, 2011 at 5:21 pm
I think it’s ridiculous to characterize a kid as an idiot for not signing right away as a #2 pick. Boras is his advisor and as a good agent should, he’s looking out for the kid to get him the best deal possible. Everything from the draft until August 15th is a negotiation. Boras is throw out smoke to try to get the best deal. If the Pirates think it’s going to take the world to sign him, and if he thinks they’re desperate, then they’re more likely to sweeten the deal than to low-ball him. It’s called NEGOTIATING with LEVERAGE!
If he doesn’t sign, then you can blame the kid, Boras, Nutting, etc… but until then, it’s all just bloviating and FUD… Alvarez wasn’t going to sign either…