Josh Fields (the pitcher)
by spectfreak on Nov 30, 2008 3:41 PM EST
28 comments
Is his never-ending saga with Mariners ever going to end? Nearly six months after the draft, he remains unsigned. He was a college senior, so he can take it up right before next June's draft.
It was reported about a month ago that Boras and the M's were set to discuss Fields at the GM Meetings, but nothing came out of it.
How do people see this unfolding? Fields was a consensus first rounder, but not many people felt he was a good fit for Seattle, which is now run by a different regime.
0 recs |
28 comments
Email
Print
Comments
My thinking
The longer he holds out the more leverage he has. He can just threaten to go back in. It will be interesting to see if the new leadership will make that a priority soon.
Remember: baseball guys... baseball...
by Metty5 on Nov 30, 2008 3:53 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Not really
The Mariners can just say, fine we don’t want you.
They’re better off taking pick 20A or whatever it is because a rebuilding team doesn’t need a fast track closer.
by supermets on Nov 30, 2008 3:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Sure they could
There are new people there in charge and they might want a different player. But in the actual negotiation he has leverage, the Mariners are the ones who wanted his services. Im not sure he loses value by re-entering (unless teams feel his demands are too high).
Remember: baseball guys... baseball...
by Metty5 on Nov 30, 2008 4:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Fields has no leverage
If the M’s don’t want him.
by supermets on Nov 30, 2008 4:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
And considering...
the new M’s management doesn’t appear to be a pack of idiots, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if they decide a college reliever isn’t the best fit for the team.
by DrunkIrish on Nov 30, 2008 11:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I think both sides are pretty much agreed that they're better off not making a deal
Fields gets picked by a team needing immediate relief help, while the Mariners get a pick to spend on a better fit for their needs.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
by PaulThomas on Nov 30, 2008 4:09 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
+1
Seattle can actually draft someone useful.
by demondeaconsbaseball on Nov 30, 2008 6:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
It'll...
be a holdout until the deadline for Fields re-entering, and then he’ll sign for slot. Maybe $50,000 over. Classic Boras move. Zdiurencik won’t pull back a good faith offer unless he REALLY thinks the ’09 draft is going to offer huge impact talent that deep.
I really hope he doesn’t sign, but I don’t see it happening.
by slamcactus on Nov 30, 2008 4:15 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Disagree
He won’t sign. The M’s don’t need a reliever.
by supermets on Nov 30, 2008 4:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Teams...
don’t neglect to sign their first round picks because they don’t fit the organization’s most glaring needs. The average baseball blogger probably wouldn’t want to sign Fields, but if Fields doesn’t sign, it will be because he refuses to lower his asking price, not because the Mariners walk away.
by slamcactus on Nov 30, 2008 5:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Well
Fields was picked by different folks. The new administration might prefer to put their scarce resources towards other needs, so it’s really not that outlandish that the Ms might prefer the draft pick to Fields.
by mraver on Nov 30, 2008 6:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
not outlandish...
it just won’t happen. Or rather, I’ll be shocked if it does. The vast majority of executives don’t think that way. Not even making a good faith effort to sign Fields would be a public rebuke of Bob Fontaine, his area scouts, and his crosschecking crew, many of whom still work for the organization. If Fields comes down and will sign near slot, Zdiurencik will sign him.
by slamcactus on Nov 30, 2008 6:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
That doesn't make sense...
How is not signing a guy you don’t need a public rebuke of the guy who told you that he’s good at things you don’t need?
It’s a public rebuke of the guy he replaced, not of the scouts.
by mraver on Nov 30, 2008 6:57 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Dude.
Teams sign their first-round draft picks when they’ll sign for slot. That’s what happens in the amateur draft. It would take serious stones to refuse to pay a player slot money when your scouting department says he deserves it. GMs just don’t do that. If Fields won’t lower his asking price, he won’t sign. If he’ll accept slot money, he’ll sign.
If Fields fails to sign and we hear subsequent reports that the Mariners walked away from an offer of signing for slot money, I’ll eat a whole jar of olives.*
*I hate olives. They make me gag. It’s much more reasonable than ’I’ll eat my shoe,’ which as best as I can figure is pretty much impossible.
by slamcactus on Nov 30, 2008 7:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Considering...
the M’s have a new GM, Director of Amateur Scouting, Assistant GM, and Director of Pro Scouting, I don’t think it really matters all that much what the PREVIOUS scouting department had to say about Fields. All Zduriencik has to say is that the team’s needs have changed in the last year, and that he wishes Fields the best.
by DrunkIrish on Nov 30, 2008 11:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
between...
85 and 90% of the Ms scouting department is identical to what it was before Zdiurencik was hired, with Fontaine the only really serious piece that was told to clear his desk.
by slamcactus on Dec 3, 2008 3:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Townsend...
wouldn’t sign for slot with Baltimore, and there were a lot of bad feelings all around about the negotiations. That doesn’t seem to be the case here.
by slamcactus on Dec 3, 2008 3:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Unless the M’s had Fields much higher than 20th on the board, I think if he doesn’t sign by spring training, he won’t be signed at all. It’s in his and the M’s best interest to get a full year of work. Otherwise he’ll be nearly 24 when he hits the draft, having not thrown a meaningful pitch in a year.
Graduating seniors have much less leverage than high school seniors (who can opt for college) or juniors (who can return for their senior year). However, you can never discount the possibility of Boras making a high demand ($3M+) and driving him to a big market team that selects him as a late draft signability selection.
by mg050369 on Nov 30, 2008 5:11 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
fields
at what point do people start to question if this kid ever wants to play. he gets drafted by his local team the atlanta braves last year after he was horrible and doesn’t sign. then comes back has a great year goes in the first round and still doesn’t want to play. i’m sorry, but at some point you either want to play or you are just in it for the signing bonus.
by fewgoodcards on Nov 30, 2008 11:19 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Well, now we know what JP Ricciardi's SBN alias is
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
by PaulThomas on Nov 30, 2008 11:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
umm
he was ok when he got drafted by the braves
he was VERY good this last year
how is that a “bad decision”…
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Dec 1, 2008 12:59 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
bad decision
going back to school looks like a good decision. not signing quickly for slot this summer was a bad move.
by fewgoodcards on Dec 1, 2008 6:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Mariners need him
yes, they are in a rebuilding phase, but every team needs relievers and as good as he can be, he will not be ready for at least June 2010, not by this year. That gives them a chance to put a competitive team with him around. M’s don’t have a chance this year so at least for this year they don’t need him up at the majors.
by LCT on Dec 1, 2008 7:49 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
If he'll lower his price and sign for slot, the M's we'll take him
.. but unwillingly. CEO and President don’t want to piss off Selig, and they’re known for always wanting to please him. Seattle has an opportunity to have a ton of early picks, and if Fields isn’t signed it just gives Zduriencik a greater chance to rebuild the team how he wants. I don’t want him to sign, and I dont think Boras will ask for slot (hoping at least). Fields is the loser in this deal, though. For someone that’s value is in how fast he can get to the majors, he won’t be all that young by the time he does make it.
by JonBBT on Dec 1, 2008 1:30 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2009 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
