The Mariners continue to negotiate with Scott Boras to sign 2008 first round draft pick Josh Fields. Here is the downside:
If doesn't sign, the Mariners are going to have a fistful of the top draft picks come next June. They already have their own pick, No. 2 overall, and Philadelphia's first-round pick, 28th overall, plus a sandwich pick between the first and second rounds, also courtesy of the Phillies. Add to that the No. 2 pick in the second round, and the Mariners have four of the approximately top 40 draftees in 2009.
If Fields isn't signed, the Mariners also get to reuse their 20th pick, which is awarded after the regular 20th choice, which this year belongs to the Blue Jays. That pick could be the 21st or 22nd overall, depending on whether the Washington Nationals sign their pick from the ninth round of the 2008 draft, University of Missouri right-hander Aaron Crow.
"To have five of the first 40 or so picks is a good situation," Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said. "It's the best way to stockpile talent for the organization."
This year's draft is a biggy for the Mariners and rookie GM Jack Zduriencik. Talk about sink or swim... I suppose the question here is whether the $500k difference between the reported Boras asking price of $2m and the reported Mariners offering price of $1.5m is worth the difference between Fields and the replacement pick in June. I cant really comment on the difference in talent levels between the two drafts - that is almost impossibole to determine in baseball beyond the first couple of picks. But the Mariners are already loaded with picks in 2009 and have a good shot at getting those players they value the most. I would suspect they would prefer to lock up Fields, but I think boras is going to have to leave Zduriencik a slight face-saving discount to get it done.
Comments