The 2008 Draft Signings Thread

[badnews]

These guys have got to pick one name and stick with it. Alex Wilson, William Wilson? Jay Jackson and who else? Gordon Beckham has how many names? I remember when I spent a year trying to get Santiago Casilla and Jairo Garcia in the same room together. Like, I was at a black tie baseball event and I had Jairo Garcia paged, and all of a sudden Santiago Casilla stood up and excused himself so the two of them were never in the same room.

 

If you ask me Jairo Garcia is just Santiago Casilla with a cape, a handlebar mustache, and a monocle.

[craig]

Carpenter

[Guest]

Carpenter

 

Linkage

[Outshined_One]

Sontag confirmed, as he's in Boise's starting lineup tonight.

[Outshined_One]

BA has Bristow signed. :D

[Guest]

Sweet. I suspect Shafer signing is imminent.

[Guest]

Add:

 

LHP Jeff Belliveau

OF Jericho Jones

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Glad to see Jericho signed.

[Guest]

RHP Toby Matchulat - 11th rounder

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Here's an article on the negotiations between Cashner and the Cubs.

 

Cashner, 21, said the Cubs have yet to come off of their original offer. As the 19th overall pick of the draft, Cashner is “slotted” to receive a signing bonus of around $1.5 million. However, first baseman David Cooper, the 17th overall pick of the Toronto Blue Jays, signed for $1.5 million.

 

 

The draft’s No. 1 pick, high school shortstop Tim Beckham, received a draft-record $6.15 million bonus from the Tampa Bay Rays.

 

“The offer the Cubs have made is a really good offer,” Cashner said. “But we feel like it could be better. I think we’ll get something down on paper soon

[roadster]

Former Smyrna star Gray says Cubs haven't made serious offer.

 

 

http://www.dnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080625/SPORTS08/806250317

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Former Smyrna star Gray says Cubs haven't made serious offer.

 

 

http://www.dnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080625/SPORTS08/806250317

 

I never expected that we'd sign him. It would be nice if we did.

[Andrew Cashner]

I know this isn't cubs related but kenny williams son is 0-24 in his past 24 at-bats.

[craig]

Cubs signed 24th rounder David Cales, the SS/P who started at Mizzou, and then played at a couple of colleges in Illinois. As a pitcher. He's kind of interesting, and has been doing well in summer league. Not very tall.

 

Bigger story is that they signed 21st rounder Logan Watkins, an infielder (all-state QB, I think). One draft list had him at 5'11", but article about him says he's 6'1". Cubs super-slotted him to the tune of $500,000, plus the $100,000 college guarantee. So BA will probably list this as a $600,000 value deal. Not sure what his game is, but apparently has a strong arm and good range defensively. BA didn't know much about him or rank him real high, but in a pre-draft article Watkins said that pro scouts had told him he could go in the top-5 rounds, although his college commitment would make him hard to buy away.

 

I wonder if he's a true SS prospect? Or if he'll outgrow that? Is he really a 2B or a CF guy? Any power projection, or more a table-setter type? Who knows?

 

Up until Sonny Gray, we've now signed all but three, Cashner 1st round, Shafer in the 2nd, and Alex Wilson in the 10th. Cashner it's just a matter of time. I'm surprised Shafer hasn't signed yet. I wonder what's up with that? Wilson obviously is not likely to sign unless he impresses during summer and gets a serious offer. Early results certainly don't support that, at present. But with Watkins in, and assuming Cashner and Shafer and all the guys they hoped to sign do sign, I'd assume they won't really have any leftover 1st round money to make Gray a crazy offer.

[UK1679666180]

Cubs signed 24th rounder David Cales, the SS/P who started at Mizzou, and then played at a couple of colleges in Illinois. As a pitcher. He's kind of interesting, and has been doing well in summer league. Not very tall.

 

Which Summer League is he at?

 

(edit:Nevermind, Northwoods League-Eau Claire)

Edited June 27, 2008 by UK

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Cales signed? Awesome.

[Guest]

http://www.kansas.com/250/story/425205.html

 

Some reading on Watkins for those wondering why the 25th rated BA prospect in Kansas is getting 2nd round money (I'm guessing this is the article craig mentioned earlier).

 

Watkins is prized for his speed and athletic ability. He played shortstop for the Lions and hit .476 with 33 runs. He will likely move to second base at WSU. Goddard coach Tom Campa also sees the outfield in his future.

 

"He has great, great range and a great arm," Campa said.

 

Watkins said professional scouts tell him he could go in the first five rounds or so. He said he will not be an easy player to lure away from college, which could affect his desirability. "Tough signs" with a real commitment to college baseball sometimes drop in the draft.

[craig]

Watkins is prized for his speed and athletic ability. He played shortstop for the Lions and hit .476 with 33 runs. He will likely move to second base at WSU. Goddard coach Tom Campa also sees the outfield in his future.

 

"He has great, great range and a great arm," Campa said.

 

Not necessarily easy to reconcile everything. The Cubs must like his tools pretty well to pay him that much. And his coach says has "great, great range and a great arm", so maybe he does and the Cubs think so too. But, at the same time he was going to get moved to 2B in college? That might suggest that he doesn't have SS tools for college, and certainly won't for the NL.

 

I know, maybe it means no such thing. Maybe he has all the tools to be an A+ big-league SS, but WSU has an entrenched upperclass SS, so some freshman wasn't going to take SS away from him even if the freshman is Cal Ripken or Ozzie Smith defensively.

[Guest]

Watkins is prized for his speed and athletic ability. He played shortstop for the Lions and hit .476 with 33 runs. He will likely move to second base at WSU. Goddard coach Tom Campa also sees the outfield in his future.

 

"He has great, great range and a great arm," Campa said.

 

Not necessarily easy to reconcile everything. The Cubs must like his tools pretty well to pay him that much. And his coach says has "great, great range and a great arm", so maybe he does and the Cubs think so too. But, at the same time he was going to get moved to 2B in college? That might suggest that he doesn't have SS tools for college, and certainly won't for the NL.

 

I know, maybe it means no such thing. Maybe he has all the tools to be an A+ big-league SS, but WSU has an entrenched upperclass SS, so some freshman wasn't going to take SS away from him even if the freshman is Cal Ripken or Ozzie Smith defensively.

 

You might be right in the last paragraph. Dusty Coleman, Wichita State's current SS, probably is a first day pick next year (he's a draft eligible sophomore this past year).

[Outshined_One]

BA has Shafer signed.

[Guest]

BA has Shafer signed.

 

$625,000 bonus. They have Cerda at $500,000 (more than 3rd rounder Carpenter).

[Andrew Cashner]

Didn't Chris Carpenter sign for slot because he was picked in the first 3 rounds.

[CUBZ99]

Who has the better projection out of Shafer, Carpenter and Bristow? They seem like similar type pitchers.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Who has the better projection out of Shafer, Carpenter and Bristow? They seem like similar type pitchers.

 

I'd say in terms of upside, it'd go Carpenter, Bristow, Shafer. In terms of reaching their potential, I'd say Shafer, Carpenter, Bristow. JMO though.

[Guest]

Who has the better projection out of Shafer, Carpenter and Bristow? They seem like similar type pitchers.

 

I'd say in terms of upside, it'd go Carpenter, Bristow, Shafer. In terms of reaching their potential, I'd say Shafer, Carpenter, Bristow. JMO though.

 

I don't know about Shafer reaching his potential. His junior season leads to some question marks, given the decline in his stuff.