Bryce Harper
Rumors

The dust has finally settled on Monday's draftee signing deadline and reactions are beginning filter out about what did teams did and why. 

It was an eventful signing day with #1 overall pick Bryce Harper either coming close to ($9.9M) or surpassing ($10.9M) Mark Teixeira's record for signing bonus by a position player ($10M) depending upon how you determine the value of the contract.  Harper's contract is structured as such where if he hits some reasonably attainable bonus clauses, the value could escalate above $10M, surpassing Teixeira's record. 

Beyond Harper and the large bonuses given out to many of the top picks, another big story was the large number of first round draft picks who did not sign with their team.  While the total of three may not seem very high, it is the most since the 1996 first round.  All three unsigned players were pitchers - Barret Loux (#6, Diamondbacks), Karsten Whitson (#9, San Diego) and Dylan Covey (#14, Milwaukee). 

Let's take a look at what people are saying:

• Keith Law of espn.com writes that the Harper deal was good for both sides (Insider subscription required).  Law also addresses the shock of the Zach Lee signing by the Dodgers and the curiosity behind Whitson's decision not to go to the Padres.  
• Baseball America's John Manuel covers many of the same topics as Law did in his signing breakdown as well as commenting on Nick Castellanos's record deal for a supplemental round pick with the Tigers.
• Nathan Rode of Baseball America provides a post-signing interview with Harper.  
• Keith Law gives his analysis of how each team fared at the signing deadline.  Broken down by league - AL and NL
• Jim Callis of Baseball America writes a sentence or two about the notable first round signings.

Players and teams agreeing to signing bonuses over the MLB slot recommendation is not something unusual for the first round, especially the top picks.  As of yet unsigned, guys like Bryce Harper, Jameson Taillon and Manny Machado seem certain to sign for more than the MLB slot recommendations for the first through third overall picks.

The constant among the top picks, however, is that they are all likely to sign in some fashion.  On the rare instances when they do not, teams are compensated for their failure to sign a first round pick with a similar first round pick the next year. 

How much will it take for the Orioles to sign Manny Machado?

Where above slot signings become more interesting is with later round picks.  Often players with signability questions - particularly high school players who can go to college and re-enter the draft at a later date - slide in the draft because if teams select the players after the first round and do not sign them, they are left with nothing.  On the flip side, if a team can sign a player with a later round pick, they have a draft steal, so to speak.

Over the past week, a number of later round picks have signed for well over their slot bonus.  Jim Callis of Baseball America reported the signings with more information on each player in his posts.

• The Red Sox have signed high schooler (and Boston Celtic center) Kendrick Perkins to a $628K signing bonus.  Perkins was a sixth-round selection.

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After being selected in the first round or supplemental round of the 2010 Draft on June 8th, 2010, teams and players had until August 16th, 2010 at 11:59pm to agree to a signing bonus and begin their professional career or head to college.  The only exception to this rule are college seniors with whom there is no set time table for when they have to sign.

1) Washington: Bryce Harper - $9.9M signing bonus
2) Pittsburgh: Jameson Taillon - $6.5M signing bonus
3) Baltimore: Manny Machado - $5.25M signing bonus
4) Kansas City: Christian Colon - $2,75M signing bonus
5) Cleveland: Drew Pomeranz - $2.65M signing bonus
6) Arizona: Barret Loux - Did not sign, failed physical
7) New York Mets: Matt Harvey - $2.5M signing bonus
8) Houston: Delino DeSheilds Jr. - $2.15M signing bonus
9) San Diego: Karsten Whitson - No contract signed, will attend Florida
10) Oakland: Michael Choice - $2M signing bonus
11) Toronto: Deck McGuire - $2M signing bonus
12) Cincinnati: Yasmani Grandal - $3.2M signing bonus
13) Chicago White Sox: Chris Sale - $1,656M signing bonus
14) Milwaukee: Dylan Covey - Did not sign, will attend San Diego
15) Texas: Jake Skole - $1.557M signing bonus
16) Chicago Cubs: Hayden Simpson - $1.06M signing bonus
17) Tampa Bay: Josh Sale - $1.62M signing bonus
18) Los Angeles Angels: Kaleb Cowart - $2.3M signing bonus
19) Houston: Mike Foltynewicz - $1.3M signing bonus
20) Boston: Kolbrin Vitek - $1.359M signing bonus
21) Minnesota: Alex Wimmers - $1.332M signing bonus
22) Texas: Kellin Deglan - $1M signing bonus
23) Florida: Christian Yelich - $1.7M signing bonus
24) San Francisco: Gary Brown - $1.45M signing bonus
25) St. Louis: Zack Cox - $3.2M signing bonus
26) Colorado: Kyle Parker - $1.4M signing bonus
27) Philadelphia: Jesse Biddle - $1.16M signing bonus
28) Los Angeles Dodgers: Zach Lee - $5.25M signing bonus
29) Los Angeles Angels: Cam Bedrosian - $1.116M signing bonus
30) Los Angeles Angels: Chevez Clarke - $1.089M signing bonus
31) Tampa Bay: Justin O'Conner - $1.025M signing bonus
32) New York Yankees: Cito Culver - $954K signing bonus

Supplemental Round

33) Houston: Michael Kvasnicka - $936K signing bonus
34) Toronto: Aaron Sanchez - $775K signing bonus
35) Atlanta: Matt Lipka - $800K signing bonus
36) Boston: Bryce Brentz - $892K signing bonus
37) Los Angeles Angels: Taylor Lindsey - $873K signing bonus
38) Toronto: Noah Syndergaard - $600K signing bonus
39) Boston: Anthony Ranaudo - $2.55M signing bonus
40) Los Angeles Angels: Ryan Bolden - $829K signing bonus
41) Toronto: Asher Wojciechowski - $814K signing bonus
42) Tampa Bay: Drew Vettleson - $845K signing bonus
43) Seattle: Taijuan Walker - $800K signing bonus
44) Detroit: Nick Castellanos - $3.45M signing bonus
45) Texas: Luke Jackson - $1.557M signing bonus
46) St. Louis: Seth Blair - $751K signing bonus
47) Colorado: Peter Tago - 982,500 signing bonus
48) Detroit: Chance Ruffin - $1.15M signing bonus
49) Texas: Mike Olt - $717K signing bonus
50) St. Louis: Tyrell Jenkins - $1.3M signing bonus

A review of the first round of the 2010 draft.

1) Washington Nationals: Bryce Harper, College of Southern Nevada, C
2) Pittsburgh Pirates: Jameson Taillon, The Woodlands, RHP
3) Baltimore Orioles: Manny Machado, Brito HS, SS
4) Kansas City Royals: Christian Colon, Cal State Fullerton, SS

5) Cleveland Indians: Drew Pomeranz, Ole Miss, LHP
6) Arizona Diamondbacks: Barret Loux, Texas Tech, RHP
7) New York Mets: Matt Harvey, UNC, RHP
8) Houston Astros: Delino DeSheilds Jr., Woodward Park Academy, 2B
9) San Diego Padres: Karsten Whitson, Chipley HS, RHP
10) Oakland As: Michael Choice, UT-Arlington, OF
11) Toronto Blue Jays: Deck McGuire, Georgia Tech, RHP
12) Cincinnati Reds: Yasmani Grandal, Miami, C
13) Chicago White Sox: Chris Sale, Florida Gulf Coast, LHP
14) Milwaukee Brewers: Dylan Covey, Marantha HS, RHP
15) Texas Rangers: Jake Skole, Blessed Trinity HS, OF

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We've presented mock drafts from a number of different writers and publishers and multiple versions of their mock drafts.  With just a few hours left before the draft, it is time for Baseball Rumor Mill's shot at a mock draft of tonight's first round.

1) Washington Nationals: Bryce Harper, College of Southern Nevada, C
Little left to say here as this pick is set in stone.

2) Pittsburgh Pirates: Jameson Taillon, The Woodlands, RHP
Multiple reports have the Pirates taking Taillon

3) Baltimore Orioles: Manny Machado, Brito HS, SS
This pick is down to Taillon or Machado, whomever Pittsburgh doesn't take

4) Kansas City Royals: Chris Sale, Florida Gulf Coast, LHP
Rumors about a pre-draft deal with Yasmani Grandal are falling apart.  The Royals have been rumored to want to keep costs down anyway, so Sale makes sense.

5) Cleveland Indians: Yasmani Grandal, Miami, C
If the rumors about the Indians upping the Royals offer are true, Grandal will go here.

6) Arizona Diamondbacks: Drew Pomeranz, Ole Miss, LHP
All reports have Pomeranz going here

7) New York Mets: Zack Cox, Arkansas, 3B
His rumored salary demands could send him tumbling, but the Mets have money and the big names have all gone in front of them.

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A few more last minute mock drafts to pass along in the hours ticking down before tonight's draft.  Frankie Piliere from AOL Fanhouse and Jonathan Mayo from mlb.com.

So what's interesting about their versions?

• Bryce Harper, Jameson Taillon, Manny Machado, Yasmani Grandal, Chris Sale and Drew Pomeranz go in order, #1 through #6 on both.  #1 through #3 seems fairly set in stone at this point, but Grandal to the Royals is anything but determined.  They've been rumored on Sale as well, so if they pass on Grandal, that'll affect the next 5-10 picks significantly.
• Mayo has the Reds taking Brett Eibner at #12.  Very high for the Arkansas product who has been left out of the first round of many mock drafts.
• Similarly, Piliere has the Reds taking OSU pitcher Alex Wimmers higher than expected at #12 too.  Wimmers has frequently been rumored to be headed to Minnesota at #21.  Mayo has Wimmers going #15 to Texas.

• Another new high placement is high school pitcher Jesse Biddle going to the Brewers at #14 according to Piliere.
• Piliere has the Red Sox taking LSU pitcher Anthony Ranaudo at #20, one of the most common rumors.  Mayo, does not, however, and goes with the second most common Red Sox rumor, Ball State 2B/OF Kolbrin Vitek.  Mayo does not have Ranaudo in the first round at all.
• Mayo has Arkansas third baseman Zack Cox going #7 to the Mets.  Pilere, however, supports our speculation that salary demands will send his draft stock tumbling and puts him at #22 to the Rangers.

Today will be filled with draft rumors, a lot of it coming from Twitter.  Let's see what's being said this morning.

• Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated suggests that it might not be a bad idea for the Nationals to take Bryce Harper's brother, Bryan Harper, at some point.  The elder Harper is not a day one draft pick, so if it were to happen, it would not be until tomorrow anyway, but he'll likely be drafted by someone.
• Baseball America's Jim Callis wonders about the rumors of Arkansas third baseman Zack Cox looking for Pedro Alvarez money.  Alvarez signed for $6.3M back in 2008.  I have to figure that'll drop Cox's draft position asking for so much money.

• Miami C Yasmani Grandal has been rumored to have agreed to a pre-draft deal with Kansas City at pick #4.  Frankie Piliere of MLB Fan House isn't positive the deal is finalized. 

Jonathan Mayo of mlb.com gives us his spin on how the first round of Monday's draft will play out.

1) Washington Nationals: Bryce Harper, College of Southern Nevada, C
2) Pittsburgh Pirates: Manny Machado, Brito HS, SS
3) Baltimore Orioles: Jameson Taillon, The Woodlands, RHP
4) Kansas City Royals: Chris Sale, Florida Gulf Coast, LHP
5) Cleveland Indians: Yasmani Grandal, Miami, C
6) Arizona Diamondbacks: Drew Pomeranz, Ole Miss, LHP
7) New York Mets: Michael Choice, UT-Arlington, OF
8) Houston Astros: Deck McGuire, Georgia Tech, RHP
9) San Diego Padres: Kolbrin Vitek, Ball State, 2B

10) Oakland As: Zack Cox, Arkansas, 3B
11) Toronto Blue Jays: Josh Sale, Bishop Blanchett HS, OF
12) Cincinnati Reds: Bryce Brentz, Middle Tennessee State, OF
13) Chicago White Sox: Barret Loux, Texas Tech, RHP
14) Milwaukee Brewers: Nick Castellanos, Archbishop McCarthy HS, 3B
15) Texas Rangers: Brandon Workman, Texas, RHP

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Keith Law of espn.com presents his most recent mock draft.  Here's his new take on the first round.

1) Washington Nationals: Bryce Harper, College of Southern Nevada, C
2) Pittsburgh Pirates: Jameson Taillon, The Woodlands, RHP
3) Baltimore Orioles: Manny Machado, Brito HS, SS
4) Kansas City Royals: Chris Sale, Florida Gulf Coast, LHP
5) Cleveland Indians: Drew Pomeranz, Ole Miss, LHP
6) Arizona Diamondbacks: Matt Harvey, UNC, RHP
7) New York Mets: Zack Cox, Arkansas, 3B
8) Houston Astros: Josh Sale, Bishop Blanchett HS, OF
9) San Diego Padres: Karsten Whitson, Chipley HS, RHP

10) Oakland As: Michael Choice, UT-Arlington, OF
11) Toronto Blue Jays: Christian Colon, Cal State Fullerton, SS
12) Cincinnati Reds: Yasmani Grandal, Miami, C
13) Chicago White Sox: Asher Wojciechowski, The Citadel, RHP
14) Milwaukee Brewers: Deck McGuire, Georgia Tech, RHP
15) Texas Rangers: Delino DeSheilds Jr., Woodward Park Academy, 2B

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On Wednesday Bryce Harper was ejected from College of Southern Nevada's game in the the Junior College World Series against San Jacinto State College, a game CSN eventually lost 10-8.  Harper received a two-game suspension for his antics and CSN was eliminated from the JCWS the following night by Iowa Western with Harper at the team hotel. 

Most feel that the ejection was unwarranted, though some point out that arguing balls and strikes is immediate grounds for ejection.  Realistically, players argue balls and strikes all the time and are not ejected, but Harper's actions were a bit beyond the normal player/umpire dispute. 

Nevertheless, were Harper's actions enough to warrant ejection and a two-game suspension, one that ultimately ended his amateur career?  You decide...

Bryce Harper Ejected