Comments on: Across the Affiliates 06/29/07

By: Kevin (Fairfax)

Kevin (Fairfax) — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 12:54:46 +0000

De Los Santos played as high as Potomac last year, and Hagerstown this year. Hopefully clearing these pitchers means they expect to sign some of the remaining draft picks soon.

By: Freda

Freda — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 13:02:07 +0000

The Lake Monsters didn’t lose the game last night - they literally gave it away. Worst game of the season - by far.

By: NatsNation

NatsNation — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 13:15:39 +0000

Hi fellas. Photos up from Tuesday’s day game at Potomac over on my site.

By: Brian Oliver

Brian Oliver — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 13:15:46 +0000

Freda - How did Staudt and Pisker look?

By: Zach

Zach — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 15:27:15 +0000

Can someone explain to me why Bowden somehow thinks it is a good idea to write about his negotiations with Michael Burgess? Looking at the tone of the article, it sounds like Burgess will not sign or at the very least, will push the deadline.

By: Brian Oliver

Brian Oliver — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 15:41:37 +0000

Zach - I read the article as well and am trying to figure out what can be accomplished by it as well. It’s a posting I’m trying to get my head around right now.

By: Pilchard

Pilchard — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 15:42:18 +0000

Where can I find Bowden's piece on the negotiations with Burgess?

While my opinion may change after I read it, Burgess will sign IMO. Really hard to turn down close to 7 figures and go play for a crappy JUCO for a year. I understand the Burgess thinks he is a worth more than slot money, but there a long list of holdouts who totally torpedoed their careers by not signing when they were first drafted. The big money is in getting to the big leagues ASAP, and there is no guarantee Burgess will be in a better negotiating spot a year from now.

By: Freda

Freda — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 15:44:44 +0000

Brian - Staudt and Pisker looked great. Four innings of shut out ball. We just couldn’t get the bats working and get out of the hole we dug ourselves into the the first two innings. Kimball looked like he was just not focused. He has been lights out up until this point, but last night he looked like the Kimball of 2006. Umpiring figured heavily in the game as they blew several key calls.

By: Zach

Zach — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 15:55:19 +0000

It was in the Examiner.

Maybe if we're lucky, Burgess will never see it though that's just wishful thinking.

In fact, why is Bowden even writing for the Examiner? Aside from the risk of alienating key people, the Examiner is a Moonie Times rag.

Still, this is not exactly well thought out by Jimboy.

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 15:57:30 +0000

Re the GCL team, I thought Souza was a better athlete than Smolinski? Why was Souza at 3rd with Smolinski in left? Thanks

By: Brian Oliver

Brian Oliver — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 15:58:01 +0000

Here it is

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 16:13:08 +0000

I dont think it’s that bad of a column. Hes just showing how the process works, how they stated their case. I don’t think it had a very negative tone to it. And I thought Burgess was committed to ASU? How could he go to JUCO then?

By: Dick

Dick — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 16:26:07 +0000

If the Clippers game hadn’t been suspended, we could have had a perfect day with all of the farm teams! Regarding Jim’s article, I found it factual with no real implications on Burgess’ intentions. I don’t get the sense that he or his advisors have a clue what to do. It is clearly implied that they are disappointed he didn’t go higher but it is what it is. I think lots of these kids get disapointed when they don’t get picked as highly as they hope and then don’t know what to do.

By: Pilchard

Pilchard — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 16:26:51 +0000

When really highly regarded picks don’t sign with their MLB team they often bail on the D-1 commitment and go to JUCO because if a player goes to JUCO, he can be drafted the next June while heading to a D-1 school like ASU means no pro baseball for 3 years. In these situations, the D-1 school always lets the baseball player out of his LOI.

By: Alan

Alan — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 16:33:16 +0000

In the article, Bowden says this happened on Monday. Has he been seen since? Also, take a look at last week’s installment, in which he discusses the Vermont pitching staff.

By: Marcus

Marcus — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 18:14:01 +0000

I didn’t see the article as negative I saw it as him trying to show the fans how hard they are working to get these guys signed. It’ll be interesting if he actually stays down there till he signs cuz we shore do need another Big Bat in the farm.

By: Pilchard

Pilchard — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 18:38:06 +0000

Interesting that, in the article, Bowden called Burgess’s negotiating rep his agent. For Burgess to play college baseball at either JUCO or at the NCAA D-1 level, Burgess can not have an agent (which means Burgess signed an agent contract among other things). Burgess can have “an advisor”, but for GMs and those players that want to keep their amatuer status the difference between “agent” and “advisor” is huge as Burgess would lose a ton of leverage if he hired an agent rather than merely using an advisor to help with negotitions.

By: Brian James

Brian James — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 02:34:27 +0000

You are correct, technically there is a difference between agent and advisor, but for practical purposes it walks, talks, acts and takes its cut of your signing bonus like a duck.

He has an advisor to an agent, but Bowden isn't interested in the semantics.