First Round Pick

[Gunther]

Here is the Hoynes article. Nice bit about Bob Feller at the end:

Agreement with top pick Alex White came with two minutes to spare: Indians Insider
by Paul Hoynes/Plain Dealer Reporter
Tuesday August 18, 2009, 9:19 PM

Sara D. White/Associated Press


Alex White's desire to get a chance to be a starter for the Indians was granted by the team as negotiations went to the final minutes Monday night.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians signed No.1 pick Alex White with time to spare. Two minutes, to be exact.

Chris Antonetti said he reached a deal with agent Keith Grunewald at 11:58 p.m. Monday. The signing deadline was midnight and the commissioner's office had to be informed with a time-stamped e-mail.

The Indians signed White, the 15th player taken in the first round, for $2.25 million. MLB's slotting bonus for that pick is an estimated $1.55 million. The Indians got the deal done by raising their offer late in the negotiations.

As a perk, White was invited to big-league camp next spring in Goodyear, Ariz.

White, who turns 21 on Aug. 29, went 8-4 with a 3.89 ERA for North Carolina this year. He made one start in the College World Series, allowing one run and striking out 12 in nine innings in a loss to Arizona State. He threw 131 pitches in the game.

GM Mark Shapiro said White won't pitch in the minors this season, but will participate in the Indians' Arizona Instructional League in September. He could play in the Arizona Fall League.

Shapiro speculated that White could be in the big leagues sometime in 2011.

"He gives us a 10th pitcher that we've infused into our system," said Shapiro.

The first nine pitchers Shapiro was referring to were acquired in a series of trades starting in late June. The pitchers include Chris Perez, Jess Todd, Connor Graham, Scott Barnes, Carlos Carrasco, Jason Knapp, Justin Masterson, Nick Hagadone and Bryan Price. Perez, Todd and Masterson are already in the big leagues.

"Alex is one of toughest kids I've ever coached," said Mike Fox, the Tar Heels' head baseball coach. "He's a competitor, he's committed and he's confident. He's ready to go pro. He's done all he can for us here."

White went 27-14 in 55 appearances, including 49 starts, at North Carolina. The Indians will initially look at him as a starter, but he could end up in the bullpen.

"I think his preference is to start," said Fox, "but he has the mentality to be a reliever. A couple of years ago in the College World Series we brought him out of the bullpen and he was very effective."

The Indians usually let their top pitching prospects start in the minors. They feel it helps them develop their pitches and mechanics.

"We want to keep both options open with Alex," said Shapiro. "The only way to do that is to let him start."

White throws a fastball, slider and split.

"He gets stronger as the game goes along," said Fox. "At the end of his starts this year he was throwing 93 to 94 mph."

What might have been: In light of Washington signing Stephen Strasburg, the No.1 pick in the June draft, for $15.1 million, Hall of Famer Bob Feller was asked what he might have signed for if he was eligible for the draft.

"Remember, I was still in high school," said Feller. "I probably would have signed for between $5 million and $10 million. Then I would went on the disabled list and gone back home to Iowa."

Feller, 17, pitched 14 games for the Indians at the end of the 1936 season. Then he went back to Van Meter, Iowa, and graduated with his senior class.

"The Indians paid me $175 a week," said Feller. "At the end of the year, they gave me a $10,000 bonus to help pay for my dad's surgery."

Feller won 266 games in his career and threw three no-hitters.

http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2009/08/agreement_with_top_pick_alex_w.html

 

[PIP]

Those older guys that were talented have to be about as bitter as you can get... They had all this talent, worked the same occupation as the current guys do, and most of them live in a 3 bedroom bungalow..

 

[RationalChoices]

if you put me in that situation I take 1.9 million run to whatever team they want me to go to and work my ass off, because its the 2nd and 3rd contracts that are going to make him the big money.

we are talking about almost 2 MILLION DOLLARS. there is not a person on this board that wouldnt shit themselves for the chance to have that amount. every single one of us would take it and run and if you wouldnt you are flat out lying to yourself.

also there are two VERY GOOD reasons to take the money this year. first there is absolutely no guarantee that white is going to go any higher next year. He is projected to be a closer, he is going to be a year older, and if he gets injured he is screwed (all reasons to drop not go up in the draft). The second and most importantly even if he does go higher there is nothing that says he will make as much, in fact the argument could be made he could make less because he doesnt have a whole lot of good options after next year if he doesnt.

sorry but 95% of the time holding out hurts the player more than it helps them.

THE GDP per capita of Bangladesh is about 500 dollars. Most people from Bangladesh would probably be excited to make 6 dollars an hour. There are differences in scale between the two situations but you can't, in general, fault someone for trying to maximize what they receive for their labor.

 

[bob2the2nd]

THE GDP per capita of Bangladesh is about 500 dollars. Most people from Bangladesh would probably be excited to make 6 dollars an hour. There are differences in scale between the two situations but you can't, in general, fault someone for trying to maximize what they receive for their labor.

if it has the chance to cost them almost everything, then yes you can, its called being greedy.


thankfully however the indians and white were able to come to an agreement, and yes i will cheer for him every step of the way.