D-Backs view Aug. 30 as deadline to sign Upton

[777rak]

Justin Upton, the first player chosen in the June baseball draft, might be about to make history -- but not on a baseball field.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2132740


Gosh I so hope we sign him.

[Cardinal Optimist]

Were going to sign him, guranteed.

[777rak]

Cool thankx for the reply, I was getting a bit worried. btw if he has where has he been you know practicing? Let me know if you dont know what I mean.

[Cardinal Optimist]

He signed with a Junior College team. Because he signed with them we can still sign him until next draft because of the "Sign and Follow" rule.

[777rak]

Ah ok cool thankx for the info. Rep+

[CrazyEights]

Upton asking for record bonus
By Jack Magruder, Tribune
August 13, 2005

ATLANTA - Justin Upton’s asking price just went up. Way up.
Upton, the No. 1 pick in the 2005 June draft, has asked Arizona for a $6.25 million bonus, according to sources with knowledge of the negotiations.

That would be the largest bonus in the history of the amateur draft, and a price the D-Backs seem unwilling to meet.

"We have nothing to talk about with him,’’ one high-ranking D-Backs official said Friday.

The camps have talked about meeting again before Aug. 30, when the D-Backs would like to get a deal done.

"But at this point, I wouldn’t characterize our feelings as optimistic,’’ D-Backs general partner Jeff Moorad said.

The D-Backs’ last offer is believed to be about $4.7 million, sources said.

"We’re not inclined to leave it on the table forever,’’ Moorad said.

Catcher Jeff Clement, the third pick in the draft, signed two weeks ago for a $3.4 million bonus.

Tampa Bay gave Delmon Young a $5.8 million package with a major league contract when he was the first player taken in 2003.

If negotiations are not resolved, Upton could enroll at a North Carolina junior college in lieu of accepting a scholarship at North Carolina State, where he has signed a national letter of intent.

That would work in the D-Backs’ favor, since according to baseball rules a team can negotiate with a junior college player until the week before the 2006 draft. Once a player attends a class at a four-year school, he cannot sign.

It is the same scenario that played out with Stephen Drew after the D-Backs took him with the 15th pick of the first round in 2004 but did not sign him to a $5.5 million guaranteed major league contract until 15 minutes before they would have lost his rights on May 31.

High school shortstop Matt Bush, the first player taken in 2004, signed for $3.15 million, but the Upton camp considers the Drew deal the most comparable because they believe that Drew in 2004, like Upton this year, was the best position player available in his draft.

The D-Backs consider the cases dissimilar because Upton is a 17-year-old high school player and Drew spent three years at Florida State.

[awefullspellare]

They will get him. They can't waste that pick and they will give him money he will probably end up deserving.

[777rak]

So Co(CardinalOptimist, Im going to start calling you that if you dont ok?) I belive you told me when we sign him he is going to go to rookie ball, is that correct?