Given that the Giants have two Round One draft picks unsigned - Bumgarner and Fairley - I thought I would report on rumors on other picks.
Boras Is Playing Hardball
He doesn't apply to us but he is the agent for a number of players still unsigned. Here are his unsigned prospects: Mike Moustakas, Matt Weiters, Rick Porcello, Andrew Brackman, Julio Borbon, Josh Fields, Matt Harvey, Jake Arrieta, and Kantrail Davis.
He appears to be playing by fear. I have seen two recent reports on his negotiating tactics with #2 overall Mike Moustakas and third-rounder Matt Harvey: the teams have made several tries at communications but there has been no or virtually no communication between the teams and their picks. "They've had absolutely no interest in talking to us."
Giants Thoughts
Perhaps that's what is delaying negotiations with Bumgarner and Fairley, their agents are following Boras's lead and waiting until the last minute to negotiate. It is not like Bumgarner is affected much by Boras's players, only Wieters is near him in the draft, at #5, but Madison is all the way back at #10. He is probably more affected by the fact that the guy ahead of him and the two after are unsigned as well plus another one two after that in Heyward.
Fairley is affected by Porcello two ahead of him, and Brackman right behind him. Plus the next guy, Smoker is unsigned as well and Revere signed for low money ahead of him. But still, averaging out the players signed ahead and behind him, he should be getting around $1.05M, so what is the hangup, does he want Top 15 money?
I read this morning that before the draft Bumgarner's people were telling everyone that he wanted "Clayton Kershaw Money" which means 2.3 million.
ReplyDeleteBumgarner's slot is around 1.8 million and I think he should get slot price. The Giants have reportedly no desire to go over slot and Kevin Goldstein from BP thinks that Bumgarner should settle for his slot price because he's not going to be able to improve his draft position by going to JC. Why risk the injury for just a "measly" 500 grand? The extra 500k he's looking for isn't really worth it.
Also, the Giants expected Fairley to sign quickly because most had Fairley going outside for the 1st round but sources say once Fairley was drafted in the 1st round he wanted to be paid like one. I've heard that the Giants have upped their offer to 900K and they think Fairley will sign somewhere in the neighborhood of that figure.
Thanks for the info, Chris, greatly appreciated!
ReplyDeleteThe Giants have not shown a problem in the past in giving their first round draft picks higher bonuses. So it would not surprise me if they go above slot for Bumgarner, just not above what Lincecum got. As a negotiating position, you have to say you have no desire to go above, otherwise you open Pandora's box.
I can see Bumgarner getting a little more than slot, somewhere around $1.85-1.90M, for that reason.
Besides, Kershaw is a negoatiating position too, he was selected 7th last year, much ahead of Bumgarner, so you have to reach high and meet the team in the middle somewhere hopefully above slot since you should at least hope to get slot.
In Fairley's case, again, as I noted, he's not going to turn down that much money given his "rough" background as I read in one description. He just wants what he feels he is owed. I think that Fairley will want $1M - round number and all that - so it could go to the last minute with him too and I think it'll be closer to that figure than $900K, no extra insights, just my gut talking.
Though technically, I think $900K is basically $1M if you add the $100K the Giants give to each top draft pick thus far to cover college, so I now think $900K makes more sense, but only because in total it will be at $1M.
Thanks again, I greatly appreciate this info.
No problem-o Martin,
ReplyDeleteI had just read the article before browsing your site this morning. I hope they can get Bumgarner and Fairley signed.
Out of the two, I'm most excited about Bumgarner. If he can develop a solid secondary pitch he could turn into something nice.