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I have no clue as to what they're thinking here. Do they get into a lengthly negotiation like they did with Fields, do they try to sign him right away and if they do is it a short stint in the minors and maybe a second half callup or does he have to work his way through the system.

My choice, and thankfully for some of the dead weight they have at the MLB level it's not my choice, would be to get him signed and in Seattle as soon as possible. Immediately if not sooner.

jumanji wrote:I have no clue as to what they're thinking here. Do they get into a lengthly negotiation like they did with Fields, do they try to sign him right away and if they do is it a short stint in the minors and maybe a second half callup or does he have to work his way through the system.

My choice, and thankfully for some of the dead weight they have at the MLB level it's not my choice, would be to get him signed and in Seattle as soon as possible. Immediately if not sooner.

I agree.

Does anybody have any historical perspective on how Seattle has dealt with Boras in the past (I believe Boras represents Ackley, anyway)? Do we hate him right along with the rest of Major League Baseball, or have his shenanigans been largely kept out of the Pacific Northwest? Was A-Rod a Boras guy?

TTown wrote:Does anybody have any historical perspective on how Seattle has dealt with Boras in the past (I believe Boras represents Ackley, anyway)? Do we hate him right along with the rest of Major League Baseball, or have his shenanigans been largely kept out of the Pacific Northwest? Was A-Rod a Boras guy?

Boras goes way back with the Ms, all the way to Jason Varitek if i'm not mistaken. Not sure if Alex had Boras out of highschool but Alex wanted to get to the bigs right away and sigining wasnt a problem.

Last year Boras did play hardball with the Ms with Joshua Fields out of Georgia. Supposedly the two sides were a half a mil apart and Fields didnt get on the field at all last year, i think he signed over the winter.

Ackley i believe would be a guy you could get in uniform right away. The number of games he's played at a high level in college has to be at least on a par with double A ball. Someone mentioned Mark Texeira money (out of college) so there may be something to go by.

My guess is they drag their feet and he probably doesnt see Safeco this year and he ends up going to spring training with the team. I hope i'm wrong but i just dont see the urgency there.

jumanji wrote:My guess is they drag their feet and he probably doesnt see Safeco this year and he ends up going to spring training with the team. I hope i'm wrong but i just dont see the urgency there.

I don't think it's even a remote possibility that he sees the majors this year even if he is signed quickly.

For the rest of 2009, all he can play is first base, and there's no need for him there in the majors. He needs some time to develop in the outfield, and unfortunately that needs to happen in the minors in 2010. At the moment I don't think he'll be able to drive the ball very well with a wooden bat, either. Best-case scenario is he breaks camp in the lineup for 2011 (maybe after a September call-up in 2010). I wouldn't be surprised if he comes up to the majors for good at about this time of year in 2011, about the same time (and for the same reasons) David Price and Matt Wieters are just now coming up.

Ex-hippie wrote:For the rest of 2009, all he can play is first base, and there's no need for him there in the majors. He needs some time to develop in the outfield, and unfortunately that needs to happen in the minors in 2010. At the moment I don't think he'll be able to drive the ball very well with a wooden bat, either. Best-case scenario is he breaks camp in the lineup for 2011 (maybe after a September call-up in 2010). I wouldn't be surprised if he comes up to the majors for good at about this time of year in 2011, about the same time (and for the same reasons) David Price and Matt Wieters are just now coming up.

First off he could play LF tomorrow and hold his own, keep in mind Manny Ramierz is a left fielder.As for the wooden bats he had no problem driving the ball in the Cape Cod league where he starred. He's not Ryan Howard think more Chase Utley.

What you say about his timetable may be prophetic, i made the thread with a question in mind as i dont know what they have in mind for him. All i can say is if one of the best hitters in the history of college ball cant get on the field for this team then who can..

I keep hearing about the Aug 17 deadline. Again, I'm a novice when it comes to the Draft. Do the M's need to strike a deal at the 11th hour, or are there plenty of ways to sign Ackley after the 17th? I know we signed Fields last February.

There is 0% chance Ackley doesn't get signed. There's also 0% chance he gets signed anytime earlier then 5 minutes before the deadline. Keith Law was talking about how in negotiations with Boras, he will NEVER give you a number for what he wants (for draft picks). So, the teams never know if they're actually close or not. Boras will not let his clients sign before the deadline, there is nothing we could have done to get Ackley in here. It sucks, but that's what happens. That's why some people choose NOT to sign with Boras.

Ackley wouldn't come up in the majors this year, even if he COULD hit there (which I think he could, but that's not the point), it would likely hurt the kids confidence if he went like 1-30 over that stretch. Let him adjust to the game.

We signed Fields in February because he was a college Senior, he had no more options. We held his rights, whereas Ackley was only a junior, therefore if we don't sign him he can go back to UNC for a year. He holds all the cards, whereas with Fields (and all Srs) we did.

Ackley will be a September call up next season, and probably be on the roster for 2011, and get excited because that is still a very quick time line.

We're talking a great hitter who excelled at a high level (ACC,Ncaa tournament and Cape Cod league) let's see what he does in spring training and if he looks the part get him up by the All Star break. At that time Lopez may be moved to another position or traded and Branyon might be ready to DH. He'll get signed.

TTown wrote:I keep hearing about the Aug 17 deadline. Again, I'm a novice when it comes to the Draft. Do the M's need to strike a deal at the 11th hour, or are there plenty of ways to sign Ackley after the 17th? I know we signed Fields last February.

As mentioned, Fields was a college senior. There was really no where else for him to go. Ackley is only a junior so if he and Boras don't get an offer they like Ackley has the option of going back to college for his senior year.

Although he could run into a big problem there as his bonus, whatever it is this year is likely to be higher than what he's offered as a senior.