Is there any chance that Gausman does not sign?

[hoosiers]

Gausman went about where he was expected to go and should sign. IMO, based on signings so far (especially Zunino before him and Zimmer after), there should be every expectation that Gausman will provide a savings to slot - the question is how much?

The number of college kids that turn down $3+M in the mlb draft and head back to school is very few.

No one is taking advantage of Gausman if he has to sign for $3.5M or so and (while Gausman can do anything he likes) he would be a fool to turn down such a large amount of $. At the end of the day, while no one really cares how the negotiations went as long as the kid signs, it is disappointing it has reached this point and IMO it is likely most of the blame goes to Gausman's advisers.

[Roll Tide]

Update **********

9:15pm: Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun quotes Orioles scouting director Gary Rajsich (on Twitter) as saying that talks between the two sides are still progressing.

[Trackmaster]

I'd say that it's not looking good. Almost all of the other 1st round picks have signed, and the ones that haven't are rumored to go back next year. I'd say if a deal was going to be done, it would have been done already. Ironic that the main reason we drafted him was signability.

[Tony-OH]

The other thing to remember is that Gausman has a lot of innings on his arm already. The Orioles are in no rush to have him pitch much mroe this year so they are an advantageous position. Gausman will sign. This is all part of the process just like when Machado was tweeting openly with Harper about going to a JUCO and winning a championship.

[Justinlstn]

wasn't he supposed to be an easy sign?

[Frobby]

I'd say that it's not looking good. Almost all of the other 1st round picks have signed, and the ones that haven't are rumored to go back next year. I'd say if a deal was going to be done, it would have been done already. Ironic that the main reason we drafted him was signability.

I'm conditioned to this process taking until the deadline day. I'm not that nervous about this because I'm not as excited about Gausman as I was about Bundy, Machado and Wieters (all of whom signed in the final hour or two before the deadline).

[Can_of_corn]

wasn't he supposed to be an easy sign?

Compared to Appel and Giolito yes, other then that, no.

[Whammer]

I'm conditioned to this process taking until the deadline day. I'm not that nervous about this because I'm not as excited about Gausman as I was about Bundy, Machado and Wieters (all of whom signed in the final hour or two before the deadline).

Yeah - these kids need to come up with a new spin. Gausman really has little to no leverage. With the new rules in place, the days of wild spending for unproven draft picks is over.

Secondly, this kid is no Stephen Strasburg. Probably more like Tim Bascom. He'll toil in the minors for years and perhaps show some signs of promise here-and-there. Have a few setbacks along the way due to injuries. Maybe become a halfway decent MLB middle reliever one day. Whoop-te-do!

[whynot38]

From Rotoworld

LSU baseball coach Paul Mainieri said reports that No. 4 overall pick Kevin Gausman is returning to college for his junior season are "premature."

"Kevin is still in negotiations...any reports portraying his return to LSU as definite are premature," Mainieri said. Meanwhile, Orioles scouting director Gary Rajsich told the Baltimore Sun that the team and Gausman are "talking and it is progressing. We are making progress." In other words, it hardly appears to be a slam dunk that Gausman will return to LSU, as a previous New Orleans Times-Picayune report indicated

[Trackmaster]

I'm conditioned to this process taking until the deadline day. I'm not that nervous about this because I'm not as excited about Gausman as I was about Bundy, Machado and Wieters (all of whom signed in the final hour or two before the deadline).

But that was with the old rules. With the new slotting system, it looks like teams are able to ink players very early.

[Trackmaster]

Yeah - these kids need to come up with a new spin. Gausman really has little to no leverage. With the new rules in place, the days of wild spending for unproven draft picks is over.

Secondly, this kid is no Stephen Strasburg. Probably more like Tim Bascom. He'll toil in the minors for years and perhaps show some signs of promise here-and-there. Have a few setbacks along the way due to injuries. Maybe become a halfway decent MLB middle reliever one day. Whoop-te-do!

It looks like the rookie pools are pretty similar to what teams would spend in prior years. It's just that the money may be more spread out now. And the #1 overall pick has a 7 mil cap, how often do players really get more than that?

[Frobby]

But that was with the old rules. With the new slotting system, it looks like teams are able to ink players very early.

While it is certainly true that many of the top picks are signed this year, I still don't think that the delay means much. They are basically wrestling over $500k - $1mm and that's enough money to play a little chicken if the player and his agent are so disposed.

[Trackmaster]

I'd be alright with us taking the 75% fine, but I don't think this guy is worth forfeiting any future draft picks.

[Whammer]

It looks like the rookie pools are pretty similar to what teams would spend in prior years. It's just that the money may be more spread out now. And the #1 overall pick has a 7 mil cap, how often do players really get more than that?

Strasburg got $15.1M. Weiters was 5th overall pick and got $6M.

[Tony-OH]

I'm conditioned to this process taking until the deadline day. I'm not that nervous about this because I'm not as excited about Gausman as I was about Bundy, Machado and Wieters (all of whom signed in the final hour or two before the deadline).

This is where I am in this. I want Gausman to sign but from everything I've read he's not an impact guy like Bundy, Machado or Wieters. He'll sign and hopefully become a solid middle of the rotation starter,