Deadline for signing draft picks approaching ← FREE KRAUT!

Deadline for signing draft picks approaching 79

Haven’t heard much news on the A’s progress toward signing Grant Green and Max Stassi, so I did a little snooping.

Update: Kevin Goldstein reports that the A’s have agreed to terms with Max Stassi. It was on Twitter, so it must be true.
August 14:

“We’ve talked to the agents for Green and Stassi and Krol just about every day this week,” assistant general manager David Forst said. “There’s still a gap on each guy, but no reason not to be confident we’ll get something done by Monday.”

Negotiations with Green and agent Scott Boras weren’t expected to be easy. The recommended salary slot for this year’s 13th pick is $1,656,000, according to Baseball America. Major League Baseball establishes those limits but has no authority to enforce them, and several lower-round selections have already landed above-slot bonuses.

Many considered Stassi a first-round talent, but concerns about his signability played a part in him dropping to the fourth round.

Stassi’s father told the Marysville Appeal-Democrat earlier this week that the A’s made what was comparable to a first-round offer, and that Stassi was leaning toward going pro.

This appears to be the last report filed about the process.

It sounds like the A’s should get these guys signed.  I’ll pretty disappointed if we don’t get Stassi, and I’ll be very upset if we don’t get Green.

Also, did you see the size of Geren’s balls as he got himself thrown out of the game yesterday?  Holy crap.  His locus of control was fuckin’ sweet.  Pretty much willed MaEl’s liner over the fence in the bottom of the ninth.  If only the A’s had listened to the recommendations of their consulting phrenologists in April, this team could be in contention.  Next year I hope the A’s perform trepanations genital mutilations on all their players during spring training.

79 thoughts on “Deadline for signing draft picks approaching

  1. andeux Aug 17,2009 9:35 am

    The Locusts of Control would be a good band name.
    The Day of the Locus of Control would be a good name for a novel about the psychology of Hollywood.
    The Low Kiss of Control would be a good title for a fetish porn flick.

    TINSTAAFK
    • monkeyball Aug 17,2009 9:39 am || Up

      Pitchers keeping the ball below Jack’s happy zone: the low Cust of control

      you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
      • monkeyball Aug 17,2009 9:40 am || Up

        (that can also describe Jack’s salary situation until next year)

        you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
    • FreeSeatUpgrade Aug 17,2009 9:45 am || Up

      Lo, Kissoff Control! could be the long-awaited sequel to Dr. Strangelove.

      "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    • monkeyball Aug 17,2009 10:17 am || Up

      A certain Bay Area filmmaker is known for his Draconian measures to embargo still images before release: Lucas tif control

      you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
    • salb918 Aug 17,2009 10:19 am || Up

      When you use the technique to start the season over: Locus of ctrl-alt-del

  2. monkeyball Aug 17,2009 9:59 am

    Christ, what a Stassi-Krol

    you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
  3. salb918 Aug 17,2009 10:12 am

    Rajai Davis has a .801 OPS.
    Mark Ellis OPS+: 103
    Nomar’s OPS (.666) is higher than Bobby Crosby’s (.665)
    Mike Wuertz has only gotten more awesome

    • nevermoor Aug 17,2009 10:34 am || Up

      The scatter plots are not the worlds best proof of his point.

      "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    • andeux Aug 17,2009 11:05 am || Up

      Nomar’s OPS is lower than Jason Giambi’s (.697) and Nomar is at least as limited defensively (last played 1B July 23, last played 3B April 28).

      TINSTAAFK
  4. monkeyball Aug 17,2009 10:48 am

    pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease

    With Tomko on a limited pitch count, the A’s are likely to stick with an eight-man bullpen. A position player would have to be removed from the 25-man roster, and one major-league source told The Chronicle on Sunday that the team was considering releasing Nomar Garciaparra today. According to an A’s source, that is not something the team is considering – at least not yet.

    you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
    • monkeyball Aug 17,2009 11:07 am || Up

      And: does that mean they’re considering considering it?

      you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
      • nevermoor Aug 17,2009 12:13 pm || Up

        Considerately, at least.

        "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
      • green star oakland Aug 17,2009 2:44 pm || Up

        On the verge.

        If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
  5. monkeyball Aug 17,2009 11:35 am

    So I guess this person is in favor of a Brazilian-style plan.

    you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
  6. monkeyball Aug 17,2009 11:38 am

    I think this must be Beane getting rid of some now-unnecessary equipment.

    you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
  7. monkeyball Aug 17,2009 11:50 am
    you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
  8. monkeyball Aug 17,2009 12:02 pm

    Saint … Bavoon?

    you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
  9. monkeyball Aug 17,2009 12:17 pm

    Sweet Ba’al Almighty, I didn’t even think about this. Talk about worse than doing nothing at all …

    you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
    • nevermoor Aug 17,2009 12:49 pm || Up

      It’s a good point. I’m also not certain that the public option is actually dead.

      "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
      • monkeyball Aug 17,2009 12:50 pm || Up

        Yeah, 8-ball says signs are unclear.

        you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
    • JediLeroy Aug 17,2009 3:50 pm || Up

      health care should be paid for by higher taxes on the wealthy scumbags who are the only ones winning in this godforsaken economy anymore

      Not even touching his actual argument, what the hell’s up with the positive “anymore” usage these days anymore?

      az di bobe volt gehat beytsim volt zi geven mayn zeyde
  10. monkeyball Aug 17,2009 12:20 pm
    you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
  11. monkeyball Aug 17,2009 12:43 pm

    Jeez. OK, since I’m usually the cop-basher hereabouts, here’s a cheer for some genuinely positive work.

    you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
  12. monkeyball Aug 17,2009 12:51 pm

    Fuckin’-a, is this a stupid, stupid, stupid name/brand for this initiative/organization.

    you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
    • nevermoor Aug 17,2009 12:56 pm || Up

      Meh.

      If every slogan had to be stress tested against potential opposition snark there’d be nothing left. In some ways coopting things like that makes it harder for the anti- side.

      "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
      • monkeyball Aug 17,2009 1:06 pm || Up

        I’m not talking potential oppo snark — I’m talking a fundamental and disturbing misapprehension of the program’s essence.

        It sounds like a battered-spouse program. The types of people involved with this program should know better.

        you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
        • nevermoor Aug 17,2009 1:30 pm || Up

          Color me unconcerned.

          Person A: What do you think of local personality P?
          Person B: She’s awesome. She should run for office.

          "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
          • monkeyball Aug 17,2009 1:32 pm || Up

            “Hi, Ms. Big Liberal Fundraiser person. I’m calling to ask you to cut a check to …”

            you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
            • nevermoor Aug 17,2009 1:39 pm || Up

              “… the campaign of Ms. P, who we identified via our ‘She Should Run’ program.”

              "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
  13. salb918 Aug 17,2009 1:03 pm

    “Underwear is a necessity,” Denby says. “So why not wear the most stylish, best fitting and sustainable pair possible and give back to organizations dedicated to positive change?”

    Because $25 is way too fuckin’ much for underwear?

    • monkeyball Aug 17,2009 1:08 pm || Up

      1. As overpriced “necessities” go, those aren’t really all that overpriced (especially for the types who would consider buying such a thing)
      2. Again, who the fuck are all these bloggers at sfgate?

      you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
      • salb918 Aug 17,2009 1:21 pm || Up

        1. I’m sorry, but my underwear price point is lower than that. Then again, I hate both forests and social causes, too.
        2. You didn’t fill out an application?

        • monkeyball Aug 17,2009 1:28 pm || Up

          2. Oo, big smartypants-looking-down-on-menial-shitty-laborers FAIL: you simply can’t misspell “Qantas” in such a context.

          you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
          • salb918 Aug 17,2009 1:38 pm || Up

            ooh burn!

          • nevermoor Aug 17,2009 1:39 pm || Up

            Yeah, I found that much more disturbing than funny.

            "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
        • nevermoor Aug 17,2009 1:35 pm || Up

          $20-$27 is actually right in the designer boxer price range.

          I’d much rather people buy from PACT than, say, Burberry.

          "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
          • monkeyball Aug 17,2009 1:38 pm || Up

            Reduce (commando!), Reuse (don’t throw away the ones worn out in the seat!), Recycle (Goodwill!)

            you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
            • Leopold Bloom Aug 17,2009 7:01 pm || Up

              I’m not buying/wearing used underwear Monkey, regardless of how Earth-friendly it may be. The days of me wearing someone else’s underwear are over. And never without getting paid.

          • salb918 Aug 17,2009 1:40 pm || Up

            holy crap, I’m missing out on a huge world of overpriced undergarments. I had no idea.

            • monkeyball Aug 17,2009 1:46 pm || Up

              {snerk}

              “holy crap”

              you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
        • monkeyball Aug 17,2009 1:36 pm || Up

          2. Also: dollars to donuts whoever wrote that also sits on their ass all day long

          you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
          • salb918 Aug 17,2009 1:39 pm || Up

            uh…that’s like the definition of snark.

    • batgirl Aug 17,2009 1:38 pm || Up

      Given the the glut of ill-fitting undies in the marketplace, I’m not sold on how “fail proof” buying underwear on the internet would be.

  14. monkeyball Aug 17,2009 1:35 pm
    you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
  15. salb918 Aug 17,2009 1:52 pm

    UC to borrow money, loan it to state:

    Talk about creative financing. The cash-strapped University of California plans to loan $200 million to the even more cash-strapped State of California so that—get this—the state can give the money back to UC.

    Here’s how we got to this crazy place: First, California’s enormous budget deficit sent the state’s credit rating into a death spiral and prompted massive cuts to a vast array of state-funded enterprises, including UC. The state cut UC’s budget by $813 million, prompting the university to raise student fees, furlough faculty and enact a range of other painful cost-cutting measures. But as bad as things are for UC, the university has managed to maintain a better credit rating than the state. Which means it can borrow money at a low interest rate and loan it to the state at a somewhat higher rate.

    • monkeyball Aug 17,2009 1:57 pm || Up

      Wow.

      you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
    • nevermoor Aug 17,2009 2:11 pm || Up

      This is a sign of the apocalypse.

      "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    • Ice Cream Aug 17,2009 5:10 pm || Up

      I don’t like articles about loans. If you could refrain from posting these in the future, I depreciate it.

      Where is the good in "good-bye"?
    • AsFanInLA Aug 17,2009 11:46 pm || Up

      Slightly off topic, but no surprise that this article only mentions the rise in student fees and the faculty furloughs. Fails to mention the staff that are taking the furlough pay cuts right alongside the faculty. Guess our sacrifices are not as newsworthy.

      • salb918 Aug 18,2009 4:32 am || Up

        It’s even less of a surprise when you consider that the source is an academic publication.

      • monkeyball Aug 18,2009 5:37 am || Up

        And, of course, anyone working on a federal grant legally can’t have (the federal portion of) their salary cut.

        you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
  16. salb918 Aug 17,2009 3:11 pm

    Public schools: lender of last resort.

    or

    Next stop: IMF.

  17. nevermoor Aug 17,2009 3:11 pm

    Dana Eveland got screwed.

    Of course, the reflexive reaction to this article is “OMG robot umps now!” Actually, though, I think it supports my view (shocker, I know) that switching to robot umps would be an unmitigated disaster. If 21.7% of called strikes suddenly became balls, pitchers would riot. Similarly, if all those balls in the corner of the strike zone were called strikes, hitters would riot. In short, there would be much rioting and little rejoicing.

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    • monkeyball Aug 17,2009 3:35 pm || Up

      Whoa whoa whoa (emphasis added):

      Than I used the official major league horizontal zone (17 inches) and added two inches of leeway to each side.

      you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
      • nevermoor Aug 17,2009 3:40 pm || Up

        See, e.g., width of a baseball. The plate is 17 inches across, and a ball doesn’t need to be entirely inside it. Theoretically, a ball recorded at 1.5 inches outside (center of mass) is nicking the edge.

        "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
  18. monkeyball Aug 17,2009 3:52 pm
    you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
    • JediLeroy Aug 17,2009 4:01 pm || Up

      Oh Noodles, we hardly knew thee.

      az di bobe volt gehat beytsim volt zi geven mayn zeyde
    • nevermoor Aug 17,2009 4:26 pm || Up

      Way worse than a Nomar DFA

      "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
      • monkeyball Aug 17,2009 4:33 pm || Up

        Meh, not really. Cunningham wasn’t going to get any real playing time — no one who takes that roster spot will. Nomar isn’t “blocking” anyone.

        you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
  19. JediLeroy Aug 17,2009 4:12 pm

    National League baseball is like the NFL to me.

    Mark Reynolds hit his 38th homer of the year today. Wait, who the hell is Mark Reynolds?

    az di bobe volt gehat beytsim volt zi geven mayn zeyde
  20. monkeyball Aug 17,2009 5:47 pm

    This is just chock-full of priceless details.

    you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
    • JediLeroy Aug 17,2009 6:26 pm || Up

      I read that as “Military Euthanists”

      az di bobe volt gehat beytsim volt zi geven mayn zeyde
  21. monkeyball Aug 17,2009 5:54 pm

    This explains how Rajai has managed to stay on the roster all season:

    “He was moving around too fast”

    you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
    • lenscrafters Aug 18,2009 2:27 am || Up

      The sixth comment made me laugh:

      Players on the 40 Man and even 25 Man roster might not hear from the organization at all during the off season. Not a ‘Happy Hollidays’ card in the mail, not a phone call to check in on their workouts. Nothing.

  22. Poppy Aug 17,2009 8:23 pm
    There's a wild thing in the woolshed and it's keeping me awake at night.
    • Poppy Aug 18,2009 12:45 pm || Up

      Answer: It’s not that I missed a link, it’s that everyone just doesn’t care.

      There's a wild thing in the woolshed and it's keeping me awake at night.
      • nevermoor Aug 18,2009 12:54 pm || Up

        I didn’t know this:

        Ellis, a member of the A’s since 2002, became the first second baseman in A’s history to go 5-for-5

        "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
      • batgirl Aug 18,2009 1:10 pm || Up

        No, I do care! I really do care! I got an email about it from the A’s and I was going to post a link and everything. But then I forgot!

        • Poppy Aug 18,2009 1:23 pm || Up

          I understand. I guess Mark isn’t drafty or statty enough. {sniff}

          There's a wild thing in the woolshed and it's keeping me awake at night.
      • monkeyball Aug 18,2009 1:36 pm || Up

        I care about the PotW only slightly more than I care about the ASG and postseason awards.

        you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
  23. salb918 Aug 17,2009 8:24 pm

    A’s sign Ian Krol, according to Fosse and Kuiper.
    Yay!

  24. nevermoor Aug 18,2009 1:57 pm
    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"

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