Jordan still waiting on Big Three, agrees to terms with McCracken
Orioles Director of Amateur Scouting Joe Jordan has a flight from Los Angeles back to Oklahoma today after he was in California to scout the Area Code Games.
Jordan said that the club remains in negotiations with top-pick Dylan Bundy, second-rounder Jason Esposito and sixth-rounder Nick Delmonico, but "nothing has changed" in regards to their status. The Orioles have until midnight Monday to sign their 2011 draft picks.
"We’re working on it and we’re trying to make our points, but you have to have a willingness to get something done on both sides right now and that may not be until Monday," Jordan said. "That’s the way it is. There are things going on. We’re working on it. I wish I had a whole lot to give you, but there's really not much I can say."
Jordan will likely talk to Bundy's camp later today and tomorrow, but as expected, it would be very surprising if anything gets done there too much before Monday's deadline. At this point, Delmonico is planning to play for the University of Georgia. The Orioles would have to throw an awful lot of money at the catcher/third baseman to get him to change his mind, but they still have hopes of signing him.
Jordan, meanwhile, has expressed some frustration about an inability to get a deal done with Esposito, the third baseman out of Vanderbilt.
The Orioles did agree to terms earlier this week with 42nd-rounder Jason McCracken, a right-handed pitcher out of Poway, Calif. McCracken, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound 19-year-old, signed a 2012 contract. That means that while he'll report to Sarasota, he'll just work out with the club and he won't be activated to the roster because it's so late in the season.
McCracken's signing means the Orioles have agreed to terms with 18 of their 50 picks.
A Baltimore native, 
Comments
How Joe Jordan manages to continue to collect a paycheck is beyond me.
Posted by: Groundskeeper | August 10, 2011 1:09 PM
Why do the draft picks "throw away a year of ball" ? Almost NONE of them ever become impact players. If they don't want to play forget about them. Next year draft players who WANT TO PLAY BALL!
Posted by: Albany BOB | August 10, 2011 1:11 PM
Make it rain on Delmonico!
If he signs that makes this a great draft class.
Posted by: Noah | August 10, 2011 1:27 PM
Joe, we feel your pain. It is obvious that Angelos and Andy have given you an allowance to spend and not a penny more. After all, what do we need these guys for? Our farm system is just bubbling over with prospects.
If I was Dylan Bundy's Dad, I wouldn't let my son sign with this organization for 50 million.
Posted by: Gil | August 10, 2011 1:41 PM
why would any one want to sign up to be an oriole when all they do is lose
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Jeff Z's reply: $6 million for an 18-year-old might help.
Posted by: fleein florida | August 10, 2011 3:17 PM
Please guys, do you ever do anything other than b_tch. Jeff has explained the draft signing process several times. Research will help shape this argument: The Boston RS have signed none of their top 5 and only 2 of their top 10. (0/5 & 2/10). The NY Yankees are 2/5 & 5/10. Tampa is 2/5. Minn is 2/5. LAA is 3/5. Orioles are 2/5 and 7/10. TX is 7/10.
Looks like Jordan has the Orioles's near the top in the signings.
Learn more or just admit you do not care to be correct or informative. Your grade D-.
Posted by: westanchor | August 10, 2011 3:56 PM
18 out of 50 = .360 isn't that close to our win pct.
Posted by: roy#1 | August 10, 2011 4:14 PM
Is it true that the Orioles have fewer minor leage outlets than others in baseball and that we could not actually even sign all our draft picks if we wanted to because there aren't enough slots for them?
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Jeff Z's reply: No organization in baseball signs all their draft picks.
Posted by: Chris | August 10, 2011 4:16 PM
Jeff-
Something that hasn't been addressed publicly was that the Orioles stopped working with 2 minor league affiliates and 'hoped' to sign a max of 25 of 50 draft picks.
Why would we drop 2 clubs and sign such a low number of draft picks? I mean, don't the law of averages say that the more talent we have to develop the better our chances are of having impact players on the farm. I just don't understand this nor our lack of scouting and development in the Latin American countries. Almost every top team in the majors now has a fair number of Latino players, sometimes it sounds like Tele Novela in the clubhouse. Yet, we have almost no impact Latin players unless you count Simon, Vlad or Pie. Angelos needs to realize the times have changed and the club will never compete without developing this area of the country.
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Jeff Z's reply: because the Orioles don't have enough quality players to warrant needing those two teams. Why on Earth would you need to carry two Dominican teams when you have no Dominican players coming up here and making an impact? It's a waste of time and resources. They had evaluators go down to Dominican and they determined there is barely enough talent to warrant one team. They didn't need two. They didn't need another short-season Rookie League team with Aberdeen in existence either .
Posted by: Keir Richter | August 10, 2011 5:52 PM
Do you really believe that there is not enough talent down there to warrant any more resources? If so, then explain why almost 2/3 the league have committed to developing talen in Latin America. How in the world can either more team affiliates or signing more draft picks hurt us in the long run other than the financial committment? I have heard for a number of years, from within the front office of the team that the real reason is the lack of committment to developing the talent stems directly from the top and nothing us. In fact, under Flannie and Jim they pushed for more economic resources to develop that area of the world and were declined by the owner.
The don't have enough quality players because they do not have the number of players in the minors but not because the talent isn't there. Its just not in our organization and that is a problem. If we had that second affiliate the more ability to sign those players than possibly they could develop more of these players. But without the possibility of another team or signing more players the chances are slim
Posted by: keir richter | August 10, 2011 7:11 PM
Signing < half our draftees when our organiz is so devoid of talent shows that there is no future for O's. Forget NY & Boston, we'll never pass TB or Toronto both of whom have more young talent @major league level, much more minor league talent (TB ranked 2nd vs our 21st by Baseball America) AND both will sign more draftees incl high talent compensatory (TB had 9 to our NONE) picks than we will. Both will also sign Int'l players while we stay on sidelines. Just think how far the $8 mill we WASTED on Vlad would have gone if pumped into the organization
Posted by: Don I | August 10, 2011 8:47 PM
Okay BUT NO. 1 and 2. 4 days left and......
It is not like our minors are talent laden. So maybe the O's need to pay over slot.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 11, 2011 11:53 AM
The Orioles farm system is more of a wreck than the US Budget deficit.
Posted by: Chris | August 11, 2011 12:16 PM
i completely stand by the orginizations decision to cut two minor league teams. If the players are not developing and contributing at the major league level then why keep pushing money towarts it that could be used on other things. I also seen the Orioles signed Rudy today and im excited about that because he could be the future lead off hitter that this team lacks but my question to you Jeff is can he play left? I love Reimold but his feielding is average at best and I believe he would make an outstanding DH. Also do you think Rudy will play this year, he is on the GCL roster but when is to late to play? also if you could tell me whether the Orioles truly have plans of going after Prince Fielder this winter id appreciate it, it seems like the perfect time to make that big splash with the majority of big market teams not having a hole at DH or 1st could the Orioles step up and deliever? I like Davis but im not sold he will ever be more then an average first baseman in this league and it seems like just that one superstar player might really help this team add another 15 wins or so atleast. (not to mention the help it would have in bringing other proven talent to the team)
Posted by: Jay | August 11, 2011 3:47 PM