Draft Coverage

• Giants signed sixth overall pick Zack Wheeler for 3.3 million dollars.
  
• The Twins signed 22nd overall pick Kyle Gibson for 1.8 million dollars.
  
• The Athletics signed 13th overall pick Grant Green for 2.75 million dollars. Green is a SS from USC is a Boras client.
  
• The Rockies agreed to terms with 11th overall pick Tyler Matzek for 3.9 million dollars.
• The Mariners signed second overall pick Dustin Ackley for a juicy big league deal worth 9.5 million dollars.
• Matt Purke (14th overall pick) and the Rangers failed to agree to a deal, Purke will instead attend Texas Christian University.
• The Indians signed 15th overall pick Alex White for 2.25 million dollars.
  
• The Rays failed to reach an agreement with 30th overall pick LeVon Washington.

Stay tuned here....

Strasburg Signs With Nats

Stephen Strasburg signed a Major League deal worth 15.67 million dollars over four years with the Nationals. With all the conflicting reports with Strasburg, this is a major win for the Nats.

More Draft Signings

More signings as the deadline approaches:

* Peter Gammons is hearing the Padres sign first round pick Donovan Tate for 6.7 million, Tigers sign first round pick Jacob Turner for 6.25 million and also the Tigers sign second round pick Andy Oliver for 1.45 million.

* Gammons is also hearing Giants first round pick Zach Wheeler are close to a deal for about 3.4 million.

* The Tigers sign 6th round pick Daniel Fields.

*The Tigers have signed first round pick Jacob Turner to a $5.5MM bonus with a potential to reach $7 MM.

More to come.

Donovan Tate Signs...

San Diego Padres first round, third overall pick Donovan Tate has appeared to sign. The Padres went beyond the 3.4 million bonus which is recommended for that spot. A announcement is supposed to be announce Tuesday. Also no word on exactly how much his bonus was.

More to come, I can feel it.

Tate Update

Donavan Tate, the #3 overall pick in the first round of the Padres, could be signed. Sources within the organization have confirmed Tat's arrival, but he will not be made available to the media during tonights game against the Cubs.

Down to the Wire: Draft Deadline Updates

Less than 3 hours left...

• According to Nick Piecoro, the clock is ticking for D'backs 7th rounder Matt Helm.
• Kyle Gibson is still in talks with the Twins. The Twins have signed their 44th round pick Tyler Herr.
• LoHud reports that the Yankees have agreed to terms with 16th round pick Bryan Mitchell, and they're working on 21st rounder Joe Talerico.
• David Buchannan will not be signing with the Mets, who drafted him in the 6th round.

^Thanks to MLB Trade Rumors for they're help and other sources.

Phil, Waldo, and I will keep you posted as we lead into the Midnight Eastern Deadline.

Draft signings and Stephen Strasburg Watch

Stephen Strasburg watch:
* Update 2:04: Heyman now hears the Nationals offered Strasburg 12.5 million.
* Heyman hears that the Nationals offered Stephen Strasburg more than 12 million. Heyman still believes both sides won't agree on a deal.

Other draft signings and notes:
* The Diamondbacks sign 7th round pick Matt Helm for 500K.
* The Red Sox sign 9th round pick Kendal Volz for 550K.
* The Twins sign 44th round pick Tyler Herr while the Yankees sign 21st round pick Joe Talerico.
* The Mets and 6th round pick David Buchanan will not reach on a deal before the deadline.
* The Padres are close to signing first round, third overall pick Donavan Tate, which is believe to be about 6 million.
* The Blue Jays sign third round pick Jacob Marisnick for $1 million.
* The Yankees sign 16th round pick Bryan Mitchell for $800,000.
* The Marlins sign second round pick Bryan Berglund for $572,500.
* The Phillies sign 7th round pick Brody Colvin for 900K.
* The Padres sign second round pick Everett Williams for 775K.
* The Royals sign 4th round pick Chris Dwyer for 1.45 million.
* The Cardinals sign first round pick Shelby Miller for 2.9 million.
* The Orioles sign 11th round pick Michael Ohlman for $995k.
* The Brewers sign supplemental draft Kentrail pick to 1.2 million.
* The Rays don't expect to sign 1st round pick Levon Washington and 2nd round pick Kenny Diekroeger.
* The Brewers sign 4th round pick Brooks Hall for $ 700,000.

Other MLB notes:
* The Orioles acquire utilty man Aubrey Huff for minor league righty Brett Jacobson.
* The Rangers release P Vicente Padilla.
* The Red Sox released P John Smoltz, now he can sign with any team.
* P Russ Ortiz has opted out of his contract and has become a free agent.
* The Brewers only wanted to take on P Doug Davis contract and not trade anybody in a trade with the Diamondbacks.

More to come.

B & G's 8/16/09

Baseballs:

**Josh Willingham, Washington Nationals- Josh went 3-4 at the plate and hit his 19Th Home Run of the season. He drove in 3 runs, giving him 50 RBIs. Josh is now hitting .308.

**Josh Anderson, Kansas City Royals- Josh went 2-4, scored the winning run and he now is hitting .240 on the season.

**Chone Figgins, LA Angels- Figgins went 4-7 and drove in 3 runs with 3 doubles. Figgins now has 43 RBIs and is hitting .312.

**Daniel Murphy, New York Mets- Daniel went 1-4 and drove in his 40Th run of the season. Murphy now is hitting .249.

**Greg Zaun, Tampa Bay Rays- Greg came in to pinch hit, he hit a grand slam, his 6Th Home Run of the season, he drove in 4 runs, giving him 18 RBIs. Greg is now hitting .255.

**Chris Coghan, Florida Marlins-Game 1- Chris went 3-5 at the plate with his 7Th Home Run of the season, driving in 3 runs, giving him 33 RBIs on the season. Chris is hitting .287.

**Jorge De La Rosa, Colorado Rockies-Game 2- Jorge threw 5 1/3 innings, giving up 1 run (0 earned), he walked 3 and struck out 9. Jorge now has a 4.58 ERA and he won his 11Th game of the season.

**Geoff Blum, Houston Astros- Blum went 2-5 and he hit his 9Th Home Run of the season, he drove in 4 runs, giving him 44 RBIs and Blum is now hitting .269.

**Grady Sizemore, Cleveland Indians- Grady went 2-4 with a walk and he hit his 17Th Home Run of the season, driving in 2 runs, giving him 60 RBIs. Grady is now hitting .244 on the season.

**Colby Rasmus, St. Louis Cardinals- Colby hit a walk off 2 run Home Run, his 12Th of the season, and with the 2 RBIs, he now has 40. Colby went 1-4 with a walk and is now hitting .259.

**Dustin Nippert, Texas Rangers- 6 strong innings, giving up 2 runs (2 earned), he walked 3 and struck out 3. Dustin won his 4Th game and now has a 3.52 ERA.

**Randy Wolf, Los Angeles Dodgers- Randy finished the day 3-4 at the plate, he hit his 1st Home Run of the season and was a triple short of a cycle. Randy now has 9 RBIs. And oh yeah, he pitched brilliantly too, going 7 2/3 innings, giving up 3 runs (3 earned), he didn't walk anyone and struck out 10. Randy now has a 3.43 ERA and won his 7Th game of the season.

**Mark Ellis, Oakland Athletics- Mark went 2-3 with his 6Th Home Run of the season,a walk off, giving his Athletics the win and he drove in 2 runs. He has 42 RBIs, and is hitting .283.

**Jose Lopez, Seattle Mariners- Jose went 3-5 at the plate, hitting 2 doubles and he drove in 3 runs, giving him 71 RBIs. Lopez is now hitting .277.

**Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies- Ryan went 3-3 at the plate with 2 Home Runs, one of them gave the Phillies a 4-1 lead for good. He now has 30 Home Runs and he drove in 4 runs, giving him 91 RBIs and Ryan is hitting .269.

Goofballs:

**Arthur Rhodes, Cincinnati Reds- Lost the game, throwing 2/3 of an inning, giving up 2 runs (2 earned), he lost his 1st game and now has a 2.50 ERA.

**Ryan Rayburn, Detroit Tigers- Ryan committed 3 errors, giving him 8 on the season, one of those errors cost the Tigers the game.

**Brian Bass, Baltimore Orioles- Brian threw 1 inning, giving up 4 runs (4 earned), he didn't walk anyone or strikeout anyone and now Brian has a 4.71 ERA.

**Freddy Sanchez, San Francisco Giants- Freddy struck out 3 times after going 0-4. Sanchez is hitting .295.

**Brandon League, Toronto Blue Jays- Brandon only threw 2/3 of an inning, giving up 4 runs (4 earned), he walked 1 and struck out 1. Brandon lost his 5Th game and he now has a 5.20 ERA.

**Aaron Cook, Colorado Rockies-Game 2- Aaron threw a rare bad start, only lasting 2 1/3 innings, giving up 7 runs (7 earned), he walked 3 and struck out 2. Aaron lost his 5Th game and now has a 4.31 ERA.

**Rick Vandenhurk, Florida Marlins-Game 2- Rick only lasted 5 2/3 innings, giving up 6 runs (6 earned), he walked 3, struck out 9, and gave up 3 Home Runs. Rick now has a 5.12 ERA.

**David Weathers, Milwaukee Brewers- Blew the lead and lost the game. He threw 2 /3 of an inning, giving up 3 runs (3 earned), he walked 2 and struck out 1. David lost his 4Th game and now has a 3.92 ERA.

**Nick Blackburn, Minnesota Twins- Nick was in control the first 2 innings, then he completely lost it in the 3rd inning. He gave up 6 runs (6 earned) in 2 1/3 innings, he didn't walk anyone and struck out 2. Nick gave up 3 Home Runs, all in the 3rd inning. He now has a 4.29 ERA, Nick has 8 losses.

**Heath Bell, San Diego Padres- Only lasted 1/3 of an inning, giving up 3 runs (3 earned), he blew his 2Nd save opportunity and now has a 2.31 ERA.

**Red Sox Offense- 3 runs on 8 hits, 5 walks, and 9 strikeouts, leaving 9 men on base.

**Yusmeiro Petit, Arizona Diamondbacks- Petit gave up 3 Home Runs and threw 4 innings, giving up 7 runs (7 earned), he had 0 walks and struck out 4. Yusmeiro now has a 6.47 ERA, losing his 7Th game of the season.

**White Sox Offense- They only scored 2 runs on 8 hits. They had opportunities to sweep the Athletics, but couldn't do it.

**Alfredo Acevas, New York Yankees- Alfredo threw 1 2/3 innings, giving up 4 runs (4 earned), he didn't walk anyone and struck out 2. Acevas now has a 3.66 ERA.

**Braves Offense- 1 run on 4 hits, 7 walks, and 4 strikeouts, leaving 9 men on base.

Around the Bigs

• John Russell will return next year to manage the Bucs, who is under contract for 2010. Bucs GM has traded away most of the team's veteran talent, so Russell has worked with tons of young talent who may or may not be ready.
• Jays signed sixth rounder K.C. Hobson (OF) for 500 thousand dollars.
• Yankees signed first rounder Slade Heathcott for 2.2 million dollars, while second rounder J.R. Murphy signed for 1.25 million dollars.
• The Nationals DFA'd reliever Logan Kensing, who can top the guns at 96 MPH.
  
• Things not looking good on the Strasburg front...
  

Stay tuned today, as today is the deadline to sign draft picks.

Around the MLB on a Monday Morning...

The Yankees sign 5th round pick Caleb Cotham for $675,000

The Blue Jays sign 18th round pick Daniel Webb for $450,000.

The Rays signed third round pick Todd Glaesmann for $930k.

More to come as the trade deadline is about 14 hours away.