Silly Penny Pinching

While we watch the September callups get indifferent playing time, one name we won't see is Josh Fields.

Word is the team is not that far apart. The slot money the team wants to pay based on baseballs recommendation and what Boras wants is only $500k.

For a team that has the worst record in the AL, and spent $117 million doing it, is letting $500k worth making a statement about?

Let's review the timeline and justification for drafting Fields with the first pick:

• Boras lets teams know he wants $2 million to sign
• Fields is acknowledged before the draft as being very close to major league ready
• Team is struggling with internal decision to move Morrow to rotation or leave in pen
• Team drafts Fields even though it possesses worst record in baseball and has few position players in upper end of system
• Team is ridiculed by many national media writers for drafting reliever in first round
• Team refuses to meet Boras signing demands, instead preferring to toe the line with baseball guidelines

Drafting a reliever with a first round pick is stupid when you're team is terrible. Drafting a reliever in the first round and then refusing to sign the pick promptly, thereby negating the only advantage they possess (speed to majors) simply makes no sense.

We could be watching Fields in the majors right now. Instead he is on vacation while the worst team in the AL plays trying to avoid 100 losses.