The press conference basically was to officially announce this evening's signings: Deck McGuire, Griffin Murphy, Sam Dyson and Dickie Thon Jr. All three went over slot and all were finished tonight. Alex signed McGuire and Thon, Amateur Scouting Director Andrew Tinnish signed the other 4 today: Murphy, Dyson, Zak Adams and Myles Jaye.
The Jays signed 33 of their 56 picks, but more importantly, 14 of their top 16 picks covering the ones in the top 10 rounds. The final chart is here: Final signing chart.
The Deck McGuire was completed at the very last minute, 11:59 by Alex's figuring. He said the first real offer was made at 10:30 tonight and they went right to the deadline. He said this was the latest they have ever gone to get a signing. Part of it was to compare to other players around his pick and part was that that was just the way the negotiations went.
On Dickie Thon, Jr. Alex said that the deal was just made today, reports that it was made earlier, he says, came from the family. Thon is getting $1.5 million. He said the player and his family had that number (or at least a number fairly close to that) in mind right from the start and the team finally decided to go with it.
On the draft as a whole, Alex said that money was not an issue for signing anyone. That Rogers was willing to foot the bill, but they had a 'final number' for players and if the player wasn't going to take that, then they were prepared to walk away.
The team spent more on bonuses than it has ever before. He said that in the draft they focused on talent alone, at least until they felt that there wasn't much left then they looked at players to fill needs at their short season teams.
Asked about paying over slot, he said that the quality of the player is the deciding factor on going over slot. He again said that Paul Beeston and Rogers supported them in their decisions, if they made a case that a player deserved money, they got it.
The team will decide tomorrow when and to what team the players signed today will be assigned. He sounded a wee bit tired.
The question I would have asked is how far apart the team was with Logan Ehlers and Kris Bryant but I was just a listener at this conference. Small steps......
Happily I can now go to bed. Let us know what you think of the draft and the signings as a whole.