Blue Jays turn left on Day 2 of MLB draft

It wasn’t nearly as emphatic as Cuba Gooding Jr.’s "Show me the money!" cry to Tom Cruise in the 1996 film Jerry Maguire but Tyler Beede’s message to the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday afternoon was essentially the same.

The high school right-hander, chosen 21st overall in the baseball draft, has a commitment to pitch at Vanderbilt – "a strong one," he says – and will need to be swayed to abandon it.

Since he’s comfortable with the Blue Jays as an organization and their approach to player development – "we know they’re going to be great on that side" – there’s only one real sticking point that looms in the upcoming negotiations.

"It really comes down to the money," Beede said with refreshing candour during a conference call with reporters. "If we can work things out that way, then I’m sure we’ll be all set."

In years past such an attitude would have scared away the Blue Jays, but under GM Alex Anthopoulos all that has changed.

On the second day of the draft Tuesday, scouting director Andrew Tinnish used the 74th pick to select Daniel Norris, a six-foot-two left-hander from Science Hill High School in Johnson City, Tenn., rumoured to be seeking a bonus in the neighbourhood of US$3.9 million.

That’s the main reason Norris, considered perhaps the top prep southpaw in the draft, was available so deep in the draft. He has a commitment to pitch at Clemson University, too.

Signability issues routinely cause elite players to slip in the draft and big market teams used to be the only ones to exploit that flaw in the system, getting top-10 talent with much later picks simply because their pockets are deeper and they were willing to ignore Major League Baseball’s slot recommendations for signing bonuses.

Fan 590 MLB Draft Audio:
Alex Anthopoulos | Canadian pitcher Thomas Robson

The Blue Jays used to adhere to the slotting system until Anthopoulos changed direction last year and unshackled his scouting department, and many teams have jumped aboard that trend, as well. Even the shallow-pocketed Pittsburgh Pirates have been flouting the slot recommendations in recent years, despite the fact that team president Frank Coonelly used to be the baseball executive in charge of enforcing adherence to the system.

The Pirates selected high school outfielder Josh Bell, a consensus first-round talent, with the first pick Tuesday, 61st overall, because of concerns over his signing bonus demands.

This, however, may be the last year the draft is conducted under the current rules, as the collective bargaining agreement is set to expire in December and owners are seeking a firm slotting system in the next labour contract.

While players are opposed to any artificial salary control, they may bend on that issue for the right giveback since some established players don’t like seeing unproven young kids get rich before they have accomplished anything in the game.

As long as it’s in place, the Blue Jays are intent on trying to milk it for all they can, as are the drafted players.

"I think it might a little bit, but not drastically," Beede said when asked how the possibility of a new CBA might affect his negotiations. "We know as players that might happen and it’s a good chance it will happen … but I really haven’t put too much consideration into that thought. We know it’s been asked and it’s been thought of from my family and negotiations with my advisor, but we really haven’t thought too much about it."

Beede is being advised by Alan Nero of Octagon Baseball, while his father Walter, a 13th-round pick of the Chicago Cubs in 1981, has been instrumental in coaching him along the way, and also guiding him through his draft year.

Just 18, Beede comes off as someone with a business savvy well beyond his years.

"My dad’s really handled the business side of it this spring, I was just the one to take the ball, go out on the mound and do my thing," said Beede. "I’ve been a part of all those meetings, had to participate in a lot of those things, I’ve learned a lot over the spring from him teaching me and going through the process and having this opportunity."

Beede described getting picked by the Blue Jays at 21 as "pretty much a shock" since they hadn’t been in contact since he last pitched May 25. He erupted in celebration along with 120 or so family and friends gathered at the house of Eric Cressey, who runs a training academy in Hudson, Mass., where Beede has trained.

Clearly he’s someone who wants to play pro baseball, and clearly he’s someone who wants the Blue Jays to make it worth his while.

"I’m tremendously honoured that Toronto drafted me at 21, our family is very excited about the opportunity that lays ahead of us, but that decision will be made in the future," he said. "I’m very excited about making it and it’s going to be a hard one."

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Robson goes to the Jays

Tom Robson has some homework to do.

It piled up while the 18-year-old right-hander from Ladner, B.C., played for the junior national team during its recent tour of the Dominican Republic, but he slept in Tuesday morning and didn’t get to it.

"I just woke up and started watching the draft with a couple of friends," he said. "We were watching ‘The Price is Right’ and we had the draft on, and I knew the Blue Jays were interested, we kind of turned it down for the Blue Jays pick and they picked my name and everyone started jumping up and down, screaming and stuff. It was pretty good, I was pretty excited."

Robson went 139th overall to the Blue Jays, becoming the first Canadian selected in this year’s draft.

The 6-4, 220-pounder features a fastball that sits 90-92 m.p.h., a two-seamer that cuts in to righties and away from lefties, along with a curve and change.

"The Blue Jays have been my favourite team my whole life," said Robson. "I was hoping they’d pick me and they finally did, it was really exciting. It couldn’t have gone any better."

Robson is hoping to sign but has signed a letter of intent with Central Arizona Junior College just in case.

"I’d rather be playing for the Blue Jays but if we can’t come to terms, that’s where I’ll be going," he said.

Robson’s Langley Blaze teammate, catcher Dustin Houle of Penticton, B.C., was the second Canadian taken, in the eighth round (251st overall) by the Milwaukee Brewers.

Chase Larsson of Vancouver went to the Atlanta Braves in the ninth round (296th), Vaughn Covington of Vancouver went to the Cincinnati Reds in the 11th round (355th), Adam Paulencu of Spruce Grove, Alta., went to the San Francisco Giants in 13th round (417th), and Justin Marra of Toronto went to the Chicago Cubs in the 15th round (459th).

Some of the Canadian players had a friendly competition to see who would go first.

"To be the No. 1 Canadian pick is a pretty big deal," said Robson. "And to be drafted by a Canadian team is pretty amazing."