Friday, August 15, 2008

The deadline, tick tock, tick tock...

Well, they signed someone, just not who you hoped for...yet.

The Pirates inked their 20th-round draft pick, RHP Quinton Miller, to a $900,000 bonus, plus college tuition, according to Dejan. That's late first, early second round money.

Miller, 18, was ranked the No. 1 prospect in New Jersey by Baseball America after going 6-3 with a 2.13 ERA in 21 appearances for Shawnee HS. He had 85 strikeouts and 14 walks in 52-2/3 innings.

Among all prospects, he was ranked No. 158, so Pittsburgh broke the slot by a mile. Apparently they project him to be an elite arm down the road.

He throws a fastball from the high 80's to mid 90's, as well as a good slider and average change. Miller appears to be, according to Wilbur Miller's Pirate Profiles, the Plan B behind 10th round pick Drew Gagnon, who opted for college ball. He isn't expected to pitch before fall instructional league.

Miller was ready to take his game to the University of North Carolina. We'll give the Bucs credit - they took a shot at some of the high school talent, and stepped up to sign them, even though it cost them a ton of Nutting's money.

He joins other HS picks OF Robbie Grossman, SS Benjamin Gonzalez, LHP Christopher Aure, CF Wesley Freeman, OF Edwin Roman, and SS Jared Cunningham. Beats having all those 22-year old guys playing A ball.

Now for word on Pedro and Tanner...

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