masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgWith four days to go until the deadline to sign this year’s draft picks, the Orioles do not have deals with top pick Dylan Bundy, second round pick Jason Esposito or sixth-round pick Nicky Delmonico.

That is not unusual and if they sign one or all three, it could go down to the final day and often does.

I asked Orioles manager Buck Showalter today if he had talked recently with scouting director Joe Jordan and had gotten any sense of what might happen over the next few days?

“Joe had…With four days to go until the deadline to sign this year’s draft picks, the Orioles do not have deals with top pick Dylan Bundy, second round pick Jason Esposito or sixth-round pick Nicky Delmonico.

That is not unusual and if they sign one or all three, it could go down to the final day and often does.

I asked Orioles manager Buck Showalter today if he had talked recently with scouting director Joe Jordan and had gotten any sense of what might happen over the next few days?

“Joe had called me about something else a few days ago and I asked how is it going and he said ‘I think we’ll get it done.’ What is it two, six and one? We got (eighth-round pick Johnny) Ruettiger and he played today in the Gulf Coast League.

“I know how it usually works in the past. I hope it kind of follows that. You know, this whole thing, wait until the middle of the August. Wouldn’t do me to be an agent. The advice I’d give them would be a lot different than what they are getting, I can tell you that. If the big leagues is your goal,” Showalter said.

He also said he had not been asked to make any calls to any unsigned players or had not heard from any of the player’s representatives.

“No. If someone says it ain’t about the money, it’s about the money. Unless I have some extra money in my back pocket and after I just paid tuition, I don’t. I’m okay with that. I don’t know who their advisors are,” he said.

He was right about Ruettiger. He did play in his first game today since signing with the Orioles. He played in Florida for the Gulf Coast League Orioles, batting leadoff in left field. He went 2-for-3 with a pair of singles, a walk and run scored.

Showalter probably has a little more info than he is letting on here, but in the final days leading to Monday, a lot of players, their reps and Orioles’ officials play it all close to the vest.

Solid information on this is just not getting out in the last day or two.

If I had to guess right now, and this is just a guess and hunch, I’ll say they sign Bundy and Delmonico, but not Esposito.

Stay tuned, the rumor mill is sure to get out of hand over the next few days.