As it turns out, the Orioles did get the "big three"

During a season in which the Orioles have had a lot of bad days, Monday was not among them. And I'm not talking about the win at Oakland. I'm talking about scouting director Joe Jordan signing what I had been calling the "big three." He got Dylan Bundy, Jason Esposito and Nicky Delmonico. The pressure was on Jordan and his staff to get the deals done. Fans are fed up with this season and felt the Orioles could not afford to let any good young talent in the draft get away. At a time when the club is not signing big-dollar major league or international free agents, they better spend on the draft. And they did. I am sure this figure may be off somewhat, but I am taking a rough estimate that the Orioles spent about $10.3 million on this draft in signing 22 players. They spent about $9.2 million last year. They gave Bundy a five-year major league deal worth a reported $6.225 million with a signing bonus of $4 million. Delmonico got first-round money of $1.525 million. In this story on Saturday, I suggested the Orioles would sign the "big three" and that Delmonico hoped to get around $1.5 million. No one can say the Orioles were cheap or that they are just out to make a profit based on yesterday. Many of us feel the Orioles must start spending more on the international front, but in recent years, they have ponied up the bucks for the June draft. In signing a contract that doesn't start until 2012, Bundy now will not play for any affiliate this year. He could still could join one of the teams to work out and meet coaches and staff, but he can't play in games. All three players, I would guess, will go first to Sarasota for workouts and orientation. Some fans have questioned why a team needing talent signed only 22 players from the draft. Believe me, it is about the quality, not quantity of players signed. Most players signed in any draft never make it. It's about the few that can and are good enough. In signing their top 11 picks from this draft, it seems pretty unlikely that the Orioles left a real good player out there. After dropping two teams at the end of the 2010 season, we knew the Orioles would sign fewer players in this draft. In the end, this 2011 draft may eventually come down to how good Bundy, Delmonico and Esposito turn out to be. At least after Monday, we know they will now be Orioles.