Machado Man

I decided to fire off one more blog entry before bed, which technically qualifies as a Monday morning post. Maybe I'll sleep an extra 30 minutes. Doubtful. I nap more than I sleep, which is one of my more annoying qualities. And yes, I have many to choose from, but why go there? The Orioles return to Camden Yards tonight to begin a seven-game homestand - three vs. the Mariners and four vs. the Rangers, who are still venting over that sweep in Arlington. I'll be handling the game coverage while my colleague, Steve Melewski, tracks the Manny Machado negotiations. Check his blog early and often. Machado is being "advised" by agent Scott Boras, which means the Orioles probably won't reach an agreement with the high school shortstop before 11:59 p.m. They knew that negotiations would drag out after selecting him third overall in the draft. This development comes as a surprise to no one. Shortstop Christian Colon, the fourth-overall pick, signed with the Royals for $2.65 million. That won't get it done with Machado. The Orioles gave Matt Wieters a $6 million bonus, which is more in Machado's neighborhood, according to various reports. They'll have to decide whether to open up their wallets that wide for Machado or take the extra first-round draft pick next year. Would it be so terrible to wind up with, say, the second and fourth picks, depending on whether they finish ahead of the Pirates and whether the Nationals, as expected, sign Bryce Harper? I'm not slamming the kid and I hope the two sides hammer out a deal, but this isn't Wieters, Harper or Stephen Strasburg. I'm not pacing the floor over Manny Machado. I wake up a lot during the night, so I could conceivably pace the floor over somebody, but not him. Take the money or go to school and re-enter the draft. The midnight deadline and the posturing annoy me to no end. Am I alone here? Actually, I am, which is why it's no big deal if I wake up a lot during the night and pace the floor.