O's withdraw contract offer to Givens
It was not looking good earlier this week for the Orioles to sign their second-round draft choice, Florida high school shortstop Mychal Givens.
Tonight it looks like the O's have closed the door on negotiations and will move on without signing Givens.
O's scouting director Joe Jordan tells MASNsports.com "we no longer have an offer on the table."
In the weeks leading up to the draft, the Orioles thought they had a handle on the dollar amount it would take to sign Givens. On draft day, Givens' advisor increased that amount.
The O's selected Givens anyway, with the 54th overall pick.
"This is all on me," Jordan said. "This is my call. I just don't feel good about this and we are moving on to Plan B. We were working on info from the weeks leading up to the draft and some of that changed draft day.
"It was never my intention to meet that number (that Givens advisor mentioned on draft day). But I think some things will come out in the next few days that will ease our pain over this."
Jordan said by not signing Givens he has budget remaining to sign two players that he feels "are second round talents." He would not disclose which players they are.
"We will now probably sign a couple guys I really like. The Orioles will be covered, we have some insurance if you will, with some picks later in the draft."
Jordan said there are no hard feelings over negotiations basically coming to a close and he indicated resuming talks with Givens now was a real long shot.
"I think a lot of the kid. I really take my time to get to know these players and I like Mychal. I don't feel misled. In the end I had to make a decision."
Reached earlier tonight, Givens told MASNsports.com he still held out hope to be an Oriole.
"I'm still open to being an Oriole. It would be a great opportunity. If they want me they know what it will take. Going into the draft the O's knew what it would take to sign me."
Givens would not say whether he is seeking first-round money.
Now it appears he won't sign with the O's and instead will honor his commitment to play in college at Oklahoma State.
If the O's don't sign Givens they will have two second-round picks next year. Their own pick and the 6th pick in round two they would get as compensation for not signing Givens.
Baseball America reported the MLB slot recommendation to sign the 54th pick this year was $663,000.
The publication also listed three players the O's are still pursuing include 11th-round pick, high school catcher Micheal Ohlman from Bradenton, Florida, 15th-round pick high school RHP Garret Bush from Jacksonville, Florida and 22nd-round pick high school LHP Cameron Coffey from Houston, Texas.
The O's selected Givens anyway, with the 54th overall pick.
"This is all on me," Jordan said. "This is my call. I just don't feel good about this and we are moving on to Plan B. We were working on info from the weeks leading up to the draft and some of that changed draft day.
"It was never my intention to meet that number (that Givens advisor mentioned on draft day). But I think some things will come out in the next few days that will ease our pain over this."
Jordan said by not signing Givens he has budget remaining to sign two players that he feels "are second round talents." He would not disclose which players they are.
"We will now probably sign a couple guys I really like. The Orioles will be covered, we have some insurance if you will, with some picks later in the draft."
Jordan said there are no hard feelings over negotiations basically coming to a close and he indicated resuming talks with Givens now was a real long shot.
"I think a lot of the kid. I really take my time to get to know these players and I like Mychal. I don't feel misled. In the end I had to make a decision."
Reached earlier tonight, Givens told MASNsports.com he still held out hope to be an Oriole.
"I'm still open to being an Oriole. It would be a great opportunity. If they want me they know what it will take. Going into the draft the O's knew what it would take to sign me."
Givens would not say whether he is seeking first-round money.
Now it appears he won't sign with the O's and instead will honor his commitment to play in college at Oklahoma State.
If the O's don't sign Givens they will have two second-round picks next year. Their own pick and the 6th pick in round two they would get as compensation for not signing Givens.
Baseball America reported the MLB slot recommendation to sign the 54th pick this year was $663,000.
The publication also listed three players the O's are still pursuing include 11th-round pick, high school catcher Micheal Ohlman from Bradenton, Florida, 15th-round pick high school RHP Garret Bush from Jacksonville, Florida and 22nd-round pick high school LHP Cameron Coffey from Houston, Texas.
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