Kendall Rogers from Perfect Game USA just tweeted this:
Also, another source close to the situation believes it’s all but a done deal [Josh] Bell spurns Pirates for [University of Texas].
I’m not doubting Rogers’ sources at all here, but I do want to remind everyone that Bell is a Scott Boras client and that it’s generally Boras’s MO to not seriously negotiate at all before August 15th. It’s possible things are different for Bell based on when he has to be at UT for school and because he’s more seriously considering school than a lot of Boras clients do. It’s possible that the Pirates made some early contact with Bell and Boras and found out their asking price was significantly higher than anything they’re willing to pay, but unless Josh Bell or Scott Boras directly come out and say that Bell won’t be signing with the Pirates, I wouldn’t completely give up hope that the Pirates will get his name on a contract until the signing deadline passes.
This certainly applies to Gerrit Cole. I’ve had quite a few people ask me why Cole hasn’t signed yet or if he’s signing soon or if the fact that he’s not signed yet means he won’t sign. The answer is that while I’m almost positive he’ll end up signing with the Pirates, there’s not any chance at all in this world or the next one that he signs before 11:59 PM on August 15th.
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