Looks like Mark Appel is the only unsigned 1st rounder

Kevin Gausman and Lucas Giolito signed.

While it seems Appel has no option but to go back to school, I still think Boras may file some sort of law suit. Appel is not likely to go #1 next year unless he dominates the NCAA season and World Series for Stanford.

If the money is slotted, and the contracts are standard, why pay an agent anything but a percentage of what he gets you over slot. Of course, some agents do a lot more than negotiate a contract, they are financial and career managers.

"While it seems Appel has no option but to go back to school, I still think Boras may file some sort of law suit."

What would be his grounds for a suit? How would he have standing to sue?

Since one of the parties who agreed to the new rules is the players union... do you see an agent suing the players union?

It might be possible for a guy like Appel to file a lawsuit, since he's not a part of the players union (yet), but if he does so, he may be alienating the players as a whole.

I would also think it possible/likely that Pittsburgh could file a complaint against MLB for instituting the slotting system that screwed them out of their pick, especially after they demonstrated last year that they are now willing to pay big money for amateur bonuses.

I just read locally that Appel chose to go back to Stanford.

I'm not a lawyer. Boras can be creative. He has to have a plan. Yes he could blow it but I think he'll find a way.

There's really nothing he can do.

"It might be possible for a guy like Appel to file a lawsuit, since he's not a part of the players union (yet), but if he does so, he may be alienating the players as a whole.

I would also think it possible/likely that Pittsburgh could file a complaint against MLB for instituting the slotting system that screwed them out of their pick, especially after they demonstrated last year that they are now willing to pay big money for amateur bonuses."

Since other pro sports leagues and unions have negotiated limits for incoming players and never been sued, I don't see as he'd have a case.

Pittsburgh would be suing themselves since they were a party in the union negotiations. The MLB negotiates with the union on behalf of all teams.

Pittsburgh knew all the rules going in, but chose to draft a hard to sign player. They took a risk and they lost. Had there not been signability issues, he would have gone higher in the draft.

"I'm not a lawyer. Boras can be creative. He has to have a plan. Yes he could blow it but I think he'll find a way."

He has a plan... to take care of all his other clients until it is draft time next year. He's not going to sue.

Appel wouldn't file a lawsuit. Why would he? They offered him the most money they could without facing the penalty. Andrew Heaney on the other hand should and probably will file a lawsuit against the Marlins. It is apparent they weren't willing to even offer him slot and could potentially cost him a lot of money if he doesn't file a lawsuit. I bet MLB steps in and forces them to offer him slot.

Don't read too much into Appel. He never wanted to be a Pirate to begin with. He didn't really care to be an Astro either.

"Andrew Heaney on the other hand should and probably will file a lawsuit against the Marlins. It is apparent they weren't willing to even offer him slot and could potentially cost him a lot of money if he doesn't file a lawsuit. I bet MLB steps in and forces them to offer him slot."

He signed a contract. How would he possibly have a lawsuit? The #1 pick in the draft was offered much less than slot. A lot of players were signed for less than slot in this draft.

Looks like the Marlins ponied up. They were facing a lawsuit if they didn't. I read they were offering him less that 2 million last I checked. Slot was 2.8.

" Andrew Heaney on the other hand should and probably will file a lawsuit against the Marlins. It is apparent they weren't willing to even offer him slot and could potentially cost him a lot of money if he doesn't file a lawsuit. I bet MLB steps in and forces them to offer him slot. "

Why? There's no policy that they are required to offer slot, just like there's not policy that they're not allowed to offer over slot. Heaney had the option not to sign if he didn't like it, just like every player drafted in every sports league. Should MLB step in because the Astros didn't offer Correa slot? Should Almora sue because the Cubs wouldn't go high enough over slot to lose future picks?

Teams can still offer as much as they like. There's just a tax or penalty if you overspend too much.

"Looks like the Marlins ponied up. They were facing a lawsuit "

No. They weren't facing a lawsuit. They're not required to offer anything. They were facing losing the player's rights.

They offered significantly below slot and had exclusive negotiating rights to him. He would have had a case if they didn't cave at the end. Think of it this way, if Pittsburgh would have taken him instead of Appel, he would have gotten slot right? If he drops to the Rockies he gets slot or close to it. The Marlins never had any intention of offering fair market value until bad PR from the move became apparent. I wouldn't be surprised if MLB told them to up their offer.

Yes they are required to offer something. You think it would be okay if they just drafted a guy and offered him nothing? Especially a high schooler who wants to start his pro career? Give me a break.

"They offered significantly below slot and had exclusive negotiating rights to him. He would have had a case if they didn't cave at the end. Think of it this way, if Pittsburgh would have taken him instead of Appel, he would have gotten slot right? If he drops to the Rockies he gets slot or close to it. The Marlins never had any intention of offering fair market value until bad PR from the move became apparent. I wouldn't be surprised if MLB told them to up their offer. "

There is no hard slotting. This is the means agreed upon by an exclusive union and league of companies. It is a system collectively designed and agreed upon to reward veterans over the inexperienced. Heaney is free to not sign if he doesn't get the offer he wants. Clubs are free to offer whatever they deem worthwhile. There is no "fair market value" because there is no free market based on collectively agreed-upon rules. These rules are made to restrict the market in exchange for benefits in other areas. There is hard-slotting in the NBA, because it was collectively agreed-upon. That is not the deal the MLBPA signed.

Even in the overly litigious society that we live in, that lawsuit would be thrown out very quickly.

"Yes they are required to offer something. You think it would be okay if they just drafted a guy and offered him nothing? Especially a high schooler who wants to start his pro career? Give me a break. "

They are not required to offer anything. They could choose to not sign him. It wouldn't make much sense to draft a player in the 1st round that you have no intention of signing, but it is not required.

You really think Rustin Sveum was offered a contract?

You can't just take a guy and say, "next years draft looks better, we should offer this guy 50% of what he is worth and if he doesn't sign, so be it." Maybe if you are picking a consensus 3rd round talent in the 1st round. Then his worth might actually be a lot less. But Heaney was a top 20 if not top 15 prospect and they were low balling him big time. How is it fair for him as a player to possibly face another year without being drafted. Add in the injury possibilities during that year and you are screwing the kid over. If the Marlins wanted to pay well below slot for that particular draft slot, then they should have taken someone a lot less talented. In reality, they were being cheapskates. IMO MLB stepped in and told them to offer more. No proof on that of course. But not signing him or offering him close to fair value would have been a PR nightmare for Bud's system.