Bloggin' the deadline away

5:24 With the looming signing deadline just a few hours off, I decided I'd live blog the next few hours, probably 'til about 8:00 or so, so I won't be able to cover everything, but let's hope something happens between now and then so we can FEEL THE EXCITEMENT! Anyway, it's been a busy couple days for the Pirates, signing Fresno State starting pitcher Justin Wilson for slot money a couple days ago, OF Robbie Grossman for (channeling my inner Dr. Evil) 1 miiiiiillllion dollars, and starting pitcher Quinton Miller for 900,000 dollars. All of them are pretty highly regarded, and this will certainly bolster the Pirates minor league depth, hopefully with a little bit of the quality that they have lacked as opposed to the quantity that they recently received. Updates in a bit...
5:48 Doesn't seem to be a ton happening right now. Most of my sources are dry at this point, though if you aren't a regular checker of the PBC Blog on the Post-Gazette website I just don't know what to tell you any more. In the mean time, if you are wondering what I am up to, I'm snacking on some pizza (mmmm....pizza), sipping on a coke, and watching That 70's Show. An all-around good time thus far. I'm on the lookout for something, anything, so let's hope that I scrouge up some sort of info for a post in a bit.
6:00 A story is up on the PG website about Pedro. DK gives his feeling and I agree. He also makes it sound like the Buccos may be backpedaling a bit on the Major League contract part. In fact, if they can do it in order to get Alvarez to agree to a little less of a signing bonus, then I would absolutely agree to it. My best guess is that Pedro gets a major league deal from the Bucs for 6.5 million dollars, and that it will be a bit backloaded to lower the Net Present Value (yes I am a business student in college). More in a few...
6:12 Here is a scouting reports courtesy of Baseball America

On Quinton Miller
-"The 6-foot-3 Miller has a quick arm and has shown a fastball reaching 93-94 mph at times. He has a feel for pitching and flashes a good, hard slider and average changeup at his best. However, his velocity dipped into the upper 80s at times this spring, and his fastball can straighten out."
-He is also a senior in high school and will likely not do anything for the Bucs until he reports to Instructional League in Bradenton in September.
-My best guess is he spend the entirety of next year with Low A Hickory, unless of course he were to do well there, and then we could see him make in appearance in Lynchburg, but I find that to be his highest possible ceiling for '09. Expect him to be 3-4 years (at least) until he reaches MLB, though I don't think we'd surprised if it was more then that.

6:28 Interesting piece by the Trib's Guy Junker, who is one of my favorite Pittsburgh sports personalities. The conundrum facing Huntington does appear to be that he needs to prove himself before Nutting agrees to open the purse strings, as I guess Nutting is too scarred from the past failures, but to tell you the truth, that is no way to run a business. Anyway, no updates on Alvarez right now it doesn't seem.

6:51 Sorry for the delay friends, I just pumped out another Pitt column, so enjoy. Obviously nothing new to report on Pedro, just basically waiting around. Here's Baseball America's scoop on Robbie Grossman:
" A switch-hitter with raw power from both sides of the plate as well as average speed, he projected as a sandwich- or second-round pick but slid because of signability. He had committed to Texas."
Not much of a scouting report I must admit, but that's about all anyone seems to know about him.

7:02 Alright folks, I've gotta run, still nothing on the Alvarez front, sorry to cut it short.