Zach Lee To Make Unsurprising Decision Soon

The deadline to sign 2010 MLB draft picks is less than a week away on Monday the 16th. At 11:59 p.m., Bryce Harper will sign for more than $10 million and Manny Machado will sign for around $8 million. It happens every year. Harper and Machado aren't going to go the College of Southern Nevada together and dominate JUCO like nobody has ever seen, despite what they've been saying on Facebook.

But of course, every season there are a couple of first rounders who decide to go to college or back to college or to an independent league. Rarely do you see a team pick a player with no intent at all in signing him. It appears that's the case with the Dodgers and Zach Lee. The discussions are going, well, not at all...

"As afar as I know I'm here to stay unless something changes," Lee said. "Right now I'm going to continue to practice and try to improve my game as much as possible. I know I'm going to have to make a decision sooner or later if they put up an offer or an option. As far as I know I'm here to stay.

"I haven't talked with them or anything. They contacted me to let me know they drafted me. I haven't heard from them since."

Perhaps with all of the divorce festivities the McCourts simply forgot to pay the Dodgers' phone bill. Maybe the Dodgers believe the Internet is a fad and never set up an email account. There fours of possibilities. Even if the Dodgers start up negotiations soon, it's unlikely they'll be able to sign Lee away from LSU where he's already practicing with the football team. And with Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee as the lead candidates to quarterback the Tigers, Zach Lee might not have long to wait before his chance.

I wrote after the draft that this seemed like a throwaway pick to me. Lee seems pretty committed to playing football and baseball at LSU and the rumors put it between $3-$6 million to buy out that commitment. I can't see the Dodgers ponying that up at 12:59 Monday night while the team is hijacked by the McCourt divorce. Why would I write not one but two and most likely three posts about this? I'm an unabashed LSU homer. So watch for part three of this trilogy, Return of the Tigers, on Tuesday.

[Nola.com]