This is my first article so please bare with me, but I just got done reading online at the Baltimore Sun that the Orioles have 72 hours to sign first round draft pick Brian Matusz or lose his draft rights.

Didn't this just happen last year with Matt Wieters and just barely signing him at the Midnight deadline. Correct me if I am wrong but haven't the O's been taking it down to the wire with there top draft pick for past 6 years. I forget two of the names but I know the O's lost them to the deadline.

Is this just me or is there a pattern here? I know I don't have all the facts and to be honest don't think any of us do beyond the closed doors of the negotiations. But imo signing your top draft pick shouldn't take 3 months.

If it was me I would try and meet the draft pick half way to start of on the right foot. For me I wouldn't want my time to be wasted or his, plus I would want the best draft pick signed and sent to the Aberdeen Ironbirds quickly as I could to start playing and preparing for the big leagues.

It's no wonder the Orioles have so much trouble signing free agents when they can't even sign there top draft pick year after year. The players see this and they like playing for a team with a good foundation which usually starts bottom up, but in this case top to bottom.

When will the pattern change maybe when the ownership changes which at this rate could be a very long time.

Let me know how I did if I get good feed back maybe I will write more thanks