The signing deadline for draft picks is in two days, and the Pirates still have way too many interesting picks unsigned. Here's the talk:

-P- Eric from Baseball Digest Daily wrote to me a couple days ago about this, but I haven't had time to draw attention to it. Anyway, his interview with Baseball America's Jim Callis is terrific, and it really puts the Pedro Alvarez situation in perspective (beginning at about 23 minutes in). Alvarez will sign. He probably won't do so until about four seconds before the deadline, and he'll probably give us all ulcers, but he'll sign. The Beaver County Times agrees.

-P- Second rounder Tanner Scheppers, he of the shoulder injury, recently pitched at PNC for the Pirates' baseball staff, and Dejan Kovacevic reports that it "sounds as if the team is going to make a contract offer."

-P- Via WHYGAVS, Rivals.com's editor reports that both Scheppers and fifth-rounder Justin Wilson are likely to sign with the Bucs.

-P- No word on any of the other top unsigned draft picks, who include sixth rounder Robbie Grossman, tenth rounder Drew Gagnon, and 20th rounder Quinton Miller.