Interesting quote:
or Charlie Tilson, the ball is in the St. Louis Cardinals’ court.

Drafted in the second round of the MLB amateur draft June 7, the Illinois recruit hours later gave the Cardinals a monetary figure for which he would be willing to sign.

Tilson still is waiting for a response.

“We have been in contact a little bit with the scouting director, but we haven’t gotten into conversations on money,” the center fielder said this week.

The hang-up, apparently, is a demand by the 2011 Gatorade Illinois Baseball Player of the Year for a signing bonus considerably larger than what the commissioner’s office has recommended for Tilson’s slot in the draft.

The Winnetka New Trier graduate was drafted 79th overall. The News-Gazette has learned the recommended slot figure for that pick is between $457,000 and $458,000.

Tilson declined to reveal how much he’s seeking.

“We put a lot of thought into it, and I think we’re pretty confident in it,” the 5-foot-11, 175-pounder said of his financial demand. “I gave (Cardinals area scout Kris Gross) a figure, and I told him it was firm. And that’s as far as our conversations have gone.”