Heh, dave I was wondering what it censored, too. I think it was educated guess or educated risk or educated gamble.
Dave, I doubt that Dugas has done enough in a couple of weeks of summer to reduce his status. A proven big-time college player, I think you know what he is.
I think the summer performance is more at issue for pitchers. It's easy to envision some pitcher stepping it up, or holding some newfound velocity that you saw in spring; or coming back off of an injury; or a guy who had success against lower competition showing that his success holds against better guys; or showing some success with a breaking pitch that he didn't throw often in HS/JC but he knows he'll need to show you if he's going to get the cash. But I can't imagine Dugas has killed his eval during a month of summer ball. (Could be wrong, of course.)
I suspect it's mostly a reality that most players end up settling for less than they originally asked for. Just as in the NFL deal, neither ends with what they first "demanded". So Dugas says he expects $600+, we figure he'll eventually take what he gets and sign for $250 or $300, so we draft him despite his $600 "demand". But in this case he doesn't move off his demands as much as we expected.
I suspect if you only drafted guys whose stated dollar demand is what you're willing to pay, you might be taking 80% of the kids off your draft board. I assume you routinely draft guys who expecting that you'll offer less than they demand, but that in due time they'll move enough to take what you're willing to give. That isn't going to always happen, of course, so it's an educated risk.