Brady Aiken DID NOT SIGN

[caulfield12]

In the article about it, the one independent doctor they asked seemed to think it wasn't that big of deal either for more potential for injury it or repairing it, which seemed to be an issue with the Astros. Obviously, not everyone will agree.

 

If Aiken is confident he is healthy, I don't see any reason he would want any part of the Astros organization at this point. Go to a JUCO or play independent ball next year. Even if you only get the money the Astros are offering, at least you don't have to deal with them through your cheap years.

 

Not only that, but he does have the ability to put together a mini-Scherzer policy (against the $144 million guaranteed contract he turned down from DET) against injury if he does go the JC/indy route.

 

Then if you're Close, do you also out of principle reject the $1.5 million offer for your other client...? And what if his family (Nix) still wants to accept the Astros' offer, even if it's contrary to the interests of Aiken in many ways?

 

Do you resign as Nix's agent then and just stay with Aiken? Do you have the two families meet together? What's the correct approach to take ethically if you feel the Astros are negotiating in bad faith and trying to get three for the price of one by taking advantage of your client?

[southsider2k5]

FWIW, I found the articles gave great context to the situation at hand. Knowing that stuff makes how the Astros got into this mess a lot more clear.

[caulfield12]

FWIW, I found the articles gave great context to the situation at hand. Knowing that stuff makes how the Astros got into this mess a lot more clear.

 

 

In the end, they're winning individual battles but losing the war.

 

Unfortunately, it's going to give advocates for quantitative/statistical analysis a black eye in the process. It's not utilizing all the most modern tools at their disposal to attempt to gain a competitive advantage that's the problem, of course. It's forgetting the human side of the sport completely that will be their undoing (the mirror of that conversation/debate we frequently have about how Jerry Reinsdorf is often loyal to a fault).

 

Surely, that's a large reason that "trade notes internal document" was leaked. That couldn't have been a coincidence.

[caulfield12]

The situation, according to one source, is not unlike what Indiana State left-hander Sean Manaea experienced in the 2013 draft. Manaea, projected to go with one of the top picks, suffered a hip injury that caused him to slide to No. 34 – and his value to drop to $3.55 million. But his injury forced him to miss time and affected his performance. Aiken’s “abnormality” has not.

 

Baseball people often say that the arm of every pitcher has some imperfection that would be revealed by an MRI. The Astros, in the opinion of some agents and union officials, are using a perceived flaw with Aiken’s elbow as a way to manipulate the draft.

 

The Astros signed a high pick with a different physical issue, awarding their fourth rounder, Texas A&M right-hander Daniel Mengden, a $470,000 bonus even though he had a stress fracture in his back.

Close and the union are particularly upset that the Astros have tied the signing of Aiken to the signing of Nix, who remains in limbo despite passing his physical.

 

It is standard industry protocol for players to agree to contract terms, then take physicals as the final step in finalizing a contract. But the Astros, after reaching agreement with Nix, notified his family that the offer would be rescinded because the team first needed to complete Aiken’s deal, Close said.

 

Baseball officials say that the draft rules allow clubs to go above and below assigned bonus values with individual picks. The way the system works, money that goes to one player does not go another. The club simply must stay within its pool.

 

The Astros, if they fail to sign Aiken, would lose his assigned bonus value of $7,922,100. If they then signed Nix, they would exceed the maximum they are allowed to spend in the first round 10 rounds of the 2014 draft, triggering the loss of at least one future pick.

 

“We believe that it is a clear violation of the rules being attempted solely to avoid penalty,” Clark said. “The Astros made a deal with Jacob Nix and should honor that agreement.”

 

Close said that if every team behaved like the Astros, then the entire structure of the draft would collapse.

 

“If every player was contingent on another player, we would have no draft, we would have no draft pool, we would have no signings,” Close said. “We’d never be able to reach agreements. They’d either all be reached at the same time, or none of them would ever be reached.”

 

The more immediate question is whether Aiken and his family will even be comfortable signing with the Astros, knowing that the team harbors suspicions about the condition of his arm.

 

The clock is ticking. The No. 1 pick in the country remains unsigned.

 

 

www.foxsports.com

[caulfield12]

http://www.astroscounty.com/2014/07/quick-...rady-aiken.html

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/everyone-lo...ady-aiken-mess/

[Donny Lucy's Avocado Farm]

This is true. If he feels healthy and doctors have told him he is, I'd choose this route. I'd play Indy ball and become a top 5 pick next year.

 

I'd go to College and get laid like a Hawaiian.

[caulfield12]

http://www.crawfishboxes.com/2014/7/17/591...out-legal-basis

 

On whether the Astros can/will be legally forced to honor the $1.5 million offer to Nix.

 

 

http://www.crawfishboxes.com/2014/7/16/591...draft-pool-mess

 

Doing the math on Houston's Brady Aiken draft pool mess.

Edited July 18, 2014 by caulfield12

[witesoxfan]

Regarding this topic, I just want to mention the name Karsten Whitson.

[caulfield12]

Regarding this topic, I just want to mention the name Karsten Whitson.

 

Any relation to Ed?

[witesoxfan]

Any relation to Ed?

 

No idea.

 

Karsten Whitson was drafted 9th overall by the San Diego Padres in 2010. He was offered a bonus of $2.1 mill. He declined with rumors suggesting he wanted $2.7 mill. It's not a mere $600K, but he should have compromised and negotiated more. Instead, he went to U of Florida and hurt his shoulder his sophomore year. Following his junior year, he was drafted in the 37th round by the Nationals, but didn't sign. Finally, this year, he was drafted in the 11th round by the Red Sox. He signed - for $100k. His first two starts have been anything but good.

 

It sucks that the Astros have Aiken in a stranglehold like this, but there are very serious risks that need to be accounted for if he does choose to go to a 4 year NCAA institution. If he is set on not signing for that amount, I'd suggest JuCo or Indy ball.

[caulfield12]

On a plus note, he lost his starter's job in 2013-14 but ended up the season back in the mid 90's, so he's got a shot...

 

 

 

 

Whitson holds no ill will against the Padres. He understands why people wonder why he didn’t sign when he had $2.1 million reasons to do so. But he wanted to etch his own path, and that road begins in Gainesville, Fla., not in the Padres' farm system.

 

"I would tell any kid out of high school they better be comfortable with going pro, because once you make that decision, you're 100 percent into that level of baseball," he said. "It's a grind and some players just aren't fully ready for it."

 

Once at Florida, it took Whitson just a week to realize that he had work to do, and it reinforced his decision to spurn the Padres.

 

"Mentally and physically, I thought I'd be ready for pro ball, but then I get here to Florida and I hardly could walk after just a week of workouts," he said.

 

While I don't buy a single word of the "I wasn't ready for the minors" bulls***, the article included a smattering of legit introspection (keep in mind, this was 3.5 years ago):http://sonsofsamhorn.net/topic/83795-karsten-whitson-rhp-2014-mlb-draft-11th-round/

 

Quote

"There are some things I can improve on,” he said. “Throwing my changeup for a strike was a big emphasis for me during fall workouts. I will continue working on that. I also want to improve my fastball command on both sides of the plate."

Edited July 18, 2014 by caulfield12

[witesoxfan]

Maybe he truly does not regret anything he did, but it would be tough as hell for me to realize that I gave up the opportunity to make 2100% more than my current salary.

[caulfield12]

Have the Astros signed Brady Aiken yet?

The deadline to let the Commissioner's office know that teams have signed their draft picks is at 4pm Central. Here is a running update of updates.

 

UPDATE 11:22am: No

 

11:00am: No

 

10:30am: No

 

10:00am: No

 

9:30am: No

 

9:00am: No

 

8:30am: No

 

8:00am: No

 

Thought this was pretty funny.

 

 

 

from baseballamerica.com

 

The Astros are the only ones, however, with access to their medical reports, and multiple sources Baseball America has spoken to off the record in the industry say they want to give the Astros the benefit of the doubt.

 

The No. 1 overall pick has went unsigned only in twice in draft history; righthander Tim Belcher (1983) and catcher Danny Goodwin (1971).

Edited July 18, 2014 by caulfield12

[Kyyle23]

lol, i like the commissioners office updates

[caulfield12]

Thanks to Astros owner, Aiken's UCLA bridge may be burned

By Evan Drellich

 

July 17, 2014 | Updated: July 17, 2014 11:41pm

 

Ever since Brady Aiken received a congratulatory call telling him he was the draft's No. 1 pick, his dealings with the Astros have become less pleasant.

Hayne Palmour IV, MBR

 

 

If top draft pick Brady Aiken doesn't sign with the Astros by Friday's 4 p.m. deadline, he has a commitment to UCLA. But even that could be in question.

 

 

If top draft pick Brady Aiken doesn’t sign with the Astros by Friday’s 4 p.m. deadline, he has a commitment to UCLA. But even that could be in question.

 

If Aiken, whose signing with the Astros has been slowed by a lower contract offer in the wake of medical reports of ligament problems in his pitching elbow, wants to get back in the draft for 2015, a year at a junior college instead of UCLA could be the route.

 

If he goes through with his commitment to UCLA, he would not be eligible for the draft for three years.

 

That’s assuming, of course, he remains healthy. Waiting three years to re-enter the draft, as Aiken would have to do at a four-year school like UCLA, is a risk. But so is passing on a scholarship offer from a top-tier school that would put him in the best position for success outside baseball.

 

 

“The only thing they said all season long – and this was all before the draft ever happened – is that they have a fantastic option of going to UCLA, and that was before the reality of being picked No. 1 overall came forward,” said Aiken’s high school coach, Gary Remiker. “Their opinion the whole way around was – all pre-draft before he was picked – is that right now their only option is UCLA because nothing else has happened. Once they got picked, they said, ‘Well, now we have two options.’

 

“I think the assumption, when you get picked No. 1, is that they’re going to sign, it’s going to be relatively easy to get them signed with the slotting system that’s going on now, and he’d be off in short season getting his five starts or whatever they wanted him to get.”

 

Whether Aiken even can play baseball for an NCAA Division I school such as UCLA is in question.

 

On July 7 in Arlington, Astros owner Jim Crane said general manager Jeff Luhnow was negotiating with Aiken’s agent. The NCAA forbids an adviser from talking to the team on an eligible player’s behalf.

 

“We have no comment on the No. 1 pick,” Crane said. “We’re still negotiating with him. … I’ve got no comment on any of it at this point. We’re just working with the agent. Jeff’s working with the agent to try to get something done.”

 

Luhnow said the same day that he had talked only to the family.

 

“The conversation’s with the family,” Luhnow said. “Whether or not the player has an adviser and to what capacity, that’s not my (subject to comment on). … Eligibility is at risk if they have an agent. You can have an adviser, yeah. Certain behaviors might constitute one versus the other. We don’t comment on conversations. Our conversations are all with the families – the player or the families. In the case of an underage player, the family’s important.”

 

Clarification by NCAA

 

Casey Close, who represents Derek Jeter, is Aiken’s family adviser.

 

It’s common practice in baseball for agents of high school players to be in touch with teams, one of the many wink-and-nod rule-skirting elements of the game.

 

But in a case as high profile as Aiken’s, would a wink and a nod be enough? His leverage isn’t helped if he can’t go to an NCAA Division I school – and the Astros won’t look good if their owner’s words end up hurting Aiken’s eligibility.

 

In February, reports came out that the Philadelphia Phillies told the NCAA last year that their 2013 fifth-round draft pick, pitcher Ben Wetzler, had violated the no-agent rule. Wetzler didn’t sign with the Phillies, but he was able to pitch for Oregon State. The Miami Marlins drafted him in the ninth round this year.

 

In a memorandum issued last March, the NCAA said:

 

“In order to maintain your eligibility at an NCAA school, however, this adviser may not serve as a link between you and the professional sports team. Rather, you must view the adviser as an extension of your own interests and not as a source to contact a professional team. If the adviser has direct contact with a professional team regarding you or your status, whether independently or per your request or direction, the adviser shall be considered an agent, and you will have jeopardized your eligibility at an NCAA school.

 

“For example, an adviser may not be present during the discussions of a contract offer with a professional team or have any direct contact (including, but not limited to, in person, by telephone, text message, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, email or mail) with the professional sports team on your behalf.”

 

Is Close too close?

 

Close’s decision to speak to foxsports.com in such detail about the Astros’ handling of Aiken – as well as another Astros draftee committed to UCLA, Jacob Nix – doesn’t dispel the idea Close could be acting in a way the NCAA would find impermissible.

 

Close, as one of the game’s best agents, presumably knew what risk was involved.

 

“Being a high school coach for years, every major league prospect that’s come to San Diego has had a quote-unquote adviser,” Remiker said. “And what the difference is between the person being an adviser and being an agent, I have no idea.”

 

Remiker has been watching the events unfold from San Diego, but he has given Aiken and his family space.

 

“I haven’t heard anything from their party, from the Aiken family or anything about their opinion about what’s going on,” Remiker said. “I haven’t heard from them all. All I’ve done is just send him a text, just keeping my fingers crossed that everything works out for him here. … I’m more hoping that I’ll click on one of these times and see that they’ve come to an agreement.”

 

 

 

http://blog.chron.com/ultimateastros/2014/...&25194101=0

Edited July 18, 2014 by caulfield12

[caulfield12]

 

ROSS DELLENGER

[email protected]

July 18, 2014

0 COMMENTS

Have the Houston Astros contacted Mac Marshall?

 

He won’t say.

 

Marshall, the headliner to LSU’s star-studded signing class, declined comment on Friday when asked if the Astros had made contact with him over the last couple of days.

 

Earlier this week, Marshall said the Astros had not contacted him since the draft in early June.

 

MLB teams have until 4 p.m. to sign draftees. A source inside the LSU baseball program said that Marshall’s situation is “50-50.”

 

A power left-handed pitcher from Georgia, Marshall turned down nearly $1 million on draft week, opting for school instead of the pros. Thus his draft spot fell. Houston picked him in the 21st round.

 

Marshall is enrolled at LSU and has been a part of LSU’s summer workout program in Baton Rouge. He’s been adamant that he’s committed to LSU and plans to play for the Tigers.

 

Marshall, though, admits that his situation with Houston is tied to that of the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, Brady Aiken, who the Astros have yet to sign. Aiken and the team are at somewhat of an impasse in contract talks. Marshall’s situation could also be affected by the Astros fifth-round pick, Jacob Nix.

 

Slot value rules can get confusing, but the situation isn’t.

 

According to coach Paul Mainieri and reports from Baseball America and FoxSports.com, if the Astros sign Aiken for a low amount of $5 million or less – which they’re trying to do – they’ll have more bonus money to woo Marshall away from Baton Rouge.

 

“They could make a serious offer for Mac,” Mainieri said.

 

Marshall’s asking price is $1.5 million, multiple sources told The Advocate.

 

If the Astros don’t sign Aiken, they’ll completely lose their first-round slot money (nearly $8 million), leaving them with nothing to offer Marshall and rescinding a previous offer of $1.5 million to Nix.

 

Aiken and the Astros originally agreed on a deal worth $6.5 million, but the team uncovered an elbow injury during a physical with Aiken and has since backed away from that number.

Responding to a message Friday morning, Marshall said, “I’m sorry. I have no comment.”

[caulfield12]

UPDATE 12:00pm: No

 

 

Must suck for Astros' fans.

 

4 hours to go.

[harfman77]

This will be an interesting situation. If the Astros fabricated the injury, they may not be entitled to a compensation pick next season, and if they are forced to honor Nix's contract, they could be forced to surrender next years first round pick as well. They are taking a big gamble on classifying this as an injury, when there have been multiple experts, including world renowned UCL expert Dr. James Andrews weigh in to say that there is no injury and that his condition does not correlate to an increased chance of injury in the future. I think the Astros are going to get dinged on this, and an arbitrator will end up declaring Aiken a FA if the Astros aren't willing to come up to the range of his original offer.

[caulfield12]

This will be an interesting situation. If the Astros fabricated the injury, they may not be entitled to a compensation pick next season, and if they are forced to honor Nix's contract, they could be forced to surrender next years first round pick as well. They are taking a big gamble on classifying this as an injury, when there have been multiple experts, including world renowned UCL expert Dr. James Andrews weigh in to say that there is no injury and that his condition does not correlate to an increased chance of injury in the future. I think the Astros are going to get dinged on this, and an arbitrator will end up declaring Aiken a FA if the Astros aren't willing to come up to the range of his original offer.

 

 

http://www.crawfishboxes.com/2014/7/17/591...out-legal-basis

 

 

Here's one lawyer's thoughts on this...

 

 

We have arrived at my area of expertise. I am a lawyer. Not a sports agent, not a contracts specialist, just a general practitioner.

 

But, this stuff is basic first year law school contracts law. If an offer is contingent upon an event occurring, and both parties know it's contingent upon an event occurring; if the event does not occur, the offer is null and void.

 

The issue is not whether it's an offer in writing, or a verbal agreement. Keith (Law) is right in saying verbal agreements can be enforceable, and the Statute of Frauds is the correct area of law to be examined in that regard.

 

But that is the red herring, because that is not at all what is important here. What is important here is that no one is disputing (at least to my current knowledge at 4:00 a.m. writing this piece), that the Nix offer was contingent upon Aiken signing a below slot deal.

 

Thus, it will be extremely hard for anyone to say that the Astros will be forced to sign Nix, even if they miss on Aiken.

Edited July 18, 2014 by caulfield12

[harfman77]

http://www.crawfishboxes.com/2014/7/17/591...out-legal-basis

 

 

Here's one lawyer's thoughts on this...

 

 

We have arrived at my area of expertise. I am a lawyer. Not a sports agent, not a contracts specialist, just a general practitioner.

 

But, this stuff is basic first year law school contracts law. If an offer is contingent upon an event occurring, and both parties know it's contingent upon an event occurring; if the event does not occur, the offer is null and void.

 

The issue is not whether it's an offer in writing, or a verbal agreement. Keith (Law) is right in saying verbal agreements can be enforceable, and the Statute of Frauds is the correct area of law to be examined in that regard.

 

But that is the red herring, because that is not at all what is important here. What is important here is that no one is disputing (at least to my current knowledge at 4:00 a.m. writing this piece), that the Nix offer was contingent upon Aiken signing a below slot deal.

 

Thus, it will be extremely hard for anyone to say that the Astros will be forced to sign Nix, even if they miss on Aiken.

 

Based on their comments, I believe that Tony Clark and Casey Close feel very differently. There is no indication that there was any mention of Nix's contract being contingent on anything that happened with anyone else. Unless Aiken signs, this will not be decided today and will drag through an arbitration process and likely into a courtroom.

 

[Quin]

Let's get Aiken with our savings on Quintana and Sale

[Kyyle23]

Caulfield just went full Puig

[DirtySox]

Let's get Aiken with our savings on Quintana and Sale

 

He's not going to be a free agent.

[caulfield12]

Seems the lesser-touted Fedde (compared to Hoffman) is going to receive $2.5-2.6 million...who fits in line with their previous Giolito signing at what most consider a huge discount/value

 

 

Nats Nearing Deal With Fedde, Won’t Sign Suarez

 

By Steve Adams [July 18, 2014 at 2:22pm CDT]

2:22pm: The team’s second-round pick, Andrew Suarez, has announced that he will return to the University of Miami rather than sign via his Instagram account. The Hurricanes also tweeted an announcement that the left-hander will be returning.

 

MLB.com’s Jim Callis tweets that with the Nats not signing Suarez or ninth-round pick Austin Byler, the max amount they can give Fedde without losing a first-round pick is $2,511,100.

 

2:08pm: Fedde’s signing bonus will be between $2.5MM and $2.6MM, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports (on Twitter).

 

1:32pm: The Nationals are nearing a deal with first-rounder Erick Fedde, reports Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post (on Twitter). A deal between the two sides will “almost certainly” get done in advance of today’s signing deadline, which is just two and a half hours away.

 

Fedde was projected as a potential top 10 pick in the draft before the difficult news that he would require Tommy John surgery caused him to slide. The Nationals, never ones to let an injury scare prevent them from drafting a high-end talent (they also selected Lucas Giolito in the first round in 2012), snatched the UNLV ace up with the 18th overall pick, which carries a slot value of $2,145,600. As Kilgore noted in a previous piece, there were teams in the late first round that had expressed interest in going as high as $3MM on a signing bonus for Fedde, making his negotiations with the Nats complicated, to say the least.

 

Fedde’s operation caused him to slide down pre-draft rankings. Keith Law ranked him 27th at ESPN.com, while Baseball America had him ranked 24th, and MLB.com’s duo of Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo ranked him 33rd.

[maggsmaggs]

Seven minutes until Aiken either signs or does not. Crazy.