Brady Aiken DID NOT SIGN

[bmags]

On the flip side, if Aiken has had an independent physical done and there is something incredibly wrong with him, he'd be insane not to take the money at this point.

 

This has to be the resolution to me. If Aiken has physical and shows limited damage I feel like there should be some sort of arbitration process.

[TheTruth05]

Would Aiken be allowed to sit out next season and then become a free agent?

 

Well once he would become a free agent I don't believe he would have to sign until he wants but him sitting a year would be detrimental to his development.

[Kyyle23]

His workload actually wasn't that high and he was supposedly taken care of and not really handled poorly.

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2121883...ers-huge-upside

The "back and uphill" motion is not necessarily a negative. Work done by Alan Jaeger, a top pitching consultant, points to this type of move, seen in the picture of Hamels here, as something of a positive. The front shoulder is slightly higher than the back shoulder, though they level out at release. There haven't been biomechanical studies to prove this move is good or bad, but it is common and shows no correlation to elbow injuries.

 

However, two teams that I spoke with said that they had concerns about Aiken. "We didn't red-flag him," said one scouting official from the AL, "because we knew he wasn't getting to us. If he had, the workload he had in high school and showcases was a bit worrisome. Maybe he'd have passed, but we'd have checked."

 

Another scout, who watched Aiken closely heading into this year's draft, had another concern. "There were a lot of stories about the kid being a workhorse, but he's skinny and developing. I don't know how all his crossfit [stuff] fits into baseball. It's too new and our strength guys don't like it for our major leaguers. Did he hurt himself pitching or playing with ropes?"

The Astros are in good position to make a sound medical judgment. Dr. Thomas Mehlhoff is an orthopedist for Houston and has become one of the few surgeons that teams trust to do Tommy John surgery. It is unlikely that the Astros would have ignored Mehlhoff's opinion in this process, though it is not known officially whether Mehlhoff is involved.

 

You just never know. High School workloads arent nearly as verifiable as we would like.

 

 

[Jake]

Interesting how this is working out. Sounds like Aiken's camp is now openly talking to the media, which is interesting. Tough to say without info or medical training whether HOU is BS'ing.

 

Is there any means by which Aiken's camp can contest the idea that the physical is failed?

[LDF]

Interesting how this is working out. Sounds like Aiken's camp is now openly talking to the media, which is interesting. Tough to say without info or medical training whether HOU is BS'ing.

 

Is there any means by which Aiken's camp can contest the idea that the physical is failed?

 

the brings up an interesting situation, what happen if a team make all sorts of wild accusations, can

the player being drafted have any recourse except not to sign with the said team.

[lasttriptotulsa]

Would Aiken be allowed to sit out next season and then become a free agent?

 

 

Well once he would become a free agent I don't believe he would have to sign until he wants but him sitting a year would be detrimental to his development.

 

I believe because of the 40% offer, he would be ineligible for free agency. If he does not accept he either goes to college in which case he cannot be drafted until his Junior year or he sits out an re-enters the draft next year. I may be wrong, but this is the way I understand it.

[BlackSox13]

Somehow I get the feeling that somewhere Tyler Kolek is snickering a little since Houston passed on the Texas flame thrower for Aiken.

[Eminor3rd]

If something is really wrong with his elbow, dude should take the three million bucks and get under the protection of the team's medical program ASAP. If he re-enters the draft next year, there's no way in hell any team is going to pretend like this isn't a red flag.

[TheTruth05]

Can't he just get a second opinion from a different Doc?

[iamshack]

Interesting how this is working out. Sounds like Aiken's camp is now openly talking to the media, which is interesting. Tough to say without info or medical training whether HOU is BS'ing.

 

Is there any means by which Aiken's camp can contest the idea that the physical is failed?

Well they have a number of doctors saying he is not injured.

 

The Astros are claiming there is a "significant abnormality" based on what they are seeing in the MRI, however, they can't disclose it publicly because of HIPPA rules.

 

The issue becomes the fact that it is so difficult to determine exactly "when" something is proof of an injury. Aiken has doctors saying he is perfectly fine. He threw 97 in his last start. He claims to be suffering from no pain.

 

Ultimately, I don't think the Astros can be forced to sign him if they believe he is injured. They may be operating from a position of leverage here, but they have plenty to lose as well. They originally offered him $6.5 million or whatever and then made offers to their other top 10 picks based on that outlay to their first round pick. But they don't want to pay the additional $2-3 million for what they believe is a player destined for injury if they can avoid it.

[Y2Jimmy0]

Can't he just get a second opinion from a different Doc?

 

 

Will Carroll ‏@injuryexpert 1m

Casey Close, Aiken's agent, has sent him to three different top docs who have all cleared his arm to pitch immediately.

[iamshack]

Would Aiken be allowed to sit out next season and then become a free agent?

I think he can either go to college or re-enter the draft. I don't think he can just become a FA.

[southsider2k5]

I remember reading multiple different times over the years that you could find an "injury" for pretty much anyone who has pitching for an amount of time. With all of the ligaments and tendons and muscles, that there was always technically something wrong with any pitcher.

 

True? No?

[iamshack]

I remember reading multiple different times over the years that you could find an "injury" for pretty much anyone who has pitching for an amount of time. With all of the ligaments and tendons and muscles, that there was always technically something wrong with any pitcher.

 

True? No?

Yes.

[southsider2k5]

I think he can either go to college or re-enter the draft. I don't think he can just become a FA.

 

Unless MLB ruled him a free agent because Houston negotiated in bad faith, Houston has met all of the milestones in their side of the negotiations. Aiken would have to go to college, and not be drafted again for years.

[Jake]

I remember reading multiple different times over the years that you could find an "injury" for pretty much anyone who has pitching for an amount of time. With all of the ligaments and tendons and muscles, that there was always technically something wrong with any pitcher.

 

True? No?

 

Well, yes and no. Injury? not exactly. Abnormalities? Yes. Almost all professional ballplayers show some abnormality on an MRI. Houston is arguing that this is a meaningful one and more than what one would expect. I don't know if they are right.

[iamshack]

Well, yes and no. Injury? not exactly. Abnormalities? Yes. Almost all professional ballplayers show some abnormality on an MRI. Houston is arguing that this is a meaningful one and more than what one would expect. I don't know if they are right.

Given that they were willing to pay him $6.5 million originally, I doubt they are just trying to save a few million here. It follows that they honestly believe he may be damaged goods and are just trying to make the best of the situation they find themselves in at this point. It seems like quite a risk to take just to save a few million bucks.

[witesoxfan]

It's just a gut feeling, but this really feels like a smear campaign. If they turn out right, then they look great, but this feels really shady.

[southsider2k5]

Jim Callis ‏@jimcallisMLB 2h

 

I'd at least double that. @keithlaw: $10 million. Maybe more? @Buster_ESPN: If Brady Aiken were free agent, how much he would get? @MLBDraft

[Y2Jimmy0]

Given that they were willing to pay him $6.5 million originally, I doubt they are just trying to save a few million here. It follows that they honestly believe he may be damaged goods and are just trying to make the best of the situation they find themselves in at this point. It seems like quite a risk to take just to save a few million bucks.

 

 

Or they are trying to use remaining $$ on 21st rd pick Mac Marshall who was a top 75 guy with a strong commitment to LSU. If Aiken takes the $3 million, they could then offer Marshall close to $3 million to forego his LSU commitment. So yes I am skeptical.

[iamshack]

It's just a gut feeling, but this really feels like a smear campaign. If they turn out right, then they look great, but this feels really shady.

I guess I just don't understand why they would do this though, given their original offer. If they had made no offer, then fine, I could see it. But they showed every indication of wanting to pay the kid. Then they saw the MRI.

[Dick Allen]

There has to be something with what the Astros medical staff sees. It makes zero sense to all of a sudden get cold feet on the top pick. All for about $3 million, the cost of one year of Ronald Belisario.

 

This is really weird, kind of like when they couldn't find an ACL on a running back several years ago.

Edited July 15, 2014 by Dick Allen

[iamshack]

Or they are trying to use remaining $$ on 21st rd pick Mac Marshall who was a top 75 guy with a strong commitment to LSU. If Aiken takes the $3 million, they could then offer Marshall close to $3 million to forego his LSU commitment. So yes I am skeptical.

I guess I just don't see it. Then you piss off your number 1 pick and it's likely you're going to have to pay like 5 times that "discount" when it comes time to sign him to another long-term contract...

[witesoxfan]

I guess I just don't see it. Then you piss off your number 1 pick and it's likely you're going to have to pay like 5 times that "discount" when it comes time to sign him to another long-term contract...

 

Maybe someone in the front office suggested that they "find an abnormality" to try and save some resources? This is a team that wanted to give George Springer a 7 year, $13 million deal so he could play on Opening Day and, when he turned it down, they sent him to the minors. They are not the most ethically sound organization at the moment, but they have shown that they know how to game the system and have been willing to do so.

[Dick Allen]

I guess I just don't see it. Then you piss off your number 1 pick and it's likely you're going to have to pay like 5 times that "discount" when it comes time to sign him to another long-term contract...

Exactly. While the difference between what they originally offered and what they now offer, is life changing for a lot of people, if you put it in baseball perspective, it is one year salary for most likely a very mediocre player. There is no motivation for the Astros to do this unless they really think something is wrong.