quote:

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I feel bad for Brady Aiken, but if he doesn't sign with the Astros, he's an idiot.


The injury concerns and questions are out there. They will not go away. Even if he goes and pitches at a JUCO for a year and re-enters the draft, he will not make as much as he can right now.

He is gambling on being at least a top 8-10 pick again to have a chance to make $3.1 million. Here's the slot value for each pick this year.



No club is going to risk taking him that high with the questions about injury. He will be a 3rd rounder at best. If his family is so jaded that they are willing to risk this just to stick it to the Astros, so be it.


The #2 pick next year is well worth it if he is that much of an idiot.

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Completely agree and said this to my buddy as well several days ago. As pissed off as he may be he'd be better off signing now.

One hour left. Hope Aiken likes washing his own uniform because thats how they roll in JC. Now the Astros are set back another year on a top prospect.

Unless we go with a college player. Then we more than catch up.

Ok... even if these 3 don't sign, early returns on this draft class are looking positive.


JD Davis, AJ Reed, Derek Fisher, Nick Tanielu, Bobby Boyd, and Ryan Bottger are all tearing up the NY-Penn league. All college bats that could move Kemp/Gregor fast.

JD Davis is already at Quad Cities. I bet he will start next year in Lancaster.

8 min...

[This message has been edited by mm98 (edited 7/18/2014 3:52p).]

Callis reporting Marshall did not sign

Adios mother ****er

F*** me.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/07/astros-fail-to-sign-aiken-nix-marshall.html

The Nolan Effect?

If that dude passed up $5mm, he is a dumbass. That means a top 4 pick next year is the only way he matches that money.

Would have loved to get a top prospect this year, but two top 5 picks next year should be a good consolation. This guy just lost himself a TON of money.

[This message has been edited by Buck Compton (edited 7/18/2014 4:36p).]

Hard lesson to learn at 18 years old.

Plus it pushes his big contract out another year.

quote:

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If that dude passed up $5mm, he is a dumbass. That means a top 4 pick next year is the only way he matches that money.

Would have loved to get a top prospect this year, but two top 5 picks next year should be a good consolation. This guy just lost himself a TON of money.

[This message has been edited by Buck Compton (edited 7/18/2014 4:36p).]

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Considering the possible issues he was going to have with that elbow this could be a good win for the Astros. Of course he still could be fine and go on to pitch well elsewhere.

Big whiff on the last two drafts though.

if he was offered $5mil, he's either just a dumb kid getting horrible advice or he really didn't want to be an astro.

either way, not a great week for the houston GMs

what an idiot

Wow, passes up $5 mil

Whoa, I couldn't imagine passing up $5 mil, especially after being injured at 18.

Writing off Appell ? That's a knee jerk reaction

Honestly, there's a decent chance that the we will look back at this in a few years and be glad that this fell through. I guess we'll need to wait until at least the draft next year to see if this could have worked out well, and then the next few years to see how his arm plays out

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Writing off Appell ? That's a knee jerk reaction

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Unfortunately, there's no reason right now to think that he'll be anything but a bust

I guarantee you that kid has never been told a thing about TVM, has never seen the chart posted in this thread, and doesn't truly understand what leverage the team had over him. This is the agent getting into the kid's head and the parents' heads and just trying to say that the Astros are being cheap skates.

Unless he really, really, really, really just didn't want to be an Astro for whatever reason, I can't see how he came to this decision. I made some dumb mistakes when I was 18, but I wouldn't have passed up $5mm guaranteed for a year of JUCO. Degree from an Ivy League or go to a collegiate powerhouse? Sure, MAYBE it would enter my mind, depending on my family situation. But not for a year of JUCO just to enter the draft again. That's just plain dumb.

Oh well, wish the kid the best! Astros get the 2nd overall pick next year, and that likely means two top 5 picks. Hate to not get a 1st rounder with how Appel is performing though. I really hope he finds some way to calm down.

quote:

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Luhnow

MLBPA: “Today, two young men should be one step closer to realizing their dreams of becoming Major League ballplayers. Because of the actions of the Houston Astros, they are not. The MLBPA, the players and their advisers are exploring all legal options.”

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The Astros we're consulting MLB all along the way. The threat of lawsuits is just posturing. The Astros had to know this was going to bring a ton of bad press, but at the end of the day, they've got to do what's in the best interest of the franchise.

Apell is still hitting 98 on the gun not ready to call him a bust they will figure how to get him better.

Appell is having issues but pitching in Lancaster is doing him ZERO favors

wow, unbelievable...turn down $5 million when you already have a known injury? Even the air traffic controllers from the 80's think he made a bad decision.

but in combination with Nix and the Appel mess, this is a big check minus on Luhnow and the front office. These are the same blunders Drayton, Purpura, and Wade made several years ago

next year there may be a bunch of agents and players telling the astros...don't draft me. The 'stros may have to draft latin players --- they need the money much worse and would not turn down playing for anyone

Here's the latest update from mlbtraderumors:

5:25pm: The Astros have released their own statement, saying that the club’s final offer was “extremely fair considering all the factors involved in this case” and insisting that the team “approached these negotiations in good faith and with the best interests of the Astros organization in mind, both short-term and long-term.”

Heyman tweets the following details on the club’s final efforts to reach agreement: the team made three offers today, the second of which came with 30 minutes left on the clock. The final, $5MM offer was made with just five minutes to go. Aiken did not counter any of the offers.