I honestly I think the Astros are at a point where they just don't give a f**k what people think. Everybody hates them, if even able to watch the games few do, very low attendance numbers and the MLB product is still very bad. Are people gonna stop going to the games they already weren't going to ? If the Astros start winning and get on TV people will be crazy about the team like they were back in the day, regardless of what they do now.
But did the Astros do a physical on Marshall. What if he has health issues too? Marshall has talked like he was never intent on playing elsewhere but LSU. I am fairly certain he had to have, if he has a contract to sign contingent Aikens is signed as well. A redo next year would be much preffered. As it is Aikens chance of reachong the majors just went down significantly. And like Lunhow said, this is the 1-1 pick in the majors, you dont play around with that pick.
In general, I like what Luhnow has done so far, but how does the GM of a major league baseball team schedule a vacation that runs during the signing deadline? Is this some sort of bargaining tactic? Is that was why Bosh was in Ghana during free agency?
I think the Astros would preffer that Aiken walk. By offering the absolute minimum, they are telling Aikens we really dont think your body will hold up. And i doubt that Aikens will find a better deal in next years draft. I think Lunhow taking a vacation says all of you have my best deal on the table. And only reason Aikens has a deal is to preserve next years #2 pick. At this point i dont think the Astros happy about his potential. But in a redone draft Aikens might not get picked until the 2 or 3rd rounds. And have to settle for 2 or 1 million dollars. Its a bummer countin 6.5 million and then being told we are taking back 3+ million back.
The fact that there is no chance Aiken gets picked 1.1 again, meaning never having the opportunity at a bonus like this, along with everyone knowing he has a small UCL now is great leverage. I'm sure that margarita on the beach tastes pretty good. Q: So what exactly is the deal with getting 2 of the top five picks next year if he doesn't sign? compensation? how does that work?
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LSU?src=hash">#LSU</a> signee Mac Marshall has "no comment" on if Astros have contacted him. Source says situation is "50-50." Story - <a href="http://t.co/akOIGYH6wA">http://t.co/akOIGYH6wA</a></p>— Ross Dellenger (@DellengerAdv) <a href="https://twitter.com/DellengerAdv/statuses/490171598788235265">July 18, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe if you offer the proper qualifying offer ($3.1 mil in our case) and the player rejects, you get your pick +1 next year. So we would get next years #2 pick, plus our real pick which most people peg to be in the top 5.
Phil Jackson did the same thing with the Carmelo Anthony recruitment. I also remember that Brian Cashman has done something similar. In this day and age it isn't as big a deal as it used to be.
Yup... the Astros would end up with 2 of the top 5 picks. The negative part is the press ripping the Astros, and losing out on Nix and Marshall this year, plus another year passing before getting an elite player in your system. Honestly, Aiken has more to lose than the Astros.
With us having 2 picks in the top 5, and the almost non-existent possibility that he'd go 1.1 next year, he'd be placing an absolute asinine and unnecessary bet on himself being able to get more than the (at least) $3.1 mill that he has on the table right now. He'd be leaving himself an either 2 or 3 pick window, while throwing complete caution to the wind and praying that those other teams at the top of the draft have no concerns about his elbow, and banking on nothing adversely affecting him in the next year. His hands are tied, it seems.
Just to be clear, it was Aiken's camp that brought his UCL issue out to the media, correct? If so, He has nobody but himself to blame about a future team's skepticism regarding his health.