again, i'm sorry but aikman probably did what jeff did. take money out of certain years to clear cap room, and add it on to the end of the contract. to me, it is still all money earned and owed to the player who would consider doing it to help make the team better at that point in time. there are a lot players who say hell no to a situation like that because they want their money right now.
i'm not worried about his financial security, but he did earn that money over his career. i just think the astros should stop worrying about saving money just to keep it in their pockets for their own financial gain when it should go to a guy who put in a lot of hard work to help their franchise become successful. i just think the right thing to do, is to let jeff take a try at another year. i'm pretty sure if he can't play at a level he's comfortable with, he'll do the right thing and retire. but to deny a man that opportunity is wrong.
So if the Astros are able to get the 15.6 million for Bagwell because the insurance company says he is disabled (which he will have to be, in order to pay out) you'd still rather it come directly from the Astro's payroll, even though Bags will get paid either way? This is win-win for all parties involved. Either the insurance company deems he can still play, in which case he will, or they deem he can't, which pretty much silences Jeff's will to play. If you can't do it, you can't do it, no matter what your mind wants. Then we can use that 15.6 on someone else. That is a huge chunk of change.
I saw this coming last year. As much as Bagwell has done for this franchise and as much as he means to the city and Astro fans, in the end, you can't defeat Father Time. To me, the issue here is that Bagwell does not want to admit that he is done so he and his agent are forcing the issue with the Astros. The folks blaming the Astros for this are way off base. The Astros carried him on their playoff and World Series even though he was basically a singles hitter who couldn't help them very much. If they carry him on their roster that's $17 million for a player who can't help them very much (and he didn't). That's money that can be used to get another bat. If they keep Bags and he can't be that bat, then the same people criticising them for seeking this insurance money will be b****ing them out for keeping him on the team. That's just the nature of the beast I suppose...
the problem is i don't trust the astros to use that money on anyone else. i just see mclane keeping it in his own pockets, that's just one reason bags should be given a shot to play. if jeff can't play, he better use that money on other players not just keep it for himself.
Bagwell's in denial. He's not going to be able to play this year, but by going to Spring Training he's going to cost the Astros a lot of money that they could use somewhere else. Bagwell was my favorite player growing up, but right now he's hurting the Astros, whether he realizes it or not. He earned the right to play, I won't argue him on that, but he's costing the Astros $17 million when he's at best going to be a pinch hitter. He can't play the field, and he's not going to even be the first option off the bench. He may have earned the right to play, but he doesn't have the right to charge the Astros all that money when he's going to have the production of about a rookie. When it boils down though, the Astros bought a crappy insurance policy. They should have negotiated it to where Bags was able to go to Spring Training and then have to make a decision, not before.
You're arguing yourself in circles. Nobody is trying to take money from Bagwell. He gets paid regardless. The Astros are trying to reach an agreement with the insurance company to postpone a final judgement (by the insurance company's doctors, btw, your earlier post about the Astros "finding a doctor" that will rule Bagwell unable to play was ridiculous - is James Andrews an Astros doctor now?) and allow Bagwell to attend Spring Training. Both the Astros & Bagwell want this. The Astros have to file the claim by Jan. 31. They'd be idiots not to, given the situation. Bagwell has no say in this, the Astros have no say in this. Once they reach an agreement on the timing of the decision, it's all up to the insurance company's doctors. Hope for the best, expect the worst.
i just hope that the astros treat bagwell the way he deserves to be treated that's all. i don't know alot about what the policy says but i know that jeff deserves a little bit more respect from the astros trying to push him out. regardless, jeff does need to go see a doctor, preferably an independent party doctor, not the astros, not jeff's own, not the insurance company's, to get checked out. if an independent party doctor says he can't play, then that's it, jeff should take the insurance money and go off into the sunset. if the doctor says he can play, the astros should give him the opportunity to play.
McLane can do whatever he wants with the money. He is the one who owns the team. It is not up to the fans to decide what to do. In baseball, your contract is guaranteed, unlike the current football contracts. If the Astros were to simply "cut" Bagwell, he will still receive every single dollar his contract calls for as well as money+interest that he deferred. The Astros would be irresponsible NOT to pursue an insurance settlement. Wouldn't you pursue an insurance settlement on your car, house, medical, etc., if something that is covered occurs?
Yep, outside of getting a game winning hit in the 9th inning late in the season (a season in which the Astros made the playoffs by 1 game) and sparking a 2 run game-tying rally in the 9th inning of Game 2 of the World Series, he didn't help much.
maybe i haven't made it clear that i don't have a problem with the whole insurance policy, every player has one. but the way the astros are handling it, it seems like they are forcing jeff to go ahead say he can't play just so they can collect the cash. i think we should all wait and here what a doctor has to say before shoving jeff out the door. that's what this whole situation feels like. no one is even considering, what if he is cleared to play? then what? the guy deserves better than to be shoved out the door without him having a shot to pursue his wishes. and if mclane keeps the money because he feels there aren't players out there to help this team, fine. but he should look into making this team better. if he didn't realize it last year, when your team is successful on the field you make money. more people are inclined to buy tickets to see the team, people buy merchandise, etc. the astros probably had as much financial success as they've ever had last season because they were successful on the field. they go hand in hand.
Ferfuksake man, he's already done this. Dr. James Andews ring a bell? Apparently the diagnosis was not promising.
I haven't really seen anything the Astros have done to this point indicating they are forcing Bagwell's hand. Certainly they would like his production, IF he can play. But if he can't, then of course they would rather the inusrance company pick up the tab. This is 17 million dollars after all. It would be a stupid move on the organization to not get as much information on his shoulder as possible and to at least file the claim. Once that deadline passes, they are stuck with a possible 17 milllion dollar pinch hitter. And you can bet if there's any hint he'll be able to field the insurance won't kick in anyways. And if the insurance company deems he can't play at all, I'd sure take their word as gold, cause you know they wouldn't pay a dime of that salary unless they absolutey had to. If it comes to that, Bagwell should accept it and retire.
I don't remember hearing that. Reports were not very promising and Purpura was quoted as saying he was a disabled player. But that's pretty obvious, cause he's been a disabled player for the better part of 3 years. How disabled is the question.
agreed. if doctors tell jeff he needs to retire he should do it, they know what the human body can and can't do. but i want to hear a definitive statement by a doctor first before i say jeff should hang it up. he's owed that. everyone saying he should just retire now is who i'm upset with. he's owed the opportunity to play if he can phsyically do it. if not, he should retire because it's best for both him and the team.
He's had two --TWO-- doctors say that. One of them has no affiliation whatsoever with the Astros and is the most highly respected in his profession. Why on earth is that not good enough for you? I want him to be able to give Spring Training a go as well, but it seems you need to acknowledge the grim reality that the *best* doctors, with no interest from/in the Astros, have already said, "he can't play".
Couldn't agree more...He admits its a business, although, TimP can't be nice on the issues as its a $17MM insurance policy they have a claim on...You can't talk out of both sides of your mouth, especially if you want to get paid...
