Baseball commissioner Bud Selig discusses Brady Aiken 11:58 PM, Aug 26, 2014 10News asked him, "Can you confirm if (his offer) was able to go past the July 18 deadline?" Selig replied, "We're working on that right now. There are a lot of things in movement there so it would be inappropriate for me to comment, but I would say we are working towards a hopeful solution."
I'm confused. What is the implication here? That we are negotiating behind the scenes with Aiken still?
Yes. MLB is "working towards a hopeful solution". I'm unsure if the Astros are part of that solution or not. Previously there had been rumors, that were from Aiken's camp I am assuming, that Aiken (and by implication Nix and Marshall) was looking for a deal with the Astros and MLB. Nix has already filed a grievance. Aiken has unitl September 1 to file as well.
I would say it sounds like MLB is trying to come to a resolution that all parties will accept outside normal MLB rules. It could mean Astros are still trying to get Aiken. It could mean Aiken will be declared a free agent, without hurting the Astros. Here is what I would try to do if I was MLB. 1) Aiken is a free agent, but any team that signs him loses whatever they sign Aiken to from 2015 draft pool. 2) Astros sign Nix, but anything over slot comes out of the 2015 draft pool.
Or they both sign for what they originally agreed to (maybe less for Aiken), and the Astros lose the compensation pick. I think that ends up being the most likely scenario... especially since the Astros were hastily trying to up their offer at the last second in order to get it all secured. MLB can really do whatever they want in these cases (i.e. - violate their own rules)... they're not really tied into any legality with the players union (since they really don't care about the draftees, as long as it doesn't effect the established players), and they want the draftees to sign somewhere.
Astros could still sign top draft pick Aiken 5:50 p.m.Aug. 22, 2014 The Houston Astros still have a chance to sign former Cathedral Catholic High star pitcher Brady Aiken, Kiley McDaniel of the website FanGraphs reported. The July 18 deadline to sign draft picks has come and gone, with Aiken rejecting the Astros’ last-minute offer. But the team could still sign the No. 1 overall draft pick under a clause at Major League Baseball’s discretion. The other 29 major league clubs have signed off on that clause, industry sources said. The Aikens, however, would insist on a sign-and-trade deal before agreeing to terms with Houston. The Astros lowered their original $6.5 million offer to $3.2 million, citing an abnormality in the left-hander’s pitching elbow. They made a last-minute $5 million offer on deadline day that was rejected. So Houston lost the pick, along with fifth-round selection Brandon Nix and 21st-round selection Mac Marshall, whose signing bonuses were tied to Aiken’s signing. The Aikens and adviser Casey Close threatened to file a grievance against the Astros and have until Sept. 1 to do so. Nix has filed a grievance. After not signing with Houston, Aiken had multiple options. He could play for UCLA, a school with which he had signed a letter of intent. If he were to attend UCLA, he wouldn’t be eligible for the draft for three years. He could also go to a junior college and be eligible for the 2015 draft. Palomar College is in Aiken’s backyard, and the Comets have strong ties to the Cathedral Catholic program. Scouts attending the Perfect Game All-American Classic at Petco Park this month said Yavapai College in Scottsdale, Ariz., was mentioned as a possibility for Aiken. Aiken could also sign with an independent pro club, and be eligible for the 2015 draft. A source said Aiken will not attend any college, but instead will wait to see how the situation plays out. The cases of Aiken and Nix, which at one time were thought to be linked, are now separate. Both could take a month or more to resolve. Jim Aiken, Brady’s father, said in a text message that there was nothing new to report, “but that may change.”
To make the Aikens happy, MLB must waive the July 8th deadline, the Astros must sign Aiken at likely more than $5 million, MLB must invent "sign-and-trade" and fnally MLB must force the Astros to trade Aiken. Or Brady Aiken could play independent ball, get drafted in 2015, laugh all of the way to the bank with his $500,000 signing bonus, and the Aikens could tell all of their friends that Brady just missed being "signed-and-traded" by the Astros.
I don't think Aiken's got a lot of value in such a sign-and-trade. A talented but potentially medically flawed, super entitled, spoiled kid.
Who could the Astros potentially trade Aiken for that would be more valuable/a better prospect than the #2 pick overall next year?
The Cubs need pitching and the Astros need a big bat. Extremely unlikely to happen, but makes sense to me.
If the Cubs REALLY need pitching lets make it a blockbuster. Sell high on Appel! Appel & Aiken for Bryant, Soler, Alcantra & Baez. Seems pretty legit.
