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ESPN: Henson gives up baseball

Discussion in 'Houston Texans' started by Rockets34Legend, Sep 1, 2003.

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  1. Rockets34Legend

    Rockets34Legend Contributing Member

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    It is official by ESPN. The Texans are geniuses.

    http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=pasquarelli_len&id=1607111

    By Len Pasquarelli
    ESPN.com

    His past denials aside, when the Columbus Clippers finish their season Monday, Drew Henson will have finished his baseball career as well.

    Henson, 23, has reiterated several times in recent months that he would continue pursuing a career with the Yankees, who signed the former University of Michigan quarterback to a five-year, $17 million contract in 2001. Over the weekend, Henson denied broadcast reports indicating he would abandon his baseball career when this season with New York's Triple-A affiliate concluded.

    But league sources, as well as several sources close to Henson, have confirmed that after two full seasons in Columbus -- years in which his strikeouts outnumbered his hits -- he will end his quest to play third base in Yankee Stadium.

    "It's been a frustrating time and reality has set in now," one source said. "The feeling for a while was that he would play in Arizona (in the winter league), then see how he felt, and make a decision before spring training next year. But he's ready to walk away now."

    And to walk away, as well, from a guaranteed $12 million that remains on his Yankees contract. Henson was scheduled to have base salaries of $2.2 million in 2004, $3.8 million in 2005 and $6 million in 2006. Under the exit plan, the Yankees will not have to buy out the contract or reach any sort of settlement.

    Henson, who hasn't played football since he started eight games for the Wolverines in the 2000 season, was selected by the Houston Texans in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL draft. In recent weeks, contract discussions between Houston officials and representatives for Henson have accelerated.

    The gambit by Texans general manager Charley Casserly, whose team holds Henson's draft rights until the 2004 draft, appears like it will pay off. Even on the second day of the draft, after investing a low-round pick to secure Henson's rights, Casserly mentioned a trade as one of several future options.

    It now looks as if Henson, who would prefer not to play behind second-year Texans starter David Carr, will forge his NFL career elsewhere. In fact, that issue is one of many that have been discussed, as the two parties have considered their alternatives.

    Others elements include contract structure, the timing of a deal, and at what point Houston would trade Henson to another franchise. According to NFL Players Association figures, the Texans only have about $238,170 remaining in their rookie pool allocation, so if they signed Henson to a contract that included a minimum first-year salary of $225,000, that would leave them only able to award a signing bonus that prorated to $13,000 per year.

    Both sides, under such financial constraints, would have to exercise creativity -- likely in the form of so-called "unlikely to be earned" incentives.

    Casserly said a few weeks ago that one team had already inquired about what it might take to deal for Henson, who almost certainly would have been a top 10 NFL selection had he continued his college football career.

    One option for Henson would be not to sign with the Texans, begin work exclusively on preparing for football, and to re-enter the draft in 2004, but sources said that scenario is unlikely at this point.

    At Michigan, Henson completed 214 of 374 passes for 2,946 yards, with 24 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. He appeared in 27 games and started eight times, before bypassing his remaining eligibility and signing the Yankees contract.

    New York officials projected him to be the starting third baseman by 2003 or 2004, but the Yankees recently acquired Aaron Boone from Cincinnati to play the position and hope to keep him for the long-term. That move may have helped convince Henson that his athletic future did not include pinstripes.

    Entering the Monday finale (the Clippers were eliminated from the playoff chase over the weekend), Henson was hitting .234 in 133 games, with 40 doubles, two triples, 14 home runs and 78 RBI. He had 113 hits and had struck out 122 times in 483 official plate appearances. Last season, his first full year in the minors, he hit .240, with 18 home runs, 65 RBI and 151 strikeouts.
     
    #1 Rockets34Legend, Sep 1, 2003
  2. CriscoKidd

    CriscoKidd Member

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    thread title is misleading. Henson hasn't officially given up baseball yet.

    "League sources" are just claiming he will.

    Nothing new from what's already been reported.
     
    #2 CriscoKidd, Sep 1, 2003
  3. B-ball freak

    B-ball freak Contributing Member

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    C'mon, they are in negotiations already. What's your issue with this whole deal, anyway?
     
    #3 B-ball freak, Sep 1, 2003
  4. PhiSlammaJamma

    PhiSlammaJamma Member

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    A lot of confirmation has happened in the past 6 days. Not just reporting. So it seems extremely likely to happen. Plus Henson never denied the story. It all adds up to Henson becoming a Texan. I'd bet on this in Vegas whatever the odds.
     
    #4 PhiSlammaJamma, Sep 1, 2003
  5. Rockets34Legend

    Rockets34Legend Contributing Member

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    The only problem is PhiSlammaJamma, Henson doesn't want to be a backup to Carr. So the Texans might have different plans for Henson (most likely trading him).
     
    #5 Rockets34Legend, Sep 1, 2003
  6. SamFisher

    SamFisher Contributing Member

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    Kiss Roy Williams good bye!

    ;)
     
    #6 SamFisher, Sep 1, 2003
  7. PhiSlammaJamma

    PhiSlammaJamma Member

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    Yeah yeah, I meant become a Texan and then get traded.
     
    #7 PhiSlammaJamma, Sep 1, 2003
  8. Mr. Mooch

    Mr. Mooch Contributing Member

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    Well if Carr is injured by another sack in the opener....

    If the Texans had the money, I think it would be a great idea to sign him for this year and put him on a 'practice squad' or something to refurbish his skills, as he probably won't be getting a live snap anywhere this season anyway.

    I say trade him for Eric Crouch.:p
     
    #8 Mr. Mooch, Sep 1, 2003
  9. CriscoKidd

    CriscoKidd Member

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    nothing than what I've already stated in this thread.

    What new info is in this article that isn't already in that other thread?

    I see nada.
     
    #9 CriscoKidd, Sep 1, 2003
  10. CriscoKidd

    CriscoKidd Member

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    Nah, the boys would have to at least include Newman, Parcells, and a couple of first rounders. They couldn't get a good kick returner for a safety, let alone any qb not named Quincy Carter.

    Henson = the next Elway.
     
    #10 CriscoKidd, Sep 1, 2003
    Last edited: Sep 1, 2003
  11. SamFisher

    SamFisher Contributing Member

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    The new thing is that it was reported by Len Pasquarelli, who's, in my opinion, one of the better, if not best and most knowledgeable football writers around and rarely makes jackass predictions. It's a little more credible coming from him than from some radio station in rural Ohio.

    Why do you feel the need to rain on the parade? No matter what happens with Henson, it looks liek the Texans are about to get something for nothing. Good for them.
     
    #11 SamFisher, Sep 1, 2003
  12. CriscoKidd

    CriscoKidd Member

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    Wow, breaking news, Lee Pasquarelli re-confirms what we already know. He may not make "jackass predictions", but he was out-scooped here and is just regurgitating information now. But even he doesn't read more into it than what it is. The link to his article: Henson to give up baseball. THe title to his article: former quarterback discussing nfl options. It's almost certainly going to happen(which is old news), but it hasn't happened yet, which is what my initial beef with the thread title was. I was dissapointed when I clicked the link to find it wasn't official, not even anything new from the man himself.

    Please illuminate me as to how I'm raining on any parade. Because I state my opinions on what the texans will realistically get in trade for him? Because I think there's no way in hell that the cowboys would offer up Roy and/or Newman? Please. After the initial shock of the texans drafting 2 qbs when I thought it wasn't close to being a position of need, I'm on record as saying that I thought Henson was a damn good gamble by Casserly, while quite a few others claimed he was "throwing away" a draft pick. If they get a 2nd or even 3rd rounder for him, they make out like bandits.
     
    #12 CriscoKidd, Sep 1, 2003
  13. JPM0016

    JPM0016 Contributing Member

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    The texans will not get an actual player in return for Henson. Instead they will get multiple draft picks. Ricky Williams, a franchise back was traded to the Dolphins for a 1st round pick not another player.
     
    #13 JPM0016, Sep 1, 2003
  14. Shotcaller

    Shotcaller Member

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    Looks like a great gamble by the Texans should pay off
     
    #14 Shotcaller, Sep 1, 2003
  15. SamFisher

    SamFisher Contributing Member

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    My fault, I thought you were trying to argue that he wasn't coming out even with the latest few updates.

    They will get a first. mark it down.
     
    #15 SamFisher, Sep 2, 2003
  16. Roc Paint

    Roc Paint Contributing Member

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    Sweet!!
     
    #16 Roc Paint, Sep 2, 2003
    Last edited: Sep 2, 2003
  17. rrj_gamz

    rrj_gamz Contributing Member

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    Charlie looks like a genius...Go Texans!!!
     
    #17 rrj_gamz, Sep 3, 2003
  18. StupidMoniker

    StupidMoniker I lost a bet

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    The Yankees called up Henson. LINK

    This doesn't mean that he will necessarily be sticking with baseball, but the reports that he was going to football were probably premature.
     
    #18 StupidMoniker, Sep 5, 2003
  19. giddyup

    giddyup Contributing Member

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    They are really going to infect him with Yankee Fever now...
     
    #19 giddyup, Sep 5, 2003
  20. redgoose

    redgoose Contributing Member

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    Just out of curiousity, why does everyone seem to insist we trade Henson to Dallas? As a Texans fan i would hate to see Henson go to Dallas and be the savior of our biggest rival, though they're not even in our conference.

    I could see him going to a team like Green Bay to study behind Favre for a year or maybe even Miami. The problem with these teams is they don't have top 1st round draft picks, so they would have to include 1 or more extra picks.

    Contending teams will trade extra because they know they will never have a shot at a franchise QB in the draft unless they tank for a couple years.

    I predict a late 1st rounder and a deffered 2nd round pick from whoever we trade him to, unless for some odd reason Henson wants to play in Arizona.:confused:
     
    #20 redgoose, Sep 5, 2003
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