Astros #1 pick Aiken w/ligament issues in elbow

[gunnarthor]

Jon Heyman twittering that Aiken and the Astros will come to some deal around 5m (originally had agreed on 6.5).

 

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon-heyman/24610130/elbow-ligament-issue-for-no-1-pick-aiken-delays-signing-by-astros

 

On the plus side, it saves the Astros nearly 3m on the draft pool. On the negative side, HS pitcher with elbow problems already. Ouch.

[Mike Sixel]

Ouch.

[markos]

Ouch is right. Poor guy. I'm kind of surprised that elbow and shoulder MRIs aren't part of the standard pre-draft medicals.

[nicksaviking]

Well there's probably no one to foot the bill for pre-draft medicals but the HS kid. It would be kind of hard to ask a kid to do spend a couple thousands of dollars on MRI's and other procedures knowing that if something bad shows up he'll be lucky to get a bonus large enough to foot the bill.

 

Aiken would go high regardless, but what about the guy who could fall from the compensation round to round 15?

[twinsfan34]

Man...if you're this kid, you're getting slighted $3M...that's pretty ballsy for the Astros to low-ball him like that.

 

Would he consider just going to college then?

 

Or, is the risk so great on his elbow ligament, that hey may not recover fully?

[Mike Sixel]

Take the millions to the bank. The coaches in the minors will take care of him. In college, they will abuse him.

[gunnarthor]

Man...if you're this kid, you're getting slighted $3M...that's pretty ballsy for the Astros to low-ball him like that.

 

Would he consider just going to college then?

 

Or, is the risk so great on his elbow ligament, that hey may not recover fully?

 

It's tough to turn down 5m. If he feels resentment, he can leave them in free agency or fight them down the line in arbitration. Hopefully he wins.