Jacob Nix Settlement

[Fynn]

Nix grievance settled apparently-

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon-heyman/24892163/astros-and-nix-a-top-draftee-whose-deal-was-canceled-reach-settlement

[Nate Colbert]

Nix grievance settled apparently-

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon-heyman/24892163/astros-and-nix-a-top-draftee-whose-deal-was-canceled-reach-settlement

The monetary payout helps the Astros avoid having to forfeit the picks, which was a possibility had an arbitrator ruled against them and ordered them to sogn Nix.

Nice to know that bullet was dodged.

[jbm]

I wonder if the presumed payment will be delayed until he has signed with a MLB club.  Otherwise, seems like his eligibility would be compromised.

[Nate Colbert]

I wonder if the presumed payment will be delayed until he has signed with a MLB club.  Otherwise, seems like his eligibility would be compromised.

Isn't there some sort of NCAA exception if payments are put into a trust and only get paid out once a player's eligibility has expired?

ETA:
This may have just been a proposal and not an actual existing rule.

[Nate Colbert]

@jimcallisMLB  29m
Belief is he'll attend a JC. @ahwheels: Would Nix be ineligible to play college due to the $ he received from pro team?

So I then asked Callis wouldn't the NJCAA have rules similar to the NCAA re payments received by amateurs? He said he thought that the fact the payment was a settlement rather than "pay to play" meant it wasn't likely to be an issue.

[Jacksonian]

So I then asked Callis wouldn't the NJCAA have rules similar to the NCAA re payments received by amateurs? He said he thought that the fact the payment was a settlement rather than "pay to play" meant it wasn't likely to be an issue.

Dunno about this item in particular but JUCO rules are often more friendly to students than NCAA rules.

[Nate Colbert]

John Manuel of BA is a bit more circumspect and says the question of Nix's amateur status "remains to be seen" and talks about having contacted the NCAA and UCLA (has yet to hear back). Doesn't focus on the JUCO angle.

[Fynn]

Per Peter Gammons,  we paid Nix the signing bonus he would have received had he been signed.
Sounds like a fair deal, but Gammons seems to not understand what a settlement is, or rather, what it is not.

https://twitter.com/pgammo/status/544971747070447617

[Ron Brand]

Fuck Whitey.

[chuck]

Fuck Whitey.

I think you've got the wrong guy in your sights.

[Ron Brand]

I think you've got the wrong guy in your sights.

Nah.

[Navin R Johnson]

I still don't understand why the Astros owe him a dime?  Does it suck he got caught in the crossfire, sure, but the Astros having to fork out 1.5 mil?  There was no signed contract.  Surely this isn't the first time under the new rules that do to not signing your 1st round pick, you couldn't afford to sign someone else.

[mrpink]

This worked out pretty damn good for Nix.  He holds out for overslot money, gets paid $1.5MM, goes and plays junior college ball for a year (at the least), then re-enters the draft and gets another bonus.  Must be nice.

I can't believe Houston actually paid him the bonus, but maybe they thought they would get some good will out of it, or possibly they thought it wasn't the risk that they lose the grievance and maybe two 1st round picks.

[astrosfan76]

This worked out pretty damn good for Nix.  He holds out for overslot money, gets paid $1.5MM, goes and plays junior college ball for a year (at the least), then re-enters the draft and gets another bonus.  Must be nice.

I can't believe Houston actually paid him the bonus, but maybe they thought they would get some good will out of it, or possibly they thought it wasn't the risk that they lose the grievance and maybe two 1st round picks.

I think the second paragraph pretty much sums it up. The club may not have done anything wrong in the eyes of MLB, but if the arbiter ruled in favor of Nix, they could have lost a lot more in baseball currency than cash.

[pots]

I think the second paragraph pretty much sums it up. The club may not have done anything wrong in the eyes of MLB, but if the arbiter ruled in favor of Nix, they could have lost a lot more in baseball currency than cash.

Just puts an exclamation point on what was a total failure by the front office.  2 consecutive bungled drafts now by the Luhnow and team.  2013, Appel was a mistake that could have been avoided and they followed it up with 2 pitchers unlikely to ever see a major league mound.  How nice would it be to have Bryant starting at third this year?  Suspect there was a reason why Heck was looking at a 17 year old in Puerto Rico instead of the consensus Appel.  And though last year's pick Aiken was likely the correct choice, not sure the situation could have been handled worse. 

[NeilT]

Just puts an exclamation point on what was a total failure by the front office.  2 consecutive bungled drafts now by the Luhnow and team.  2013, Appel was a mistake that could have been avoided and they followed it up with 2 pitchers unlikely to ever see a major league mound.  How nice would it be to have Bryant starting at third this year?  Suspect there was a reason why Heck was looking at a 17 year old in Puerto Rico instead of the consensus Appel.  And though last year's pick Aiken was likely the correct choice, not sure the situation could have been handled worse. 

I guess I'm a bit surprised at your read on Appel.  I thought he was now considered a top prospect? 

[roadrunner]

Just puts an exclamation point on what was a total failure by the front office.  2 consecutive bungled drafts now by the Luhnow and team.  2013, Appel was a mistake that could have been avoided and they followed it up with 2 pitchers unlikely to ever see a major league mound.  How nice would it be to have Bryant starting at third this year?  Suspect there was a reason why Heck was looking at a 17 year old in Puerto Rico instead of the consensus Appel.  And though last year's pick Aiken was likely the correct choice, not sure the situation could have been handled worse. 

I think we have a ways to go before judging any of these picks.

[roadrunner]

I still don't understand why the Astros owe him a dime?  Does it suck he got caught in the crossfire, sure, but the Astros having to fork out 1.5 mil?  There was no signed contract.  Surely this isn't the first time under the new rules that do to not signing your 1st round pick, you couldn't afford to sign someone else.

I am with you.  The risk is definitely more than $1.5M, but if I were an arbiter I would have ruled in favor of the Astros.  They played by the rules, and it's just a shitty break for Nix.  Would a player owe a team money if he verbally agreed to a deal and then backed out at the last second?  I seriously doubt it.

I also think the Astros are still high on Nix and are hoping this is a way to earn some good will back in case they want to select him in next year's draft.

[Reuben]

I guess I'm a bit surprised at your read on Appel.  I thought he was now considered a top prospect? 

Forget it, he's rolling. And he knows everything, including the future.

Do we all wish we could go back in time and make the Astros pick Bryant? Sure. But, come on. It's not as though he was the industry-consensus no-doubt #1 talent. Many pundits thought Gray was, and everyone pretty much agreed that the 3 of them were clearly the top 3, with a drop-off after that. I'm not a huge Appel fan either, but I think he's a far better prospect than you give him credit for, Pots. And I don't think you can write off Thurman and Emanuel after one pro season.

I mostly agree with you on the Aiken/Nix situation - they probably made the correct choice, but then handled everything poorly once the elbow issue was discovered, though there's certainly a lot we don't know. Presumably they could have also been clearer with Nix about his deal being contingent on Aiken's.

[jbm]

Yeah, it's way too early to judge any of those players.  Appel could still be quite good, and Bryant might suck.  He is a cub after all.

[Mr. Happy]

Just puts an exclamation point on what was a total failure by the front office.  2 consecutive bungled drafts now by the Luhnow and team.  2013, Appel was a mistake that could have been avoided and they followed it up with 2 pitchers unlikely to ever see a major league mound.  How nice would it be to have Bryant starting at third this year?  Suspect there was a reason why Heck was looking at a 17 year old in Puerto Rico instead of the consensus Appel.  And though last year's pick Aiken was likely the correct choice, not sure the situation could have been handled worse. 

I'm glad that your hindsight is 20/20. I still have great hopes for Appel.

[Mike S.]

If only the Astros had also drafted Mike Trout instead of Jiovanni Mier in 2009!!

Seriously, I just don't see how anyone can rightly claim the Astros 2013 draft was a bust only a year and a half later.  Just my two cents.  I'm sure there are many people out there who know far more than me about these things.

[pots]

I'm glad that your hindsight is 20/20. I still have great hopes for Appel.

#1 picks are #1 picks.  Likely the single best opportunity to improve the franchise outside of big dollar free agents.  Ones that really standout as successes and failures.

Appel was not the consensus #1 pick in 2013.  He was the consensus #1 pick in 2012.  A year in which 7 teams went elsewhere.  Yes money was a concern, but not for the Astros or Twins.  Once he fell past those 2, money likely paid a bigger factor.

In 2013, there was a consensus top 3.  They picked Appel.  I think that was a mistake.  Just calling it like I see it.

Hey, I give credit to Luhnow and team when positives happen.  McHugh was a fantastic snag.  Not giving up on Keuchel was a good move.  They've made some real good pickups in trades.  Lowrie's signing and the new bullpen guys is good.    

[Ebby Calvin]

So I then asked Callis wouldn't the NJCAA have rules similar to the NCAA re payments received by amateurs? He said he thought that the fact the payment was a settlement rather than "pay to play" meant it wasn't likely to be an issue.

If memory serves, NCAA is the only cartel that had the pay/play rule.  I can't remember where NJCAA falls in the spectrum though.
Plus all of that blew up in June so I doubt it's much of a concern.

[Nate Colbert]

Drellich just posted this:

Nix is a little more than three weeks away from his 19th birthday, Jan. 9 — and age 19 is important in NJCAA eligibility. Per the rules, NJCAA-eligible players can’t take money from professional teams once they’ve turned 19.

“Once an individual enrolls in college full-time or reaches their 19th birthday, whichever comes first, an individual loses amateur status and thus shall not be eligible for intercollegiate competition in an NJCAA certified sport if any of the following criteria applies:
…
d. Receives, directly or indirectly, a salary, reimbursement of expenses or any other form of financial assistance from a professional sports organization based on athletics skill or participation.
…
f. Receive money or other forms of remuneration beyond actual expenses for participating in any athletic contest or programs.”

Nix and the Astros settled a grievance recently. It’s unknown what the terms of that deal are. Were the settlement to compensate Nix after this 19th birthday and the NJCAA subsequently become aware of that, Nix could be in muddy waters. It’s probably safe to assume the compensation Nix receives isn’t being delivered in extended installments.

[Reuben]

Nix getting back on the mound Dec. 26:

“He’s an animal physically and he’s just ready to play. He has no animosity toward the Astros or anything. He just wants someone to give him a ball.