Rumor has it Kohl Stewart is sniffing around A&M football again

[70charger]

Various college football related message boards, including a couple reporters on the Texas A&M beat are suggesting that Kohl Stewart is looking to head back to football. You may recall he was a Texas A&M commit before he signed with the Twins.

 

I'm a little skeptical, given that the last add/drop day at A&M is apparently today or tomorrow. Anyway, a lot of smoke on Twitter and elsewhere, but not much in the way of solid news.

[nicksaviking]

Good luck to him if he decides on a career U-turn. It doesn't look like baseball is going to pay him much more than the bonus he's already received. Not sure if he ever had NFL talent but if he thinks he does, might as well go for it.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Maybe Mauer can finally go to Florida State, and they can face each other!

[h2oface]

A man among boys....... 27 at graduation.

[Secondary User]

 

A man among boys....... 27 at graduation.

Chris Weinke 2.0

[Deduno Abides]

I hope he comes back to the Twins, but he could be the #6 starter for Rochester - Gonsalves, Romero, Littell, Slegers, Jorge. Plus, he could get squeezed if Mejia is sent down or if May rehabs in Rochester or if Thorpe comes on strong. He may have gotten an unhappy message when he wasn’t selected in the Rule V draft. He should examine his options and, if he comes back, do so with a clear head.

[Thrylos]

If he does that, I hope he has the decency to return some of his signing bonus...

[nicksaviking]

If he does that, I hope he has the decency to return some of his signing bonus...

I don't see why, the Twins basically already divested themselves from his future when they decided not to protect him this winter despite having four open 40-man spots. They would have gotten 50K if he'd been taken and kept, that's all he was worth to them.

 

And frankly, it would be hard to root for a team that asked for bonus money back from a player who busted; it would be beyond petty.

[SF Twins Fan]

 

If he does that, I hope he has the decency to return some of his signing bonus...

 

Why would he ever do that and why would you think he isn't a decent people if he didn't? That makes zero sense. He was drafted back in 2013 and has by all accounts put every effort to becoming a professional baseball player. Minor league baseball players get paid like sh*t while in the minor leagues, so it's not like he got paid a big bonus and is also making a ton of money off the Twins for just playing baseball.

 

I could understand the Twins wanting the money back if he was drafted this year in 2017 and now decided to quit but he was drafted five years ago.

 

Lastly, the Pohlad's are loaded and have always gone the cheap route so it's not like they would need the money back.

[Thrylos]

 

Why would he ever do that and why would you think he isn't a decent people if he didn't? That makes zero sense.

 

Other than the fact that he still is under 6 years control for a club, now the Twins.  Like it or not, a draft pick is controlled for 11 years or so...  He is half way there.

[Mike Sixel]

If he does that, I hope he has the decency to return some of his signing bonus...

No. Really, no.

[nicksaviking]

Other than the fact that he still is under 6 years control for a club, now the Twins.  Like it or not, a draft pick is controlled for 11 years or so...  He is half way there.

He gets paid a salary, he would be out that figure should he walk away.

[AZTwin]

He should at least give it half season to see if he can get to the majors. Real close, so would hate to see him quit. If he doesn’t show up, he can join the football team for summer workouts

[Mr. Brooks]

It's a business contract. There is no decency or indecency, only fulfilling the terms of the contract or not fulfilling them.

And I haven't read the language regarding the signing bonus, so I couldn't possibly say one way or another whether he should or shouldn't have to return any of it.

[Thrylos]

 

He gets paid a salary, he would be out that figure should he walk away.

 

Technically, correct.  However, the Twins paid him $4.5 million bonus with the impression that they will have up to 11 years of team control.

 

It is not a legal matter, it is a matter of decency, as I said...

[Mr. Brooks]

Technically, correct. However, the Twins paid him $4.5 million bonus with the impression that they will have up to 11 years of team control.

 

It is not a legal matter, it is a matter of decency, as I said...

No, it is a legal matter. If the language of the contract doesn't dictate that he has to give money back, then he shouldn't give money back. This is how contracts work.

[Thrylos]

 

No, it is a legal matter. If the language of the contract doesn't dictate that he has to give money back, then he shouldn't give money back. This is how contracts work.

 

Agreed.  Legally, he can take off any time he wants to without owing the Twins a dime...

 

A decent person who was paid $4.5 M to stay for up to 11 years IMHO would not do that, though.

 

That's my point.

[gil4]

 

Technically, correct.  However, the Twins paid him $4.5 million bonus with the impression that they will have up to 11 years of team control.

 

It is not a legal matter, it is a matter of decency, as I said...

If he continues to play baseball, they still have the exclusive rights they paid for. If he met the terms of the contract, he owes the Twins nothing morally. 

 

If he stays and makes the team and wins a Cy Young as a rookie this year, with the Twins pay him like the best pitcher in baseball next year, or will they pay him like a 2nd-year player who has almost no leverage? I suppose they might sign him to a long-term contract with some money in exchange for more years of control, but we don't call the pre-arb players "serfs" for nothing. Right now he's at the less-than-serf stage. 

 

If he decides this isn't working and he wants to get on with his life, he is free to do so, free of charge.

 

Edit - I know my post may be piling on, but I think you're far enough of base on this to add to the pile. Normally I either agree with you or at least can see your side, but I'm missing it this time. 

[AZTwin]

Agreed. Legally, he can take off any time he wants to without owing the Twins a dime...

 

A decent person who was paid $4.5 M to stay for up to 11 years IMHO would not do that, though.

 

That's my point.

That’s not how signing bonuses work. It’s more incentive to leave other options work. Most stock or incentive bonuses vests in 3-5 years. I have never heard of a 11 year vesting schedule. Kohl should keep the money

[beckmt]

He will probably be paid more at Texas A & M

[Thrylos]

 

He will probably be paid more at Texas A & M

 

That's the other side of that thing:  As a professional player who made multi millions of dollars out of sports and has an agent, there is no way he should be allowed to play in the NCAA, like the other College players.

[Mike Sixel]

 

Agreed.  Legally, he can take off any time he wants to without owing the Twins a dime...

 

A decent person who was paid $4.5 M to stay for up to 11 years IMHO would not do that, though.

 

That's my point.

 

In what world? The Twins have no loyalty to him, just like every company, they'd cut him loose and not pay him if they wanted. It's how capitalism and contracts and business works. No one, no one, should give that money back. 

[Thrylos]

 

 

 

Edit - I know my post may be piling on, but I think you're far enough of base on this to add to the pile. Normally I either agree with you or at least can see your side, but I'm missing it this time. 

 

Just a difference in opinion, and I know I am the minority here    No big deal, I can take it...

[Thrylos]

 

In what world? The Twins have no loyalty to him, just like every company, they'd cut him loose and not pay him if they wanted. It's how capitalism and contracts and business works. No one, no one, should give that money back. 

Nishioka and Park did.  They walked out of guaranteed $ because they were honorable.

[Taildragger8791]

 

Nishioka and Park did.  They walked out of guaranteed $ because they were honorable.

 

Nishioka and Park didn't return bonuses. They forwent the salary they were guaranteed for future years if they stayed with the Twins. Big difference. In fact, the Twins tried to recoup some of the posting fee from the Nexen Heroes and were denied by the team (naturally).

 

Bonuses aren't salaries. They're to persuade a player to choose you over some other opportunity.

[Seth Stohs]

Not to kill a fun story, but Stewart is going to continue pitching for the Twins... 

 

 

Let me add this... "...per people I have talked to about this."

[gunnarthor]

 

Not to kill a fun story, but Stewart is going to continue pitching for the Twins... 

Glad to hear it.

[rdehring]

Are we really having this discusision?

[TheLeviathan]

I might quibble with the word "continue"......

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

Other than the fact that he still is under 6 years control for a club, now the Twins.  Like it or not, a draft pick is controlled for 11 years or so...  He is half way there.

 

This is not quite true. He will be a minor league FA either next year or the year after I believe, at which point he can go back to Football if he so chose. Only way to prevent that would be if the Twins added him to the 40 man or signs a minor league contract somewhere. There would be no need to return a bonus in that scenario.