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

[70charger]

 

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."

 

I'm glad he is. His career hasn't turned out exactly how we wanted it so far, but he has a pretty good ERA in the high minors, and he's still very young. Selfishly for our team, he's not taking a 40-man spot, and he can be stashed in the high minors all this year without any roster impact. You keep a guy like that around.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

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.

What did Nishi and Park do with their contracts when they left the Twins?

[Squirrel]

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."

Thank you for the redirect back to topic.

 

Moderator note: I understand we have our opinions of what is or is not ‘decency’ in this situation, and those opinions have been stated. If you have nothing further to add rather than to restate and re-rebut those restatements, lets leave this character assassination behind. None of us knows Kohl Stewart personally, so I think enough has been stated regarding his character while lacking any true personal knowledge of said character. And since it appears that he is remaining a Twin, issues of his decency are now a non-issue. If you want to explore the broader issue of signing bonuses and contract obligations, please do so, but without unnecessary character assassinations implying indecency and dishonor.

[D. Hocking]

 

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."

 

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

 

I was counting on watching them battle in the Championship game in January 2022.  First no home super bowl appearance and now this - another dream crushed. 

 

I guess I will have to hope for World Series appearance for 2018 instead.

[prouster]

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.

What if he (or any player) gets sick, injured, or dies during the life of the contract? Should he or his family owe that debt to the team?

 

As a culture, we should strive for more than fealty to the rich.

[mudcat14]

 

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.

 

I don't believe they divested themselves, they just didn't think anyone would feel he was a sure enough bet to invest a major-league roster spot for him in 2018.  Most reports say the stuff to be a successful MLB arm is still there, just not the command.  I think the Twins still have hope for him, but are losing faith that it will happen.

[PDX Twin]

This thread does raise an interesting question in my mind. What if a draftee gets a multi-million dollar bonus, and then decides two months later to quit baseball and follow up with something else, including college football? Or two weeks later? Or two days later? There must be some team protection built into such contracts, no?

 

I agree that Stewart would owe nothing to the Twins at this point. He tried for several seasons, didn't do as well as he expected, and might think he would be better off trying out the other path. But what if he had made this change of course before giving baseball a real chance.

[KirbyDome89]

 

This thread does raise an interesting question in my mind. What if a draftee gets a multi-million dollar bonus, and then decides two months later to quit baseball and follow up with something else, including college football? Or two weeks later? Or two days later? There must be some team protection built into such contracts, no?

 

I agree that Stewart would owe nothing to the Twins at this point. He tried for several seasons, didn't do as well as he expected, and might think he would be better off trying out the other path. But what if he had made this change of course before giving baseball a real chance.

It's a sunk cost the moment they sign that contract.

 

The Twins aren't handing out extra $$ to Berrios, Buxton, Sano, ect even though they would clearly demand higher annual salaries if they hit FA at this moment. 

 

The team gets burned in the scenario you proposed but overall I think they're making out alright. 

[h2oface]

 

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.

 

Maybe, then, the only decent player ever in the game of baseball was Lyman Bostock. I know I wouldn't be decent, especially since the Twins (and all of MLB) under pay all salaries of all minor league players. Hey, I never liked the pick, especially in the first round, but Stewart gave up the opportunity to be a Division 1 quarterback, on scholarship, get a university education and gave his unreplaceable college age years, to the Twins, and the agreed upon unrefundable carrot was the bonus. There is no indecency in the whole arrangement, in my mind. And the agreement is not for 11 years, when the Twins could unilaterally end the arrangement at anytime, even if Stewart wanted to stay for 11 years.

[mikelink45]

For all of those who think he should give some money back, but think the Twins should overpay for Darvish years 4 - 6 I am confused.  Stewart did what he was asked.  He played in any league they put him in.  Now he is not being added to the roster, he is not really in the plans.  I say - play football and good luck.

[h2oface]

 

For all of those who think he should give some money back, but think the Twins should overpay for Darvish years 4 - 6 I am confused.  Stewart did what he was asked.  He played in any league they put him in.  Now he is not being added to the roster, he is not really in the plans.  I say - play football and good luck.

 I think he should wait a year, so he could be 28 when he graduated.

[Doctor Wu]

 

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.

Can someone explain or confirm this 11-year "controlled" contract stuff? I never heard of such a thing before!

[jud6312]

 

Can someone explain or confirm this 11-year "controlled" contract stuff? I never heard of such a thing before!

I might be wrong (hopefully I'm not), but I think "up to 11 years" is probably the best way to sum it up:

 

- 5 years of minor league control before needing to be added to the 40-man

- 3 pre-arb years

- 3 arbitration years

 

I'm probably way off, so anyone feel free to correct me.

[snap4birds]

 

Maybe, then, the only decent player ever in the game of baseball was Lyman Bostock. 

Gil Meche says "Hi". 

[h2oface]

 

Gil Meche says "Hi". 

 

True. He couldn't play, so instead he retired and forfeited the 12 million coming to him in the last year. Don't tell David Wright or Phil Hughes.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

This thread does raise an interesting question in my mind. What if a draftee gets a multi-million dollar bonus, and then decides two months later to quit baseball and follow up with something else, including college football? Or two weeks later? Or two days later? There must be some team protection built into such contracts, no?

 

I agree that Stewart would owe nothing to the Twins at this point. He tried for several seasons, didn't do as well as he expected, and might think he would be better off trying out the other path. But what if he had made this change of course before giving baseball a real chance.

 

I'm guessing there are clauses about this in those contracts... call me crazy. In this case, I'd bet money that said draftee would be returning said bonus.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

Can someone explain or confirm this 11-year "controlled" contract stuff? I never heard of such a thing before!

 

Well, a high school player signs, and they have to spend 5 seasons on the roster at which point they are a 40 man/rule 5 candidate. This is where Stewart currently sits. Without the 40 man guarantee, he can become a minor league FA in one or two more years, at which point, he can do exactly what he wants.

 

 Once on the 40 man, you have 3 seasons of options where you could theoretically sit in the minors before being a FA followed by approximately 6 seasons before hitting major league FA.

 

I'm guessing 11 came in the form of the first 5 years followed by 6 years of service time. It ignored option years or minor league FA requirements which could lengthen that time (as an example, the Twins could add Stewart to the 40 man next year and start that clock in 2019). It's an estimate, and to be honest, not a very good one based on questionable logic without any documentation on what the contract actually says. The contract likely specifies how long Stewart must play to keep his bonus (unless released of course). It also likely clearly spells out just how the Twins/Stewart can part ways.

[Ncgo4]

He'll sure as hell have a lot less studying to do in the SEC than he will with the Twins.

[BrianTrottier]

 

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.

 

Then I suppose it's also indecent for a team to trade or release any free agents that they sign. Wouldn't you agree?

[Brandon]

I would like to see if he turns a corner this season. He has the tools to succeed. I would like to see what the new minor league coaches can do with him.