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There is an excellent chance that this is just a negotiating ploy, but according to the Miami Herald, Reds first round pick Yonder Alonso may be going back to school:
Alonso, a first-round pick whose contract negotiations with the Cincinnati Reds has have a snag, told The Miami Herald on Thursday he has signed up for fall classes at UM, and there is ”a 50-50 chance” he will be playing first base next year for the Canes.
”Coming back is definitely an option I’m thinking about,” said Alonso, 22, who hit .370 last season, with 24 home runs and 72 RBI and led UM to the College World Series.
“If we can’t get this thing resolved, I’ll be very happy to come back to Miami, break some records and go back to Omaha [Neb.] and finish the job. I always said if worse comes to worse, I’m going back to school.”
One of Alonso’s advisors, Brian Peters, said recently that the Reds and Alonso were way off on figures, and that if contract negotiations weren’t completed, Alonso would either return to UM or go to the Independent League, ”likely the latter.” But another advisor, Mike Maulini, said the family prefers that Alonso return to school.
The Reds only have one more week to sign Alonso, as the deadline for major-league teams to sign draft picks is Aug. 15. Take that for what it’s worth.
Meanwhile, the 2008 Cincinnati Reds would need to win 65 percent of their remaining games to achieve that winning record that Bob Castellini wants so much. We’d love that too, Mr. Castellini, but I got news for you…it ain’t happening.
I’d love to get some good news about the Reds today. Seems like nothing is going right lately.
This is how the whole “draft smart and develop” strategy fails. If your team is so bad (or so stingy) that top draft picks would rather go back to college, then you have a really hard time improving your team from within.
If the kid is really asking for $7M, let him go back.
If he doesn’t sign, don’t the Reds get the #9 pick next year (in addition to whatever they would normally get in the first round)? I’m pretty sure I remember that being a new feature of the CBA. You lose a year of development time, but pretty decent compensation for not signing your guy. Really hurts the bargaining power of the drafted players, which is probably a good thing. -j
I dont care who Alonso is, he aint worth $7M. I offer him $3.25M and say take it or leave it. If they try to negotiate from that point, I take my offer off the table and say “enjoy school.” He wont get half that next year because he wont be able to go back to school. Teams will offer him squat and say take it or leave it.
I’m a big fan of Alonso…all signs are that he will be a very productive major league hitter…
…but I agree with Bill and Ron. No way I pay him $7 million if I’m the Reds. If that’s his demand, Redleg Nation won’t be condemning the Reds for not getting an agreement signed.
I read something yesterday (can’t remember where now) that said the Reds had offered $2.3 and he’s asking for $7…
Total nonsense. He’ll sign, and for slot money. Nobody goes back to school when they’re taken #7 overall.
Chris…from your mouth to his agent’s ear….
Wasn’t the overall first pick signed for like 6 million? Why in the world should the seventh pick get more? Maybe it would be different if I was in his situation but I’d feel like I died and gone to heaven if someone offered me 2.3 million dollars to do something I loved.
i heard he wants a major league contract immediatly cause he said he isnt planning on being in the minors long
he said he is ready to start in triple A
and then be in the majors soon after
like the cubs did with that wide reciever from notre dame now he is a pitcher
Jay Bruce for President where did you see that?