It's official: Mets fail to sign Rocker...

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It's official: Mets fail to sign Rocker...

Post by AuricGoldfinger »

But he's not coming back, either.

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Re: It's official: Mets fail to sign Rocker...

Post by AuricGoldfinger »

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Re: It's official: Mets fail to sign Rocker...

Post by NateSY »

While I by no means have any insight, if the Rocker isn’t returning concept comes from the statement, it is mildly presumptuous. Statement only says he will continue to pitch as he prepares to start his pro career, that could very well be at Vandy when you factor in NLI. Again, obviously ESPN has sources I don’t so there could be more and I don’t expect his return.
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Re: It's official: Mets fail to sign Rocker...

Post by Starkiller »

Sucks for Rocker. But hopefully he comes back, makes good money via NLI, wins another CWS championship, and gets drafted even higher next year.
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Re: It's official: Mets fail to sign Rocker...

Post by fldore »

Where did this medical issue come from? I don't recall hearing about it at all during his time here nor it being discussed around draft time.

Have a hard time believing we would have been pitching him if he had anything kind of serious issue
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Re: It's official: Mets fail to sign Rocker...

Post by vu2003rpl »

fldore wrote: Sun Aug 01, 2021 4:59 pm Where did this medical issue come from? I don't recall hearing about it at all during his time here nor it being discussed around draft time.

Have a hard time believing we would have been pitching him if he had anything kind of serious issue

I agree. If he had some kind of injury there is no chance in hell that Corbin would have put him out there on short rest. I’m totally surprised by any mention of an arm / elbow problem.
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Spite theory

Post by LawoftheWest »

I know this is off the wall, but is it possible that the Mets saw what other players were receiving, then feared they would be ridiculed for being out negotiated by Scott Boras and decided to pull the plug to spite Boras and to put him in his place? Just a bizarre theory that came to me without any information to back it up.

However, the Met's action does seem strange. Their loss is not too great, in their eyes, because they get the number 11 pick next year. The business of major league baseball can be brutal.
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Re: Spite theory

Post by NateSY »

LawoftheWest wrote: Sun Aug 01, 2021 8:25 pm I know this is off the wall, but is it possible that the Mets saw what other players were receiving, then feared they would be ridiculed for being out negotiated by Scott Boras and decided to pull the plug to spite Boras and to put him in his place? Just a bizarre theory that came to me without any information to back it up.

However, the Met's action does seem strange. Their loss is not too great, in their eyes, because they get the number 11 pick next year. The business of major league baseball can be brutal.
I have a suspicion this comes down to the owner not liking Rocker for some reason, especially after he had the nerve to tweet out that he could get “five times” his investment with the compensation pick. I’m firmly in the “____ the Mets” camp now.
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Re: It's official: Mets fail to sign Rocker...

Post by baseball1234 »

If he signed with Boras, he can't come back.
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Re: It's official: Mets fail to sign Rocker...

Post by katmai »

baseball1234 wrote: Sun Aug 01, 2021 9:13 pm If he signed with Boras, he can't come back.
His situation may be different, but usually agents are just considered "advisors" until they actually sign. That is how all of these baseball players maintain amateur status while deciding if they are going to sign.

I really hope that the Mets are making a huge mistake, and there is nothing in Rocker's medicals that would justify their fear in signing him. At this point, I hope that Rocker does what is best for his long-term future, and hopefully a long MLB career. If that involves him never pitching competitively for Vanderbilt again, then so be it. He has done more for Vanderbilt than we could hope for, and I wish him nothing but success in the future.
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Re: It's official: Mets fail to sign Rocker...

Post by LawoftheWest »

katmai wrote: Sun Aug 01, 2021 11:55 pm
baseball1234 wrote: Sun Aug 01, 2021 9:13 pm If he signed with Boras, he can't come back.
His situation may be different, but usually agents are just considered "advisors" until they actually sign. That is how all of these baseball players maintain amateur status while deciding if they are going to sign.

I really hope that the Mets are making a huge mistake, and there is nothing in Rocker's medicals that would justify their fear in signing him. At this point, I hope that Rocker does what is best for his long-term future, and hopefully a long MLB career. If that involves him never pitching competitively for Vanderbilt again, then so be it. He has done more for Vanderbilt than we could hope for, and I wish him nothing but success in the future.

Amen.
Thank you Katmai.

Everything I have read and seen about Rocker he is a first class individual. He had a fine upbringing by caring parents. This next year could present challenges for him. It is highly unlikely that he will return to Vandy. I think his option is pitching for an independent league. Then, will he be a top pick? The action by the Mets could cost him millions of dollars. I wonder if there is a plaintiff's lawyer who could take on a claim against the Mets for dealing in bad faith.

I do feel sorry for Rocker, as it appears he has been tooled around by the Mets
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Re: It's official: Mets fail to sign Rocker...

Post by Commodoredave »

I just hate it for this kid. I'm really worried that there is something that is a real problem with the medicals because teams don't just draft a guy #10 overall and back off unless there is something really wrong. Even if it is something that required TJ, there are plenty of cases like Walker Buehler of TJ working out well in the long run. The Dodgers knew Buehler was sitting out a year when the drafted him, but that's why the Dodgers are the Dodgers and the Mets are the Mets.

As for what Kumar does next. The independent league/work up to the draft is textbook Boras. That way they can control the message and the workload. If Rocker was at VU, he would be expected to take the ball every Friday night and anything short of that would be interpreted by the scouts as a red flag.
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Re: It's official: Mets fail to sign Rocker...

Post by baseball1234 »

katmai wrote: Sun Aug 01, 2021 11:55 pm
baseball1234 wrote: Sun Aug 01, 2021 9:13 pm If he signed with Boras, he can't come back.
His situation may be different, but usually agents are just considered "advisors" until they actually sign. That is how all of these baseball players maintain amateur status while deciding if they are going to sign.

Exactly my point. With Boras, you never know. Speculating: Boras got him $6,000,000, he signed with Boras and then down hill from there.
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Re: It's official: Mets fail to sign Rocker...

Post by oakparkDore »

a. Kumar owes us nothing. While I’d obviously love to have him back, I really only want what is best for his career. He’s a Vanderbilt legend no matter what he chooses.

b. If he came back, he would have about the same number of innings as this year. Or he could reach an agreement with Corbs and skip a few starts. Either way, there’s seemingly no reason for him to have less innings than this year. He’s trying to build his arm up after all.

c. I don’t understand how the independent league option is better than the SEC. Lower level competition, bad facilities, food, bus rides. Obviously no pitching lab. What am I missing?

Is the idea to basically freeze himself in amber by playing against inferior competition so his last impression is the one that remains? Or is the goal for him to get better so that he’s closer to his he majors once he is drafted again? Seems to me that he should bet on himself and come back to Vandy. For his own sake, not ours.
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Re: It's official: Mets fail to sign Rocker...

Post by buffy »

If it's an injury. Just spend a year healing up and rehabbing. There's nothing pressing. Figure out the arm with science. Then storm back. There was clearly something not right about his arm late.
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Re: It's official: Mets fail to sign Rocker...

Post by MrMemorial »

Before everybody starts dissing the indy pro baseball, this league that has a few teams within a couple hundred miles from here (Evansville, IN etc) has had guys make it to MLB ball. I think the Marion, IL team has a pitcher from Belmont.

https://frontierleague.com/alumni/
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