Megathread: Braves lose Maitan, Bae and 10+ plus International Sanctions.

[clvclv]

Shoeless Joe Jackson says hi.

It's not entirely preposterous. Losing players we signed this year would be logical. If we were bundling we'd have never gotten them but for the illegal acts. Also, there is a precedent for this with the Sox.

Preventing us from signing international players is another punishment with an established history.

With Maitan, it's a question of the evidence. If they find we gave him illegal benefits then the only thing keeping them from making him a free agent is determining whether or not that's a fair punishment. If they're looking to make an example then they'll make Maitan a free agent.

Finally, the draft pick is one of the more public ways of punishing us. Taking away the 8th pick on top of everything else would be very, very harsh but it would send a strong message. Perhaps losing a second rounder is more likely but I wouldn't put taking away the 8th pick past MLB.

FWIW, the rumblings I heard on XM yesterday were that it has more to do with the fact that we apparently put he and his family up in a hotel as the signing day approached so that no one else could find him to try to change his mind.

There was also a mention that Coppy "offered Waters a car to sign a below-slot deal", and that it was dismissed as being a joke. We obviously have no idea if that has any legs.

[Hudson2]

FWIW, the rumblings I heard on XM yesterday were that it has more to do with the fact that we apparently put he and his family up in a hotel as the signing day approached so that no one else could find him to try to change his mind.

There was also a mention that Coppy "offered Waters a car to sign a below-slot deal", and that it was dismissed as being a joke. We obviously have no idea if that has any legs.

A lot of this stuff they can't prove. If Waters doesn't snitch which he won't, then I don't see them taking any pick from us at all. A hotel room? Seriously? That's not bad enough to make Maitain a FA. A lot of this stuff seems to be getting overblown. In the end Encheff may be right and it was just a way for Coppy to be canned.

[rico43]

FWIW, the rumblings I heard on XM yesterday were that it has more to do with the fact that we apparently put he and his family up in a hotel as the signing day approached so that no one else could find him to try to change his mind.

There was also a mention that Coppy "offered Waters a car to sign a below-slot deal", and that it was dismissed as being a joke. We obviously have no idea if that has any legs.

Waters signed for $1.5 million, which was only about $100 K below his slot. Not enough money to make that kind of difference. Padres pick two ahead of him took only $1.3 M.

[dak]

It stands to reason that MLB is going to look into what Hart knew and when he knew it.

[clvclv]

Waters signed for $1.5 million, which was only about $100 K below his slot. Not enough money to make that kind of difference. Padres pick two ahead of him took only $1.3 M.

Don't you remember what you would've done for a $100,000 sports car when you were 18???

That's simply the story being "reported" (no one named sources or put their names to it, it's just what they heard, kinda like Bowman and DOB - ell, like Shanks for that matter) - I didn't comment on whether I believed it one way or the other. Given the other stories we're beginning to hear about Coppy's practices you think it's out of the question? I have no clue, but will wait to see if the story has legs personally.

[mqt]

Don't you remember what you would've done for a $100,000 sports car when you were 18???

That's simply the story being "reported" (no one named sources or put their names to it, it's just what they heard, kinda like Bowman and DOB - ell, like Shanks for that matter) - I didn't comment on whether I believed it one way or the other. Given the other stories we're beginning to hear about Coppy's practices you think it's out of the question? I have no clue, but will wait to see if the story has legs personally.

I would have to believe his agent would know enough to tell the Braves to kindly **** off and give him the extra $100,000 instead.

[DirkPiggler]

FWIW, the rumblings I heard on XM yesterday were that it has more to do with the fact that we apparently put he and his family up in a hotel as the signing day approached so that no one else could find him to try to change his mind.

If this is true, that's one of the smartest moves I've seen out of a Braves front office in quite a while.

[CJ9]

Interesting point by Dave Cameron that I hadn't considered about Maitan:

"I don't think MLB really wants to make a guy like Maitan a free agent unless they have to, though. If he gets $20 million or something if his contract is voided and he's allowed to sign with anyone for whatever teams want to offer, then it will become even more obvious to future players that it could be financially advantageous to them to engage in shady activity with a team, then turn in the team they signed with in order to become a free agent."

[Knucksie]

If this is true, that's one of the smartest moves I've seen out of a Braves front office in quite a while.

Wasn't that done in "Jerry McGuire"?

[Chico]

There's so much going on in this thread I don't know where to begin, and don't want to read through 37 pages.

Can we just have a collection on whatever narrative posters are trying to pitch in once place? :)