Results 1 to 12 of 12

Thread: Remember Josh Anthony?

  1. #1
    Director of Minor League Reports rico43's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Posts
    6,368
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    887
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    5,806
    Thanked in
    2,448 Posts

    Remember Josh Anthony?

    Playing third base, defense has improved during season. Do Braves redraft and honor this broken promise?

    The Braves' 16th round pick last year, when an amateur mistake in their bookkeeping cost his signing (see below). He was named SEC Co-Player of the Week on April 24th.

    Anthony went 11-for-16 with nine RBI, six runs scored and a pair of steals during Auburn's four games last week, during which the Tigers went 3-1. After going 2-for-4 in a midweek win against Kennesaw State, Anthony buoyed Auburn's offense against Arkansas and finished the weekend 9-for-12 with a home run (his first of the season), three doubles, seven RBI and five runs scored. Anthony had multiple hits in each of Auburn's four games last week. During Sunday's series-clinching win, Anthony was 4-for-5 with three RBI and a pair of doubles. It was his first career four-hit game.

    Anthony arrived at Plainsman Park hitting just .192 in SEC play Friday night with just four extra-base hits. But he managed to attack Arkansas pitching to the tune of a .750 batting average (9-for-12) in the series. For the season, posting .276-2-33 with 7-9 SBs.

    =============

    AUBURN — Josh Anthony would like everybody to forget Thursday ever happened. Before committing to sign for the Atlanta Braves after they picked him in the 16th round of this month's draft, the junior college All-American had it all figured out. He was an Auburn man. He'd now like to stick with that original thought. In a week where he’s informed the Auburn coaching staff that he’s coming to school and then, less than 24 hours later, said he’s accepting a contract offer with Atlanta, Anthony has reversed his decision again and will enroll at Auburn.

    Anthony said once again Friday evening on Twitter that he will enroll at Auburn on Aug. 16 to play the 2017 season at Plainsman Park.

    “I'll be going to the SEC for a year,” Anthony said on Twitter on Friday night in response to a Braves fan.

    On Wednesday following the draft, he said that he would attend Auburn next year. On Thursday, the Atlanta Braves increased their signing bonus and Anthony informed Auburn's coaches that he was going to accept the offer. According to Anthony's text message to the Montgomery Advertiser, Atlanta's latest offer included much more than slot value for a 16th-round selection and includes any future college costs if he doesn't reach the major leagues. By Friday, that Atlanta offer was no longer valid and Anthony was once again back where he started: bound for Auburn.

    "I mean, I'm disappointed but I hold no hard feelings toward the Braves. I'm focused on being at Auburn next year," Anthony said Friday night in a phone interview with the Montgomery Advertiser. Anthony confirmed to the Montgomery Advertiser that Atlanta executives called him Friday morning to say they could no longer honor their offer. Anthony said Braves officials informed his father that if they signed Anthony to the agreed upon amount that would put them over Major League Baseball's bonus pool cap and force them to potentially lose a future draft pick.

    "They told me that if they honored the deal then that would put them in the tax and so they couldn't do it," Anthony said. "I was ready to sign and they revoked the offer."

    Not soon after Anthony was informed of the situation by Atlanta executives, Auburn head coach Butch Thompson called to say the Tigers would still honor his scholarship agreement. Anthony confirmed that it wasn’t a medical issue that caused the contract offer to be voided because he had yet to take a physical with Atlanta's team doctors.

    “I kind of jumped the gun, and we’ll leave it at that,” Braves scouting director Brian Bridges said. “It was wishful thinking on my part, and I tried to make a decision that wasn’t…. It just didn’t work. And he’s a great kid. I wish it would have worked.”

    Anthony, a 2016 junior college All-American out of Western Oklahoma State, was already being recruited by Auburn assistant coach Brad Bohannon before Auburn head coach Butch Thompson hired Bohannon away from Kentucky in October. The fit became perfect when Anthony realized he could play 45 minutes from his hometown of Columbus, Georgia, and play for the coach who was his primary recruiter.Anthony said Wednesday he’d been given an indication he’ll primarily play third base next season at Auburn. Anthony hit .444 for Western Oklahoma State with 25 home runs and 84 RBIs and putting up similar numbers in his freshman season. The 5-foot-11, 195-pounder, who also has experience at second base and catcher, was considered one of the nation’s best junior college hitting prospects after leading Western Oklahoma State to back-to-back appearances in NJCAA Division II World Series.

  2. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to rico43 For This Useful Post:

    buck75 (05-20-2017), FreemanFan (05-21-2017), Hawk (05-20-2017)

  3. #2
    Called Up to the Major Leagues SJ24's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Posts
    1,963
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    30
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    399
    Thanked in
    291 Posts
    Complete amateur hour.

    The fact we weren't willing to go over the tax is just as bad as the "accounting mistake."

    We don't care about winning.

  4. #3
    10 yr, $185 million Extension
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Posts
    4,626
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    199
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    1,328
    Thanked in
    853 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by SJ24 View Post
    Complete amateur hour.

    The fact we weren't willing to go over the tax is just as bad as the "accounting mistake."

    We don't care about winning.
    It was an indefensible error, but I think the quotes are imprecise. They weren't just going into the tax with him, they would be losing 2017 draft picks to do so.

  5. #4
    Hessmania Forever
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Posts
    13,995
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    4,887
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    7,678
    Thanked in
    4,941 Posts
    Let's see where he's drafted this year. Curious to see if it's in the top ten rounds. The Braves' handling of the situation was unfortunate, but I believe a concealed injury from one of the guys they had already signed contributed to the mess.

  6. #5
    10 yr, $185 million Extension
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Posts
    4,557
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    261
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    2,520
    Thanked in
    1,477 Posts
    I think he's a top-10 round guy this year. I like him, just thought he would've hit for more power this year.

  7. #6
    Anytime Now Frankie...
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Posts
    1,668
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    1,324
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    765
    Thanked in
    445 Posts
    Wish he'd signed. My Hogs might have won the SEC if not for his crazy performance against them.

  8. The Following User Says Thank You to DirkPiggler For This Useful Post:

    blueagleace1 (05-21-2017)

  9. #7
    It's OVER 5,000!
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Posts
    7,772
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    270
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    1,491
    Thanked in
    1,150 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by mqt View Post
    It was an indefensible error, but I think the quotes are imprecise. They weren't just going into the tax with him, they would be losing 2017 draft picks to do so.
    Pretty sure that is correct. They maxed out the bonus pool, I believe.

    --- I don't remember if the Braves were trying to go overslot or not. Was the kid going to sign for 16th round money? If not, Braves maybe didn't change his life much.

  10. #8
    Director of Minor League Reports rico43's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Posts
    6,368
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    887
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    5,806
    Thanked in
    2,448 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Southcack77 View Post
    Pretty sure that is correct. They maxed out the bonus pool, I believe.

    --- I don't remember if the Braves were trying to go overslot or not. Was the kid going to sign for 16th round money? If not, Braves maybe didn't change his life much.
    They were going to give him a nice bump.

  11. #9
    Steve Harvey'd
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Posts
    18,946
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    1,857
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    5,329
    Thanked in
    3,353 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by rico43 View Post
    They were going to give him a nice bump.
    Are we talking about Washington or Anthony

  12. #10
    Hessmania Forever
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Posts
    13,995
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    4,887
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    7,678
    Thanked in
    4,941 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by rico43 View Post
    They were going to give him a nice bump.
    I thought the agreement they reached with Anthony was in the neighborhood of $160,000 (or $60,000 over slot). Maybe it was higher, but if it had only been for $100,000, they wouldn't have had to move any money.

  13. #11
    It's OVER 5,000!
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Posts
    7,772
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    270
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    1,491
    Thanked in
    1,150 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by 50PoundHead View Post
    I thought the agreement they reached with Anthony was in the neighborhood of $160,000 (or $60,000 over slot). Maybe it was higher, but if it had only been for $100,000, they wouldn't have had to move any money.
    So he could have signed for 16th round slot money?

  14. #12
    Hessmania Forever
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Posts
    13,995
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    4,887
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    7,678
    Thanked in
    4,941 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Southcack77 View Post
    So he could have signed for 16th round slot money?
    16th round slot money is $100,000. Anthony wanted more than that and I think the Braves went as high as $160,000 where they supposedly reached an agreement (it may have been higher). This is where it gets a little murky. A guy that the Braves had went over slot for after the 10th round (everything after the 10th round has a $100,000 slot value) was injured. I believe it was Rowland but I could be wrong. I know that Becherer was a TJ casualty that they went over slot for. At any rate, I believe the Braves tried to move money out of one of those contracts to put toward Anthony, but (and this is where it gets extra murky) I believe the contract value for slot purposes is governed by the agreed amount and not necessarily the amount that the draftee signed for. MLB informed the Braves that they couldn't move money from the contract agreements and so there wasn't enough to meet Anthony's contract demands.

Similar Threads

  1. Braves RHP Anthony Swarzak
    By UNCBlue012 in forum 2023: Celebrating Our 10th Year Here
    Replies: 32
    Last Post: 06-09-2019, 09:38 PM
  2. Anthony Bourdain
    By nsacpi in forum LOCKER ROOM TALK
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 06-08-2018, 10:20 AM
  3. What are your thoughts on catcher Anthony Recker?
    By xvinumber in forum 2023: Celebrating Our 10th Year Here
    Replies: 18
    Last Post: 07-15-2016, 08:28 PM
  4. Braves Acquire Anthony Recker
    By bravesfanforlife88 in forum 2023: Celebrating Our 10th Year Here
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 05-09-2016, 01:02 PM
  5. Anthony Varvaro Placed On Paternity List
    By CrimsonCowboy in forum 2023: Celebrating Our 10th Year Here
    Replies: 18
    Last Post: 07-24-2014, 11:21 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •