The Henson pick

[Arles]

Houston did it (IMO) to dangle his rights to a team like Oakland next March. Their hope is that Oakland would pay a 2nd or 3rd draft pick for his rights and then sign him to a big deal before the draft.

It's a bit of a gamble as all teams will know that Houston needs to trade him. They may end up getting a 5th rounder for him, but that's about it. Or, Drew Henson may opt to stay in baseball or even go in the draft.

But, it only costs a mid-6, so maybe it's worth it.

Arlie

[illinifan999]

Coulda sworn I heard yesterday that he reiterrated his commitment to baseball, and to not draft him. This is Drew Henson right?

[MikeVic]

illini, I heard that too. Wasn't it on ESPN during the draft? When they were showing baseball highlights?

[Alan T]

Not sure if this is a reason or not, but the way I understand it, if he went undrafted through this draft, he would be a football free agent, which means if at some point later he changed his mind, he could sign a contract with any team on any terms. By being drafted, he now is the property of a team if he chose to come back to football.

[tucker342]

ya, that's what I heard also.

[bigdawg2003]

I think this is a low risk-high reward gamble for the texans. So what if they cant draft him next year. They have a QB

[bosshogg23]

I think he is the property of Houston until next years draft where he would re-enter it and could be drafted by anyone if he hasnt signed a contract. If he went undrafted he would be a FA. Not sure how long a team would have his rights if he is redrafted.

I didnt get to see his baseball highlight. Couldnt have been a long segment.

[Dr. Sak]

If Henson is not signed by next year he becomes a Free Agent. I think that is why he said he didnt wanna be drafted so he could demand more on the FA market.

[TroyF]

Originally posted by illinifan999
Coulda sworn I heard yesterday that he reiterrated his commitment to baseball, and to not draft him. This is Drew Henson right?

It doesn't matter what he says, if he doesn't take some drastic steps in the next few months with his bat and his glove, his career in pro baseball will be non existent.

Coming into this year, he had these career numbers at AAA:


741 at bats, 173 hits (.233 AVG), 47Walks, 236 Strikeouts, (.296 on base percentage), and under a .500 SLG%.

Now, we can make the case he's a youngster. That maybe he was playing a level to high. Still, he's now 23 and here is the start to THIS season:

66 at bats, 11 hits, .167AVG, .257OBP, .348SLG, 5 walks, 19 strikeouts AND 5 errors in his first 17 games at 3B.

Granted, it's early, but his body of work at AAA doesn't indicate that he'll ever amount to anything in the big leagues. So far in his history he's shown that he has no plate patience, some long ball power, and average defensive skills (at best)

This guy is nowhere near ready for big league pitching and I'd argue the early returns show he probably never will be.

If the numbers don't show a drastic improvement and he turns 24 next February with the "utility player" or "another year or two in the minors" reality, will his ties to baseball still be strong? I have my doubts.

TroyF

[Iceberg]

Is Henson still eligible to play college football? Correct me if i am wrong but i thought he left after his junior year. What made him eligible to be drafted without declaring assuming he still had eligibility left at Michigan?

[SunDancer]

Well, in college, I believe the rules state that you have to play four years in five seasons.

[TroyF]

No idea if he has any eligibility left, but he wouldn't need to use it anyway. Many pro teams would be willing to sign him (just as many wanted Hutchinson)

I'll be stunned if he improves his numbers enough for the Yankees to ever consider giving him a full time job. I think the Texans were very smart with this pick. He'll be in the NFL before it is all said and done IMO.

TroyF

[cthomer5000]

Originally posted by TroyF
No idea if he has any eligibility left, but he wouldn't need to use it anyway. Many pro teams would be willing to sign him (just as many wanted Hutchinson)

I'll be stunned if he improves his numbers enough for the Yankees to ever consider giving him a full time job. I think the Texans were very smart with this pick. He'll be in the NFL before it is all said and done IMO.

TroyF

while I can understand someone selecting him, how does Houston make any sense?

Assuming they somehow could get him signed, they would have David Carr, Dave Ragone, and Drew Henson on the same roster... tough to deal with.

Assuming he wants to sign after this baseball season ends, why wouldnt he just wait until next year to de drafted higher after he makes his intentions to play football known?

I don't see how this pick can work out for Houston.

[scooper]

Originally posted by cthomer5000


I don't see how this pick can work out for Houston.

It's as simple as trade bait. Houson had something like 13 picks. There's no way 13 picks would make the roster, so why not go ahead and use a sixth rounder for him? If they can turn that into 2nd rounder next year, it's a great deal. If he stays in baseball, big deal. They wasted a pick that probably would have been cut in training camp anyway.

In my opinion, Houston was the right team to make this pick.

[cthomer5000]

Originally posted by scooper
It's as simple as trade bait. Houson had something like 13 picks. There's no way 13 picks would make the roster, so why not go ahead and use a sixth rounder for him? If they can turn that into 2nd rounder next year, it's a great deal. If he stays in baseball, big deal. They wasted a pick that probably would have been cut in training camp anyway.

In my opinion, Houston was the right team to make this pick.

why would anyone trade for him when they can just draft him next season?

EDIT: adding the following to expand.

I'm Houston, here are my options:

1. Sign Drew Henson before next year's draft and have a logjam of young QB's. David Carr, Dave Ragone, Drew Henson
2. I cannot sign him, he insists on either playing baseball or re-entering the draft.
3. I trade his rights to another team for a player or draft pick.

I'm Drew Henson, here are my options.

1. Play baseball, never play football.
2. sign with Houston where I will almost be guaranteed of not seeing the field.
3. demand to be traded by Houston to someone else and actually play football.
4. after this football season, make my intentions of playing football known, and re-enter the draft. This will bring me a much higher draft slot and much more money.

I'm another team, interested in Drew Henson:

1. I trade for him, hope I can get him signed by April 2004. If I can't I wasted whatever I traded for his rights.
2. Just wait until next draft and draft him.


To me, another team trading for him is fairy unlikely. Drew would be making a poor financial decision if he commits to playing football before next year's draft.

[dacman]

Originally posted by cthomer5000
why would anyone trade for him when they can just draft him next season?

Because if he says he's going back to football, 97% of the teams in the league will have ZERO chance of drafting him.

[cthomer5000]

Originally posted by dacman
Because if he says he's going back to football, 97% of the teams in the league will have ZERO chance of drafting him.

Ok, I can understand that. But why would Drew Henson sign a contract, rather then re-enter the 2004 draft?

[Fritz]

I am concerned that baseball and possibly football will detract from his muppet making time.

[cthomer5000]

Originally posted by dacman
Because if he says he's going back to football, 97% of the teams in the league will have ZERO chance of drafting him.

actually I totally disagree with this. I don't think he'd be considered a first-rounder, so i think 100% of the teams would have the opportunity to take him in the first round. If they really want him, they can have him.

[dacman]

Originally posted by cthomer5000
To me, another team trading for him is fairy unlikely. Drew would be making a poor financial decision if he commits to playing football before next year's draft.

If you mean actually start PLAYING football before next year's draft, then I agree. If you mean make the decision to play, then I couldn't disagree more.

If Drew comes out and says -- "I'm coming back to football" he'll have an incredible bargaining position. He'll be able to demand practically whatever contract he wants (he would have to be traded -- Houston is locked into a 6th rounder contract) and can threathen to not sign and go back into the draft where he'll likely be top 3 if not #1 overall. If he goes back into the draft, he'll likely be picked by some really bad team not of his choosing. If he works the trade and sign deal, he might be able to sign with nearly whatever team he wants.

edit: spelling and grammar

[Hammer755]

Originally posted by cthomer5000
actually I totally disagree with this. I don't think he'd be considered a first-rounder, so i think 100% of the teams would have the opportunity to take him in the first round. If they really want him, they can have him.

From what I read, if he would have decided to play football, he would have been a Top 5 pick this year, Top 10 worst case.

[dacman]

Originally posted by cthomer5000
actually I totally disagree with this. I don't think he'd be considered a first-rounder, so i think 100% of the teams would have the opportunity to take him in the first round. If they really want him, they can have him.

You can disagree all you want, but if he had signalled his intention to come back before this draft, he would've been the #1 overall pick.

[Bee]

IMO, If he comes out and says he's playing football, he'd definitely have been a first rounder. Probably mid to late round, but definitely in the first round. Next year, he'd probably be even stronger in value considering the lack of quarterbacks in next year's draft.

I think that it was a decent gamble by Houston. They give up a 6th rounder and if he decides to come back before the draft, they can trade his rights for a 2nd or 3rd rounder next year. They can also work with him and make sure he goes to the team he wants which makes it more likely they get something in the trade. That way he doesn't risk being drafted by the Bengals next year after Palmer blows out his knee this season.

[Rich1033]

This is all the Yankees fault. Why couldnt they just leave him alone and let him stay at Michigan to lead them to a championship. Damn Yankees, always sticking their nose(or wallet) where it doesnt belong.

[scooper]

Originally posted by cthomer5000
Ok, I can understand that. But why would Drew Henson sign a contract, rather then re-enter the 2004 draft?

If he signs or not, they own his rights for a year. All they gave up was a sixth rounder that may not have made the team. Look at Houston's draft from last year. Quite a few didn't make the team. Some this year will not as well. It was simply a low risk gamble. Even if there's only about a 5% chance of it working out for them, the rewards could be huge.

As for Heson, every year he sits out, his stock drops, even if not too far. The sooner he decides on football, the higher his stock will be worth. I agree with the opinion that he would have been a mid to late first rounder this year. Who knows by next year?

QB's take time to develop. If he is ever going to play football, he can't wait too long or he'll be in his upper twenties by the time he has developed enough to start. Keep in mind he has not run an offense in a few years. It's exactly like riding a bike. There will be a re-learning curve. Houston knows this and I'm sure it added to their thought process.

[andy m]

[TroyF]

Why is it a good pick for Houston? Simple. . . he's unbelievable value for a 6th round selection. Repeat after me. . . A LOT CAN HAPPEN IN A YEAR.

What happens if Carr regresses? Suffers a Theisman like injury? Breaks his throwing hand in 3 places?

Is there anyone here who believe Henson would lose out to David Ragone?

Now, say Henson does opt back into the draft. So what? They lose a 6th round pick, not a first. As has been said before, they had a ton of picks. It's doubtful more than 8 or 9 make the team.

Houston took a look at the statistics I pointed out above and made a good, calculated risk. He has another season in baseball like his last few, he may be VERY enticed to come to camp next fall.

TroyF

[Hammer755]

Originally posted by TroyF
Houston took a look at the statistics I pointed out above and made a good, calculated risk. He has another season in baseball like his last few, he may be VERY enticed to come to camp next fall.

I've heard several interviews with Texan GM Charlie Casserly and he said his front office calculated that a player taken with that 6th round pick would have a 10% chance of making the roster, let alone have any impact at all to the team.

I think it's a pretty good risk to see if they can turn Henson into a first or second rounder next year.

[The_herd]

Henson is going to be commited to baseball until somebody makes it worth his while financially. Which is not going to happen until he makes a commitment to football. He's still young, he can wait this out another year or two, get paid as a baseball player (he's making pretty decent money as a minor leaguer), and see if the baseball thing works out. If not, then he hopes he's not drafted so teams don't have to pay him out of the rookie pool.

[MrIllini]

Henson will never see a major league pitch.

He sucks in AA ball, with something near a 4-1 K/BB ratio. That's horrendous for someone with as "prodigious" a bat as Henson.

He'll be in the NFL before long.

[MrIllini]

dola

that and he's from scUM and just sucks in general

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally posted by MrIllini
dola

that and he's from scUM and just sucks in general

M GO BLUE!!!!