Destin Hood

[daggerrrrrr]

Still waiting, Destin Hood is missing in action!!! The Nationals always have to do things the hard way, not one top 5 pick signed yet. Come on Front Office throw some of us fans a bone, I mean we sit and watch this lousy team because you said you had a plan and signing your top picks is part of that plan. So like Larry the Cable Guy would say "GettHerDone" now please. 

[JMUalumni]

I am still scouring the web on a daily basis for any info on our top three picks.  No real tangible news has surfaced on Hood in the last week or so, but a few sources I have read have talked about how he is trying to use his football scholarship as leverage to get more money (in the $1 mil range), here is one of them:

Destin Hood has not yet signed his contract with the Washington Nationals, though it is expected that he will do so. Like most high draft picks who hold football scholarships, Destin is using his potential football career as leverage to get the most out of his first baseball contract. More power to him.

Ill keep everyone posted on what I find, but I am sure I will not be the first to tell of his signing, whenever that is.

[JMUalumni]

Got this one in a round about way today through NFA then the original source, Bamabeat.com:

In Hood's case, he has yet to sign with the Washington Nationals, who drafted him in the second round and are reportedly throwing big money to lure him away from a football scholarship as a wide receiver for the Crimson Tide.

As of yet, however, it may not be big enough. I spoke last night with Hood's father Dewayne, who said negotations with the Nats remain ongoing and could drag on until the Aug. 15 deadline.

I've thought all along that Hood was all but certain to play pro baseball and his signing is a mere formality. I still feel that way -- Hood's baseball interest "hasn't changed at all," his father last night -- though a scholarship from Nick Saban can make a handy bargaining chip when speaking to a (very needy) big league club that invested such a high draft pick in you.

Think this topic is not important up there? Hood's visit to D.C. in late June made headlines in the Washington Post.
 
So it may take a little longer, but continue to look for Hood to play pro baseball and get rather rich doing it. In one way, he's already made his decision. Should things fall through with Washington, Hood wouldn't even get to UA until right before the Clemson game, meaning he would start out in the back of the line for Alabama's talented receiving crop. His impact as a freshman would figure to be minimal at best.

It does not look like we will be seeing him sign anytime soon, so don't hold your breath.  Something I had not thought of, that this article mentions, is that Hood already has in some ways made a choice and would not make it to the college team until after they had started playing (thus putting him at the bottom of the depth chart for WR).  I have to wonder if he is working out for baseball or football, or maybe a mixed routine just to keep him in shape for both.

[DPMOmaha]

No, he'd be there two weeks before the first game, about a week and a half practice starts.  It'd be a matter of him getting up to speed.  He's probably not going to be a contributor next fall regardless of whether or not he's there at the beginning of fall camp or not.  Alabama's got 13 recievers on their spring roster and signed several more in this past recruiting class.  He wasn't going to play vs. Clemson regardless in all likelyhood.  He might be behind the 8ball a bit if he comes in late as far as conditioning and learning the playbook goes but otherwise he won't be that far behind.  If he's truly the player we all think (and the Alabama fans think) he won't be on the field before conference play regardless of whether he's there the first day of fall camp or not.

[ronnynat]

If he still has any interest at all in playing football, I think he should take the scholarship to Alabama and just play both sports there. If he does, we'll get that pick back next year, right?

[JMUalumni]

If he still has any interest at all in playing football, I think he should take the scholarship to Alabama and just play both sports there. If he does, we'll get that pick back next year, right?

Yes, we get the same pick back moved down one slot for an unsigned first or second rounder.  For example our pick 9 would be a pick 10 next year if we for some reason do not sign Aaron Crow.

[daveb32]

Yes, we get the same pick back moved down one slot for an unsigned first or second rounder.  For example our pick 9 would be a pick 10 next year if we for some reason do not sign Aaron Crow.

But if we end up finishing last this year, does that mean we'll have two first round picks if we indeed do not sign Crow? 1st and 10th overall?

[ronnynat]

But if we end up finishing last this year, does that mean we'll have two first round picks if we indeed do not sign Crow? 1st and 10th overall?

Crow will sign. He should know that he'll never go this high again. Plus, we'll eventually pay him what he wants anyways. But yes, I do think that's what would happen.

[sportsfan882]

Crow will sign. He should know that he'll never go this high again. Plus, we'll eventually pay him what he wants anyways. But yes, I do think that's what would happen.

Then, wtf is taking so long? I thought they wanted him to pitch for us this year in the Minors to speed up his development?

[spidernat]

Both sides are posturing. I don't advocate giving a draft pick whatever the freak he wants just to speed up HIS development. You can't give away leverage.

[ronnynat]

Then, wtf is taking so long? I thought they wanted him to pitch for us this year in the Minors to speed up his development?

I think the majority of first round picks haven't been signed yet. Actually, they're just starting to get signed now. I know most see that extra month in pro ball as extremely beneficial, but do you really think our minor league coaches can do more for him than his college coaches did?

I have no doubt that we'll sign him. We wouldn't let that type of player get away.

[JMUalumni]

I think the majority of first round picks haven't been signed yet. Actually, they're just starting to get signed now. I know most see that extra month in pro ball as extremely beneficial, but do you really think our minor league coaches can do more for him than his college coaches did?

I have no doubt that we'll sign him. We wouldn't let that type of player get away.

He has already pitched 107 innings for Missouri this season, I doubt they would let him pitch much more than 50-60 more innings this summer before they would shut him down anyway.  So what is the point of hustling to get him in, paying him way more than you should in the process?  If he is ready to pitch in the major leagues this season, they will still have the option of pitching him, even if he his signed Aug 15.  Having a few more weeks at AA Harrisburg isn't going to speed up his development any, I agree with RonnyNat on this point.