On Friday, Barret Loux formerly of Texas A&M signed a free agent contract with the Texas Rangers. He was selected with the sixth overall pick in the 2010 MLB Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Loux ended up coming to an agreement with the D-Backs for over 2 million dollars but ended up failing his physical due to shoulder issues that were discovered during the examination. The D-Backs refused to negotiate with Loux anymore after this discovery. MLB announced they would make him a free agent allowing anyone to sign him. After several workouts at Texas A&M, the Rangers ended up giving him a $312,000 bonus on Friday.
I have seen multiple reports across the Internet that said this was a travesty what happened to him but I am not one of those. I think people need to recognize that MLB is a business and why would the Diamondbacks give a player they believe is damaged goods two million dollars when they can get a pick the next year at the same spot?
Loux repeatedly stated in several interviews including with AggieYell.com that he was not injured but the medical report from the Diamondbaks showed two red flags including a labrum tear and need for Tommy John surgery. Both of these injuries have derailed careers in the past.
ESPN.com writer Keith Law stated the following in his latest ESPN Insider piece:
I’ve been told by multiple sources that Loux has damage in both his elbow and shoulder but reports no pain when throwing, so although the probability of him staying healthy long enough to reach the big leagues isn’t very high, the Rangers might want to just let him keep pitching until he says “ow.” Once you cut on a shoulder, it’s usually never the same anyway.
What would you have done if you were in the Diamondbacks position?
