I haven't read every post, but I think there's an interesting side story here.
My guess(?) is that Mark Appel would happily sign for the $2.5M. Or lets just, for the sake of argument, say that he would. Will he be held hostage by his agent who is trying to hammer down a point? Gain an advantage?
If he ends up in independent ball, I will have to wonder about that.
quote:Well all of those seniors who think they are "getting screwed" have a choice. They can try getting a "real job" that doesn't come with any signing bonus or contract...
It is a real job most of them enjoy however it comes with a very poor compensation and benefit plan for 99% of the employees (including the front office). The one particular player I know hasn't been on vacation in several years, shows up early for work, leaves late, spends his "free time" improving his skills to make himself more valuable to his employer and scraps by working the holdays at Bevmo.
If MiLB players didn't have binding contracts most of them would be paid alot more as the teams would actually have to pay some type of market rate to retain them as employees or risk them moving on to another employer for better pay and/or opportunities.
Mike Avails starting ss for the Red soxs drafted in 7th round 2003 signed for $1,ooo.
That year the Royals signed players Rounds 5 thru 10 for $1,000. each
That year the Royals signed players Rounds 5 thru 10 for $1,000. each
quote:My guess(?) is that Mark Appel would happily sign for the $2.5M. Or lets just, for the sake of argument, say that he would. Will he be held hostage by his agent who is trying to hammer down a point? Gain an advantage?
http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_...-weaver-85m-contract
An answer to your question.
quote:Originally posted by BBoy400:
It does seem like the senior college players in rounds 6-10 are getting screwed if that is what the club is offering($1000). Is there any recourse? Can they sit out the season(although I am sure most would not want to do that) and sign as a free agent for more money at a late point? This is a sahme if these players get such little $$.
It's not the players in 6-10 getting screwed. Many players in 6-10 would have
gone much later - 25th - according to Baseball America. Folks that got the shaft
are the talented college juniors that were pushed down while the teams took
lower talent in 4-10 to save money and not go over budget.
Ignore the slot values. That's not what players are being paid. The slots only
effect was to determine a teams overall budget.
Can someone explain to me how the College Senior has no or very little leverage when taken in the first 10 rounds now? From what I have read, they have more leverage now then ever before.
If each "slot" has an assigned value and if the teams lose that "slots" value if the player isn't signed, can't the college senior use that as leverage?
For example, if you are the 190 pick, your "slot" is $200,000. If the team (in this case the Twins) comes to you and says "hey, we want to sign you for $10,000 because you are a senior", wouldn't the correct reply be "you're crazy! How about at least $100,000 or you lose all $200,000?".
Why you anyone take to much less then the slot when the team would lose all of the slot if not signed?
If each "slot" has an assigned value and if the teams lose that "slots" value if the player isn't signed, can't the college senior use that as leverage?
For example, if you are the 190 pick, your "slot" is $200,000. If the team (in this case the Twins) comes to you and says "hey, we want to sign you for $10,000 because you are a senior", wouldn't the correct reply be "you're crazy! How about at least $100,000 or you lose all $200,000?".
Why you anyone take to much less then the slot when the team would lose all of the slot if not signed?
quote:For example, if you are the 190 pick, your "slot" is $200,000. If the the team (in this case the Twins) comes to you and says "hey, we want to sign you for $10,000 because you are a senior", wouldn't the correct reply be "you're crazy! How about at least $100,000 or you lose all $200,000?".
Why you anyone take to much less then the slot when the team would lose all of the slot if not signed?
The answer is the "agreement" occurs before, not after the pick.
Because the team is calling 5-10 players in days before the draft and in the rounds before the selection occurs, if the senior says "nope" I am only taking slot $$$ or 50% of slot, they move to the next senior on the list.
The one who tries to leverage and bargain goes undrafted and his college career is done. He ended his options when he tried to use leverage where he had none. The team has all the leverage and plenty of players on their list to call and get an agreement on the team's terms and only those terms.
Until a player has lived the MLB/Milb process, we as parents just don't get enough experience/exposure to understand MLB is a tough, demanding business.
As an illustration, a few years back, a very high pick got released by his team after about 2-3 years. He became a free agent and signed with another team. When he got to ST, he learned that team stock piled upwards of 15 players at his position. About 3 weeks into ST, he could see the handwriting. He was playing well but the numbers showed he was not going to be assigned to a full season team.
He asked for his release. The team acknowledged he was not in their future. However, they refused to give him a release. They gave him the option to retire, only. What that meant is if he ever wanted to play, that club controlled his rights.
MLB is a business, and a very tough one, when it comes to a drafted or Milb player wanting money or freedom from the team. This new CBA gave the teams even more leverage at the expense of the vast majority of the drafted players,even those at the top.
Infield dad is right, the top picks agree before the draft what they will sign for and the "value picks" will be called by a team mins before their selection and say " we will take you with our next pick if you agree to sign for $.(well below slot) take it or leave it. There it is.. your dream come true you can play pro ball! few will turn it down.
Players really do need "agents"
Players really do need "agents"
quote:For example, if you are the 190 pick, your "slot" is $200,000. If the team (in this case the Twins) comes to you and says "hey, we want to sign you for $10,000 because you are a senior", wouldn't the correct reply be "you're crazy! How about at least $100,000 or you lose all $200,000?".
dW8man,
I think it is possible that your scenerio will play out somewhere. But most are going to sign for what they agreed to. I think it's also possible that some not so high profile players will be signing at the deadline this year. In other words waiting to see what the club has left in the budget.
This year is so different, it will be very interesting to see what happens. We are already hearing reports of players signing well below and way over slot recommendations.
I really get confused when people talk about making things equal between small and large market teams. The D'Backs have $3.8 million in their draft pool. Last year's World Series champs have $9.1 million (pujols). Mets and Cubs $7.1 and $7.8. The Angels have $1.7, the Tigers have $2.1. On the other hand the Red Sox had nearly 7 million. My guess is that most people would say the D'backs, Tigers and Angels (the three lowest pools) all had poor drafts this year.
quote:Originally posted by njbb:
Infield dad is right, the top picks agree before the draft what they will sign for and the "value picks" will be called by a team mins before their selection and say " we will take you with our next pick if you agree to sign for $.(well below slot) take it or leave it. There it is.. your dream come true you can play pro ball! few will turn it down.
Players really do need "agents"
njbb is right on about what infielddad posted.I know of a few first round picks that were drafted where they were because they agreed to what the team was offering and they had no intentions of negotiating as they knew that they most likely belonged as a lower pick.
You know it's a prior agreement when they sign quickly, which some top picks have done.
Does anyone know of a senior that has ever turned down a small bonus to not play? I don't.
quote:You might be right? A story I heard differently is that the Astros went to the top 3-5 guys and said, 'Ok, who will tak4 $4M?' First guy to raise his hand got it.
This sounds very plausible to me. I happen to know the President of the Astros, and worked with him very closely a few years ago in a sports franchise deal. I spoke to him early this year about the draft, and it was clear that he thought there were no players in this class worth the first pick slot $$.
MLB: Pop up will play for food!
The draft is not socialism. It is a cartel. It is a price-fixing agreement that, in almost any other context, would be illegal. The fact that its being governed by a CBA gives it a safe harbor is indeed a mockery, since the people affected by it are not members of the union the bargained away their rights.
The two impacts are clear. More HS players will head to college ball because they can't be offered enough to lure them away. And more U.S. guys will pass, opening the door even wider to international players to whom the paltry pay of MiLB is a Godsend.
The two impacts are clear. More HS players will head to college ball because they can't be offered enough to lure them away. And more U.S. guys will pass, opening the door even wider to international players to whom the paltry pay of MiLB is a Godsend.