college seniors get draft leverage?

I hope you're right, but I am skeptical that it will be that easy. Clubs are still going to look for that "senior discount" if they can get it. It'll probably take the form of a pre-draft agreement. "We'll draft you in the 10th if you agree to take half slot. If not, you may not go until the 11th at which time no one will give you a bonus." They will then take that savings and reallocate it to the higher picks.

Seniors will still have no leverage, and little choice but to sign for whatever they offer. What 10th senior is going to walk away from $10,000 and sit out a year? Not many.

This may lessen the impact of the senior discount a little, but I'm not expecting a lot.

I have a question, how many seniors have been drafted in the first 10 rounds? And if they do, they are good enough to have some leverage.

Seniors have no leverage unless they are prospects.

quote:

Originally posted by Goosegg:
I read on Baseball America a little about the CBA. It appears to me that a college senior - who now have no leverage and, therefore, get far less in bonus $ - now will be paid significantly more if he is drafted in the top 10 rounds. According to BA, if a top 10 rounder is not signed, the team's bonus pool is reduced by a "slot" amount. If the player is signed for less then the "slot" amount, that excess can be used by the club in other rounds (including rounds 11-40). In the case to the college senior, if he doesn't want to take an amount below slot, the club is dinged the slot amount. It is not in the clubs interest to not sign the player. Hence, college seniors will get close to slot.

Goosegg,
Geez, I hope it does work out this way for a senior sign in the top 10 rounds. It could with some clubs.
I actually envision something different. My sense is that the seniors could have a tougher time being drafted within the first 10 rounds.
What I envision is that those who are picked before the end of the 10th round will be offered a number and it probably will be below the slot.
If the player does not take it, he does not sign. The end result is he does not play since I believe the team holds his draft rights until the next draft, although I could be off for a senior sign and all the new changes. I could see an argument he might become a free agent on the day the signing period ends...but probably too late for short season.
If the senior does take the below slot offer, he signs and the team can use the difference for post 10th rounders.
If the senior does not sign, he does not play Milb for at least that year...probably never????
In contrast, the team loses the slot money...perhaps $50,000 to $150,000 depending on the round/slot.
And of course, as this works out through the first draft, there may end up being some of each occurring.
If this were to end up getting seniors who are picked in the 1st 10 rounds more money, I have reservations believing that would be the intention of MLB and Bud. I just fear the message will be "senior you sign for $***.00 or $x,***.00, we hold your draft rights and if you don't, you don't play...period."
I do remember some senior signs in recent draft years in round 7-10. They usually got far below a college junior and far lower than a HS senior drafted within a few picks.

infieldad amd TPM are on it.

Sr's are usually "reserved" for 15 rounds and later. Special ones may be different but for all of the mortals that is where they normally fall.

quote:

Originally posted by TPM:
I have a question, how many seniors have been drafted in the first 10 rounds? And if they do, they are good enough to have some leverage.

Seniors have no leverage unless they are prospects.

Very true, I can think of Matt LaPorta from Florida a few years back.

The issue with seniors is not necessarily that they are not talented or lack the tools, but they (most) are far from ML ready, whereas there are younger players who have been in the system for 4-5 years and more prepared to compete at the higher level. By the time most seniors put in time needed for pro development, they are getting older. Not that old is not good but the game has changed, milb is for development, for fans to buy tickets and spend money to watch the future stars of tomorrow, not to see a bunch of older organizational guys grinding it out.

If hard work in the weight and training room, being on time, working extra with the pitching guru, being a good teammate, leader, lots of knowledge of the game, giving 100% gets you to ML my son would have been there years ago.

It just doesn't work that way.

Actually I was responding to a post that doesn't exist anymore, but decided to leave my perspective up anyway.

All the points made are valid.

It's game theory (not baseball) - depends upon who blinks 1st. The clubs incur a steep penalty for not signing a player (loss of a player the club deemed draftable in the top 10 rounds but getting dinged for the slot amount anyway) (the new "rule" in the game); the seniors have no new penalty (they were without any leverage before the change).

In 2010, over 30 seniors were drafted in the top 10 rounds. As for a club letting the senior slide into round 11 so it can pay the senior a pittance, it runs the risk of 29 other clubs getting the player.

Assuming the club saw enough in the player to draft him in the top 10 rounds, logically, the club will sign that senior for more than in the past (the old draft rules), but less than slot (the new rule). In someway, the difference will be split between the senior and the club.

Fun to speculate.

quote:

Originally posted by fanofgame:
TPM,

I removed the post.We are just talking about two different things.

Honestly I would rather see the whole MB be a bunch of grinders such as Tyler Bortnick than many of the cocky and arrogant guys that think they need something like 100,000 per at bat when its all said and done.

But thats me.

Remeber Bortnick was a senior sign and hes proven a lot.So can't count those types of guys out.

Actually at this point I have no clue what you are talking about, my response really was in response to your original post, suggesting that one group in particular works harder than others and gets the shaft is not true. There are always exceptions to the rules. Those exceptions know and understand a lot more than most and what they have to do. I just don't think that most that never played pro ball really understand what exactly any player goes through to make a ML roster and why. I am not sure why Tyler was mentioned.

The thing is that IMO all players work very hard to move forward (you made some sound lazy) , all age players, those that don't aren't there anymore and age has a lot to do with it. The older you get the harder it is, and that is from my perspective, and why seniors are often overlooked in the draft.

FWIW there are many seniors in college drafted as juniors or could have been drafted but for one reason or another (usually later round and not happy with signing bonus ) return to finish up college and wait for another chance.

I sent you a pm.

fan,
One big issue for a senior sign is getting with an organization where he gets a chance, or has an opportunity to earn a chance. In 2004, our son was drafted as a senior one round behind another DIII senior shortstop, by different organizations. The player drafted ahead of our son got 22AB's in short season and was released at the end. Our son gradually got time...at 3 infield positions and used the "chip on the shoulder" to do just fine.
When they are picked from about the 15th round and after, playing time can be in short supply.
With that said, I think you have it right...a senior sign cannot let the situation defeat him. He needs to know and work every day, before and after games, to be ready when the opportunity occurs.
Players like Tyler and Erik Davis are wonderful examples of senior signs who go after every day with a mind set of needing/wanting to prove themselves. They prepare, play and compete with a chip on their shoulder. This approach is not unique to a senior sign. However, it would be rare, in my view, that a senior sign can "earn" his success without this attitude.

I know of seniors signed in the top 10 rounds and received $1,000.