The Standardized Uniform Contract

Oldslugger8 said:

quote:

An equipment contract is substituted agency commissions, ain't it??

End of Oldslugger8 quote.

No. The above quote is a misconception.

The money negotiated by a representing sports agency at contract time could make a huge difference, especially for a HS player drafted because the HS player has so much more bargaining power. Forget about the equipment contracts, that won't even come close to the difference an agency will get you.

The very small commission received by the advisor for the agency dwarfs in comparison to the amount of money the HS draftee will get with representation in an agency's camp that he WOULDN'T get otherwise. Look at it this way Ray, do you want $100,000 US dollars lined up on that table in front of you at negotiation time in Ohio, or possibly five times that amount? Believe me when I say this, you will get enough more in signing bonus with an advisor/agent and shouldn't worry about a small commission the agent will more than earn. Just take a look at last year's HS bonuses and ask yourself: Did the parents of players negotiate those huge figures? Sometimes, the player gets ten times more with an advisor/agent opposed to parental represenation only, as it appears to be your choice at current time.

By the way, the signee will still get the equipment contracts in addition to the cash bonus difference Good Luck to Ben Ray and I did receive your email and thought I would answer it here for the sake of others as well. peace Shep

OS8, this topic has been covered, almost completely in at least 3 recent threads so there isn't a reason to do it again, IMO.
For whatever it is worth, I am sitting here reading BA. Mark Rogers, the #1 pick of the Brewers needs to have labrum surgery. The reason I bring this up is we never know when or if our son is one injury away from something career threatening. Your son may only have one opportunity to sign a professional contract. Personally, I think a parent owes it to their son to make sure the son is fully informed and protected, with the maximum ability to negotiate the very best contract and terms.
From what I know and from what you continue to post, it is my view that an advisor/agent of top quality may be in your son's best interests.

I'm a lawyer. I can read the legalese and know what it all means.

What I won't know is, what points are negotiable and what points really aren't? To know that, you have to have experience in negotiating these kids of contracts. Seems to me you need someone with experience, no matter how smart we think we are.

You know the old saying, "A lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client."

And if you're not a lawyer, I would think you'd be at even more of a disadvantage in the discussions.

Get ready Ray cause looky what I just found about your son Benjamin from a major reporting agency

Draft Projections>Click this

You can right click properties on the above or copy this>(copy and paste in address bar the following address)

Sorry board, a subscription is required and an encryption code has been added to stories from the scouting site which disables those seeking to send story outside of site peace

http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:l95ilzOal6kJ:story.scout.com/a.z%3Fs%3D

Congratulations to the Klafczynski Family! peace

OS8, I made my comments because you have made a number of posts suggesting you know the process and what is available to your son. You have asked a number of times what an advisor/agent can get for your son. Folks have responded with a lot of information and now you ask again. I assume you just are not convinced!!!
Like Midlo, I am a lawyer. The point we are trying to make, to benefit your son, is that there is a huge difference in "reading" as contrasted with understanding and applying in the real world business of baseball. If you have never negotiated one of these contracts, and the other side does upwards of 50 per year, or more, you are potentially putting your son at a disadvantage. Your son cannot correct it for 6 years.
On the other hand, if you do not get assistance and handle things yourself, you may get those family perks you mention so often. Do those come at the expense of what your son might receive?

Even though the article is gone, I believe the main thing that caught my attention was Ben was projected to be one of the top OF candidates in the USA taken out of HS in the 2007 MLB Draft as of date of article, Jan. 25, 2007. Top five rounds with a short list of others. About 25 names were given as top prospects expected to go high in draft out of HS.

Agree with Midlo and Infielddad in their most helpful comments, which I know for a fact through my own experience with contract negotiations, is absolute fact. Just trying to be helpful here

Peace Shep

Thanks Shep. I saw that article yesterday. I suppose we'll see what pans out of it come June.

Thanks for your support. See your PM

Like any other profession there are great agents, pretty good agents and lousy agents. What a parent needs to do is educate themselves before choosing an agent. You can go online at baseball america and find out what all the bonus money averages are (high, low, midpoint) for the top ten rounds for the past few years. You can find who represented who with some phone calls. You can ask for the phone numbers of players whom the agents have represented.

The parents owe it to themselves to do homework ahead of time so that they will make a good decision when the time comes to choose an agent.

Seems to be a shift in adherence to the MLB prescribed Slot Bonus'

Lots of experienced people on this site, but are times changing?

They sure are changing...Any way to screw the amateur so that can pay a guy who hits .230 ... $4 million a year!