Brewerfan.net Draft Preview 2007

[colbyjack]

The annual draft preview story is back this year by popular demand (I didn't write one last year, in which several people commented that they missed it). Put on your reading boots, it's a long one:

 

www.brewerfan.net/ViewArt...icleId=264

 

Thanks for Blazer and Gagne for already commenting on this story in the draft resource thread. I wanted to create a new thread so people were aware of it.

[brewmann04]

GREAT WORK

 

MUCH APPRECIATED

[Boy Jeenius]

We at BFN continue to be spoiled rotten. Thanks - as always - for this great stuff.

[pogokat]

phenomenal...

 

i honestly can't believe you do this much work for free

[parkside21]

Colby, just another thanks for all that. I'll be sure to print it out and read it over the long weekend. It'll be something to keep me sane while surrounded by crazy family members who want to talk about Brett Favre every chance they get.

[Oldcity]

It can't be said enough Colby. Awesome, awesome job.

[BillScottCanRake]

Another new rule instituted this year is draft-pick compensation for unsigned draft picks. In past years, unsigned first-round draft picks would garner the teams that failed to sign them a compensatory pick at the end of the sandwich round. Moving forward, teams that are unable to sign their first, first-round supplemental or second round picks will receive a pick right after the slot of the pick from the previous year. This means that if the Brewers are unable to sign whomever the select with the seventh overall pick, they would receive a compensatory pick right after the seventh slotted pick in the 2008 draft.

 

This is an interesting rule change, and I wonder if there could be abuses.

 

Let's pretend, for example, that the 2007 class is considered a weak class but 2008 is supposed to be one of the best in recent memory. What is to stop a team from intentionally not sign their 2007 first round pick (or even second or third) to get extra compensatory picks in a deeper 2008 draft? The Brewers, using this example, might be better off with the 8th pick and a mid-20s pick next year than the 7th this year and a mid-20s next year.

 

While I understand the premise is to better compensate a team that couldn't sign a player (I'm sure losing the number 3 pick and getting a sandwich pick doesn't seem fair), but this seems like a rule that could be abused.

 

Any thoughts?

 

EDIT: Thanks Patrick. I sometimes take your work so for granted I forget to mention how much I learn from it.

[splitterpfj]

Thanks Patrick, I sure appreciate your willingness to share with all of us.

[patrickgpe]

i agree on the setiments. Its really a great way to prepare for the draft. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us.

[DHonks]

Patrick, great job again. I loved reading it. I'm still taking my time to digest things.

 

Two notes:

1) I heard an interview that MLB is likely to have the draft take 3 days. I believe rounds 1-5 on day 1, but it's quite likely the draft will include a 3rd day.

 

2) Grant Richardson is no longer a Brewers farm hand

[Tedaldtada]

I now feel very ready for the draft, good job

[foamboy1]

Please consider this my annual obligatory, yet sincere, congratulations and thank you for this outstanding work.

[colbyjack]

This is an interesting rule change, and I wonder if there could be abuses.

 

Let's pretend, for example, that the 2007 class is considered a weak class but 2008 is supposed to be one of the best in recent memory. What is to stop a team from intentionally not sign their 2007 first round pick (or even second or third) to get extra compensatory picks in a deeper 2008 draft? The Brewers, using this example, might be better off with the 8th pick and a mid-20s pick next year than the 7th this year and a mid-20s next year.

 

While I understand the premise is to better compensate a team that couldn't sign a player (I'm sure losing the number 3 pick and getting a sandwich pick doesn't seem fair), but this seems like a rule that could be abused.

 

That's a good point Chris, and something that has been tossed around a bit. No one is really sure how the new rule changes are going to shake out, and I wouldn't be surprised to see one of the teams with a lot of early picks (the Giants) possibly take a flyer on a player that is perceived to be a difficult sign (maybe Andrew Brackman or Matt Wieters) hoping they can use their added negotiating power (the comp pick and the August 15th signing deadline) as a way to "lure" that player to sign.

 

I don't think a team would intentionally not sign a player while looking ahead to next year's draft. For one, you never know what is going to happen. This year's draft class looked a lot stronger a year ago than it does now (it is still deep on the prep side, but not so much on the college end). Two, you would have to wait a year to add a potentially special player to your system. For a team like the Brewers in which the development of talent needs to be constant, that extra year could be the difference between having a player such as Ryan Braun available now as opposed to having such a player available June 1, 2008.