The Tigers give Porcello a 7M bonus and again make a mockery of the slotting system....

[geothite]

Something needs to be done. The Tigers are making a joke out of the slotting recommendations and also making it more difficult for other teams to hold the line with other picks.

[bklynbrewcrew]

This is just another problem with the economic system in baseball. Not only do you have teams like the Yankees, Red Sox and Tigers with payrolls 2 to 3 times the average team but the draft has becaome a joke as well. When a guy like Porcello who was projected to go number 2 overall to a team that needs him (Royals) and slips to the team that played in the world series the year before because of signability the draft has even become a sham.

[Brian the Automator]

This is just another problem with the economic system in baseball. Not only do you have teams like the Yankees, Red Sox and Tigers with payrolls 2 to 3 times the average team but the draft has becaome a joke as well. When a guy like Porcello who was projected to go number 2 overall to a team that needs him (Royals) and slips to the team that played in the world series the year before because of signability the draft has even become a sham.

Well, Detroit only has the 9th largest payroll, so I'm really not on board with that argument.

But yes, obviously the signing constitutes a significant blow to the idea of "slot money". The whole implementation has been a joke to begin with. There are no consequences to the "honor system", other than baseball sitting around for another couple of years before deciding what they should have decided a while ago.... to slot specific money that's non-negotiable for each slot in the draft.

[bklynbrewcrew]

Ok so Detroit isnt the Yankees or Red Sox but my point is that Porcello winds up with one of the best teams in baseball while KC is forced to take someone they didnt like as much. As for KC it looks like they wont be signing Moustakas. This stuff just isnt good for the game.

[biedergb]

While I won't defend the players or agents, I will say that KC/Pittsburgh/et al of the league are just as much to blame for their lack of success. Sure, $7 mil is a lot for late first rounder, but in this day in age (with the cost of players), it's a relatively wise investment for a player who can be under their control for up to 10 years (4-6 in minors, then 3 option years, then 3 arby years if I did that right). That's better financial sense than $10 million a year for an average major league free agent. If those teams (like Milwaukee prior to '9http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/glasses.gif had realized that this might help them succeed while marginally increasing costs, that would be good for the game.

 

Again, I work hard, and will never see millions of $$ in my bank account (accounting for inflation), and I don't like to see skyrocketing payrolls or salaries. But on the other hand, if you invest the money upfront (in player development, scouting, and yes bonuses) you can reap the rewards in a manner that allows you compete against teams with seemingly limitless resources.

 

Sure, players flame out, never realize potential, get hurt, or just aren't as good as believed. So that is a high dollar to pay. But first rounders succeed at a higher rate than others, and guys with special talents (ie power, hitting, speed, or velocity) are more likely to make it. And if they are in the system and on your team for several years, that bonus money can be spread out, and it offsets the cost. But it appears that "low budget" teams look at their payroll and look at the hit $7 million makes on this year, and go spend significant money on a player with less talent, who may not make as much of an impact.

[colbyjack]

biedergb makes some very good points. Teams that don't pay money for the best players available eventually get burned. I think it is just that much more apparent this year given the universal signing date since we have so many unsigned players floating out there, but this system really hasn't changed in the last 5-7 years.

 

Teams like the Yankees and Red Sox are somewhat sticking it to MLB by not adhering to the recommendations, as they are the teams paying the bulk of the luxury taxes that is built into the current CBA. The Mets don't push it as much since Omar Minaya is closer to the league offices, but they're another team that certainly doesn't shy away from big bonuses, whether it be tied to the draft or with international free agents.

 

The Tigers are somewhat on their own in this regard, and I give them a lot of credit by taking the players and spending the amount of $$$ necessary to sign them.

 

Keep in mind, the slotting system is more of a recommendation than a rule. Most teams comply (the Brewers being one of those teams), but obvously a handful of them do not.

 

And the Royals still got a fine player in Moustakas, if they can sign him of course. If the Royals wouldn't have taken him 2nd, the Cubs were prepared to take him 3rd.

[biedergb]

Thanks colby. I re-read my post, I hope I wasn't coming off too high-and-mighty.

 

"And the Royals still got a fine player in Moustakas, if they can sign him of course."

 

Again, that's IF they sign him. Also, I was talking generally over the past several years, and maybe more the Pirates than the Royals that were guilty of cost-cutting.

[geothite]

Don't you think it give KC and Pitt another handy excuse for not succeeding. I can see the Royals using this to point out that even the draft is rigged against them.

"We follow the slot recommendations and the big market teams ignore them so we can not even compete using the draft."

If they lose Moustakas they will blame the system and not the fact they refuse to spend money. The said part is that the KC fans some of the best in baseball over the years are saddled with this ownership group.

[Blazer25]

The ridiculous part about the Porcello deal was not so much the 7 million but the Major-league deal for a HS kid.

 

Absolutely asinine.