Hard Slotting - Yes or No?

[magnumo]

Most observers believe that the Pirates had another excellent amateur draft this year. Those who follow the draft know that the Pirates' high marks result from a strategy which involves drafting "hard signs" and then paying well-over-slot bonuses to bring these guys into our system. During the past couple of days, Nutting, Coonelly, and Huntington have all been quoted about how they think they've done pretty well with that strategy.

So, what would hard-slotting (possible-to-likely in the next CBA, depending upon whom one believes) mean to the Pirates? I have mixed feelings. Here are my thoughts:

1. Like most other strategies adopted by "innovative" front offices, if the current strategy employed by Huntington and company proves successful, it will be adopted by other front offices. Obviously, this is likely to take a few more years to evaluate. However, a few other teams (e.g., Washington) seem to have adopted similar strategies already.

2. If such a strategy is generally adopted across MLB, the Pirates will find themselves right back at a serious financial disadvantage.

3. If hard-slotting IS adopted, and those hard slots average substantially less than the numbers currently being paid to amateur players (highly probably..... otherwise, why do it?), the emphasis will return to good scouting. On one hand, the Pirates will lose the ability to exploit their willingness to spend big in the draft (but they may lose that advantage anyway, as other teams adopt a similar strategy). On the other hand, ALL teams will save a lot of money on contracts and bonuses for new draftees..... and that should be good for baseball as a whole.

At this point, I'm on the fence..... but if I were pushed off, I'd probably fall on the side of hard-slotting. But I'm very interested in the opinions and thoughts of others.

 

[Burgh Sports Rule]

I feel this way about it Mags. This may sound strange to some but, I think a Hard Slotting Draft System is just another way for MLB to skew things in the favor of Big Market Clubs.

MLB is ridiculous, they argue tooth & nail with the fans of small market teams that a Salary Cap in MLB, would not help or work in Baseball.

Yet, now, they want to restrict overslot bonuses that a team could give players regardless of Draft Rd, in the Draft. The Pirates & teams like them, will never be able to out bid the Yanks & Red Sox for an MLB player, once he hits the FA market.

The small market teams have chosen (Rightly So, IMO) to counteract this by allocating there dollars & improving there teams by spending Big & going Overslot for many players in the Draft.

The Small Market teams may spend big in the Draft, to get many players by going Overslot. However, if you look at it in comparison as to what a Small Market team would have to Over Pay, to get 1 Good MLB Free Agent, then even, the 17+M that the Pirates spent on the Draft this yr, is very small by comparison & these Large Draft Budgets that Small Market teams use, are a weapon used against the Big Market Clubs & budgets, by comparison, that Small Market teams can easily afford.

If the Pirates sign 25 guys every yr in the Draft. & they hit, on 2 - to 5 each yr. (Generous) They can compete with the Draft Budgets they use, & Over Slotting Payments, far better than trying to buy a FA on the open market.

I think a Hard Slotting System, if it is put in by MLB could hurt teams like the Bucs & only further help the likes of the Yankees & Red Sox.

I could be way off base, this is just my opinion.

 

[Illinest]

Way off base. The small money teams have been 'moneyballin' it' by increasing spending on the draft. It only works until the big money teams decide to outspend us in this area too. The average bonus size will balloon and you may see the #1 pick start to regularly get 8 figures - with certain big time talents getting as much as 20 million.

WE are responsible for this. The Pirates and all of the small market teams that are being increasingly aggressive in the draft are responsible for driving the bonuses up.

So what happens 5 years from now when we have the first overall draft pick and Strasburg 2 is available but it's clear that it's gonna take 20 million to sign him? How much can we afford to spend on the draft? Are we going to pay 20 million to sign a draft pick? 25? 30? Eventually we are going to reach a point where we can't afford to sign the best player.

Kudos to Shero for recognizing that - in moneyball terms - the draft talent was relatively undervalued. But the market is starting to correct itself already. In the long run we're going to need hard slotting.

 

[thecrow124]

I am all for hard slotting, it makes too much sense not to do it. However, there are problems with it as well. With hard slotting, teams will be able to take the best available player, but there is still no guarentee that that player will sign.
The one thing that I feel will need to be instituted at the same time as hard slotting would be the ability to trade draft picks. The teams that have no intention of spending on the draft could trade away their picks to teams that do want to spend.
Another change I would like to see is comp picks for FA's that sign with other teams. There is no way I feel that a team should benefit from not signing its own players. What I would like to see is the team that signs the FA loses it's 1st round pick for a type B and first 2 picks for a type A. If multiple FA's are signed, they lose those picks for following drafts as well.
Mostly though, by going to a hard slotting system, it would untimately force teams like the Pirates and Rays and Royals to actually spend money on their own teams. If you take away the ability of teams to throw money into a bunch of prospects that may never make it to the major league level, you kind of force their hand.
Anyway, there is a lot more to this and I could go on for days, but in the interrest of time, I will leave it at what is here.

 

[element1286]

I'm on fence; on one hand the Pirates are benefiting greatly from this current system. They are outspending the big spenders, and will hopefully be reaping the benefits soon. On the other hand, there is nothing stopping the high revenue teams from spending like the Pirates in the draft, or more. So as Illinest said, they could easily outspend the Pirates by 3x,5x,etc as much if they really wanted to. So there is the potential for the system to fall apart at any second. But I don't like the idea of hard slotting, too restrictive, and takes away any advantage the Pirates might have.

My proposal is to cap draft spending at a certain number, but let teams pay whatever they want to whomever they want as long as they don't go over the draft cap. So the Pirates could conceivably have had the same draft as they just did, without the repercussions of large market teams simply driving the market at any time. There would probably have to be a minimum as well. But it would be interesting if next year draft money was capped at 20 million, and the floor was 5 million, and let everyone have at it. Of course problems would arise from that system as well, since it is capped, it would be hard to get many players signed to overslot deals if they are waiting till the last minute. And it would probably be easier for a player to hold a team hostage by demanding an entire draft budget to sign. But I think they can be worked around in some way.

As far as comp picks, I like them, but I don't like taking draft picks away, it creates an artificially low demand for certain players, and ends up hurting the team/players who has/is a type A, but no one is willing to offer them a contract because they don't want to risk losing a pick. One year John Grabow was a type A, anyone who would sign him would lose a first round pick, the system is broken if that happens. I'd rather they just add picks for free agent compensation. Lose a type A, gain a sandwich pick. Lose a type B, gain a sandwich pick between 2nd and 3rd round.

 

[element1286]

Kudos to Shero for recognizing that

Shero is a genius, but I doubt he could run an MLB team.

 

[Illinest]

Shero is a genius, but I doubt he could run an MLB team.

yer a ball-buster.

Coonely is who i meant to say.

 

[Burgh Sports Rule]

OK guys, like I said, my point of view could have been way off base on this.

I guess, I could go for the Hard Slotting System, if & only if, trading of Draft Picks was allowed & we had a flloor & a ceiling on Draft spending.

I just like what the Pirates have been doing in the MLB Draft recently, & I don't want to see them not be able to use the Draft to there advantage anymore or have any new system curtail the Pirates agressive work in the Draft.

After all, the Draft is supposed to be an advantage to the Bad teams & to Small Market teams,so that they can take advantage & pick up Top Shelf Talent, without having to Over Pay in the FA Market.

Sometimes, it just seems to me, that no matter what system we might have, that eventually it works in the favor of Boston & NY.

Accept of course, for a Salary Cap & Revenue Sharing for Baseball, like the NFL has & Oh, God No, MLB could'nt have that!

The Horror! I mean, it might lead to record revenues & popularity for MLB, like the NFL has & I guess that would be terrible. LOL!

 

[Darkstone42]

Right now the Pirates are taking advantage of the lack of hard slotting, but I agree with the majority that the advantage won't last. Hard slotting would be a nice first step in evening the financial playing field.