2014 Draft class

[caulfield12]

Because it seems there's a rule saying you're not allowed to negotiate with people before the draft, so coming out and saying that or even leaking that is like bragging about how you robbed the bank. If you're going to break the rule, at least shut up about it.

 

There's no rule about not negotiating with your own players. What you're suggesting is more akin to the White Sox coming out and saying that they made Scherzer a $200 million offer right now. That's against the rules and there would be penalties for doing so.

 

Do they have a right to tell the public they offered him a shot at pitching in the majors in 2014 and he turned it down?

 

When you say before the draft, you mean in the weeks leading up to the draft...or in the actual minutes/clock is ticking time in between selections, or both?

 

Essentially, they're going to have to stick with the "we took the best player available and the one we felt was the best fit for our organization both now and in the long-term" PR spin (if it's not Rodon) and deal with the consequences later on down the line when/if it blows up...or the kudos when their selection (Hoffman/Aiken/Kolek) turns out to be vindicated as the right one in retrospect.

Edited May 3, 2014 by caulfield12

[Balta1701]

Do they have a right to tell the public they offered him a shot at pitching in the majors in 2014 and he turned it down?

 

When you say before the draft, you mean in the weeks leading up to the draft...or in the actual minutes/clock is ticking time in between selections, or both?

 

Essentially, they're going to have to stick with the "we took the best player available and the one we felt was the best fit for our organization both now and in the long-term" PR spin (if it's not Rodon) and deal with the consequences later on down the line when/if it blows up...or the kudos when their selection (Hoffman/Aiken/Kolek) turns out to be vindicated as the right one in retrospect.

Again according to this thread, the say the White Sox don't have the right to make him offers before the draft. It shouldn't matter what the offer is if they're not allowed to make any sort of offer. It doesn't matter what they announce, any announcement would be an announcement of them breaking the rules. Whether you rob the bank by sticking a gun at the teller or by blowing up the wall of the safe, it's still something you don't want to brag about.

[caulfield12]

Again according to this thread, the say the White Sox don't have the right to make him offers before the draft. It shouldn't matter what the offer is if they're not allowed to make any sort of offer. It doesn't matter what they announce, any announcement would be an announcement of them breaking the rules. Whether you rob the bank by sticking a gun at the teller or by blowing up the wall of the safe, it's still something you don't want to brag about.

 

 

So it's simply another version of "insider trading," just don't get caught or put yourself in a position where someone else can prove you've done it beyond a reasonable doubt.

[Balta1701]

So it's simply another version of "insider trading," just don't get caught or put yourself in a position where someone else can prove you've done it beyond a reasonable doubt.

There you go. We can't know whether the Sox would have contact behind the scenes. If there's a way to do it, it could be smart before risking drafting the guy and having him go back to school, but any sort of broadcasting that they did so is inviting MLB to take away draft picks as punishment.

[southsider2k5]

Because the bonus caps have existed for two years. It is a brand new system. We haven't had an agent try to test the system in the way Boras might try to do with Rodon if he slips to third overall. Last year, he had Appel and Bryant who went 1-2. This year, Boras wants 1-1 money for Rodon likely who might be going third overall.

 

Even before there was caps a team could have spent their entire budget to get the guy they wanted, and left the rest go. No one ever has.

[Dick Allen]

Even before there was caps a team could have spent their entire budget to get the guy they wanted, and left the rest go. No one ever has.

If you look at the 2009 draft, if the White Sox sat out the entire draft with what they took it wouldn't have hurt the organization at all.

 

Or if they spent the extra $50k it took to sign Trout and passed every other pick they would be in a much better place right now. There are always players available to fill minor league rosters. Guys who might develop into 4th OFs are fine but they are readily available every year for a song.

The object at #3 should be to get the guy that will help you win the most games not save money for guys like Walker and Barnum and May and Thompson.

 

[gatnom]

If you look at the 2009 draft, if the White Sox sat out the entire draft with what they took it wouldn't have hurt the organization at all.

 

Or if they spent the extra $50k it took to sign Trout and passed every other pick they would be in a much better place right now. There are always players available to fill minor league rosters. Guys who might develop into 4th OFs are fine but they are readily available every year for a song.

The object at #3 should be to get the guy that will help you win the most games not save money for guys like Walker and Barnum and May and Thompson.

 

Spending 1-1 money on Rodon is nowhere near close to spending an extra $50k on Trout. Going over slot for Rodon isn't a bad idea at all. Sacrificing your entire draft for one player isn't wise because there's no guarantee that he stays healthy or effective for any period of time. Similarly, there's no guarantee that the every single one of the picks they would have gotten with the rest of their draft are bad to mediocre.

 

 

[Marty34]

I watched more tape of Rodon and I'm not in love with his mechanics. Not sure I would take him ahead of Hoffman, but given the critical status of the big league staff, he has to be taken ahead of a high school arm. I hope the Sox aren't as conflicted as I am about this draft.

[southsider2k5]

If you look at the 2009 draft, if the White Sox sat out the entire draft with what they took it wouldn't have hurt the organization at all.

 

Or if they spent the extra $50k it took to sign Trout and passed every other pick they would be in a much better place right now. There are always players available to fill minor league rosters. Guys who might develop into 4th OFs are fine but they are readily available every year for a song.

The object at #3 should be to get the guy that will help you win the most games not save money for guys like Walker and Barnum and May and Thompson.

 

David Holmberg was traded for Edwin Jackson. Edwin Jackson was turned into Jason Frasor and Zach Stewart. Jason Frasor was turned into Daniel Webb and Miles Jaye.

[maggsmaggs]

David Holmberg was traded for Edwin Jackson. Edwin Jackson was turned into Jason Frasor and Zach Stewart. Jason Frasor was turned into Daniel Webb and Miles Jaye.

And everyone you have listed is a completely replaceable player. Webb has the best shot of being more than replaceable.

[southsider2k5]

And everyone you have listed is a completely replaceable player. Webb has the best shot of being more than replaceable.

 

The point is without that draft, we have none of those guys. You don't just punt on an entire draft, especially in the situation the Sox are in. For everyone who thinks underspending on the draft is bad, this is WAY worse.

[maggsmaggs]

The point is without that draft, we have none of those guys. You don't just punt on an entire draft, especially in the situation the Sox are in. For everyone who thinks underspending on the draft is bad, this is WAY worse.

And so what if we had none of those guys? Our organization wouldn't be any worse. You can sign any one of the players you mentioned for cheap in free agency because they are replacement players. You can't sign a potential front-of-the-rotation player like Rodon for cheap in free agency.

[Dick Allen]

Trying to save a few bucks hasn't worked for this team in the past and it most likely won't if they try cheap with their first pick. Just take the best player.

[caulfield12]

David Holmberg was traded for Edwin Jackson. Edwin Jackson was turned into Jason Frasor and Zach Stewart. Jason Frasor was turned into Daniel Webb and Miles Jaye.

 

 

Except Daniel Hudson was the key player in that trade...granted, it probably couldn't have gotten done with JUST Hudson, but we can't be sure there wasn't another pitcher they would have accepted as a substitute (pick one from the list of 3-4, etc.)

[caulfield12]

And so what if we had none of those guys? Our organization wouldn't be any worse. You can sign any one of the players you mentioned for cheap in free agency because they are replacement players. You can't sign a potential front-of-the-rotation player like Rodon for cheap in free agency.

 

 

Well, then you wouldn't have guys like Danish, Beck, Thompson, Jacob May, Semien, Addison Reed, etc.

 

The White Sox aren't deep enough (especially in the pitching department) that you can just assume they'll continue to draft poorly.

[gatnom]

Trying to save a few bucks hasn't worked for this team in the past and it most likely won't if they try cheap with their first pick. Just take the best player.

 

There's so much middle ground between being cheap and being careless with their money.

 

 

[DirtySox]

Wareham Gatemen ‏@WarehamGatemen 8m

Sean Newcomb (@SeanNewk) tosses a complete-game gem for @HartfordHawks: 9 IP, 2H, 0R, 9K

 

 

Newcomb supposedly looked fantastic today.

[Marty34]

The Major League staff is in critical condition. Get that stabilized as soon as possible and then worry about rounds 2 thru 50 of the draft. This is the price paid for the Wilder scandal,

[fathom]

The Major League staff is in critical condition. Get that stabilized as soon as possible and then worry about rounds 2 thru 50 of the draft. This is the price paid for the Wilder scandal,

 

Yep, as well as trading Peavy/Santiago for offensive players. I'm sure they had a plan in place to get the rotation rebuilt in a few years.

 

[Dick Allen]

David Holmberg was traded for Edwin Jackson. Edwin Jackson was turned into Jason Frasor and Zach Stewart. Jason Frasor was turned into Daniel Webb and Miles Jaye.

First off they probably could have still made the Jackson deal without Holmberg. Would you rather have just Trout or Webb and Jaye, a year and a half of Jackson and Holmberg pitching in your low minors and the great Jared Mitchell?

 

I would take the best player. In this situation ot is Mike Trout. Apparently you like the other guys better.

[Marty34]

Yep, as well as trading Peavy/Santiago for offensive players. I'm sure they had a plan in place to get the rotation rebuilt in a few years.

 

Remember when we had a decided organizational pitching advantage on the Cubs.

[fathom]

Remember when we had a decided organizational pitching advantage on the Cubs.

 

They struck gold with Feldman last year, and Hammel's looking like another great pick-up for them. With that said, if Edwards can't stay healthy, their minor league pitching is about as bad as the White Sox's.

 

[Dick Allen]

The Cubs drafted a Boras advised guy with pick #2 last year. They signed 19 of their first 20 picks. The guys fro rounds 30 and higher remained unsigned and in the 20s they signed about half.

Edited May 3, 2014 by Dick Allen

[Chicago White Sox]

The more I think about it, the Sox have to take the best pitcher available at #3, regardless of signability concerns. I know that drafting Rodon is a risk, but if he's the top guy on our board in terms of talent we really need to roll the dice on him. I don't think we'll be drafting in the top 5 again anytime soon and it's absolutely critical we get a front of the rotation starter of this pick. If Rodon has the best chance of becoming that player, then just take him at #3 and force him to pass up millions of dollars right now if he's really demanding 1-1 money.

[fathom]

The more I think about it, the Sox have to take the best pitcher available at #3, regardless of signability concerns. I know that drafting Rodon is a risk, but if he's the top guy on our board in terms of talent we really need to roll the dice on him. I don't think we'll be drafting in the top 5 again anytime soon and it's absolutely critical we get a front of the rotation starter of this pick. If Rodon has the best chance of becoming that player, then just take him at #3 and force him to pass up millions of dollars right now if he's really demanding 1-1 money.

 

Of course they do