Top 30 International Prospects; July 2nd 2016

[Y2Jimmy0]

http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2016?list=int

 

It's kind of frustrating to see the Braves, Nationals, and Padres linked to all these prospects in a year when most of the big dogs have to sit out.

Edited May 5, 2016 by Y2JImmy0

[bmags]

What a bummer.

[Boopa1219]

Don't panic, there were some players not linked to teams. And some of these guys could be going to different teams (which could be unlikely).

 

This is something that I really want to be changed in the CBA: Once you exceed your bonus pool, you CAN'T sign a player to over 300k

[oldsox]

Geez, half of em are shortstops.

[southsider2k5]

Sure it would be nice to see them break the bank for the top guys, but if you look at how many Latin kids are in the bottom of our system who no one had any idea who they were when they signed, it is pretty impressive.

[bmags]

Don't panic, there were some players not linked to teams. And some of these guys could be going to different teams (which could be unlikely).

 

This is something that I really want to be changed in the CBA: Once you exceed your bonus pool, you CAN'T sign a player to over 300k

 

Yeah, rule changes are nice, but would also be nice if the White Sox didn't refuse to do things other clubs are doing out of virtue. There is not moral high ground to not signing a bunch of poor players to your club.

 

There was tremendous value to spending a lot this year. They once again don't, even after signaling they would. It's tiring. It means they need to exceed others returns in draft and trades. Good luck.

[Quin]

Don't panic, there were some players not linked to teams. And some of these guys could be going to different teams (which could be unlikely).

 

This is something that I really want to be changed in the CBA: Once you exceed your bonus pool, you CAN'T sign a player to over 300k

 

I'd give all teams equal spending money.

Once you spend that, you can't sign anymore players or something equally heavy.

[Boopa1219]

I'd give all teams equal spending money.

Once you spend that, you can't sign anymore players or something equally heavy.

 

That doesn't promote competitive balance. The teams with losing records should have more money to work with like in the draft.

 

[GreenSox]

This is clearly the year to take a big plunge into the international markets. This is where to spend the Laroche windfall.

can't say I'm surprised they have no interest in doing that. Building an org. isn't part of the' contrived "2 year window".

 

Edited May 7, 2016 by GreenSox

[maggsmaggs]

Sure it would be nice to see them break the bank for the top guys, but if you look at how many Latin kids are in the bottom of our system who no one had any idea who they were when they signed, it is pretty impressive.

Quantity does not equal quality. Nothing I have read leads me to believe any of these lower level guys are legit prospects yet.

[southsider2k5]

This is clearly the year to take a big plunge into the international markets. This is where to spend the Laroche windfall.

can't say I'm surprised they have no interest in doing that. Building an org. isn't part of the' contrived "2 year window".

 

Honestly, it is too late. Top guys are already locked up. The cycle has moved up to a year, or even two, in advance now.

[NorthSideSox72]

I get that the pools should be different, and I am all for trading slots. But I also think it needs to be plain old capped. You get X dollars. You go over up to XX% (maybe 20%), you pay a luxury penalty. After that? No signings approved in the period. End of discussion.

 

[Boopa1219]

I get that the pools should be different, and I am all for trading slots. But I also think it needs to be plain old capped. You get X dollars. You go over up to XX% (maybe 20%), you pay a luxury penalty. After that? No signings approved in the period. End of discussion.

 

That's the best suggestion I've heard. It keeps competitive balance, you can trade slots, hard cap with a luxury tax.

 

The players and buscones might hate it, as it would potentially lower bonuses but it's best for the league.

[harfman77]

I get that the pools should be different, and I am all for trading slots. But I also think it needs to be plain old capped. You get X dollars. You go over up to XX% (maybe 20%), you pay a luxury penalty. After that? No signings approved in the period. End of discussion.

 

Thats tough to implement though. One year you could have 200 players worthy of getting signed but can't be because teams are hard capped. Or other years when there isn't as much talent where the pools are artificially inflated for the shorter supply of talent that would have the same affect as the current system. Really the only reason that Sox fans feel that there should be a hard cap is because it feels unfair to us that other teams utilize the rules to their advantage while for one reason or another our FO refuses to take that approach.

 

All that said, there isn't really a team that has benefited tremendously from the overspending approach.

 

I don't see a practical way to fix the current system other than going to an international draft.

 

[harfman77]

That's the best suggestion I've heard. It keeps competitive balance, you can trade slots, hard cap with a luxury tax.

 

The players and buscones might hate it, as it would potentially lower bonuses but it's best for the league.

 

Its not necessarily best for the league, it is best for the few teams that don't want to pay the tax on oversigning.

[NorthSideSox72]

Thats tough to implement though. One year you could have 200 players worthy of getting signed but can't be because teams are hard capped. Or other years when there isn't as much talent where the pools are artificially inflated for the shorter supply of talent that would have the same affect as the current system. Really the only reason that Sox fans feel that there should be a hard cap is because it feels unfair to us that other teams utilize the rules to their advantage while for one reason or another our FO refuses to take that approach.

 

All that said, there isn't really a team that has benefited tremendously from the overspending approach.

 

I don't see a practical way to fix the current system other than going to an international draft.

I think it's quite easy to set up. There won't be 200 one year and 2 the next, it never works that way. The variance is much, much smaller. I mean, you could use the same argument with the regular draft.

 

My feeling on this has zero to do with being a Sox fan anyway. I think the system as it stands is broken. I'd rather it was, not 100% identical for all teams, but prevents a few teams from going bonkers like that.

 

[Boopa1219]

The International system is modern day slavery, it's very f***ed up and lots of shady stuff going on behind the scenes. It needs to be fixed.

 

And no, I don't think the answer is an international draft

[southsider2k5]

The International system is modern day slavery, it's very f***ed up and lots of shady stuff going on behind the scenes. It needs to be fixed.

 

And no, I don't think the answer is an international draft

 

Rolling them into the draft when they turn 18 is quite literally the most fair system of all. It is crap that one group has one set of rules based on where they are born. I see no good reason for kids being free agents at 16 just because they are living in the DR, versus being subject to the draft because they are born in the US.

[GreenSox]

Sox absence on international front in the year when clearly should go all-in is consistent with the way they've viewed their minor-leagues for most of Williams' tenure. Very little interest or patience in building an organization, despite Hahn's words to the contrary. Watch for mature, but low ceiling, reaches in the draft this year.

Edited May 11, 2016 by GreenSox

[GreenSox]

sorry double post

Edited May 11, 2016 by GreenSox

[Y2Jimmy0]

Sox absence on international front in the year when clearly should go all-in is consistent with the way they've viewed their minor-leagues for most of Williams' tenure. Very little interest or patience in building an organization, despite Hahn's words to the contrary. Watch for mature, but low ceiling, reaches in the draft this year.

 

 

I don't agree with the part about mature, low ceiling reaches in this year's draft. I agree with the first part though. There really is no excuse not to go way over the international bonus pool this year. The Sox still have an owner that doesn't take that avenue of acquiring talent seriously though.

[NorthSideSox72]

Sox absence on international front in the year when clearly should go all-in is consistent with the way they've viewed their minor-leagues for most of Williams' tenure. Very little interest or patience in building an organization, despite Hahn's words to the contrary. Watch for mature, but low ceiling, reaches in the draft this year.

Not only is this very premature (it's May, not August), it's completely inaccurate. The Sox draft strategy has changed dramatically in recent years, they've used their full pool or virtually so every year and even went over into penalty range for Rodon. They haven't been doing safe "reaches" with key picks in years. They actually work the draft to get a handful of signability guys by playing with the pool. In the international world, they've gone from a 2008-2012 period of being basically dead, to now spending at or near their pool limits and bringing in legit prospects, some of whom are now in full season ball.

 

If you want to argue this was a year to go over, I actually agree with you. But the rest of your post is hyperbole not grounded in any fact, unless the clock went back to 2009 or something.

 

[harfman77]

The International system is modern day slavery, it's very f***ed up and lots of shady stuff going on behind the scenes. It needs to be fixed.

 

And no, I don't think the answer is an international draft

 

Modern day slavery based on what? Paying 16 year old kids exorbitant amounts of money to play a game that they choose to play? Thats not how slavery worked. In a country where the median income is around $1300 annually, a $35K plus bonus is more money than most people in the DR ever see.

 

Yes there is a lot of shady stuff, the Sox can attest to that from their own dealings. Whenever there is a large amount of money on the table there is going to be corruption, baseball has allowed that system to flourish with the current system, a hard cap would do nothing to remove that corruption.

[harfman77]

Rolling them into the draft when they turn 18 is quite literally the most fair system of all. It is crap that one group has one set of rules based on where they are born. I see no good reason for kids being free agents at 16 just because they are living in the DR, versus being subject to the draft because they are born in the US.

 

I think there is a lot of validity to this. If they enter into the draft with 18-23 year olds, they are going to get drafted a lot lower than those more polished players. Which is a big issue that comes into play with a singular draft.

 

I have said before that I think MLB should consolidate all the international academies under their umbrella. Let the kids train at their facilities and run leagues for them, providing them room, board, and education. When they are 18, they can enter the draft or go to play in college someplace and try and improve themselves or try and make another run at MLB as a college player.

[harfman77]

Not only is this very premature (it's May, not August), it's completely inaccurate. The Sox draft strategy has changed dramatically in recent years, they've used their full pool or virtually so every year and even went over into penalty range for Rodon. They haven't been doing safe "reaches" with key picks in years. They actually work the draft to get a handful of signability guys by playing with the pool. In the international world, they've gone from a 2008-2012 period of being basically dead, to now spending at or near their pool limits and bringing in legit prospects, some of whom are now in full season ball.

 

If you want to argue this was a year to go over, I actually agree with you. But the rest of your post is hyperbole not grounded in any fact, unless the clock went back to 2009 or something.

 

To further the point first round picks since Hahn has been GM:

 

2015 - Carson Fulmer - Top college pitcher available in the draft, high probability player

2014 - Carlos Rodon - The consensus top college player in the draft, projected most of the year to go 1.1

2013 - Tim Anderson - Considered by some to be a reach, highly athletic player with little baseball experience, junior college player

2012 - Courtney Hawkins - High upside player, compared to Matt Kemp for having power and being able to handle CF

2012 - Keon Barnum - High upside player - huge LH power but falls because he is likely a 1B only

 

So, they have gone out and got the two best college pitchers at their picks and three high ceiling, low floor guys.