Baseball America has an article today talking about the choices for pick 1.1, and while that doesn’t really pertain to the Phillies, near the bottom of the article there were two interesting tidbits.
Front-office executives contacted for this story said MLB had yet to inform clubs about the 2008 slot recommendations. However, the enforcer of MLB’s slot system last season, former MLB vice president Frank Coonelly, has taken over as president of the Pirates. Pittsburgh picks second overall, and Coonelly said in his introductory press conference that the Pirates wouldn’t be beholden to a slot bonus and would do what they needed to improve the club. He has reiterated the point since.
One NL scouting director commented, “Everyone will be waiting to see on Pittsburgh. Is (Coonelly) going to step out of the system?” If the Pirates do, the director predicted, other teams could follow suit, though those decisions will be driven more by ownership than scouting directors.
MLB officials already have informed clubs of several small changes to the slotting program. Last year, teams were told to not give any player selected after the fifth round bonuses higher than $123,300, the slot for the last pick of the fifth round. This year, clubs have been informed they can go up to $250,000 for bonuses for two players without having to run those bonuses through the commissioner’s office.
Also, MLB sent a memo to clubs telling them in effect to take the player they want and not to worry about signability—though this should not be seen as a signal to spend heavily. It’s more likely a case of the commissioner’s office providing more flexibility to scouting directors who are disgruntled about the effect of slotting on the draft, though it’s uncertain whether owners will actually open their wallets. Agents are certainly still trying to steer their players toward more free-spending clubs, according to area scouts.
This is pretty interesting. Then again, the Phillies took a pick last year they thought they could sign (Workman), then didn’t when they realized what it would take to sign him. Hopefully the Phillies have a plan with regard to what they can spend and they draft accordingly. Oh, and lets not draft any 4th/5th year seniors in the first 8 rounds just so we can give them well under slot bonuses. Thanks.
Phuture Phillies 
1. The 2 free 250K overslot bonuses is interesting. That’s pretty much what the Phillies did in each of the last two years (2006: Dubee and D. Brown; (2007: Diekman and Jiwan James).
2. The memo in the last paragraph strikes me as either surrender or outrageous. Seems like they are asking small market teams to take who they want and run the risk of getting nothing out of the draft in order to prevent Boras and his ilk from directing the overslot guys to the 5-6 organizations who already ignore the slot recommendations. In other words, they want a class of unsigned players to discredit Boras. Of course, That’s going to cause a significant short term pain to the guys who don’t sign their picks.
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#2 isn’t outrageous. This is not the invitation to self-immolation it was when Philly drafted JD Drew. Either you draft the tough sign and end up getting the better talent in house, or you get essentially the same pick in 2009 (likely a stronger draft). You lose a year of development time, but that is a small price to pay for a chance to get real talent rather than the easy sign. The new system gives the teams an advantage. An advantage that the small market clubs basically squandered last year.
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I disagree with that. “Advisors” aren’t suddenly going to tell their clients to just sign for less because a team took them in X spot.
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I know it’s sort of unfair that Boston goes overslot, but when Theo Epstein goes to John Henry to discuss their draft budget, it’s not a long meeting. Henry always says, “Spend whatever you need.” I think my heart would stop if we ever had an owner like that. Oh wait, Middleton might have more than Henry.
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The Phillies will ‘make-up’ for having so many early picks by going under slot at least a few of the selections.
In general, I have no problem with a team having a budget. I do wish more was spent on draft boni and amateur FA signings but that doesn’t excite Joe Lunchpail into thinking his team is trying to win.
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allentown – that’s a fair point; the closer to equivalent comp pick in the next year does give the teams more leverage which they did not appear to use last year (although we don’t really know that for sure). Its not a complete weapon as you lose a lot of leverage with the comp pick in the next year (since a comp pick doesn’t generate a future comp pick).
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ErnieCapadino-
Oh wait Middleton is a minority owner.
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