Gammons on Samardzija

[1908]

Question: Can the Cubs give a 5th-rounder that kind of bonus or contract? Would MLB step in to block out-of-slot money?

 

From what I've read, MLB can pressure the Cubs but can't block it completely.

Yep, MLB can make their feelings on the matter clear, but that's all they can do. Both EPatt and Grant Johnson were signed to contracts well above slot money, for example.

 

It's one thing to offer an 8th round pick like E-Patt 3rd round money... it's another to offer a 5th round pick more money than any other player in the draft.

In terms of MLB's power to stop it, it's the same thing.

[Laura]

Thanks for the info!

[NCCubFan]

Question: Can the Cubs give a 5th-rounder that kind of bonus or contract? Would MLB step in to block out-of-slot money?

 

From what I've read, MLB can pressure the Cubs but can't block it completely.

Yep, MLB can make their feelings on the matter clear, but that's all they can do. Both EPatt and Grant Johnson were signed to contracts well above slot money, for example.

That's always been my understanding too. The slot money represents recommended guidelines, not enforceable rules. They don't like it when teams pay more than slot money, but they can't stop it. And I think they look the other way in certain circumstances, such as a player whose talent would warrant a higher pick but has dropped due to signability concerns.

[Pistolcub42]

Let the kid play football. When ND actually faces some real competition and stinks the joint up his stock will drop anyway....

[NorthsideAvenger]

Question: Can the Cubs give a 5th-rounder that kind of bonus or contract? Would MLB step in to block out-of-slot money?

 

From what I've read, MLB can pressure the Cubs but can't block it completely.

Yep, MLB can make their feelings on the matter clear, but that's all they can do. Both EPatt and Grant Johnson were signed to contracts well above slot money, for example.

 

It's one thing to offer an 8th round pick like E-Patt 3rd round money... it's another to offer a 5th round pick more money than any other player in the draft.

In terms of MLB's power to stop it, it's the same thing.

 

They CAN'T stop it, nonetheless.

 

And if the deal was "correct" I could see MLB's frustration, because it would be a dangerous precedence for future drafts. Which is why I really wish baseballl would have a SALARY scale similar to the NBA. Something like:

 

1st/2nd would have a scale similar to the NBA(and supplemental rds between 1-2, and 2-3) would stay the same.

 

3 rd: No players drafted in this rd cannot sign for more then $700k.

4th: $600k

5th: 500k

6th: 400k

7th: 300k

8th: 200k

9-10: 100k

11 and blow: can sign a deal up to 100k.

 

Or something similar to this. That way....MLB takes away ANY and EVERY ounce of power the likes of Boras may have. Meaning...kids lik Andrew Miller would go to places like KC and not pull a stunt like Miller tried. (Miller had his bous demands so high, that he would fall to the Red Sox at 26, which the rumor had him already having a handshake deal)

[Andy]

Let the kid play football. When ND actually faces some real competition and stinks the joint up his stock will drop anyway....

There's plenty of time (and other posters who agree with you) to trash ND without bringing it into a Transactions thread.

[Pistolcub42]

Let the kid play football. When ND actually faces some real competition and stinks the joint up his stock will drop anyway....

There's plenty of time (and other posters who agree with you) to trash ND without bringing it into a Transactions thread.

 

 

I wasn't (overly) trashing Notre Dame. I was stating my opinion that his football stock will decline after this season when ND's offense comes back down to Earth...

[Derwood]

Let the kid play football. When ND actually faces some real competition and stinks the joint up his stock will drop anyway....

There's plenty of time (and other posters who agree with you) to trash ND without bringing it into a Transactions thread.

 

 

I wasn't (overly) trashing Notre Dame. I was stating my opinion that his football stock will decline after this season when ND's offense comes back down to Earth...

 

or when Paul Poszluzny breaks his face in Week 2

[BigbadB]

For those of us that have not actually heard this dude's name mentioned, can someone provide a proper pronunciation?

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Let the kid play football. When ND actually faces some real competition and stinks the joint up his stock will drop anyway....

There's plenty of time (and other posters who agree with you) to trash ND without bringing it into a Transactions thread.

 

 

I wasn't (overly) trashing Notre Dame. I was stating my opinion that his football stock will decline after this season when ND's offense comes back down to Earth...

 

or when Paul Poszluzny breaks his face in Week 2

 

His own or Samaladalamala's?

[badgercub]

Why do people keep insisting that he is getting 8 million guaranteed. The contract is backloaded so that if Jeff decides he is going to play football and quits baseball, the money is not guaranteed. There is a $500k signing bonus which he gets, and that is far less in value than what his upside will be if he picks baseball. It really isn't that bad of a move. A normal 1st round pick, which he would have been projected as would have gotten millions of dollars in a guaranteed signing bonus and what are the odds that they even make it to the majors? If Jeff is no good at baseball he will leave for football and void the rest of his contract with the Cubs, I think it is a reasonable gamble.

[goonys evil twin]

Why do people keep insisting that he is getting 8 million guaranteed. The contract is backloaded so that if Jeff decides he is going to play football and quits baseball, the money is not guaranteed. There is a $500k signing bonus which he gets, and that is far less in value than what his upside will be if he picks baseball. It really isn't that bad of a move. A normal 1st round pick, which he would have been projected as would have gotten millions of dollars in a guaranteed signing bonus and what are the odds that they even make it to the majors? If Jeff is no good at baseball he will leave for football and void the rest of his contract with the Cubs, I think it is a reasonable gamble.

 

It would be guaranteed. He could always choose to retire and forfeit the money, but it is guranteed. He gets it if he keeps playing, just like every other baseball player. To claim that it's not guaranteed just because he might quit is just the same as saying Randy Johnson's contract isn't guaranteed because he might quit. There is very little chance he'd walk away from that guaranteed money unless some NFL team offered guarantees above and beyond what he'd be giving up. And that is unlikely to happen given the nature of a structured salary cap league like the NFL.

[Andy]

For those of us that have not actually heard this dude's name mentioned, can someone provide a proper pronunciation?

Sa-MAR-zhuh

[Banedon]

That would be a great sticky thread. Cubs player/prospect/staff name pronounciations. I always said Pie wrong...and Dubois...and Dopirak...and Ryu...

 

If someone is bored sometime and wants to do something like that, it'd be swell. :D

[1908]

Why do people keep insisting that he is getting 8 million guaranteed. The contract is backloaded so that if Jeff decides he is going to play football and quits baseball, the money is not guaranteed. There is a $500k signing bonus which he gets, and that is far less in value than what his upside will be if he picks baseball. It really isn't that bad of a move. A normal 1st round pick, which he would have been projected as would have gotten millions of dollars in a guaranteed signing bonus and what are the odds that they even make it to the majors? If Jeff is no good at baseball he will leave for football and void the rest of his contract with the Cubs, I think it is a reasonable gamble.

 

It would be guaranteed. He could always choose to retire and forfeit the money, but it is guranteed. He gets it if he keeps playing, just like every other baseball player. To claim that it's not guaranteed just because he might quit is just the same as saying Randy Johnson's contract isn't guaranteed because he might quit. There is very little chance he'd walk away from that guaranteed money unless some NFL team offered guarantees above and beyond what he'd be giving up. And that is unlikely to happen given the nature of a structured salary cap league like the NFL.

I thought you were convinced he was going to take the larger NFL signing bonus and run?

[davearm]

For those of us that have not actually heard this dude's name mentioned, can someone provide a proper pronunciation?

Sa-MAR-zhuh

I thought it was Sa-MAR-ja

[goonys evil twin]

Why do people keep insisting that he is getting 8 million guaranteed. The contract is backloaded so that if Jeff decides he is going to play football and quits baseball, the money is not guaranteed. There is a $500k signing bonus which he gets, and that is far less in value than what his upside will be if he picks baseball. It really isn't that bad of a move. A normal 1st round pick, which he would have been projected as would have gotten millions of dollars in a guaranteed signing bonus and what are the odds that they even make it to the majors? If Jeff is no good at baseball he will leave for football and void the rest of his contract with the Cubs, I think it is a reasonable gamble.

 

It would be guaranteed. He could always choose to retire and forfeit the money, but it is guranteed. He gets it if he keeps playing, just like every other baseball player. To claim that it's not guaranteed just because he might quit is just the same as saying Randy Johnson's contract isn't guaranteed because he might quit. There is very little chance he'd walk away from that guaranteed money unless some NFL team offered guarantees above and beyond what he'd be giving up. And that is unlikely to happen given the nature of a structured salary cap league like the NFL.

I thought you were convinced he was going to take the larger NFL signing bonus and run?

 

I'm not convinced of anything on this subject. I just don't like the odds of it working out in the Cubs favor. I could see him trying to take both sets of paychecks, which would ultimately hurt either team.

 

The point is badgercub is wrong to say the money isn't guaranteed. It is guaranteed, as is every baseball contract, in the sense that as long as the player doesn't quit, they'll get the cash. A football team can take a chance on him quitting baseball, then cut him if they don't like the results. A baseball team can't do the same. As soon as he signs, the money becomes guaranteed up unless he decides he doesn't want it. Not many ballplayers have walked away from guaranteed money.

[badgercub]

Why do people keep insisting that he is getting 8 million guaranteed. The contract is backloaded so that if Jeff decides he is going to play football and quits baseball, the money is not guaranteed. There is a $500k signing bonus which he gets, and that is far less in value than what his upside will be if he picks baseball. It really isn't that bad of a move. A normal 1st round pick, which he would have been projected as would have gotten millions of dollars in a guaranteed signing bonus and what are the odds that they even make it to the majors? If Jeff is no good at baseball he will leave for football and void the rest of his contract with the Cubs, I think it is a reasonable gamble.

 

It would be guaranteed. He could always choose to retire and forfeit the money, but it is guranteed. He gets it if he keeps playing, just like every other baseball player. To claim that it's not guaranteed just because he might quit is just the same as saying Randy Johnson's contract isn't guaranteed because he might quit. There is very little chance he'd walk away from that guaranteed money unless some NFL team offered guarantees above and beyond what he'd be giving up. And that is unlikely to happen given the nature of a structured salary cap league like the NFL.

 

Goony, that is why it is backloaded though. If he sucks at baseball and realizes that he has a brighter future in football I can definitely see him walk away from baseball, with some pressure from whatever NFL team drafts him, before the big money in that contract kicks in. I think he will give baseball a couple of years and see what happens but after that I would imagine he will be pressured to choose one or the other.

[badgercub]

Why do people keep insisting that he is getting 8 million guaranteed. The contract is backloaded so that if Jeff decides he is going to play football and quits baseball, the money is not guaranteed. There is a $500k signing bonus which he gets, and that is far less in value than what his upside will be if he picks baseball. It really isn't that bad of a move. A normal 1st round pick, which he would have been projected as would have gotten millions of dollars in a guaranteed signing bonus and what are the odds that they even make it to the majors? If Jeff is no good at baseball he will leave for football and void the rest of his contract with the Cubs, I think it is a reasonable gamble.

 

It would be guaranteed. He could always choose to retire and forfeit the money, but it is guranteed. He gets it if he keeps playing, just like every other baseball player. To claim that it's not guaranteed just because he might quit is just the same as saying Randy Johnson's contract isn't guaranteed because he might quit. There is very little chance he'd walk away from that guaranteed money unless some NFL team offered guarantees above and beyond what he'd be giving up. And that is unlikely to happen given the nature of a structured salary cap league like the NFL.

I thought you were convinced he was going to take the larger NFL signing bonus and run?

 

I'm not convinced of anything on this subject. I just don't like the odds of it working out in the Cubs favor. I could see him trying to take both sets of paychecks, which would ultimately hurt either team.

 

The point is badgercub is wrong to say the money isn't guaranteed. It is guaranteed, as is every baseball contract, in the sense that as long as the player doesn't quit, they'll get the cash. A football team can take a chance on him quitting baseball, then cut him if they don't like the results. A baseball team can't do the same. As soon as he signs, the money becomes guaranteed up unless he decides he doesn't want it. Not many ballplayers have walked away from guaranteed money.

 

You are right it is not guaranteed in that sense, what I meant is that it is not a signing bonus where he would get the money up front whether he finished the contract or not.

[goonys evil twin]

Why do people keep insisting that he is getting 8 million guaranteed. The contract is backloaded so that if Jeff decides he is going to play football and quits baseball, the money is not guaranteed. There is a $500k signing bonus which he gets, and that is far less in value than what his upside will be if he picks baseball. It really isn't that bad of a move. A normal 1st round pick, which he would have been projected as would have gotten millions of dollars in a guaranteed signing bonus and what are the odds that they even make it to the majors? If Jeff is no good at baseball he will leave for football and void the rest of his contract with the Cubs, I think it is a reasonable gamble.

 

It would be guaranteed. He could always choose to retire and forfeit the money, but it is guranteed. He gets it if he keeps playing, just like every other baseball player. To claim that it's not guaranteed just because he might quit is just the same as saying Randy Johnson's contract isn't guaranteed because he might quit. There is very little chance he'd walk away from that guaranteed money unless some NFL team offered guarantees above and beyond what he'd be giving up. And that is unlikely to happen given the nature of a structured salary cap league like the NFL.

 

Goony, that is why it is backloaded though. If he sucks at baseball and realizes that he has a brighter future in football I can definitely see him walk away from baseball, with some pressure from whatever NFL team drafts him, before the big money in that contract kicks in. I think he will give baseball a couple of years and see what happens but after that I would imagine he will be pressured to choose one or the other.

 

Yeah, that's why it is backloaded, but it doesn't change the fact that it is guaranteed money. If he wants it he can have it. The odds of him walking away from guaranteed money are extremely small.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Yeah, that's why it is backloaded, but it doesn't change the fact that it is guaranteed money. If he wants it he can have it. The odds of him walking away from guaranteed money are extremely small.

 

Has anyone seen the contract to know that it's guaranteed? With the possible threat of him leaving for the NFL, I'm sure someone would be smart enough to include clauses. And yes, I realize we're talking about the Cubs.

[badgercub]

Yeah, that's why it is backloaded, but it doesn't change the fact that it is guaranteed money. If he wants it he can have it. The odds of him walking away from guaranteed money are extremely small.

 

Has anyone seen the contract to know that it's guaranteed? With the possible threat of him leaving for the NFL, I'm sure someone would be smart enough to include clauses. And yes, I realize we're talking about the Cubs.

 

All MLB contracts are guaranteed, of course unless you quit or negotiate some kind of buyout or break the contract. And that is what they are talking about signing him to is a MLB contract not a minor league contract.

 

Most guys who get drafted get a huge signing bonus and then sign a minor league contract and work there way up through the minor leagues getting paid very little. The bigger name draftees, guys like Prior for example, will sometimes will sign a MLB contract right off the bat meaning they still most likely get a nice signing bonus, but also make a much higher salary too.

Edited June 15, 2006 by badgercub

[goonys evil twin]

Yeah, that's why it is backloaded, but it doesn't change the fact that it is guaranteed money. If he wants it he can have it. The odds of him walking away from guaranteed money are extremely small.

 

Has anyone seen the contract to know that it's guaranteed? With the possible threat of him leaving for the NFL, I'm sure someone would be smart enough to include clauses. And yes, I realize we're talking about the Cubs.

 

The contract talk is based on clauses, but baseball contracts are all guaranteed. He'd probably have to play full seasons to get the full money, but it's still his choice. It wouldn't be like the Cubs could say "we don't like how this is working out, we're releasing you without pay."

[1908]

I'm not convinced of anything on this subject. I just don't like the odds of it working out in the Cubs favor. I could see him trying to take both sets of paychecks, which would ultimately hurt either team.

Unless it was just announced and I missed it, we don't know how the contract is structured yet. It could contain escalator clauses that don't kick in unless he quits football. It's worth $8M if he quits football, but $XM if he doesn't, etc.

[Andy]

For those of us that have not actually heard this dude's name mentioned, can someone provide a proper pronunciation?

Sa-MAR-zhuh

I thought it was Sa-MAR-ja

No, there is definitely a hard "zh" in there. Just picture no I in between the Z and J and you will pretty much have it.