Random Baseball Musings

[Cubswin11]

Didn't really know where to put this, but looks like we see our first strategy with the new CBA in the international markets. As was discussed before when it was passed, do you play by the rules or go way over your limit for a year and get everyone you want and then pay the tax, sit a year out/have harsh restrictions that keep you from getting big time guys and then go back and go over your limit once the 2nd year has passed. Then rinse and repeat. Quote is from Badler, btw.

 

The CBA limited every team to a $2.9 million bonus pool for the 2012-13 international signing period that began on July 2. The strongest penalty in the CBA is that any team that exceeds its international bonus pool by 15 percent or more will pay a 100 percent tax on the overage and won't be able to sign a player for more than $250,000 during the 2013-14 signing period. Since July 2, the Rays already have spent more than $3.7 million (not counting players signed for $50,000 or less, since there are exemptions for those players), which is 28 percent beyond their international pool.

 

As a result, the Rays won't be able to sign anyone next year for more than $250,000 and probably won't make any major international splashes until July 2 either because of the tax. Going well beyond the bonus pool is a curious move, but the Rays did pull in a considerable amount of talent, including arguably the two best 16-year-old pitchers on the market. Given that their 90-win season last year will give them one of the lower bonus pools for the 2013-14 signing period, which many scouts believe is shaping up to be a down year for international talent, perhaps it will be a worthwhile gambit.

[Guest]

Didn't really know where to put this, but looks like we see our first strategy with the new CBA in the international markets. As was discussed before when it was passed, do you play by the rules or go way over your limit for a year and get everyone you want and then pay the tax, sit a year out/have harsh restrictions that keep you from getting big time guys and then go back and go over your limit once the 2nd year has passed. Then rinse and repeat. Quote is from Badler, btw.

 

The CBA limited every team to a $2.9 million bonus pool for the 2012-13 international signing period that began on July 2. The strongest penalty in the CBA is that any team that exceeds its international bonus pool by 15 percent or more will pay a 100 percent tax on the overage and won't be able to sign a player for more than $250,000 during the 2013-14 signing period. Since July 2, the Rays already have spent more than $3.7 million (not counting players signed for $50,000 or less, since there are exemptions for those players), which is 28 percent beyond their international pool.

 

As a result, the Rays won't be able to sign anyone next year for more than $250,000 and probably won't make any major international splashes until July 2 either because of the tax. Going well beyond the bonus pool is a curious move, but the Rays did pull in a considerable amount of talent, including arguably the two best 16-year-old pitchers on the market. Given that their 90-win season last year will give them one of the lower bonus pools for the 2013-14 signing period, which many scouts believe is shaping up to be a down year for international talent, perhaps it will be a worthwhile gambit.

 

Yeah, it's not a bad strategy but I had no problem with the Cubs not doing it last year since they got the second highest pool this year (it sounds like it'll be somewhere around $4.5 M). This year would be a far better year to go well over the pool, with the big league team closer to .500. You definitely can still haul in some talent by getting $100,000-$250,000 guys. Heck, I think you'd have a sound argument if you felt it was a better strategy is to go after a bunch of mid-level 16-year olds than one or two big bonus ones.

[Banedon]

@PWSullivan

 

Source says Big Z may sign in Japan or Taiwan if he can't get major league deal. #Cra-Z

[KingCubsFan]

Didn't really know where to put this, but looks like we see our first strategy with the new CBA in the international markets. As was discussed before when it was passed, do you play by the rules or go way over your limit for a year and get everyone you want and then pay the tax, sit a year out/have harsh restrictions that keep you from getting big time guys and then go back and go over your limit once the 2nd year has passed. Then rinse and repeat. Quote is from Badler, btw.

 

The CBA limited every team to a $2.9 million bonus pool for the 2012-13 international signing period that began on July 2. The strongest penalty in the CBA is that any team that exceeds its international bonus pool by 15 percent or more will pay a 100 percent tax on the overage and won't be able to sign a player for more than $250,000 during the 2013-14 signing period. Since July 2, the Rays already have spent more than $3.7 million (not counting players signed for $50,000 or less, since there are exemptions for those players), which is 28 percent beyond their international pool.

 

As a result, the Rays won't be able to sign anyone next year for more than $250,000 and probably won't make any major international splashes until July 2 either because of the tax. Going well beyond the bonus pool is a curious move, but the Rays did pull in a considerable amount of talent, including arguably the two best 16-year-old pitchers on the market. Given that their 90-win season last year will give them one of the lower bonus pools for the 2013-14 signing period, which many scouts believe is shaping up to be a down year for international talent, perhaps it will be a worthwhile gambit.

 

Yeah, it's not a bad strategy but I had no problem with the Cubs not doing it last year since they got the second highest pool this year (it sounds like it'll be somewhere around $4.5 M). This year would be a far better year to go well over the pool, with the big league team closer to .500. You definitely can still haul in some talent by getting $100,000-$250,000 guys. Heck, I think you'd have a sound argument if you felt it was a better strategy is to go after a bunch of mid-level 16-year olds than one or two big bonus ones.

So if all goes according to plan, and the Cubs are really good in a few years, they could spend some ridiculous amount in the international market during a particularly strong year, and the worst that could happen to them is only being penalized for the following year? If that's the case, I see a lot of big money teams annually in contention pulling this move in the future.

[Guest]

Didn't really know where to put this, but looks like we see our first strategy with the new CBA in the international markets. As was discussed before when it was passed, do you play by the rules or go way over your limit for a year and get everyone you want and then pay the tax, sit a year out/have harsh restrictions that keep you from getting big time guys and then go back and go over your limit once the 2nd year has passed. Then rinse and repeat. Quote is from Badler, btw.

 

The CBA limited every team to a $2.9 million bonus pool for the 2012-13 international signing period that began on July 2. The strongest penalty in the CBA is that any team that exceeds its international bonus pool by 15 percent or more will pay a 100 percent tax on the overage and won't be able to sign a player for more than $250,000 during the 2013-14 signing period. Since July 2, the Rays already have spent more than $3.7 million (not counting players signed for $50,000 or less, since there are exemptions for those players), which is 28 percent beyond their international pool.

 

As a result, the Rays won't be able to sign anyone next year for more than $250,000 and probably won't make any major international splashes until July 2 either because of the tax. Going well beyond the bonus pool is a curious move, but the Rays did pull in a considerable amount of talent, including arguably the two best 16-year-old pitchers on the market. Given that their 90-win season last year will give them one of the lower bonus pools for the 2013-14 signing period, which many scouts believe is shaping up to be a down year for international talent, perhaps it will be a worthwhile gambit.

 

Yeah, it's not a bad strategy but I had no problem with the Cubs not doing it last year since they got the second highest pool this year (it sounds like it'll be somewhere around $4.5 M). This year would be a far better year to go well over the pool, with the big league team closer to .500. You definitely can still haul in some talent by getting $100,000-$250,000 guys. Heck, I think you'd have a sound argument if you felt it was a better strategy is to go after a bunch of mid-level 16-year olds than one or two big bonus ones.

So if all goes according to plan, and the Cubs are really good in a few years, they could spend some ridiculous amount in the international market during a particularly strong year, and the worst that could happen to them is only being penalized for the following year? If that's the case, I see a lot of big money teams annually in contention pulling this move in the future.

 

That is how I read the penalties. It seems like penalties that are far more palatable than the ones in the draft.

 

Also, teams can trade up to (I believe) 50% of their cap in a year, so that could easily be a valuable trade asset in a season when a penalized team can't spend much.

[jersey cubs fan]

Didn't they also have some ambiguous language about the commish also being able to add additional penalties as he sees fit if teams are egregiously manipulating the rules?

[javy knows my name]

Didn't they also have some ambiguous language about the commish also being able to add additional penalties as he sees fit if teams are egregiously manipulating the rules?

 

Is that even necessary in addition to the "best interests of baseball" war powers-level authority he already enjoys?

[Cubswin11]

Trevor Bauer rap song dissing the D'backs, apparently. No seriously

 

http://deadspin.com/5984242/

[Guest]

I think I just saw my favorite fantasy baseball team name ever

 

1-800-SAFE-VOTTO

[sneakypower]

Trevor Bauer rap song dissing the D'backs, apparently. No seriously

 

http://deadspin.com/5984242/

lost it at "it's uncouth"

[Guest]

it sounds like he records 2 words at a time

[Clem Fandango]

More of Jeff Loria being a scumbag...

 

Reyes, speaking to the media for the first time at spring training, said Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria encouraged him to buy a home in Miami just days before he was traded to Toronto. Asked what he'd advise any future free agents who might be interested in playing for the Marlins, Reyes replied: "I don't have to tell them nothing. They can see what happened."

 

Reyes also told reporters he felt sorry for Stanton.

 

Reyes, who signed a 6-year deal with the Marlins and was traded after only one season, said he was surprised when he learned he had been traded.

 

"I was shocked because Jeffrey Loria, he always told me he's never going to trade me," Reyes said. "He always called my agent and said, 'Tell Jose to get a good place here to live,' and stuff like that."

 

Reyes said he had dinner with Loria only a few days before the trade and, even then, 'he was still talking about 'get a nice house in Miami.' That was kind of crazy I mean, how can you want me to spend some money in Miami when I have my house in New York, and you're going to trade me in two days?"

 

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/fish_bytes/2013/02/giancarlo-stanton-not-going-to-pout.html#storylink=cpy

[TruffleShuffle]

in related news, here was the line to buy marlins single-game tickets when they went on sale:

 

http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/t8IAjwPOZNcmya401PUZNg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en/blogs/sptusmlbexperts/marlinstickets020913.jpg

[Careless]

Every player who filed for arb signed before arb for the first time.

[Clem Fandango]

Mat Gamel tore his ACL again and is going to miss the entire 2013 season, after only playing in 21 games last year because of the injury. Corey Hart is also out 3-4 months after knee surgery, so they're going to have to draw from a pool of players including the likes of Alex Gonzalez, Hunter Morris, Bobby Crosby, Taylor Green and Sean Halton.

 

Ouch.

[MWV]

Throw in the possibility of Braun sitting for 50 and the Brewers could have a rather thin lineup through the first third of the season. I doubt that the Biogenesis allegations stick, though.

[mul21]

Throw in the possibility of Braun sitting for 50 and the Brewers could have a rather thin lineup through the first third of the season. I doubt that the Biogenesis allegations stick, though.

 

After the way he got out of it last year, I wouldn't be surprised to see Selig try to stick it to him to set an example, even if it is the Brewers.

[Careless]

Why would Braun be sitting for 50?

[Clem Fandango]

Why would Braun be sitting for 50?

 

His name is attached to the Biogenesis scandal. If the investigation uncovers any damning evidence he'll likely be found guilty of PED use.

[SouthSideRyan]

Why would Braun be sitting for 50?

 

His name is attached to the Biogenesis scandal. If the investigation uncovers any damning evidence he'll likely be found guilty of PED use.

 

You think they're going to suspend him without a positive test? They didn't even suspend him when they did have one.

[mul21]

Why would Braun be sitting for 50?

 

His name is attached to the Biogenesis scandal. If the investigation uncovers any damning evidence he'll likely be found guilty of PED use.

 

You think they're going to suspend him without a positive test? They didn't even suspend him when they did have one.

 

It's in the CBA that they can do it if there's enough of a paper trail.

[Clem Fandango]

Random thought/question: When was the last time a MLB team fielded an all African-American outfield? Was just reading on ESPN about Upton/Upton/Heyward and I was trying to think back to the last time there was an all African American outfield and I came up blank. I know the numbers for African Americans in MLB keeps dwindling down so it has to be something of a rarity these days.

 

I'm probably forgetting a blatantly obvious one, but I'm drawing a blank.

[SouthSideRyan]

I don't know if it's the most recent, but the Twins had Stewart-Hunter-Jones one year.

[UMFan83]

I know you are talking about everyday starting OFs, but the Cubs could have rocked one down the stretch in 07 with Floyd, Jock, Monroe, EPatt and Ward all playing the OF at one point or another.

 

Edit: possibly in 06 too with Jones, Pierre and Fast Freddie Bynum

[minnesotacubsfan]

I like simple designs, but those are ugly simple designs.

 

 

Warren, IL had jerseys just like those. In 1992.