2013-14 International Free Agency Thread

[Guest]

#Cubs are proud to open a new baseball academy in the Dominican Republic: pic.twitter.com/0cyrlnTQr7

 

[BeerHere]

The Cubs have the second-highest bonus pool and they have made it clear that they will do whatever it takes to land Dominican outfielder Eloy Jimenez and Venezuelan shortstop Gleyber Torres.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/five-prospects-linked-to-the-astros-for-july-2/

[Guest]

The Cubs have the second-highest bonus pool and they have made it clear that they will do whatever it takes to land Dominican outfielder Eloy Jimenez and Venezuelan shortstop Gleyber Torres.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/five-prospects-linked-to-the-astros-for-july-2/

 

It's a premium article so here are the other two paragraphs on the Cubs:

 

When the 2013-14 signing period opens on July 2, Jimenez is widely expected to be the highest-paid player on the international market, while Torres has a strong chance to receive the biggest bonus among Venezuelan players.

 

The only team with a bigger international bonus pool this year is Houston, which has $4.94 million in pool space but will likely take a different strategy than Chicago. The Cubs look like they will spend heavily on two players, then possibly trade for more pool space. The Astros also likely to be among the top international spenders, but signs are pointing to them spreading their budget across a higher volume of players at the top of their list.

 

This is the third time Ben Badler has mentioned the Cubs are trying to acquire international pool space.

[jersey cubs fan]

This is the third time Ben Badler has mentioned the Cubs are trying to acquire international pool space.

 

What are the limitations with regard to what you can trade away in order to get that space?

 

Can you trade a player and cash for space?

[BeerHere]

The Cubs have the second-highest bonus pool and they have made it clear that they will do whatever it takes to land Dominican outfielder Eloy Jimenez and Venezuelan shortstop Gleyber Torres.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/five-prospects-linked-to-the-astros-for-july-2/

 

It's a premium article so here are the other two paragraphs on the Cubs:

 

When the 2013-14 signing period opens on July 2, Jimenez is widely expected to be the highest-paid player on the international market, while Torres has a strong chance to receive the biggest bonus among Venezuelan players.

 

The only team with a bigger international bonus pool this year is Houston, which has $4.94 million in pool space but will likely take a different strategy than Chicago. The Cubs look like they will spend heavily on two players, then possibly trade for more pool space. The Astros also likely to be among the top international spenders, but signs are pointing to them spreading their budget across a higher volume of players at the top of their list.

 

This is the third time Ben Badler has mentioned the Cubs are trying to acquire international pool space.

I saw that but I don't follow the idea. How exactly could they acquire more pool space? Is this the trading of picks that was added as part of the new CBA? Does anyone know how that works? I suppose if the trading of picks didn't include the additional money that could come with the picks then it would actually hurt to the team, so the additional money would have to be included. Does that apply to just the international portion of the draft or can it apply to the US amateur portion as well?

[Guest]

http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/how-trading-international-pool-space-works/

 

You can acquire up to half of your pool. Each team's pool is split into 4 slots and you can only acquire slots. The international slot system works the same way as the June amateur draft and is a precursor to an international draft.

 

For goony:

 

Teams are not allowed to include cash considerations in a trade for slot values, unless that cash consideration is used to offset the salary a team is taking on for a player involved in the trade. That means the Rangers couldn’t just agree to pay the Rockies $456,400 (or any other amount) for the No. 33 overall slot value. But if the Rockies traded a major leaguer to the Rangers and agreed to send Texas the No. 33 slot value as part of the deal, cash considerations could be included in the transaction, pending the commissioner’s approval.

[Splendid Splinter]

 

This is the third time Ben Badler has mentioned the Cubs are trying to acquire international pool space.

I saw that but I don't follow the idea. How exactly could they acquire more pool space? Is this the trading of picks that was added as part of the new CBA? Does anyone know how that works? I suppose if the trading of picks didn't include the additional money that could come with the picks then it would actually hurt to the team, so the additional money would have to be included. Does that apply to just the international portion of the draft or can it apply to the US amateur portion as well?

 

IFA and the US draft pool space are 2 separate things. I believe each club can acquire up to 50% of their IFA space? I want to say that I read somewhere that Cubs could realistically have just over 6 mil in IFA (also not counting the % overage without taking a penalty). You can do that by doing trades. I believe you can trade a player for cash/PTBNL and that cash could be IFA pool $$ IIRC. Someone can correct me as this is just going off by memory. There's no picks in IFA. IFA is not a draft. That's probably why you're not following the idea there. There's not an international draft... yet.

 

Now the US amateur draft... when you trade for a comp. balance pick, you also get the slot money that goes with it and same thing if you trade the pick, you lose the slot $ that goes with it. Nobody in the US amateur draft gets more or less than what they are slotted for all of their picks (not counting the 5% overage or more if you want to take the penalty).

 

 

EDIT: Raisin beat me to it. Click on the link to learn more.

Edited May 21, 2013 by Splendid Splinter

[mul21]

I saw that but I don't follow the idea. How exactly could they acquire more pool space? Is this the trading of picks that was added as part of the new CBA? Does anyone know how that works? I suppose if the trading of picks didn't include the additional money that could come with the picks then it would actually hurt to the team, so the additional money would have to be included. Does that apply to just the international portion of the draft or can it apply to the US amateur portion as well?

 

Here:

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/how-trading-international-pool-space-works/

[A New Era]

The Cubs have the second-highest bonus pool and they have made it clear that they will do whatever it takes to land Dominican outfielder Eloy Jimenez and Venezuelan shortstop Gleyber Torres.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/five-prospects-linked-to-the-astros-for-july-2/

 

I like the straightfowardness of our FO when it comes to the theme of getting top guys. I remember one of the first things the trio of new guys were toting in interviews was "impact talent". It's so nice to see them go after those type of guys with resolve. Soler, Almora (totally fine with overslot), Panniagua, these 2 boys that are considered the top 2, rumors linked to Appel (also no problem for overslot for what they consider top talent).

[jersey cubs fan]

http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/how-trading-international-pool-space-works/

 

You can acquire up to half of your pool. Each team's pool is split into 4 slots and you can only acquire slots. The international slot system works the same way as the June amateur draft and is a precursor to an international draft.

 

For goony:

 

Teams are not allowed to include cash considerations in a trade for slot values, unless that cash consideration is used to offset the salary a team is taking on for a player involved in the trade. That means the Rangers couldn’t just agree to pay the Rockies $456,400 (or any other amount) for the No. 33 overall slot value. But if the Rockies traded a major leaguer to the Rangers and agreed to send Texas the No. 33 slot value as part of the deal, cash considerations could be included in the transaction, pending the commissioner’s approval.

 

Well that seems easy to get around.

[Guest]

‏@BenBadler Have an idea for certain teams to exploit the CBA. MLB might change a rule after my story, but should still be worth it.

 

@BenBadler And no, it doesn't involve paying money under the table. That's already happening.

[Guest]

How teams can exploit the CBA internationally

 

Cliff notes: If a draft is instituted, go crazy this year, give up potential first round picks in future years but acquire other int'l first rounders (specifically the Marlins who will have a top 3 pick and never spend internationally).

[Guest]

MLB has to present its international draft plan to the player's union by this Saturday.

[davell]

No draft in 2014, per Passan.

[Guest]

It might not happen in 2014 but MLB will continue to push for it to happen, as soon as 2015.

 

Jeff Passan[/url]"]Major League Baseball will not implement an international draft for 2014, temporarily allaying fears of those worried one would destroy the vibrant baseball culture in Latin American countries, sources told Yahoo! Sports on Friday.

 

The league and the MLB Players Association, which had negotiated with a June 1 deadline on putting in place a framework for a draft, are expected to announce Friday they did not reach an agreement.

 

While the parties are expected to continue negotiating into the future, and an international draft is considered something of a certainty going forward, opponents staved it off for at least one more season and preserved a system league officials see as corrupted with rampant identity fraud and performance-enhancing-drug use among teenagers.

[davell]

Passan mentioned its likely for this to get tabled until the CBA is up in 2016. Selig wants to retire by then, so unless the new commish makes this a priority, its possible to just watch it get swept under the rug for a while.

[Hrubes20]

Good news. Now that they won't face any international draft pick loss in 2014, I would have to imagine the idea of spending like crazy in this year's IFA period has gotten a lot more attractice to the FO. SIGN THEM ALL!!!!!

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Wouldn't that also make it more attractive for other teams to blow the limits, making our big pool less advantageous.

[Guest]

Good news. Now that they won't face any international draft pick loss in 2014, I would have to imagine the idea of spending like crazy in this year's IFA period has gotten a lot more attractice to the FO. SIGN THEM ALL!!!!!

 

wouldn't they still be punished with spending limits next year?

[davell]

I can't see us doing it this year honestly. We're already connected to the top 2 players in the class and it seems like we can get them inside of our current budget. If we figure out a way to add more money, maybe we can get another seven figure guy. But the class as a whole, isn't strong enough and our finish in this years standings make it extremely unlikely for us to take the max penalty. Not worth it when we'll have a very high limit next year as well and it'd keep us from spending more than 250k on a player at that point.

 

NEXT YEAR, though- different story. Thats the time for us to do it. Our allotment won't be as big for 2015 or 2016, assuming we keep progressing.

 

That said, teams like the Yanks and Rangers ARE in perfect position to do it right now, if they see a guy or two they just can't pass up.

[Guest]

Wouldn't that also make it more attractive for other teams to blow the limits, making our big pool less advantageous.

 

I don't think the impact is much overall, especially since if they did institute a draft I'm sure there'd be some provision to avoid abuse this year. If anything, I think it's a slight plus for the Cubs because they have one of the highest allotments this year, so there's less chance a lower team "beats" the system.

[Guest]

Good news. Now that they won't face any international draft pick loss in 2014, I would have to imagine the idea of spending like crazy in this year's IFA period has gotten a lot more attractice to the FO. SIGN THEM ALL!!!!!

 

wouldn't they still be punished with spending limits next year?

 

Yes.

 

The best case scenario is to try and trade for more spending cap space.

[Hrubes20]

Good news. Now that they won't face any international draft pick loss in 2014, I would have to imagine the idea of spending like crazy in this year's IFA period has gotten a lot more attractice to the FO. SIGN THEM ALL!!!!!

 

wouldn't they still be punished with spending limits next year?

 

Yes.

 

The best case scenario is to try and trade for more spending cap space.

 

Trading for more cap space is definately the best option, as it would likely cost little to nothing. But the spending limits are hardly a big deterrent. Considering this might be the last year when IFA spending wouldn't impact international draft picks the following year, I'm on board with it.

[Guest]

@JesseSanchezMLB: Remember #Cuba prospect Aledmys Diaz? Source tells me he is playing in MX this summer & next winter. He hopes to sign with MLB club next Feb

[Guest]

The Rangers signed 19-year old Dominican RHP Omarlin Lopez. In his write up on the signing, Ben Badler noted:

 

Ben Badler[/url]"]The Lopez deal also continues a trend of Dominican pitchers signing for big money despite not being 16, the age at which international amateur players are first allowed to sign and have historically commanded the highest bonuses. Paniagua signed when he was 22, while Reyes signed when he was 18 after moving to the Dominican Republic from New Jersey. Dominican lefthander Jacob Constante signed with the Reds for $730,000 in January when he was 18, while Dominican righthander Simon Mercedes signed with the Red Sox for $800,000 in March 2012 when he was 20.