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Is Draft Pick Compensation Out?
Although there was some initial apprehension that the Collective Bargaining Agreement talks between MLB and the Major League Baseball Players Association would possibly get heated, it looks as if the two sides are already near an agreement for the next few years. Most likely for the good of the public relations of the game, the two sides seem to not be interested in changing much that could be contested by either side.
Probably the main item to be changed in the proposed agreement is the subject of draft pick compensation. Draft pick compensation provides the compensation of up to two draft picks for the signing of one team’s free agent by another team. Teams like Boston and Oakland have used this method to build up their farm systems. As players like Jason Giambi or Miguel Tejada would be signed by another team, handing over that team’s first round pick to Oakland and would also receive a supplemental round draft pick as well. Unfortunately, it was the richest teams that usually take the greatest benefit of this rule.
Rather than completely eliminating it MLB and MLBPA should look into ways to improve it to benefit the poor teams. However in the desire to keep from ruffling any feathers such a notion has apparently not been approached.
The resulting actions that we will see out of this will be earlier signings as teams who don’t want to give up draft picks can sign players earlier in the off season. This also enhances the trade deadline, as it is more important now than ever for teams to assess their ability to get to the playoffs. If they do not believe that they can reach the playoffs they cannot be as content to sit with players that are approaching free agency as they will no longer get even a draft pick in return if the player is not traded by the deadline.
Would Alfonso Soriano have been traded before the deadline if draft pick compensation no longer existed?
Kenny “Dirtball” Rogers
In the first inning of Game 2 of the World Series Fox cameras caught a glimpse of some sort of substance on the lower part of the Detroit Tigers pitcher Kenny Rogers’ hand. Rampant speculation of course then followed to what it was. The most common belief was that it was pine tar, a banned substance for pitchers to have in their possession while on the mound.
Miraculously the substance disappeared after the first inning, leading many to say that it was in fact pine tar. Rogers continued to pitch the game well, even better the next seven innings as the game progressed.
Now, I have loved Kenny’s outings during the post season. It has not been so much the movement on his pitches (what pine tar can affect), but the location of his pitches and how well the hitters were set up. But I don’t believe his excuse for the substance as being “dirt”. Growing up in the Midwest I have seen a lot of dirt, that didn’t look like dirt. How is he getting dirt on his hands before the game anyway? Has he taken over the pre-game work of the equipment staff of mudding the baseballs?
After the game a couple of experts did state that 60-70% of pitchers use pine tar at one point of the season (usually when it’s cold) before the game starts to improve their grip on the ball. However, they usually wipe it all off before the game starts. Regardless of how much he’s cleaned his hands you have to like how he’s pitched. But Kenny, please get a manicurist if they need you to pitch Game 6 of the Series.
Angel Berroa is “Gifted”
Initially, after the Kansas City Royals hired Dayton Moore as their GM I believed that they could actually get better. However, after a comment by Dayton I went into convulsions. In a September 28th article, the Kansas City Star’s Bob Dutton quoted Dayton as saying the following.
“Angel Berroa is a gifted baseball player,” Moore said. “From what I’ve observed, he has an above-average arm, above-average accuracy, above-average power. He has good hands and good fielding skills.”
Either Dayton Moore was drunk at the time or he was trying desperately in vain to raise Berroa’s trade value to more than a Single-A reliever with a 5.00 ERA. Later within Dutton’s Article a scout is quoted as saying, “Berroa has no plate discipline, none. After his first year, teams figured out they don’t have to throw him a strike. Or if they do, it’s only on the first pitch. Because if he gets to 0-1, he’s done unless the pitcher makes a mistake.”
It may be that Dayton is trying to make the best of a bad situation from Angel Berroa’s contract. A contract that goes through 2008 with $3.25 million for 2007 and $4.75 million for 2008. Nearly $5 million for a full year of .235 batting average? Why not just sign Carl Pavano, Chan Ho Park, or Darren Dreifort…..oh, wait, those were worse. But the Yankees, Rangers, and Dodgers can throw money at bad contracts.
Basically, what Moore needs to do is to have Berroa sit in front of the same Conditioned Ocular Enhancement training system that Carlos Beltran fell in love with while in K.C. for extended hours. Not extended hours as in an hour after practice each day. But extended hours as in tying him to a pole, duct taping his eyes open and making him use it for multiple days. Sure, you may be thinking that’s overboard, but I need to get my dished cleaned. But the kid will swing horribly at anything you throw…..even the kitchen sink.
And the Award Goes To
Every year the Major League Baseball awards come out and I typically have a problem with at least one of the awards. Hence I am starting the inaugural Baseball Opinion Awards. After each season I will review the candidates and hand out various awards including, but not limited to; Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and Minor League Player of the Year.
This year’s award winners are:
NL Player of the Year
Ryan Howard – Although the voters for the MLB awards will likely choose Albert Pujols over Howard simply because the Cardinals made it to the World Series, Howard was simply the better player. To base an award on the play of the player’s entire team is ludicrous, if Albert Pujols or Barry Bonds played on the Devil Rays or Royals their entire careers they would never win the award….that’s a travesty. Howard led the majors in home runs with 58 and RBIs with 149, leading a mediocre team nearly to a playoff birth.
AL Player of the Year
Justin Morneau – Although the MLB awards are not out yet, Jeter will probably be selected for this award due to the fact that he plays in New York (bias anyone) and that Johan Santana and Joe Mauer will split the votes in the Midwest. But Morneau’s play down the stretch and the fact that he led the league with 94 RBIs with runners in scoring position put him above the pack. To think he actually started off slowly!
NL Pitcher of the Year
Chris Carpenter – This was a harder award to hand out as there was no real clear-cut favorite. Roy Oswalt carried a good ERA, but gave up almost a hit an inning. John Smoltz should have won 20 if he had a halfway decent bullpen. Brandon Webb could have won more with a better team. Carlos Zambrano was third in the league in strikeouts, the lowest hits per nine innings of the candidates, and had 16 wins on a pathetic team. In the end it was Chris Carpenter who was the most convincing as he put up good figures across the board, including second lowest walks per nine innings and the lowest WHIP of the candidates. He also pitched five complete games, including three shutouts, saving the pen on a team with a rotation that had many question marks.
AL Pitcher of the Year
Johan Santana – Clearly the best amongst all the pitchers in the American League. Santana has been so good that he’s even being considered for the Player of the Year awards by many. He tied for the Major League lead in wins (19), led MLB in strikeouts by 29 (245 Ks), and took the MLB ERA crown (2.77).
NL Rookie of the Year
Dan Uggla – Ok who was the nut in the D-Backs organization that let Dan slip through in the Rule 5 Draft last winter? Dan didn’t do much for the Marlins this season other than being an offensive catalyst, hitting .282/27/90. He was second amoungst NL rookies in home runs and RBIs. A very close second is teammate Hanley Ramirez who led NL rookies with 51 stolen bases, 11 triples, and 119 runs.
AL Rookie of the Year
Justin Verlander – In addition to winning 17 games in his first season in the majors on a team that had a loosing season in 2005, Verlander instilled enough confidence in Manager Jim Leyland to let the rookie start game one of the World Series.
Minor League Player of the Year
Alex Gordon – This year I agree with Baseball America that Alex Gordon is the minor league player that stuck out above the rest. He hit .325/29/100 with 22 stolen bases at Double-A. Gordon, along with other KC Royals prospects like Billy Butler, Mitch Maier, Chris Lubanski, and Luke Hochevar are givning Kansas City Royals fans some hope for the future.
