Free agent compensation clarification

by eknpdx on Aug 6, 2008 8:56 AM PDT

Teams not only want to keep their draft picks, but also are unwilling to sacrifice the performance of their major-league club by trading solid contributors for fringe prospects.

"People are focused on those two aspects of it more than they've ever been," one general manager says.

Even players who project as possible Type B free agents are considered more valuable than in the past, thanks to a change in the most recent labor agreement.

A team can now gain a sandwich pick between the first and second rounds for such a player without even offering him arbitration.

WTF?

Please, can someone confirm this? It makes no sense what so ever for a B level free agent to have such value.

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I think they still have to offer them arbitration

or else they lose the pick. See: Mariners, Jose Guillen last offseason.

the other angels fan

by Eyebrows on Aug 6, 2008 9:19 AM PDT reply actions

Also

The circumstances surrounding the rise of free agency and the development of the compensation pick as a concession to the owners is very interesting. I read Marvin Miller’s autobiography a few months ago, and while he tends to repeat the same stories a lot in it, it’s still a wonderful book which helped me understand the history of the business of the game.

the other angels fan

by Eyebrows on Aug 6, 2008 9:21 AM PDT up reply actions

I guess it could be true they don't need to offer him arbitration

If he signs with another team before December 2, the arbitration deadline. Though that doesn’t happen very often.

http://baseball.suite101.com/article.cfm/baseball_free_agency_rules

the other angels fan

by Eyebrows on Aug 6, 2008 9:23 AM PDT up reply actions

Per article XX(B)(4)(c) of the current CBA

the team losing the Type A or B free agent receives compensation only if (i) the player signs with a new team prior to December 1, or (ii) the losing team offers arbitration on or before December 1.

by G_ on Aug 6, 2008 9:35 AM PDT up reply actions

Under the new CBA, a Type B free agent is someone who falls between the top 20% and top 40%

at their position based on rankings compiled by Elias. The compensation for losing a Type B free agent (if a team offers arbitration to him) is a supplemental first round pick (a sandwich pick between rounds one and two).

A Type A free agent is someone who falls within the Top 20% and the compensation is a supplemental first round pick plus the signing team’s first round pick (if that team’s pick is No. 16 or lower) or the team’s second round pick (if that team’s first round pick is No. 15 or higher).

by G_ on Aug 6, 2008 9:25 AM PDT reply actions

Rosenthal is saying teams don't have to offer arbitration.

If the caveat is that the player will sign with another team before the arbitration offer, well that is not new. I believe that happened when we signed Ibanez.

Rosenthal is saying this is something new.

Go Fo Broke!

by eknpdx on Aug 6, 2008 9:34 AM PDT reply actions

Yeah, that did not change

Maybe Rosenthal is thinking of the change in compensation for Type B free agents. Under the old rules, a team that lost a Type B free agent used to get a draft pick from the signing team, not the supplemental pick—more often than not, the compensatory draft pick from the signing team would be in the second round or lower. Thus, the new rule giving teams a supplemental pick before the second round would make the compensation for Type B free agents generally more valuable.

by G_ on Aug 6, 2008 9:48 AM PDT up reply actions

Thanks, I was thinking of how unbalanced this would become with Type B relief pitchers

Go Fo Broke!

by eknpdx on Aug 6, 2008 10:42 AM PDT up reply actions

The whole type B ranking thing is retarded

And apparently VERY sensitive to Wins. So if you’re looking for some prospects and have a decent reliever who’ll be a free agent soon, try to make him a win vulture.

the other angels fan

by Eyebrows on Aug 6, 2008 11:31 AM PDT up reply actions