RealGM

The farking Tampa Bay Rays?!!???

This penalty for the Ryas(sic) shows why that system sets up some faulty incentives, however. Because win-loss record is used as the baseline for the pool allotments, the low-revenue Rays were classified as a team that needed to have their international spending constrained, theoretically in order to promote competitive balance. Meanwhile, some of the largest bonus pools this summer are going to go to the Red Sox, Mets, and Cubs, each of whom put losing teams on the field last year despite their significant revenue advantages.

I don't think I like his solution either and TB obviously did this purposefully with open eyes, but I would find a way to start rewarding teams with the best wins per dollar spent ratios. If Friedman and his group of geniuses want to spend money, then MLB should not be in the way, 'cause it's as safe a bet as there is that he's spending it wisely.

Also, forcing spending this way is terrible for the long-run. They're creating an environment of boom or bust drafting. When you're good you get no money for the draft or IFA pool, so you supplement, but it's 5-7m or so. then you're bad and boom, spend 20-30m. How is this a system MLB wants to promote?

Well the Blue Jays should have a larger pool this summer than the following one (assuming they win more games this year than last), does that mean this summer it makes sense for the Jays to load up and pay the tax?

Is it better to divy up the top prospects each year, or take a huge haul every other year?

I don't know if this is the year to spend a lot of money. It's supposed to be a weaker pool of IFAs than last season. Which probably played a part in why the Rays had no issue with the penalty. They pay a tax and have to buy a bunch of cheap prospects instead of a couple expensive ones. I suppose if there's that one big name that the Jays want to overspend to get then it might make sense. Really hard to judge as an outsider.

The IFA scheme right now is intentionally ridiculous, because MLB wants to gently nudge (in the same way that an cruise missile nudges a radar installment) all of the involved parties in the direction of a worldwide draft. By killing top-end bonuses for IFAs, it reduces the incentive for those players/agents/the super-scouters (who are often the better teams, who are often the ones with money) to maintain the status quo.

Schadenfreude wrote:The IFA scheme right now is intentionally ridiculous, because MLB wants to gently nudge (in the same way that an cruise missile nudges a radar installment) all of the involved parties in the direction of a worldwide draft. By killing top-end bonuses for IFAs, it reduces the incentive for those players/agents/the super-scouters (who are often the better teams, who are often the ones with money) to maintain the status quo.

With no worldwide governing body like in Soccer, Basketball, and Hockey, a worldwide draft is going to be 100% impossible. Can't enforce anything.

Besides in alot of cases these guys are coming in cheaper than their NA counterparts. Although with the new draft rules I think it might level out.