Your Thoughts on MLB Draft Format?

[Peace21]

I know we have another day of drafting. But I just wanted to get everyones take on how you felt the new draft format went. With the 6pm start time and the MLB Network covering the draft in their studio? Plus also knocking out three rounds tonight. Is it more beneficial for MLB to promote the draft this way? Or did it hurt?

[Sports Guy]

I wish they would go to the idea of trading picks, having a true slot and drafting Int'l players.

You do that, televise the first 2 rounds and really build it up, the draft could become a lot of fun.

ESPN shows the CWS and a lot of the games leading up to it...MLB should be doing this with ESPN and promote these guys.

[Frobby]

If you ask me, if you can't trade your pick, they can cut the interval between picks even shorter.

[TyCobb]

If you ask me, if you can't trade your pick, they can cut the interval between picks even shorter.

Yea. 4 minutes is way to long. 1 minute is all they should need. As prepared as these teams are they probably only need like 30 seconds.

[JCK]

It's okay, but there are some serious issues that prevent it from being an "event" like the NFL/NBA draft:

1) The players being drafted aren't household names, the way high school/college basketball players and college football players are.

2) The players aren't going to be joining their club for a couple years. That's a lot of delayed gratification to ask of a viewer.

3) The whole slotting system is weak, and more-so than either the NBA or the NFL, it is not a foregone conclusion that these players are going to even sign.

4) Again, since the slotting system is weak, so even if your team finished with one of the worst records, you are not assured any solace through the draft, because your team might be making their pick based on "signability" and cost. So the sense of "justice" and fairness that makes the other drafts so great, isn't present here.

5) And finally, there is no trading of picks. This eliminates much of the drama. It also makes it so that GMs aren't very secretive about the picks, so the first 10 picks (this year) are made public before the draft even starts.

For these reasons, the MLB draft isn't really an event, and I'm not sure it can work on TV.

[PrivateO]

Yea. 4 minutes is way to long. 1 minute is all they should need. As prepared as these teams are they probably only need like 30 seconds.

And why did they have to take the full 4 minutes before announcing the pick? Just seemed like they wasted a lot of time by spending it all, when clearly the Nationals were going to take Strasburg.

Agree with the trading of picks.

And, did anyone find Bud Selig just flat-out dull and annoying? He just seemed like he didn't want to be there at all.

[murrayfan420]

I don't think they should shorten the time for the picks just for TV purposes. Maybe a guy falls a team didn't know was going to fall so they have to have a quick discussion... no harm in that.

It'll never be as big a spectacle as the nfl/nba draft but it was still interseting to see who the O's picked and get a quick video of him and hear the analysts talk about him.

[McNulty]

I loved in round 2 they had former players (mostly) introducing the picks. I wish the NFL would do that.

[Three Run Homer]

I watched the draft until the O's game came on, cursed the Hobgood selection vociferously (until I read Tony's post explaining that his velocity is reportedly a lot higher than previously reported) and then watched in between innings. It was entertaining and I think they should keep the entire first-day telecast on MLB TV, rather than switching to on-line only after the first round.

The one gripe I had was a lack of visual information. Most of the time I watched, there wasn't a crawl showing which players had already been picked, and only rarely were there lists showing best players available. ESPN shows this information constantly during the NFL draft, for instance.

[Lefty0315]

What time the draft start today? I can't seem to find it anywhere.

[Flip217]

What time the draft start today? I can't seem to find it anywhere.

It starts at noon I think.

I liked the format. There was perhaps too much time between picks, but as someone who isn't quite as familiar with all the names (well I knew a good deal about the first few guys picked thanks to the OH) I liked having some analysis and video to watch.

Maybe it will grow over time as more baseball fans become increasingly aware of it and pay more attention to the development of players. I have no data to back that up, it just seems to me that in general there is loads more info available about prospects and minor league systems, so maybe more people will get interested.

It might help to have the players there, too -- who was there last night, Trout? It's always exciting and makes for good t.v. to see a kid get selected , family and friends congratulating him, go up to the podium to be introduced, etc.

[Oriol3s]

The time between picks was really only for the TV coverage so the analysts could talk about the players.

Until a couple fo years ago, I think it was less than a minute between picks when they did it by conference call.


I didn't mind the fact that it started at 6 pm, but I wish they still let ESPN broadcast it like last year so we get some ACTUAL HONEST reactions about each pick. I got the feeling the MLB guys weren't going to argue with any team's pick because they are paid by MLB to say good things about them.

[markpolis]

What time the draft start today? I can't seem to find it anywhere.

12:00 Eastern time.

[markpolis]

The draft should start no later than 3:00 PM (eastern time). They should televise the entire first day. I agree with the other poster who said they should have video footage. I think they should have video footage from the Top 200 Prospects. They should have live cameras with players and agents who are believed to be Top 10 picks and telephone interviews with players, coaches and agent/advisors throughout the first day.

Oh yeah, have someone other than Bud Selig introduce the picks. Selig has to be the most boring person alive.

[allstar1579]

I know we have another day of drafting. But I just wanted to get everyones take on how you felt the new draft format went. With the 6pm start time and the MLB Network covering the draft in their studio? Plus also knocking out three rounds tonight. Is it more beneficial for MLB to promote the draft this way? Or did it hurt?

I liked it actually. It will get more interesting when they go to a hard rookie cap in 2 years. That will be one of the adamant points of the owners in the next CBA, that the slot system become mandatory and not a suggestion. It's a way to circumvent the entire arbitration system right now, as kids can get more in bonus money than they would make their first 3 under team control years if they just hold out for it, and the kids don't have anything to lose by just not signing.

[PrivateO]

It starts at noon I think.

I liked the format. There was perhaps too much time between picks, but as someone who isn't quite as familiar with all the names (well I knew a good deal about the first few guys picked thanks to the OH) I liked having some analysis and video to watch.

Maybe it will grow over time as more baseball fans become increasingly aware of it and pay more attention to the development of players. I have no data to back that up, it just seems to me that in general there is loads more info available about prospects and minor league systems, so maybe more people will get interested.

It might help to have the players there, too -- who was there last night, Trout? It's always exciting and makes for good t.v. to see a kid get selected , family and friends congratulating him, go up to the podium to be introduced, etc.

I like this idea too. It can't be too hard. Just bring in about 5-10 guys, like the NFL does.

[markpolis]

I liked it actually. It will get more interesting when they go to a hard rookie cap in 2 years. That will be one of the adamant points of the owners in the next CBA, that the slot system become mandatory and not a suggestion. It's a way to circumvent the entire arbitration system right now, as kids can get more in bonus money than they would make their first 3 under team control years if they just hold out for it, and the kids don't have anything to lose by just not signing.

:deadhorse: Oh, don't even get me started on this one. When will MLB get it? Once this is instituted then I believe you could also implement trading of draft picks.

[allstar1579]

:deadhorse: Oh, don't even get me started on this one. When will MLB get it? Once this is instituted then I believe you could also implement trading of draft picks.

Yup, totally agree. I think it has finally set in now, hence why they are pushing so hard on the slot things. Just the rumblings I've heard have said this is one of their major, will not give areas, and possibly their alternative to an overall salary cap.

[Mackus]

How does the NCAA let these guys play baseball if they don't sign when they have these "advisors" who are clearly agents, negotiating on their behalf?

Basketball players get suspended basically just for talking to an agent. Baseball players are having agents in their ears essentially negotiating with the teams for them and the NCAA overlooks it.

The agents are the only people I'd think would be against a hard cap or mandatory slotting for draft picks. The current MLBPA wouldn't care, because that wouldn't effect them, the HS/college kids it would effect have no voice, its just the agents who would be losing lots of commission dollars in signing bonuses here.

[markpolis]

How does the NCAA let these guys play baseball if they don't sign when they have these "advisors" who are clearly agents, negotiating on their behalf?

Basketball players get suspended basically just for talking to an agent. Baseball players are having agents in their ears essentially negotiating with the teams for them and the NCAA overlooks it.

The agents are the only people I'd think would be against a hard cap or mandatory slotting for draft picks. The current MLBPA wouldn't care, because that wouldn't effect them, the HS/college kids it would effect have no voice, its just the agents who would be losing lots of commission dollars in signing bonuses here.

You would think it would be that simple but it's not. The Players Association has strongly pushed against any type of cap on the draft or for teams. They feel it will set a bad precedent.

[markpolis]

Yup, totally agree. I think it has finally set in now, hence why they are pushing so hard on the slot things. Just the rumblings I've heard have said this is one of their major, will not give areas, and possibly their alternative to an overall salary cap.

I think the Strasburg signing (when he signs) will finally have the owners strongly push for a hard cap (slotting system) for the draft.

[allstar1579]

I think the Strasburg signing (when he signs) will finally have the owners strongly push for a hard cap (slotting system) for the draft.

I think even the rumors of asking for $50 mil have already done that. Can you imagine if they start getting to NFL like numbers? The entire arbitration system will be worthless.