Apparantly the system isn't skewed enough in the large market teams' favor.

[HollywoodLeo]

One aspect that makes it not so hard to watch a big name free agent head for the bigger market teams to rake in the dough is that the team losing him gets draft pick compensation.

But I guess compensating the small and mid market teams with draft picks for losing their big name players in a system with no salary cap is being too kind.

http://www.newsday.com/sports/printe...y-sports-print

(near the middle of the article.)

Something to watch in the negotiations for the new collective-bargaining agreement: It's possible that teams will no longer receive draft picks as compensation for free agents who leave. That means that the Nationals, who opted to keep Alfonso Soriano, could wind up with absolutely nothing if Soriano signs with another club.

The A's may lose Zito for nothing afterall, Prov.

[Providence A's]

I'll take a World Series...

[HollywoodLeo]

I'm sure we all would, but that last remark wasn't intended to turn this into a Zito debate, nor was it intended to insinuate the A's should've traded him afterall.

I merely pointed that out because that happend to be discussed to no end a few months back.

[HollywoodLeo]

And you should be as pissed about this as I am.

One of the main reasons Beane doesn't mind letting his guys walk is because he gets draft picks for them.

[Providence A's]

I am pissed about it if it happens...things may be different after Zito and once we get a new stadium...but regardless, they should keep it or come up with something else then...

[Kingdom]

It can't just happen like that, can it? Won't owners of the small market teams for example be up in arms over that?

[Lance324]

Alright, fan of a big market team pitching in here. It's ridiculous!!!! The scales are already so far shifted to the large market teams that it's pathetic. If they take away the draft pick compensation, some of the small market teams will probably never field a contender again. If MLB allows this to happen, it will only make an already bad situation worse, the small market teams are nothing but showcases for the large market teams. They need to look at doing more for the small market teams, not taking away from them.

[nyjunc]

One aspect that makes it not so hard to watch a big name free agent head for the bigger market teams to rake in the dough is that the team losing him gets draft pick compensation.

But I guess compensating the small and mid market teams with draft picks for losing their big name players in a system with no salary cap is being too kind.

http://www.newsday.com/sports/printe...y-sports-print

(near the middle of the article.)



The A's may lose Zito for nothing afterall, Prov.

The small market teams get millions of $s every year from large market owners yet they don't spend it.

[Dry1313]

Don't use that argument junc it's stupid. Not only small market teams get picks though either. The Yanks got one for Tom Gordon. And we do already have almost every advantage...

[Fishercat]

This year, the Red Sox had two first round picks, and the Yankees moved up about 10 slots, so it's not only the small markets that get hurt by this...

but the general concensus is right. So dumb. The MLB Draft's main tweak should be international players to help out the small markets

[nyjunc]

Don't use that argument junc it's stupid. Not only small market teams get picks though either. The Yanks got one for Tom Gordon. And we do already have almost every advantage...

No it's not, small market owners want to whine yet when they get this money they put it int heir pockets instead of back into their teams. How long has george tried to get a new Stadium and it's finally coming through while he helped pay for new Stadiums in Cincy and Pitt w/ rev sharing $. is the system fair? No but every team has a chance to win, make good decisions, spend wisely and you'll have a chance like Ana '02, Fla '03, Oak, Min, etc... In '97 we tried to trade Jorge Posada to KC to get Chili davis at the deadline, KC declined and Davis left as a FA and we got him anyway. You don't think Posada could have helped? it's an example of poor decision making and that hurts more than the overspending of teams like the Yanks.

[Dry1313]

Dude, these aren't owners these are fans. And they're talking about signing back their players who go to NY or Boston, or LA, they don't stay in Oakland or Atlanta, because the want the cash. Draft picks helped to balance, now they may not...

[Fishercat]

While small market teams can certainly compete, they basically need to minimize mistakes. Large market teams can afford mistakes. A Carl Pavano or Matt Clement would cripple a KC or Tampa, it's a drop in the bucket to NY or BOS

[Kingdom]

He's right. Tampa burned themselves badly when they first started, investing money in Castilla, Canseco, Vaughn, etc and that pretty much amounted to zilch. I really thought Kansas City dicked themselves by only pursuing over the hill bums but they were low cost veterans. If they spent that kinda money on Burnett, who's clearly not working out, they'd be off the market for years paying Burnett's DL fees.