A question about the annual rookie draft

[mking55]

I'm confused. There must be a rule or two in baseball I don't know. (Actually there are probably hundreds).

Anyhow, there are 20 teams in my league. I finished with the best record so I assumed I would pick 20th. No, I pick 24th. I've noticed this several times. Why do some teams get 2 picks in the first round (trading of draft picks is not allowed and there is no free agency). I don't understand. I'd appreciate it if someone could enlighten me.

Thank you.

[rpriske]

Bribes.


Just kidding.

My guess is that last year four teams were unable to sign their first round draft picks and received a pick the following year as compensation.

[Cadieux39]

**Feel free to Ignore my entire comment i didn't read the posters setting correctly**


You are absolutely right about the rules haha. For me coming from a hockey background understanding all the differences that MLB applies to keep all teams competitive takes a while to get used to.

The reason you are picking further in the draft is because of the TYPE A and TYPE B free agency rules, more specifically TYPE A.

I will probably get the wording wrong, but a team who makes a qualifying offer on its upcoming free agent, is eligible to receive compensation for that player if that player chooses to goto free agency. If that flyer signs on a new team, depending on the salary he gets you are awarded the 1st round choice or at least a supplemental 1st round selection as compensation for losing your free agent.

I.E. You make an offer to keep your player, the player refuses and goes to F.A., that player signs on a different team, you receive compensation.


So unlike hockey and football, the fact MLB throws in compensation supplemental choices, or how it removes the 1st round choice of a team and awards it to the club that lost the F.A. really muddies up the selection process of the first couple rounds.

I suggest to look into the TYPE A TYPE B free agency rules (if that is how your league is set up) Its important to know if a F.A. you want to sign is Type A or B or None, (You may be surprised one season to see you have no 1st round pick) its also important to know if resigning a player is worth it.

For example as my team started sliding into the league basement. I elected to make a qualifying offer on three good players, but seeing that they were in their early 30's i was willing to take the risk of losing them... I really just wanted those compensation selections. The end result with compensation i had 2 1st round choices and 3 supplemental 1st round choices. In one off season i rebuilt my team (I was also lucky that the draft was VERY deep)

[rpriske]

He said there is no Free Agency in his league, so it isn't that.

That is why I assume it is compensation for unsigned draft picks.

[mking55]

Originally Posted by rpriske

My guess is that last year four teams were unable to sign their first round draft picks and received a pick the following year as compensation.

Like most Canadian baseball fans who also happen to be poets, you are correct sir. Using your info, I looked it up. I wouldn't have had a clue where to look without your lyrical answer.

To be exact, if a team does not sign it's first round draft pick, it gets a 2nd first round draft pick the following year one turn further down than the current year. So if I picked 3rd this year and failed to sign my player, I'd get the 4th pick the following year. I cannot draft the same player (and who would want that bag of scum anyhow?).

So I can sleep tonight. Thanks again.