Future Shock: Going Over Slot by Kevin Goldstein

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Must Read
Published 8/5/2007 by azruavatar at Future Redbirds
... This is hands down the best article I’ve read about the draft.  Kevin Goldstein has truly outdone himself this time laying out the problems with the draft and exactly what goes on with it.  We’ve had numerous discussions about the slot issue here and how frustrated I personally get that the Cardinals are basically folding under the pressure. ...

Fantasy News - Alphonso Soriano, Trade Rumors, Chat Links, Draft Update
Published 8/6/2007 at FakeTeams
... There is also an excellent article by Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus about the state of the Major League Draft and going "over slot" to sign the draftees.  It is not behind the subscription wall, and I recommend it.  Here is a sample question:Question: Why is MLB so concerned about this? In the bigger scheme of things, how much is being saved? ...

Another Baseball Deadline Approaches
Published 8/9/2007 by The Feed at The Feed
... There was a rule change regarding the Major League Baseball draft this year that didn't get a ton of notice. Teams used to have a year from the June 1 draft to sign their choices or lose the rights to them. This year they have until next Wednesday which is creating some sweaty situations. Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus reports that eight of the first 12 picks, 13 first-rounders overall and 26 players between the sandwich and fifth rounds who are yet to sign deals. Some of that has to do with the inane baseball draft process which, free of a salary cap, has players picked because of signability as opposed to talent far too often. The league sets a bonus recommendation for each draft slot but teams aren't forbidden from going above it and agents certainly ask for more than the s ...

Friday Links (10 Aug 07)
Published 8/10/2007 by Geoff Young at Ducksnorts
... Future Shock: Going Over Slot (Baseball Prospectus). Kevin Goldstein talks about this year’s draft and how new changes are affecting the game. Someone he interviews calls the process a charade, but of course, ...

Daily Prospect Report 8/15/07
Published 8/16/2007 by azruavatar at Future Redbirds
... (subscription). The idea being can prospects make strides in the 5 tools (and plate discipline) beyond their inherent ability; can they be taught? After the amazing article (free - must read!) Kevin wrote about the draft, I was sorely disappointed with the tools article. Kevin discussed the topic with multiple scouts and quotes them over the course of the article. I don’t know if it’s the way the quotes are presented or just marginally diverging opinions, but the article devolved into one scout saying that a player can make small improvements while another scout says they can’t. At the end of the article, I’m left with this feeling that we haven’t really made any progress on the topic at all. ...

Pirates To Hire Frank Coonelly As CEO?
Published 9/8/2007 by Andy Smith at Bugs & Cranks

Note: The Mets, Draft and Slotting
Published 5/28/2008 by Matthew Cerrone at MetsBlog.com
In a recent chat for Baseball America, Jim Callis wrote that, while the Mets are financially capable of spending as much as any other team in the draft, instead it appears they will ‘stick to slotting’ once again in 2008. At Hot Foot, Anthony De Rosa swaps e-mails with Callis in an effort to understand why the Mets will do this, though he is left ‘scratching his head.’ For more on the ‘slotting system,’ check out Baseball Prospectus (scroll down) and Baseball America. ...