Kylie McDaniel just wrote a new piece on Fangraphs about the top talents for next year's July 2nd signing period.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/scouting-th...-2nd-prospects/

 

The Cubs have now come off their 1-year signings freeze, which means they will be once again blowing past all regulations to sign all the top talent again, like they did in 2013. Not a bad strategy, one I wish the Sox would undertake, but also kind of s***ty at the same time that teams can exploit these loopholes knowing that an International Draft is coming soon anyway and these penalties don't scare anyone.

 

Apparently scouts believe Vlad Guerrero Jr. has already agreed with a club, and it will probably be the Cubs.

Vlad Jr's swing looks like a carbon copy of Vlad Sr.

Out of all the videos, my favorites are: CF Starling Heredia, and RF Franklin Reyes

There's a thread on this 5 topics down.

I'm going to go jump off a bridge.

 

Goodbye

Would guys rather the Sox allocate their funds across a group of players like in 2014, or go after one stud prospect like in 2013?

 

They should have around $3.2 Million to spend.

Would guys rather the Sox allocate their funds across a group of players like in 2014, or go after one stud prospect like in 2013?

 

They should have around $3.2 Million to spend.

 

Group of players.

Group of players.

 

If they went all in on Vlad Jr, I would not be upset. He may be big now but he's going to slim down as he goes through puberty, he is only 15.

 

I hope they dropped in on Kevin Maitan, the top 2016 prospect and the next big time July 2nd prospect.

 

Should the Sox go all in on Moncada?

Should the Sox go all in on Moncada?

 

YES

Should the Sox go all in on Moncada?

 

 

YES

I second this!

No.

No.

 

I honestly think that the sox should do what several teams

have done in the past. go and get the young talent and break

the bank so to speak. get some outfielders, infielders and pitchers.

then pay the penalty and see how the talent develops. this yrs

group looks to be enticing. I one full swoop, the sox could really

rebuild the system.

Should the Sox go all in on Moncada?

 

If you mean should the Sox forsake the rest of the international market and go for Moncada, I say no.

 

If you think the Sox should make a strategic leap into the international market targeting several players knowing they are going to face penalties by signing Moncada I say yes. Sign four of the top 20 plus Moncada and it will be worth the overages.

I don't think you can go all in on a player. Too risky. I think you either go for a group or you say screw it, blow the rules, pay the fines and take the penalties and go really big and go with the alternating strategy.

I disagree. I am huge proponent of the strategy the Cubs, Rangers, Yankees and Rays have employed. They exploited a loophole in the system and brought in more talent and in a quicker time frame. Besides, who can you name that the Sox brought in via a MiLB international signing. Adolfo was one of the first notable guys we've brought along in a long while. I know the Wilder scandal severely hurt our ability to convert on our signings but still, who is there? Carlos Sanchez? Without going to Google I can't even come up with a second name.

 

That being said, this is very different situation and I don't think it's a coincidence that Sox have so much money left over. The Sox were second in the Soler sweepstakes so that at least divulges that they are willing to put a bunch of money into a raw, virtually unknown commodity. If we are really really trying to add to the young core, what else can we do? Trading from the farm for a younger MLB player could prove to be counterproductive. All that is at risk here is money and what team can't find a spot for a switch-hitting, 2B/3B/OF with 75 speed? I am very much interested in how high the stakes are and I do expect the Sox to be involved.

Which is why I said I'm fully on board with going all in and blowing the category and paying the fines. I just don't like the idea of playing by the rules and going after just 1 player. I think you are better suited spreading your money on a few top 30 guys then just getting the #1 guy. Given how young these guys are, bust rates are high, so I'd rather get more above average talent. My overall preference is to just go all out in years when you can, take the penalty and do the same when you can invest again.

Which is why I said I'm fully on board with going all in and blowing the category and paying the fines. I just don't like the idea of playing by the rules and going after just 1 player. I think you are better suited spreading your money on a few top 30 guys then just getting the #1 guy. Given how young these guys are, bust rates are high, so I'd rather get more above average talent. My overall preference is to just go all out in years when you can, take the penalty and do the same when you can invest again.

 

what we, as fans says and what the owner wants to do are two totally

different things.

 

I would love to spread that idea you have and go for the promising players,

then pick the positional players. of course the pitchers as well.

I would love for the Sox to go all out on the July 2nd market, those 9 kids that the Yankees signed are going to be the next wave of great Yankees prospects (If they pan out), the Yankees went to having one of the weakest systems in baseball to having one of the strong in one day.

 

I would love for the Sox do that, but it won't happen.

Edited November 4, 201411 yr by Joshua Strong

I would love for the Sox to go all out on the July 2nd market, those 9 kids that the Yankees signed are going to be the next wave of great Yankees prospects (If they pan out), the Yankees went to having one of the weakest systems in baseball to having one of the strong in one day.

 

I would for the Sox do that, but it won't happen.

 

What are the odds of 9 sixteen year olds all panning out? The odds of 9 22 year olds are pretty bad.

What are the odds of 9 sixteen year olds all panning out? The odds of 9 22 year olds are pretty bad.

 

LA prospects have a lower shot of getting to the majors but the you have to realize that the Yankees signed more than those 9 kids, those 9 just got the giant bonuses. But regardless of the odds of them panning out or not? They brought in a major wave of talent into the system. If 3 or 4 of those prospects pan out, the investment was well worth it.

 

it doesn't matter if all the young players makes it. it only matters

if a couple make it.

 

remember if all the young players, whether obtain thru the draft or

fa's make it, the system, all the org systems will be overflowing.

that is not that case.

 

in theory you get many pieces and hopefully a few will show

promise. of those few then you hope for 1 or 2 or whatever comes

along.

Kiley McDaniel on the 2015 international period and beyond. Worth a read for those interested in this stuff.

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-interna...ls-dont-matter/

I decided to survey the industry and see where we stand. After surveying about a dozen international sources, here are the 11 clubs that scouts either are sure, pretty sure or at least very suspicious will be spending past their bonus pool, ranked in order of likelihood:

 

Almost Definitely (3): Cubs, Blue Jays, Phillies

Expected/Likely (4): Rangers, Padres, Dodgers, Diamondbacks

Possible/Rumored (4): Braves, Nationals, Royals, Twins

 

Kiley McDaniel on the 2015 international period and beyond. Worth a read for those interested in this stuff.

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-interna...ls-dont-matter/

 

There needs to be a harsher penalty in order to stop teams from doing this. I know they'll have to wait for the new CBA, but the commissioner needs to put a foot down.

 

I think that if a team goes over their bonus pool by more than 20% that they would forfeit their INTL bonus pool the following year (That money would be redistributed across the teams) and get their INTL pool the year after that cut in half (the money would be redistributed across the teams).

There needs to be a harsher penalty in order to stop teams from doing this. I know they'll have to wait for the new CBA, but the commissioner needs to put a foot down.

 

I think that if a team goes over their bonus pool by more than 20% that they would forfeit their INTL bonus pool the following year (That money would be redistributed across the teams) and get their INTL pool the year after that cut in half (the money would be redistributed across the teams).

 

They are taking advantage of it because they know why the next time there is a CBA, an Int'l draft will be implemented, so their penalties will be wiped. I don't know if this is feasible, but maybe tell them if you exceed your bonus pool by 1-50%, then you lose your 1st RD pick in the Int'l draft when it is implemented. If you exceed it by 50-100%, then you lose your 1st and 2nd, if you exceed it by 100-150%, you lose your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd RD picks, and so on and so forth for however many rounds exist.

 

Make that the penalty ON TOP of the current penalty. But again, by the time they would agree to that, they will be agreeing to a draft and it wouldn't matter at that point. I think teams are just getting away with stealing talent right now and it's the rich teams that are getting richer, because everyone can't afford to pay 100% tax on these guys. I wish the Sox would jump to the fray, but I think Reinsdorf is far too loyal with Selig and crew to ever exploit the rules.

 

i am for the sox to do this at least once, like next yr. then the baseball bosses

can find a way to stop it.