Yesterday we heard from Buster Olney that the Collective Bargaining Agreement discussions were close, and that there were expected changes to limit draft bonuses and reduce the number of compensation picks. Joel Sherman of the NY Post talked to some executives who have been briefed on the negotiations, and what he found doesn’t look good for the Pirates.
Sherman reports that there is a strong possibility that Type B compensation will be eliminated this off-season, and that compensation for less desirable Type A free agents (relievers, for example) would be reduced to just a compensation pick between the first and second rounds, with no pick coming from the signing team.
The Pirates have four Type B free agents, and were expected to see at least two draft picks as a result. There are rumors that Ryan Doumit will be signing soon, which would guarantee the Pirates a draft pick if he signs before November 23rd. The Pirates will almost certainly offer arbitration to Derrek Lee, who they are trying to re-sign. Lee has been unwilling to return to Pittsburgh, which would mean a pick if he signed elsewhere after arbitration.
This would be unfortunate for the Pirates, who haven’t had a free agent compensation pick since the 1993 draft. Between this, and the changes to the draft bonuses, it sounds like the new CBA will be a worst case scenario for the Pirates.
November 15, 2011 at 12:23 pm
So many moves were made using this comp system it would be terrible to not wait until 2013 draft to start this. I will be shocked if this happens for this year. I guess MLB can say you took the risk knowing the unsettled labor agreement but wow
November 15, 2011 at 12:30 pm
Really wish the MLB owners would have put their foot down on this new CBA. I would seriously go a year without the MLB if it meant a better chance for small market teams to succeed.
November 15, 2011 at 1:25 pm
I expect the whole CBA to be less favorable to small market teams. Capping draft bonuses is only part of this. We haven’t heard anything about revenue sharing yet but I expect revenue sharing to decline substantially. Only rich teams and rich players matter to mlb and the players union.
November 15, 2011 at 2:05 pm
Well, we’d get our 2nd round pick before any supplemental pick anyway right? and domino it on down the line…
I get that we’d have 3/4 picks sooner, but long term, this is good for this team.
Twitter: timwilliamsp2
November 15, 2011 at 2:12 pm
The compensation picks come between the first and second rounds.
November 15, 2011 at 2:13 pm
If that passes I agree but there will still be a handful of type A supplemental picks that will probably still be there. So its a ? of whether you prefer 2 of the top 45 or 3-4 of the top 70.
November 15, 2011 at 2:26 pm
Exactly… I mean it stinks this year because we’re actually in the position to grab some guys in the supplemental round, but I’d take 2 picks in the first 45 picks guaranteed any day.
November 15, 2011 at 2:08 pm
If the Pirates could get every pick they wanted it would not matter.. They had high draft picks for 18 years… other small market teams win…lets just say PLEASE SELL TO SOMEONE…ANYONE… I hope a baseball man that wants to win… MLB should take the team…please … I am 68 and will die with our team never winning…
Twitter: sdzielinski
November 15, 2011 at 2:25 pm
if the reports are accurate, the new CBA will not do the Pirates one single favor. A draft ‘luxury tax’ will force the Pirates to operate more like the McClatchy/Littlefield/Creech regime than as the team has since Nutting took control of the franchise.
All that I can say and all that needs to be said is this: Fuck Spoongebud Pinhead and the MLBPA.
November 15, 2011 at 9:13 pm
If this new CBA does pass and it eliminates type A free agents and has a luxury tax or even taking away a pick for overspending it will doom the pirates. We have procured this farm system through overspending for players that fall because of high price tags. Our scouting over the past years has not been good, this could be devastating for the Pirates.