Draft and Follows and Extended Spring Training

wish7694 · 03-30-2006, 10:26 PM

The current major league draft includes 50 rounds in part because many of the players are drafted with the intention that they will go to a JC and based on that performance be signed (or not) before the following draft. Does the current draft model include draft and follows (I am guessing not)? Also, if you draft a high school aged player is there any chance of him deciding to go to a four year college rather than sign with your team?

Finally in a related note, is there an extended spring training option to place players already under contract but not ready for full season leagues while waiting for the short season minor leagues to start?

highvoltage · 03-31-2006, 12:30 AM

Why wouldn't it account for draft-and-follows? You have up until about a week before the next amateur draft to get the player signed that you selected the previous year. I don't see why this wouldn't be incorporated into the game. It's done very well in NHL EHM where the players are under the NHL team's control for years after they're drafted.

And it's not "many" of the players that get drafted and then "followed', in fact, it's very few. Big league teams draft in such a way and then sign until they reach their budget of signing bonuses. I would like to see that feature incorporated. Whereas, the owner gives you a certain amount of money to sign your draft picks. That way might choose players based on signability (which would also affect you picking college-bound high schoolers: "how much money would it take for you to turn down that scholarship, boy?") rather than pure talent.

I'm with you on the extended spring option, It would be very cool if that existed. And again, if it's based on NHL EHM's model, I don't see how it would be difficult to pull off.

wish7694 · 03-31-2006, 02:55 AM

Certainly the majority of players either are signed or not. On average each team only signed 29 players from the 2004 draft with Milwuakee only signing 19 (Stats from Baseball America). No doubt quite a few of those guys who were not signed went or returned to 4 year colleges, meaning the drafting team loses the rights to them so they cannot be "followed". But certainly there is the potential for quite a few guys to be drafted and followed, which seems especially prevelant after about the 20th round.

What is definitly true is that very few guys are signed as draft and follows. Of that 2004 class about 60 guys were signed this way (again from Baseball America) or a little less than 2 per team. Atlanta lead the way signing 7 draft and follows.

Clearly the baseball draft is relatively complex in that if a player goes to a JC he can be drafted and followed but once he takes a class at a four year college his rights are lost, but I have seen SI be able to code some pretty complex scenarios with WSM and am excited about what you said they are able to do with EHM. I would be quite happy with extended spring training and a draft rights situation where a team holds the rights for a year ignoring the 4-year college wrinkle. I am just worried that the AI controlled teams will sign all 50 guys they draft, but I know there are much bigger things to make sure are realistic with this first effort.

While we are on draft minutia, are there any plans to incorporate free agent compensation picks and the sandwich draft rounds that come with them?

03-30-2006, 10:26 PM	#1
wish7694 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 125	Draft and Follows and Extended Spring Training The current major league draft includes 50 rounds in part because many of the players are drafted with the intention that they will go to a JC and based on that performance be signed (or not) before the following draft. Does the current draft model include draft and follows (I am guessing not)? Also, if you draft a high school aged player is there any chance of him deciding to go to a four year college rather than sign with your team? Finally in a related note, is there an extended spring training option to place players already under contract but not ready for full season leagues while waiting for the short season minor leagues to start?

03-31-2006, 12:30 AM	#2
highvoltage Bat Boy Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 13	Why wouldn't it account for draft-and-follows? You have up until about a week before the next amateur draft to get the player signed that you selected the previous year. I don't see why this wouldn't be incorporated into the game. It's done very well in NHL EHM where the players are under the NHL team's control for years after they're drafted. And it's not "many" of the players that get drafted and then "followed', in fact, it's very few. Big league teams draft in such a way and then sign until they reach their budget of signing bonuses. I would like to see that feature incorporated. Whereas, the owner gives you a certain amount of money to sign your draft picks. That way might choose players based on signability (which would also affect you picking college-bound high schoolers: "how much money would it take for you to turn down that scholarship, boy?") rather than pure talent. I'm with you on the extended spring option, It would be very cool if that existed. And again, if it's based on NHL EHM's model, I don't see how it would be difficult to pull off. __________________ "My s*** doesn't work in the playoffs" - Billy Beane

03-31-2006, 02:55 AM	#3
wish7694 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 125	Certainly the majority of players either are signed or not. On average each team only signed 29 players from the 2004 draft with Milwuakee only signing 19 (Stats from Baseball America). No doubt quite a few of those guys who were not signed went or returned to 4 year colleges, meaning the drafting team loses the rights to them so they cannot be "followed". But certainly there is the potential for quite a few guys to be drafted and followed, which seems especially prevelant after about the 20th round. What is definitly true is that very few guys are signed as draft and follows. Of that 2004 class about 60 guys were signed this way (again from Baseball America) or a little less than 2 per team. Atlanta lead the way signing 7 draft and follows. Clearly the baseball draft is relatively complex in that if a player goes to a JC he can be drafted and followed but once he takes a class at a four year college his rights are lost, but I have seen SI be able to code some pretty complex scenarios with WSM and am excited about what you said they are able to do with EHM. I would be quite happy with extended spring training and a draft rights situation where a team holds the rights for a year ignoring the 4-year college wrinkle. I am just worried that the AI controlled teams will sign all 50 guys they draft, but I know there are much bigger things to make sure are realistic with this first effort. While we are on draft minutia, are there any plans to incorporate free agent compensation picks and the sandwich draft rounds that come with them? Last edited by wish7694; 03-31-2006 at 02:57 AM.