Bit of interesting stuff on BA about the problems with the current system.
The Nationals, Orioles, Red Sox, Tigers and Yankees aggressively went over slot, either for singular talents (such as the Orioles giving Matt Wieters a $6 million bonus that is the largest up-front payment in draft history) or for multiple players.
That didn't sit well with the clubs that adhered to slotting, especially after they received assurances from MLB throughout the summer that no teams were going to ignore the guidelines. A month later, Frank Coonelly, whose job as MLB's senior vice president of labor relations included being the watchdog for draft bonuses, took over as Pirates president and announced his team would go over slot as needed.
and
"You look at some of these teams toeing the line, like the Pirates and the Astros, and their general managers and scouting directors are getting fired," another AL club official said. "Frank Coonelly comes into Pittsburgh and says he's going to take the best available player. More and more organizations are going to break from the pack and call their bluff."
http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/draft/draft-preview/2008/265576.htmlThe bolded part is something I hadn't heard. I know it's extremely premature to ask, but any early thoughts on how the Stros draft philosophy might change under the new regime?
And Callis bemoans the current slotting system in his initial draft chat, which also has some blurbs about the Stros, and a few prospects from Rice & UT. He also has an interesting point that if MLB did away with the FA signing draft compensation, the MLBPA might not have any grounds to resist a hard salary cap/slot system for the draft.
http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/draft/chat/2008/265591.html
