A Better Amateur Draft (aka the Pujols Problem) Topic

I just gave you an example of two players with vastly different make-up ratings who developed very similarly thru the first 4 seasons of their career.   Are you saying Slammin' Sammy Davis was a huge party boy?   Is it because he's black?

RACIST!!!!!
7/21/2010 1:36 PM
I saw your examples. They make sense to your point. There very well could be a hidden development rating. Tim Beckham's a party boy because he parties alot, not because he is black. I played at Kennesaw state University. Tim Beckham spent alot of time in Cobb County because of the East Cobb baseball complex. I got to see him both on the field and off. One of the nicest guys I have ever met(brother's a jerk), but still loves to party.  
7/21/2010 1:54 PM
Posted by travisg on 7/21/2010 1:28:00 PM (view original):
"As is, you go into a draft knowing that the 1st and supplemental are the only rounds that count."

I just spent an hour ranking players for my Mays team, which doesn't have a pick until the end of Round 2 (and after a lengthy supplemental round). I'll probably spend another half hour on it this afternoon, if I've got time. I'm reasonably sure I'll draft at least one player who'll make a ML roster one day.

"There is low incentive to rank a lot of players."

One reasonably certain MLer isn't the best return on my 1.5-hour investment, but I also gave up my first-round pick for a SP who's helping my team right now. But maybe I'll get a DITR out of one of my guys, or maybe someone will slip due to signing demands. You never know.

"Some owners argue that they don't have to spend much on scouting, because they can guess based on current ratings and get an ok 1st rounder."

You can make those reasonable guesses, it's true, but you need to invest in scouting to see more players, right?
Travis, I'm with you. I rank about 125 players, and move guys up and down beyond that. I usually get guys with major-league potential through Round 5 or 6.

But a lot of owner do minimal work, or spend minimal scouting dollars, because they assume that they'll get something good in Round 1 and maybe supplemental or 2nd round, but after that, it doesn't matter.

I'm suggesting a system that would make a lot more of the draft matter -- and also make minor-league development and trading of prospects matter more.
7/21/2010 1:56 PM
Posted by strikeout26 on 7/21/2010 1:54:00 PM (view original):
I saw your examples. They make sense to your point. There very well could be a hidden development rating. Tim Beckham's a party boy because he parties alot, not because he is black. I played at Kennesaw state University. Tim Beckham spent alot of time in Cobb County because of the East Cobb baseball complex. I got to see him both on the field and off. One of the nicest guys I have ever met(brother's a jerk), but still loves to party.  
I was talking about Slammin' Sammy Davis, one of the players I linked.    I have no idea if Tim Beckham is black, orange or green.  
7/21/2010 2:39 PM
"I'm suggesting a system that would make a lot more of the draft matter."

Your system could make the draft matter less to some owners.

If there were a not-insignificant risk that my best-laid plans might just randomly bust to allow for some late-round surprises for other owners, I would likely abandon the draft. Instead of accepting that risk, I'd reallocate the roughly $24 million I spend on HS/college scouting toward international scouting and bonuses.
7/21/2010 3:03 PM
Yeah, that's how I feel about it.   I'd reduce my budget enough to ensure I see some guys and hope I hit the randomized lotto.     I'd spend the 10m-15m saved on FA or IFA. 
7/21/2010 3:13 PM
Then you should do that now, so that you can get a decent 1st rounder and not much more.

Whatever. I think random busts make for a more realistic game. Some owners would benefit one year, other owners would benefit another year. Just like real life. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don't. As is, the draft is extremely predictable and of limited (albeit pretty consistent) value.
7/21/2010 3:57 PM
There's no reason to think one would get lucky in any year.  You could be unlucky every year.

Do we want the game determined on luck?  Isn't it more "fun" to make good decisions and win because of them?
7/21/2010 4:02 PM
Think of it as roulette or 21.   If I'm going to gamble, I play 21.   There's some luck involved but you have to make decisions.   If you make good ones based on what you see, and you win, you're rewarded for your good decisions.   With roulette, you plop your chips down and watch the wheel spin.  If you're lucky, you win.    It's fun when you win but you didn't do anything but put a chip down.  

Your plan turns the draft into roulette. 
7/21/2010 4:07 PM
Posted by sanderbear on 7/21/2010 3:57:00 PM (view original):
Then you should do that now, so that you can get a decent 1st rounder and not much more.

Whatever. I think random busts make for a more realistic game. Some owners would benefit one year, other owners would benefit another year. Just like real life. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don't. As is, the draft is extremely predictable and of limited (albeit pretty consistent) value.
The draft really isn't predictable at all, since talent pools vary from year to year, but it does offer a consistent value. I like knowing that I'll land at least one or two ML prospects every season.
7/21/2010 4:13 PM
Posted by MikeT23 on 7/21/2010 4:02:00 PM (view original):
There's no reason to think one would get lucky in any year.  You could be unlucky every year.

Do we want the game determined on luck?  Isn't it more "fun" to make good decisions and win because of them?
Decisions to help win with new draft system:

1) spend money on scouting, to see more players
2) rank 200-250 players, rather than just 25 or 50.
3) spend money on training budget
4) make draft decisions in part on makeup, patience, temper, health, in part on gap between current and projected ratings
5) take the time to line up above-average minor-league coaches
6) make determinations, in seasons after a given draft, on who is a bust and who isn't.
7) consider dealing for other teams' busts, with the hope of having them improve with your franchise

The roulette analogy is bogus, unless you consider the real baseball draft to be roulette.
7/21/2010 4:52 PM (edited)
Posted by travisg on 7/21/2010 4:13:00 PM (view original):
Posted by sanderbear on 7/21/2010 3:57:00 PM (view original):
Then you should do that now, so that you can get a decent 1st rounder and not much more.

Whatever. I think random busts make for a more realistic game. Some owners would benefit one year, other owners would benefit another year. Just like real life. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don't. As is, the draft is extremely predictable and of limited (albeit pretty consistent) value.
The draft really isn't predictable at all, since talent pools vary from year to year, but it does offer a consistent value. I like knowing that I'll land at least one or two ML prospects every season.

In my scenario, odds would favor you still landing 1-2 major league prospects every season.

7/21/2010 4:51 PM
No they wouldn't.  The odds now are that you get a BL player with your first two picks.  The odds under your scenario are less.
7/21/2010 4:53 PM
Posted by sanderbear on 7/21/2010 4:52:00 PM (view original):
Posted by MikeT23 on 7/21/2010 4:02:00 PM (view original):
There's no reason to think one would get lucky in any year.  You could be unlucky every year.

Do we want the game determined on luck?  Isn't it more "fun" to make good decisions and win because of them?
Decisions to help win with new draft system:

1) spend money on scouting, to see more players
2) rank 200-250 players, rather than just 25 or 50.
3) spend money on training budget
4) make draft decisions in part on makeup, patience, temper, health, in part on gap between current and projected ratings
5) take the time to line up above-average minor-league coaches
6) make determinations, in seasons after a given draft, on who is a bust and who isn't.
7) consider dealing for other teams' busts, with the hope of having them improve with your franchise

The roulette analogy is bogus, unless you consider the real baseball draft to be roulette.
1. Already done
2. You can rank as many as you like right now
3. Who doesn't spend 20m on training?  
4. Who doesn't do that now?
5. See #4
6. See #4 and #5
7. Wouldn't you just find a trade partner and swap busts all the time?  Collusion, anyone?

The roulette analogy is dead on.   Since major league teams spends millions on scouting, it is somewhat lucky when a player picked in the 13th round is a star.  How did 380 players get picked ahead of him? 
7/21/2010 4:58 PM
Posted by sanderbear on 7/21/2010 4:51:00 PM (view original):
Posted by travisg on 7/21/2010 4:13:00 PM (view original):
Posted by sanderbear on 7/21/2010 3:57:00 PM (view original):
Then you should do that now, so that you can get a decent 1st rounder and not much more.

Whatever. I think random busts make for a more realistic game. Some owners would benefit one year, other owners would benefit another year. Just like real life. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don't. As is, the draft is extremely predictable and of limited (albeit pretty consistent) value.
The draft really isn't predictable at all, since talent pools vary from year to year, but it does offer a consistent value. I like knowing that I'll land at least one or two ML prospects every season.

In my scenario, odds would favor you still landing 1-2 major league prospects every season.

Under your scenario, I'd have to rank twice as many players as I currently do to land the same number of ML prospects? No, thanks.
7/21/2010 6:44 PM
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A Better Amateur Draft (aka the Pujols Problem) Topic

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