Happy Thanksgiving

It’s been a whirlwind couple of days in the prospect world, with the new CBA that’s changed the pipeline to the majors by imposing severe restrictions on spending and laid the foundation for an international draft.
Ben Goessling of MASN makes a compelling argument that the new CBA is a reaction to what the Nationals have done for the past three drafts.

Now there’s a case to be made that the field has been leveled, but it’s a weak one. The big boys have already proven that (A) they’re not willing to overspend on amateur talent (B) if and when they decide they should, they can more than afford the penalties. To be blunt, the leveling is not on dollars but sense. Teams that preach scouting and development can’t put their money where their mouths are anymore and bet big (e.g. Royals) on amateurs and IFAs. Good scouting and drafting will still be rewarded. It just will be rewarded less.

What remains to be seen is what teams will do with these so-called savings. Will teams decide to invest more in player development indirectly by hiring more coaches or spending more money on catering, transportation, training, etc.? Or will the “that’s the way we’ve always done things” mentality persist? In this age of MBA front offices, I believe there’s an opportunity to reallocate those funds into your human capital. Never mind that the first organization that does this might just have an advantage.

That’s enough for today — I’m thankful to have the chance to have this little bully pulpit, and I’m glad for everybody that stops by and reads. Stay safe, stay home (if you can), and call your mother!