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Ed Daniels of ABC 26 Sports of New Orleans recently wrote an article discussing how college coaches are being held hostage by MLB clubs during the draft. This was in response to many of LSU’s top recruits and top players signing deals with MLB clubs as I reported yesterday. (FULL ARTICLE). You can read Ed’s full blog post by clicking here to see his opinion on the subject. We have also included the report from ABC 26 with comments from LSU head coach Paul Mainieri below.
4 comments
Honestly, I think that Ed is off-base in his criticism… or at least off-target. In fact, he admits it in his article, saying that the NCAA limits on baseball scholarships make MLB offers that much more attractive. In years past, the draft dance was far more disruptive, with players skipping classes at the beginning of the semester while negotiations dragged on. The school year would actually be under way and coaches still didn’t know if a player would be there for him. The signing deadline instituted several years ago helped eliminate some of this, or at least move it up on the calendar so it takes place before school starts.nnTo be honest, I’m not sure what the author wants Major League Baseball to do. Be less attractive to athletes? Not spend money on the players teams want? The only thing I can think of that would limit this, and even then only to an extent, is hard slotting. If teams were directed by MLB that signing bonuses were set and absolute based on draft position, then maybe this eliminates some of this 11th hour negotiation. But I imagine agents and teams will still find items to negotiate (40-man roster assignment, mandatory September call-ups, etc.) so it won’t end. And you also have to give players a chance to consider their options and make a decision. After all, they’re 18 years old and making perhaps the biggest decision in their lives.
I am totally against a hard slotting of players. The current system is set up to still give less money then the NFL gives a drafted player. Bryce Harper got about 10 million for five years or so while Sam Bradford got a deal over 50 million which made him the highest paid quarterback in the league.
Not sure what you could do here-increase the scholarship amount-not too many schools could afford that, earlier deadline on signing the draft picks??
Not too many programs are even fully funded right now. I would guess about 50 of the 230 programs are! (Both estimates). rnrnLook at yesterday, a coach left Temple to become a volunteer at Notre Dame
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