The Official 2020 Undrafted Amateur Selection Thread

[aznhockeyguy]

Looks like the Royals signed 4 of the top 5 ranked undrafted amateurs.  https://www.yahoo.com/sports/this-surprise-mlb-team-is-doing-everything-right-during-pandemic-shutdown-001734791.html

[AngelsLakersFan]

59 minutes ago, DCAngelsFan said:

I guess what I wonder is, last year, we found 40 rounds worth of draftable players, and even signed our 39th round pick - pick 1,171 -  for $50k.

This year, everyone after the 5th round is just festering garbage?  

If that's the case, why do we ever draft past the 5th round?  Why does *anyone*?  

I think the Angels needed to sign someone, *anyone*, just so the fans know they're at least trying.

 

You pointed out the problem already. They signed their 39th round pick for $50k. That means for $20k we are looking at around 100th round talent.

[Angels in 2030]

3 hours ago, Stradling said:

The White Sox?

Three now - white Sox sign a guy from Saint Mary’s in CA.  Makes total sense geographically 

[Inside Pitch]

4 hours ago, DCAngelsFan said:

I guess what I wonder is, last year, we found 40 rounds worth of draftable players, and even signed our 39th round pick - pick 1,171 -  for $50k.

This year, everyone after the 5th round is just festering garbage?  

If that's the case, why do we ever draft past the 5th round?  Why does *anyone*?  

I think the Angels needed to sign someone, *anyone*, just so the fans know they're at least trying.

 

Last year teams were still looking to field 7-8 minor league teams, now it's more like 5 -- MLB is looking to eliminate rookie ball save for the DSL, and moving teams and classifications around.  The estimates were at least 42 teams would be eliminated and around 1000 player jobs.

They were also talking about reducing the number of rounds of the draft in the next CBA, so the Coronavirus has made for nice cover as they seemingly speed the process along.

[Lou]

2 hours ago, Fourts said:

Three now - white Sox sign a guy from Saint Mary’s in CA.  Makes total sense geographically 

He sucks 

[Lou]

26 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

Last year teams were still looking to field 7-8 minor league teams, now it's more like 5 -- MLB is looking to eliminate rookie ball save for the DSL, and moving teams and classifications around.  The estimates were at least 42 teams would be eliminated and around 1000 player jobs.

They were also talking about reducing the number of rounds of the draft in the next CBA, so the Coronavirus has made for nice cover as they seemingly speed the process along.

Yeah, I read the other day that the draft might only be 20 rounds in the future.

[Inside Pitch]

34 minutes ago, Lou said:

Yeah, I read the other day that the draft might only be 20 rounds in the future.

Yep.   I was all gung ho on the Angels pushing to sign guys but, really kind of pointless if the league is going to follow through with this minor league reduction thing.

You can't develop guys you don't have a roster spot for...  

[DCAngelsFan]

11 hours ago, Inside Pitch said:

Yep.   I was all gung ho on the Angels pushing to sign guys but, really kind of pointless if the league is going to follow through with this minor league reduction thing.

You can't develop guys you don't have a roster spot for...  

Of course, all 30 face the same math - yet, Boston signed 12, Houston, Philly,and St Louis 8 each, etc.  

Apparently Detroit, Tampa Bay,and the Angels are the only teams that get the math.

I suspect if we *did* try to talk to anyone, they said "Hey, aren't you the team that just cut 39 minor leaguers and were going to furlough the rest?"    

I think this quote from the KC signee says it well:

Quote

“You want to go to a club that’s going to take care of not only their very top valued players, but also their lower ones,” Emshoff told Sports Illustrated. “You want to know that when you’re in the organization you’re going to be taken care of... That plays a huge role in the decision-making process.”

 

[Lou]

5 minutes ago, DCAngelsFan said:

suspect if we *did* try to talk to anyone, they said "Hey, aren't you the team that just cut 39 minor leaguers and were going to furlough the rest?"    

Do you think we're the only team to cut players? 

[Inside Pitch]

3 minutes ago, DCAngelsFan said:

Of course, all 30 face the same math - yet, Boston signed 12, Houston, Philly,and St Louis 8 each, etc.  

Apparently Detroit, Tampa Bay,and the Angels are the only teams that get the math.

I suspect if we *did* try to talk to anyone, they said "Hey, aren't you the team that just cut 39 minor leaguers and were going to furlough the rest?"    

I think this quote from the KC signee says it well:

Boston needs to sign about 10 more...   I don't know what everyone else's needs are but the Angels are currently the youngest or second youngest farm system in MLB.  That plays pretty heavily into the equation.   College Srs and the sort arent typically the sort of high risk high reward guys teams build around.   They are organizational filler

[Lou]

8 minutes ago, DCAngelsFan said:

Of course, all 30 face the same math - yet, Boston signed 12, Houston, Philly,and St Louis 8 each, etc.  

Apparently Detroit, Tampa Bay,and the Angels are the only teams that get the math.

I suspect if we *did* try to talk to anyone, they said "Hey, aren't you the team that just cut 39 minor leaguers and were going to furlough the rest?"    

I think this quote from the KC signee says it well:

 

LOL take care of their players? Their major league team has the 5th lowest payroll in MLB.

[DCAngelsFan]

Just now, Lou said:

Do you think we're the only team to cut players? 

Of course not - but we did get quite a bit of bad press over it, and our "aggressively furloughing employees" stories.

Do you think  baseball players can't read?

https://www.12up.com/posts/angels-furloughing-employees-more-aggressively-than-small-market-teams-is-shameful-01e91cwynydp

 

[Inside Pitch]

2 minutes ago, Lou said:

Do you think we're the only team to cut players? 

I dont think people have been following that very closely -- but the Angels aren't close to the biggest offenders and the guys they did get rid of, outside of Nonie Williams most were already on the wrong side of 23

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/05/rounding-up-the-latest-minor-league-cuts.html

[Inside Pitch]

1 minute ago, Lou said:

LOL take care of their players? Their major league team has the 5th lowest payroll in MLB.

While collecting welfare checks from the rest of MLB...

[Lou]

Just now, DCAngelsFan said:

Of course not - but we did get quite a bit of bad press over it, and our "aggressively furloughing employees" stories.

Do you think  baseball players can't read?

https://www.12up.com/posts/angels-furloughing-employees-more-aggressively-than-small-market-teams-is-shameful-01e91cwynydp

 

Players don't make decisions based on some obscure team employee getting furloughed. 

[Lou]

4 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

Boston needs to sign about 10 more...   I don't know what everyone else's needs are but the Angels are currently the youngest or second youngest farm system in MLB.  That plays pretty heavily into the equation.   College Srs and the sort arent typically the sort of high risk high reward guys teams build around.   They are organizational filler

Bingo 

[AngelsLakersFan]

I think it's interesting that they want to establish a league for these un-signed guys, that basically functions as a place for all the talent being cut without the cost over head. It just seems so incredibly short sighted but what do I know.

[Inside Pitch]

15 minutes ago, DCAngelsFan said:

Of course not - but we did get quite a bit of bad press over it, and our "aggressively furloughing employees" stories.

Do you think  baseball players can't read?

https://www.12up.com/posts/angels-furloughing-employees-more-aggressively-than-small-market-teams-is-shameful-01e91cwynydp

 

Have you followed up on everything that's been revealed since that article?

Team weren't allowed to speak to potential draftees until right before the draft by MLB decree.
Teams weren't allowed to go and scout players by MLB decree.     
So basically, nobody saw, spoke, or managed to do anything other than what had already been done prior to the shutdown.

As far as bad press goes..   I'm guessing stories like that one fade from a player's memory when talking about a team who's owner has handed out three 240M+ contracts in the last decade.

If you check the minor league thread, I was very critical of the Angels thought processes, and very opinionated when it came to what I thought the team needed to do regarding the undrafted players.   But, as more and more information has come out I can safely say my opinions were borne of a lack of information.   If ever there was a season to punt it was this one... 
 

[DCAngelsFan]

1 minute ago, Lou said:

Players don't make decisions based on some obscure team employee getting furloughed. 

Obscure team employee?  Or all of their minor leaguers?

 

Quote

 

At a time when several MLB franchises were releasing dozens of minor league players and cutting off stipends to those that remained under contract, the Royals elected to release no one. Beyond that, they committed to paying each and every minor leaguer for the entire 2020 season even though it’s unlikely there will be a minor league season.

In addition to that, the Royals will not lay off or furlough any team employees during the 2020 season. Only "higher-level" employees have taken pay cuts, and the team is committed to paying that back when baseball returns.

Those good faith gestures boosted morale within the organization and helped set the stage for what has been a remarkably successful week.

 

In the end,will it matter?  Will any of these guys ever play in the majors?  Not the point - as I already said when I said they should sign someone just to at least pretend they're trying.  It's about perception.

And the perception this suspended season is that the Angels are cheap, the first to furlough their employees and minor league players (before backing down) - when everyone's asking businesses to sacrifice a bit and try to keep people on payroll, what did the Angels do?  

None of this is a good look, and Arte has done more PR damage to himself than the dollars he's saved.  

And that's my point.  

[Inside Pitch]

Just now, AngelsLakersFan said:

I think it's interesting that they want to establish a league for these un-signed guys, that basically functions as a place for all the talent being cut without the cost over head. It just seems so incredibly short sighted but what do I know.

Their story is that in doing this they can make life better for the players who DO get drafted and join MLB teams.   But yeah, it's essentially just a cost cutting move for them.

[DCAngelsFan]

Just now, Inside Pitch said:

Have you followed up on everything that's been revealed since that article?

Team weren't allowed to speak to potential draftees until right before the draft by MLB decree.
Teams weren't allowed to go and scout players by MLB decree.     
So basically, nobody saw, spoke, or managed to do anything other than what had already been done prior to the shutdown.

As far as bad press goes..   I'm guessing stories like that one fade from a player's memory when talking about a team who's owner has handed out thee 240M+ contracts in the last decade.

If you check the minor league thread, I was very critical of the Angels thought processes, and very opinionated when it came to what I thought the team needed to do regarding the undrafted players.   But, as more and more information has come out I can safely say my opinions were borne of a lack of information.   If ever there was a season to punt it was this one... 
 

Which are the same rules and situation that every other team faced.

Yet 27 other teams managed to find at least one player worth signing.  

Like I said - will it matter?  Are we missing out some talent that could make a difference 5 years from now? 

Probably not.

But why does this club keep doing things that feed the narrative that they're heartless and cheap with every move they make lately?  

 

[Inside Pitch]

Dude, if your entire argument is that "it makes them look cheap" then I dunno what to say.   

The Royals allowed their WS core to leave because they are cheap.   They are signing these guys because they are cheap to sign.   They seemingly have no issue paying guys when the team stands to gain but the second the player can cash in, it's see ya..   So, If you think the Angels furloughing scouts who had absolutely nothing to do is going to hurt their image among players more than the team having given AP 254 million, Wilson his contract, Trout the biggest extension ever for a pre-arb player, Josh Hamilton 125 mil, Trout the biggest contract in team sports history, and Rendon 250+ Mil then I don't know what to say.   I don't really get caught up in click bait articles from guys who turn around and make sad faces on twitter when his employer slashes jobs ten days later.

Again, I was critical of the situation.   Then we find out all the crap the teams couldn't do -- now we find out that MLB is moving forward with their plan to scuttle the rookie leagues and the necessary 1000 roster spots.   Sure they could do something for the sake of optics, but the only thing I actually care about is them making baseball decisions for baseball reasons.  Unless the players signed were worth displacing a younger player already in the system then there is no reason for me personally to be upset.

 

[Lou]

1 hour ago, DCAngelsFan said:

Obscure team employee?  Or all of their minor leaguers?

 

Obscure team employees.

 

[Inside Pitch]

4 hours ago, Lou said:

Obscure team employees.

 

So....  on Monday, MLB told teams they could go out and scout again.   On Wednesday the Angels brought their cross-checkers back...

It's almost like they were just waiting for them to be able to work again.

[Lou]

52 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

So....  on Monday, MLB told teams they could go out and scout again.   On Wednesday the Angels brought their cross-checkers back...

It's almost like they were just waiting for them to be able to work again.

lol Arte is smart