Personally, I hate it, LOL. Because we all know I love draft picks and minor leaguers, if you played with me in the BSL 1.0. Also hate the Rule 5 for the same reason. But anyways, I think it serves a purpose. But my thoughts in no particular order are
.....it cuts down on trade deadline deals, as guys turn around and tell me, no, I will just let him walk in free agency and get a pick. That doesn't always happen, and I think some owners need to start realizing, they aren't always going to get that pick. I know I have tried to make trades at the deadline, and that is the response I get. Only to see the guy still sitting there at the draft in June. Owners need to realize that there is no certainty that a guy will get signed, thus getting you a pick.
.....QUESTION - are the top 15 picks still safe, or since contraction of two teams, is just the top 14 picks now? Isn't it the first half? I have seen mention of the top 15, but I am wondering if that has now changed. Something I think that needs to be answered.
.....I also think some of the owners in top half of the draft seem to forget that they don't lose their 1st round, but even if they do, they don't want to make their 2nd round pick later than it is, so they don't sign anyone to expand the supplimental round. There are some really good teams that aren't far away from contending, that currently have picks in the top 14. And they have the budget and/or money to spend, but yet they seem to stay clear of the Type A free agents. Is it because they hear other teams complain, teams that are in the second half of the draft? I don't know, but what I do know, is that if I was a team in the top half, I would be signing guys left and right if I have the money. Sure fire way to balance the league talent-wise, but most seem not to ( I applaude Gene and his Phils, as they are spending some money). When I got here in the middle of the 2013 season, I finished with a pick in the top half of the draft. Unfortunately, there wasn't much Type A or B talent that year. But mark it down, if it happens to me again, I will be very active. Kinda like Tampa was last year, and the same with Toronto. I got compensation last year for Joe Mauer from Tampa, a stinking 4th round selection which was like pick 170 or something. If you have some cash/budget, once you give up that first pick, everything else is cheap, LOL. Who cares if you give up pick #170 for a guy like Joe Mauer? Or pick 150 for a guy like Connor Browning?
.....too many teams worried about their picks than worried about improving their team NOW. If you are picking in the first half, your 1st rounder is safe. If you have some money/budget, grab those quality guys, as either they are going to help you win, or you could use them for trade bait down the line. I forgot who I signed last year, but I did sign someone that cost me my 1st rounder. But I picked up a guy like Richar last year right at the June draft for $1M and he was solid for me down the stretch and in the post season. And then got him to resign for 2017 for a low amount of $1.5M. That to me is a bargain that is paying dividends , and he could be traded for a prospect more than likely that is better than what I could have gotten in the 100's of the draft.
Sorry for the rambling, but my thoughts. Also, Cory or Nick, can someone confirm that cutoff - is it #14 or #15, as I am sure it is of importance to the Seattle Mariners.