Draft Discussion

[haseloff]

Agreed.

But I think we need to seriously consider the intentions of those owners that don't take part in drafting or FA, though.  Yeah, the draft is super confusing when people have to wait to be skipped so they know it's their turn to make a pick.  But I think both problems here are just the symptoms of the same problem (league integrity).

The question is how do you get people to care about something they never paid into?

As of today, we have over half of the teams not making picks. Many have been on "auto-skip" for 10-15 rounds. Washington doesn't have a single player listed as "drafted".

Do these teams have owners? Are they just not participating? Or are they just so confused with who's turn it is and what round we are currently in that they don't make a choice?

Some teams get the benefit of being told they are "up next" while most do not get any notice they may be up next or in the next several picks.

Here's the list of teams who have been and are currently on "autoskip", taken from the official draft thread:

Los Angeles Dodgers – autoskipped (Since Rd3)
Seattle Mariners – skipped (Since Rd4)
San Diego Padres – skipped (Since Rd4)
Washington Nationals – autoskipped (Entire Draft)
Pittsburgh Pirates – skipped (Since Rd5)
Kansas City Royals – skipped (Since Rd6)
Cleveland Indians – autoskipped (Since Rd7)
Atlanta Braves  - skipped (Since Rd9)
Chicago Cubs – skipped (Since Rd11)
Oakland Athletics – skipped (Since Rd13)
Miami Marlins – skipped (Since Rd14)
St. Louis Cardinals – skipped (Since Rd14)
Toronto Blue Jays – autoskipped (Since Rd16)
Baltimore Orioles – skipped (Since Rd18)
New York Yankees – skipped (Since Rd19)
Minnesota Twins – skipped (Since Rd17).

Everyone who has played in this league for at least a season understands the only way to build a team here is through the drafting of players.

[Jss0062]

We have 6 vacant teams currently, and some of the teams like Miami, Oakland, St Louis don't have much use for later rounds in the draft historically. 

Quite frankly the draft is probably too long at 40 rounds, especially when only about 2% of players selected after the 10th round make the majors.  Shortening the draft should be looked at for next season.

[fperric]

Can we take a headcount to see who is actually still going to continue drafting?  Might be easier that way  .  I am still rafting to replace dome really dead weight on my roster(s) and don't want to screw anyone out of a pick .

Thanks ,
 Frank- Brewers

[Dre2k19]

The Orioles could pick for a bit longer

[ldsjayhawk]

Colorado will be posting more picks.  I have been away for a bit.

[chrisetc21]

We have 6 vacant teams currently, and some of the teams like Miami, Oakland, St Louis don't have much use for later rounds in the draft historically. 

Quite frankly the draft is probably too long at 40 rounds, especially when only about 2% of players selected after the 10th round make the majors.  Shortening the draft should be looked at for next season.

20 rounds should be more than enough

[fperric]

Nice Cincy.  After bitching seemingly every round of the draft about "fairness" and "cheating," you roll out your 13 picks while the rest of us were trying to see who was still in and if we were going to continue in some kind of order. 
Just thought I'd point that out.

thanks,
  frank-brewers

[ldsjayhawk]

I am just going to weigh in on the opposite side of this discussion.  I understand that likely very few players after the 20th round will ever make the major leagues, however, no one knows for sure.  Additionally, it is the cheapest way to try and find talent.  I took over Colorado with an empty farm system and I still have 74 openings after drafting a full slate of 40 players.  That is part of the draw to this league, right?  200 minor leaguers?  Is it hurting anyone to have some teams go a full 40 rounds?

[chriscvc]

There really is nothing wrong with going the full 40, last year I had a ton of places to fill and went 40. Hell my 40th round pick (Joe Mantiply) actually has a better shot (than I originally thought) at being an mlb player (even if it's only a middle reliever).
The problem here isn't the length, I'd honestly still be picking if I didn't have mostly full minors and all of the confusion, I'm not sure how to change it but the way it was run this year wasn't good and that's the problem, I don't even remember what was different last year but it seemed to run so much smoother.

[chrisetc21]

  Is it hurting anyone to have some teams go a full 40 rounds?

The guy that has to run the 40 round draft. 

You can acquire players drafted in those rounds in free agency quite cheaply.  If filling your minors is the issue.