it doesn't seem fair that the best players from other countries automatically go to the teams most willing to pay for them. why don't they just enter the draft like everybody else?
2007-03-23 05:33:40 · 11 answers · asked by j rock 4 in Sports ➔ Baseball
This is something that the players, the owners, and the league have been discussing for a while now. The short answer is that it would increase the scouting costs dramatically if each team had to scout the players in every country where baseball is played instead of just the USA.
I think that a possible solution would be to hold an international draft and to have players from around the world register for that. Unless a player registered, they would be ineligible to be drafted by an MLB team and ineligible to play in MLB. This would prevent the wealthiest teams from signing the premier international players and would balance the talent distribution, thereby adding parity.
2007-03-23 06:06:41 · answer #1 · answered by frankmoore 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The current rules say that the draft applies only to particular countries. But by saying that, what is actually meant is any player who has attended school in any of those countries, not necessarily a player who is a citizen of those countries.
If you are talking about players from Latin America, for example, that is your answer. But if you're talking about most players from Asian countries, and in particular, because of the rules there, from Japan, these players are NOT rookies and should never, ever have been eligible for ROY awards. The rules in their own countries actually make them free agents when they come to North America, not rookies, and it's high time that MLB recognized that fact and changed the ROY eligibility specifications.
2007-03-23 08:22:46 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree, but technically they arent rookies. Most players in the MLB play in the minors for at least a year after being drafted. Most foreign players have played in their countries "majors" for years. I understand the fairness value of it, but baseball isnt fair. Its corrupted by $232 million dollar payrolls (oh wait that ole luxery tax thing really gets em!) and looks the other way for things like steriod use and HGH. Truely if it were fair everyone would have a similar payroll and we would know the results of this year long "investigation", but its not and we dont. I still love baseball, but I wont be sad to see Selig leave. The guy has zero balls to take a stand on anything.
2007-03-23 06:53:32 · answer #3 · answered by josh_huth 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because, generally, they have existing contracts with other teams. Also, not every player in the major leagues HAS to be drafted, and several minor league teams even hold public tryouts to get fan interest.
To the guy above me, last time I checked, Minor Leaguers who just got drafted don't win rookie of the year in the MLB, either. Rookie simply means 1st year player, and you can be a rookie in every single league you play in.
Also, some Rookies from other countries DO get drafted, but generally it's because they came to the United States to go to college/junior college/HS.
2007-03-23 05:57:14 · answer #4 · answered by Adam C 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If you are foreign and are coming out of college you go through the draft. If you have played on a team in another country then you go to the team that bids the highest for you. And then you have to agree on a contract.
2007-03-23 08:23:13 · answer #5 · answered by Jake 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is an amatuer draft. As far as I know you can only be drafted if you have not played professionally before. That is why it is all college or high school kids in the draft. Anyone who plays pro in another country is considered a free agent.
2007-03-23 06:02:55 · answer #6 · answered by doctorklove07 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is because they are considered free agents instead of prospects. They have been playing pro baseball in a different country as opposed to college or high school like the players in the USA.
2007-03-23 05:57:59 · answer #7 · answered by goldenglover24 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Most if not all of them are not rookies they have played the game in there own country, Matsui, dice-k, wang, Ichiro, the all played for between 5-10 years in there own country.
2007-03-24 18:09:59 · answer #8 · answered by martin d 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are not rookies. They are players with existing contracts in the other countries, and their teams are selling the rights to the highest bidding MLB team to negotiate a contract with that player.
2007-03-23 05:38:00 · answer #9 · answered by d b 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
DB if they aren't rookies then explain to me how Hideki Matsui won the Rookie of the Year Award his first year in the majors??
2007-03-23 05:46:19 · answer #10 · answered by Krepotkin 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋