I'm talking about the reaction to drafting Anderson last year. Everyone has concluded that he must not have been the guy we really thought was BPA there because we paid him under slot. It's a pretty lazy analysis of it, but if that is true, then as long as we pay slot money for the player we draft, everyone should assume it is BPA and be fine with it.
this might be helpful.
http://m.mlb.com/news/article/183906...bonus-tracker/
Important to remember that Rutherford was slipping last year at this time as well. The Yankees had to go over slot to get him, which also caused Rutherford to drop, but there were several red flags on Rutherford (older for HS grad foremost among them) that pushed a lot of scouts away from him.
The reaction was that he wasn't considered by anyone to be the BPA at that pick. It was blatantly clear to any non-homer that the Braves picked him to save money to sign Wentz and Muller over slot. Please note, this does not mean I hate Ian Anderson, so stop yourself before you even start to write a response along those lines.
Obviously the Braves stated he was their top choice...what the hell else were they going to say?
It is comical that posi-Braves still want to discuss the Anderson pick as if he was anything other than BCPA (best cheap player available).
There are two options:
1) The Braves really liked Anderson, felt he was as good a pick or better than anyone else at 3 (which could be supported by his age and helium, as they value youth and recent performance), and got the added bonus of bonus savings that let them get other guys they really liked. (BPA and also BCPPA)
2) The Braves liked Anderson, and even though there were a few guys they thought were better options at 3, took him because of the bonus savings that allowed them to get other guys they really liked. (solely BCPA)
In either of those scenarios, they would have saved the same amount of money and said publicly that Anderson was their top choice. I have said that I honestly have no idea which is true but that both are possible. You have said that #2 is clearly true and only morons could believe #1, despite the fact that it is absolutely possible.
Your only real evidence to support this is his bonus. Which would be the same in either scenario.
Tapate50 (05-10-2017)
It's pretty simple. Anderson and his camp undoubtedly knew where he was projected. Even if the Braves legitimately believed he was the BPA, it doesn't change the fact that consensus rankings (and probably what Anderson was hearing from other teams) told them they were unlikely to be picked near 3 if the Braves passed. So the negotiations go something like, 'You can either take $4 million from us at 3, or you can demand more and we'll take someone else.' Knowing they were taking their chances on falling outside the top 10 and not getting near the $4 million, what are you going to do?
They didn't have a ton of leverage. So when the Braves come calling with quite a bit more than the slot where you're projected to go, it's not a time to get greedy with your demands.
And if all of that is true then your #2 scenario is most likely what really went down. In the end it doesn't matter. What happened, happened. But most people agree that the Braves didn't pick BPA and simply picked someone closer to 10 overall so they could do better later in the draft. There is nothing wrong with that. I just don't buy the Braves FO saying he was BPA. Only FO homers think that's true.
Not at all. You certainly tell Anderson's camp that this is your offer and you won't pay more, whether you are prepared to take someone else or not. It's a negotiation. The bottom line is, Anderson's pre-draft rank had him in line to get about $3 million. When the Braves call and offer $4 million, you don't sit and haggle because the #3 pick should get more than that. You say, oh great, and you take it.
That still does not mean the Braves didn't believe he was BPA. They're not dumb. They also knew where he was ranked, so it would make no sense for them to call and offer more when they likely knew it wouldn't take more.
I am fine if someone doesn't buy that Anderson was BPA. It's certainly possible he wasn't. But it's also absolutely possible that he was. To draw a line in the sand and state that he clearly wasn't and only morons think he was is asinine.
mfree80 (05-10-2017)
the only other thing I would add is that the rankings people were actually pretty high on his tools and numerous outlets said the Braves really liked him in pre-draft coverage. It's not that big of a stretch to think that Atlanta liked him the best of the pitchers available.
Well, I'd also add that Anderson is performing as well as any of the draftees, so the complaint is that the Braves saved money by picking a player that everyone agrees they really liked that is performing very well. This is a complaint?
I'll add this. The Braves could have signed Puk, or Groome, or Lewis, or Rutherford for the same amount of money they signed Anderson and probably were well aware of that.