"I am a victim, I will tell you. I am a victim."
"I am your retribution."
Jaw (11-14-2017)
Agreed. So MLB is stuck in a bad place.
On the one hand they made Boston forfeit players, so to remain consistent they have to do the same with the Braves. On the other hand, once a 2nd batch of players are allowed to get paid twice, suddenly a whole bunch of other players may decide to seize the opportunity to do the same thing.
MLB needs to fix this long term, not just make an example of the Braves in some naive hope it will make other teams behave.
DirkPiggler (11-19-2017)
Albies was a top fifty prospect (higher than that by some scouts), so he's not really a good example compared to the guys signed this past July. I don't recall seeing any of them in any of the pre-J2 write-ups. That doesn't mean that none of them would ever develop, but from first glance, there isn't that much there.
I don't think this is about the 2017 J2 class at all. I was answering a question posed by someone else from my comment that if they did void the 2017 international signings, we probably wouldn't be losing too much.
I doubt they do much of anything going back unless it was something really egregious. Guys have been signed and have a year in the system. I think the penalties will go forward into the 2018 draft and international signing period. Probably similar to what the Cards got and some stringent international constraints.
It absolutely would. Punishing us equal to our crime wouldn't send a message to other teams. It would still largely be in teams' best interests to cheat. By hammering us MLB could send a message and change the calculus of other teams.
It would be entirely unfair but makes a degree of sense.
The problem with going back and declaring a bunch of guys free agents (from the 2016 international signing period) is how MLB would roll that out? Would the bonuses be charged to the 2018 pool amounts or would there be no pool constraints at all. If it's the latter, the guys who become free agents all end up with big market teams and I can't see that being a good thing for MLB. Like I've said before, this whole situation should be Exhibit A in why an international draft is needed.
The problem I have with striker42's point is that the other owners likely won't go along with it. As he said, it would give the Commissioner's Office a hammer that they would employ at will, which may be used arbitrarily. I don't think the owners would want that.
Last edited by 50PoundHead; 11-14-2017 at 07:17 PM.
jpx7 (11-14-2017)
Team has to be called the "Cobb County Devil Braves" for two years, all uniforms are dyed washing-machine-color-bleed pink, bells are attached to all team cleats, and Chipper Jones has his twitter privileges revoked.
"For all his tattooings he was on the whole a clean, comely looking cannibal."
As long as we keep Maitan, and our 2018 1st, let the chips fall after that.
Hudson2 (11-14-2017)
Extremely unlikely.
The MLB hasn't been shy in disciplining their "sacred cows" before. The Sox had to forfeit the signings of two pretty heralded prospects a couple years back and I believe were given some restrictions on Intl spending (not sure about a fine).
I just don't see us losing Maitan. Hell I even think a 1st round pick forfeiture is a long shot to be honest.
I thought the insinuation was that the Braves were signing non prospects or light prospects from particular international "agents" to improve their situation with the players they really wanted like Maitan and the kid who is coming onto the market in a bit.
Basically, signing guys that probably won't ever amount to anything as bribes.
I don't guess invalidating the J2 class from 2017 would really have much effect if that is really what they did. The only way to punish the conduct would either to be to ban the Braves from signing the prized prospect or invalidating prospects they can show were acquired that way. That's concerning, but maybe hard to establish.
That's why I think the most likely penalty is going to include driving the Braves out of the international conversation for a time. Given they are already in the penalty box, I think it would be extended and perhaps broadened.
Invalidating prospects is also possible but seems problematic.
It’s leaning more towards Maitan everyday it seems. If the investigation is over then what are they waiting on?
If they take Maitan from us then we should invite Manfred to Atlanta and declare it souvenir brick night while we invite him on the field. Seriously if he takes Maitan I hope Manfred drops dead.