None of this is surprising - but you ought to read it if you haven't already.

The important thing is that we keep these third-world ruffians from making too much money too soon. Giving a large sum to the wrong kind of person, regardless of their deservedness or market, is a recipe for disaster. Best to keep the money with the right sort of person in the short term; I'm sure the unwashed peasantry will thank MLB in the long run.

Seems all the loopholes stated are, "HOW MUCH CAN THE CURRENT BUSCONES MAKE MONEY?"

The important thing is that we keep these third-world ruffians from making too much money too soon. Giving a large sum to the wrong kind of person, regardless of their deservedness or market, is a recipe for disaster. Best to keep the money with the right sort of person in the short term; I'm sure the unwashed peasantry will thank MLB in the long run.

Jeffrey Loria is happy to hold the cash.

Yes, we've replaced the buscones with the more well-groomed, but equally penurious Budscones.

why aren't international players subject to the draft? It would seem to limit the shenanigans.

I also wonder if a junior draft might eliminate all this foolishness. Teams could draft kids in the age range of 14-16, every kid drafted gets some fixed amount per year for training costs until they turn 17. That would cut buscones out of the picture entirely and reduce incentives to game ages, but fund a system that would continue to develop and motivate young talent. The cost should be as low as possible so teams can invest in many players, but high enough to ensure that players are getting reasonable training and compensation. My guess is something like $25k per year in comp, along with an educational requirement, and team loses rights without comp if they drop the kid before age 17, and he can go back into the next draft.

At 17 there would need to be some system to give teams the opportunity to keep their rights as long as the player gets paid something approaching a fair deal. The hard part is striking a balance between servitude and total freedom. Obviosly the servitude of a minimum minor league deal would not work, it would be fought by the playes, esp. top prospects and open the door for buscones to game the system. but total freedom is worse, because if teams can't benefit they won't invest in players..

I think a balanced approach would be to make the kids restricted free agents. The team with their rights has a right of first refusal to match another teams offer, or to be repaid their investment by the MLB team that signs them, or 25% of the contract value.. So if a team drafts a 14 year old stud, funds 4 years of academy/school/wages, and the kid ends up being offered a $3m signing bonus by another MLB team, if the rights holder does not match it, they can elect to take $750k in compensation from thebsigning team. That should be enough "tax" on offers to ensure the developmental organization should rarely lose a top prospect, keep offers from getting too extreme, but still ensuring players get good deals.

If the player doesn't get any other offers, and doesn't like his teams fifer, he should be allowed to enter the draft. That endures his team can't entirely lowball him, orang gives him a chance to switch organizations if he wants.

why aren't international players subject to the draft?

Might be difficult since MLB is not exempt from the anti-trust laws of those other countries.

why aren't international players subject to the draft?

Might be difficult since MLB is not exempt from the anti-trust laws of those other countries.

It is also not subject to those laws.