I asked a pro scout whether the draft round (direct relation to bonus money) matters in terms of opportunities given and was told, absolutely yes. The less the organization has invested in the player the easier it is to let that player go. One could argue the bonus paid is a sunk cost and should not affect future decisions regarding player development, but organizational politics and pride come into play here.
Posts: 31 | Location: USA | Registered: October 29, 2005
It's more than orgainizational pride and politics. Give the scouts their due for picking great players, who BTW have been seen and seen again by men who have some experience evaluating... and believe in their abilty to project.
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Posts: 2525 | Location: Northeast | Registered: December 31, 2002
from my experience, your not really treated any different other than just knowing more people in the organization and guaranteed a starting job pretty much. Now its also an advantage since you generally know more higher ups in the organization. But that only lasts until everyone else meets them. So ya them having enough money invested in you helps. BUT generally the players only consider bonus babies anyone that was in the first two rounds or signed for top 2 round money.From there on down you wont get called a bonus baby unless you say somethin about not having any money.Then you could be in trouble. Thats just my view on the subject.
Posts: 227 | Location: Panama City Beach,Florida | Registered: February 20, 2003
With more money, are they able to buy advantages? Such as living by themselves without a noisy roomate, eating better food, not having to worry game to game that they might get released?
Posts: 42 | Location: Fountain Valley, CA | Registered: August 07, 2005
Well you could benefit by living by yourself, but that would be extremely boring, i room with our 2nd rounder, and its good to have a roomate, less work for you to do and its still cheaper, no point in wasting money, no matter how much you have.
Posts: 227 | Location: Panama City Beach,Florida | Registered: February 20, 2003
One LHP drafted 3rd overall 4 years ago still in the minors. Another drafted a year later early in the 1st round has been playing 2 years as a ML starter.
Heard a scout talking about the 1st guy and they were concerned about his ability at the ML level.
Posts: 4175 | Location: Canada | Registered: October 13, 2005
Tbirds, one humorous observation about high round vs. low round picks. Last summer, I was staying in Peoria, AZ., at the same hotel as all the Rookie league players for one of the American League clubs. After eating the complimentary hotel breakfast, they all went out to their cars to head over to the field.
Five guys piled into a Toyota Corolla. One in each front seat, three in the back. The sixth guy walked over to his brand new, shiny black Escalade with 20" rims and deep tined glass, and drove over by himself. You go figure out which one was enjoying the benefit of being an early round pick.
Posts: 1233 | Location: California | Registered: January 10, 2004
I think another thing about the higher round COLLEGE picks (read 'bonus babies')... quite often they start at a higher level than the high round high school picks or the lower round college picks.
And an additional anecdote about a high round pick and his living accommodations ... while kids like my son and his teammates in the California league were sharing houses with 5 and 6 other players, the Angels' 2004 first round pick, Jared Weaver, bought a condo near the field to live in. And I am sure he was driving a better car than my son and daughter-in-law's 2001 Saturn
Mary Ann * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * "The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Deuteronomy 31:8 [8/21/08]
Posts: 3937 | Location: Somewhere out there beneath the pale moonlight ... | Registered: January 02, 2003
Funny stories. I would wonder or not those first round picks feel any guilt when they see themselves living in such comfort and then seeing their peers piling five to a sedan.
Posts: 42 | Location: Fountain Valley, CA | Registered: August 07, 2005
Originally posted by tbirds: Funny stories. I would wonder or not those first round picks feel any guilt when they see themselves living in such comfort and then seeing their peers piling five to a sedan.
Why should they feel guilty? They worked hard and now being rewarded for it. Isn't this what they all wish for? I could see some humility, but not guilt. JMO
Posts: 10774 | Location: South Florida | Registered: July 28, 2003
If you work hard and make millions of dollars, but then see homeless people begging for food in the street, do you still feel guilty even if you deserve your money?
Same idea to the extreme.
Posts: 42 | Location: Fountain Valley, CA | Registered: August 07, 2005
For the most part, the money does not seem to change players, from my son's experience. Of all the players my son has contacted, only one has ever even mentioned his contract/bonus. One of the nicest/most generous of all the players was a #1 pick. Got tons of promotional gloves, shoes, etc and was looking to give it to players who did not get similar treatment. While it is true that the "bonus babies" are provided every chance to succeed, they are also under a tremendous amount of pressure to perform. That should never be underestimated. Players who get drafted are very competitive and are used to succeeding. None of them react well when they enounter "failure" whether they are a "bonus baby" or "filler." If you have received a huge "signing bonus" your failures get a lot more publicity and the "expectations" within the organization are far higher.
'You don't have to be a great player to play in the major leagues, you've got to be a good one every day.'
Posts: 2052 | Location: ca | Registered: February 11, 2003
Packing into that little car is part of the "joys" of the minor leagues. My son and two teammates purchased a 1991 "Red Rocket" with 300,000 miles when they arrived in Lansing. Split 3 ways with insurance, the total cost was about $300 per person for the season. As he describes it, when they had 4-5 people in it, you felt pretty cool. When you were driving it alone, "cool" was the opposite end of the spectrum. Even with other options, a lot of his teammates loved the choice of being in the "Rocket." The "Rocket" gave them a bit of "celebrity" so to speak.
'You don't have to be a great player to play in the major leagues, you've got to be a good one every day.'
Posts: 2052 | Location: ca | Registered: February 11, 2003
....nice post AHSpitcher17
When you were driving it alone, "cool" was the opposite end of the spectrum. 
Even with other options, a lot of his teammates loved the choice of being in the "Rocket." The "Rocket" gave them a bit of "celebrity" so to speak. 
