Expansion draft scenario

[vannzee]

This is something that I like to do every year. I know that it is not realistic but it can be an interesting way to pass the time.

 

What if the MLB was looking to expand?

 

Each team, provided they stick by past years, could protect 15 players from their organization. Those 15 players can not be pending free agents, but can be arbitrational eligible. The 15 players do NOT need to be on the 40 man roster. Prospects within their 1st two proseasons are exempt and not eligible for protection or selection.

 

Have fun.

[sveumrules]

Pitchers: Guerra, Davies, Thornburg

Infield: Arcia, Villar

Outfield: Braun, Broxton, Santana

Prospects: Hader, Brinson.

 

Those ten seem like easy calls for me. On the Major League side I'd have Perez, Torres, Nelson & Peralta in consideration for those last five protects along with prospects like Woodruff, Ortiz, Bickford & Diaz.

[And That]

Would Braun be eligible for the draft? Not sure how his no-trade clause would affect that.

[Matt Breen]

Would Braun be eligible for the draft? Not sure how his no-trade clause would affect that.

In the past, if a player had no trade protection a team had to include him on their protected list. Of course, that could change, but that's how it has been done if the past, if I recall correctly.

[vannzee]

Would Braun be eligible for the draft? Not sure how his no-trade clause would affect that.

In the past, if a player had no trade protection a team had to include him on their protected list. Of course, that could change, but that's how it has been done if the past, if I recall correctly.

 

I would assume that the players union would make you honor that

[MNBrew]

That's what the NHL is enforcing for the Las Vegas expansion draft. There are some players/contracts teams would love to expose, but the league & PA agreed that no-movement clauses are just as applicable to the expansion draft situation.

[Roderick]

Assuming after a player is drafted that the team gets to protect another X amount of players from the draft. I would leave the catchers unprotected and then protect them when our first player is drafted. If that isn't the case, then keep Susac over Diplan.

 

P: Davies, Guerra, Thornburg, Hader, Woodruff, Ortiz, Bickford, Diplan

 

IF: Arcia, Villar, Diaz

OF: Braun (have to), Broxton, Santana, Brinson,

 

Edit: If don't have to protect Bickford, then I will protect Phillips.

[Oldcity]

Are prospects even eligible for an expansion draft? It seems like it would be unfair to allow an expansion team to take top prospects/force teams to use up their protections for players who aren't even on their MLB roster.

[Outlander]

They have been in the past. Usually there is a couple of year grace period so a guy like Corey Ray or Trent Clark couldn't get drafted.

[MrTPlush]

Are prospects even eligible for an expansion draft? It seems like it would be unfair to allow an expansion team to take top prospects/force teams to use up their protections for players who aren't even on their MLB roster.

 

Sounds like having a super competitive team when an expansion draft comes around is a total nightmare. Can you imagine being the Cubs and only allowed to protect 10 players? Yikes. A big reason why I don't want to see expansion. We don't need it, the support won't be there, and some teams will be hurt pretty bad losing valuable players.

[sveumrules]

The support wont be there from whom? The players, the owners or the fans?

 

I would guess the players would be in support, that is 50 more MLB jobs. Majority of the owners would be in favor I think. Assuming a billion dollar franchise fee times two teams is about 65 million each for the 30 existing franchises. Baseball seems to have 30 regional fanbases moreso than it has one national fanbase so I'd imagine existing baseball fans in whatever cities were receiving expansion franchises would be pretty excited.

[And That]

Manfred has said on a number of occasions that expansion if off the table until the A's and Rays' stadium situations are resolved.

 

That said, expansion is inevitable. I agree with sveumrules about the support from the players and owners. Have to think owners would happily pocket the franchise fees in return for risk of losing the 16th best player in their organization.

 

Finding the right fanbases is the biggest test, because fanbases aren't a given to be a success in the long term. MLB doesn't need to be in a hurry to expand, and once the Oakland/Tampa stadium issues are resolved, I imagine MLB will be methodical about finding the appropriate places to expand. My guess is that expansion doesn't happen for 6-8 years at the closest. But it will happen.

[rwa12]

[sarcasm]The answer to this is obvious, you only protect one...Garza. The rest of the league will think we know something that they don't. His value will skyrocket, and we send him to the Nationals for Harper and Strasburg (assuming Dave Stewart becomes the new GM of the Nats)[/sarcasm]

[And That]

Assuming that they do not have to protect Braun and that 2015 draftees do not have to be protected, here are the 15 guys I would protect:

 

SS: O. Arcia, I. Diaz, G. Lara, J. Villar

OF: L. Brinson, D. Santana, B. Phillips, K. Broxton

SP: Z. Davies, J. Hader, P. Bickford, B. Woodruff, L. Ortiz, M. Diplan, F. Peralta

RP: T. Thornburg

 

If they did have to protect Braun, I'd drop Peralta.

[MrTPlush]

The support wont be there from whom? The players, the owners or the fans?

 

I would guess the players would be in support, that is 50 more MLB jobs. Majority of the owners would be in favor I think. Assuming a billion dollar franchise fee times two teams is about 65 million each for the 30 existing franchises. Baseball seems to have 30 regional fanbases moreso than it has one national fanbase so I'd imagine existing baseball fans in whatever cities were receiving expansion franchises would be pretty excited.

 

Fans mostly. There are enough teams that don't draw and get horrible support. Believe me I understand why the players and owners want it. I also understand it will happen so enough, but I don't like the idea when I have a hard time seeing any new city having fans come out in masses. Maybe Montreal/Vancouver or some other major international city could do it, but I doubt it.

[Austin Tatious]

It would be interesting to know what cities are in line for expansion. Maybe Charlotte? That region is growing so I'd have that at the top of the list. You take a look at some markets that are in the NFL like Indianapolis. I doubt they'd get a team. That would canibalize into the Reds, Cubs, and Cardinal fan bases since big league clubs rely on regional fans making the trek. The Reds, for example, draw into West Virginia, Kentucky, and Indiana. St Louis draws into Arkansas, Missouri, Indiana, Iowa.

 

Montreal already failed. Vancouver is small, and bombed with the NBA. San Antone? Nashville? New Orleans? It's hard to see them as markets to avidly support 81 home games per year. Mexico City?

[MrTPlush]

It would be interesting to know what cities are in line for expansion. Maybe Charlotte? That region is growing so I'd have that at the top of the list. You take a look at some markets that are in the NFL like Indianapolis. I doubt they'd get a team. That would canibalize into the Reds, Cubs, and Cardinal fan bases since big league clubs rely on regional fans making the trek. The Reds, for example, draw into West Virginia, Kentucky, and Indiana. St Louis draws into Arkansas, Missouri, Indiana, Iowa.

 

Montreal already failed. Vancouver is small, and bombed with the NBA. San Antone? Nashville? New Orleans? It's hard to see them as markets to avidly support 81 home games per year. Mexico City?

 

Maybe Oklahoma City? Maaaybe San Antonio.

 

Any other place is assured failure. Indianapolis/Charlotte it is. Expansion seems a lot harder than a lot make it seem. What team is going to happily let a team right up close to them? Even with the two best possibilities the Cubs and Braves are going to have huge fits if it is proposed.

[adambr2]

Very tough calls. I'd protect Villar, Broxton, Guerra, Davies, Thornburg, Arcia, Brinson, Hader, Ortiz, and Diaz for sure. With a gun to my head, my last 5 would probably be Woodruff, Santana, Phillips, Diplan, and Susac. I would not protect Braun. Given that he cleared waivers in August it does not seem that teams are generally interested in his contract and I think that would definitely be true of an expansion team rebuilding off the bat.

[1992casey]

FWIW, Wikipedia has good information on the 1997 and 1992 expansion drafts.

 

In 1997, all players in each organization were subject to the draft unless protected. In 1992, teams could protect 15 players. Players chosen in the 1991 and 1992 drafts, along with players from the 1990 draft who were 18 or younger when signed, were automatically protected. The article doesn't mention international signees who weren't subject to the draft.

 

Wikipedia details about who was protected in the 1976, 1968, and 1961 drafts are sketchy. In the 1960 draft, teams made seven players from their 25-man rosters (as of Aug. 31) and eight others from their 40-man rosters available.

 

As a bit of trivia, because the Mets and Colt .45s were so bad over their first two seasons, the National League held a supplemental expansion draft in 1963. Four players from each established team's 40-man roster were made available, and each expansion team chose eight players.

 

One thing to keep in mind is that in previous drafts, additional players were protected after each round. In 1997, teams could protect three more players after the first round. I believe they could protect an additional three players after the second round.

 

Also keep in mind that since this is a mock draft, vannzee gets to set the rules.

[Matt Breen]

According to Vanzee's rules, players who have only two years of experience are ineligible to be drafted. So no one should have to protect Clark, Ray, Erceg, Bickford, Lara or Ponce.

[Matt Breen]

My list of 15 guys:

 

Major Leaguers: Villar, Arcia, Braun (assuming you have to), Santana, Davies, Guerra, Thornburg

Minor Leaguers: Brinson, Hader, Ortiz,, I. Diaz, Diplan, Woodruff

 

I have two spots left, and probably protect Brett Phillips and Keon Broxton. But I would consider Jimmy Nelson.

[And That]

According to Vanzee's rules, players who have only two years of experience are ineligible to be drafted. So no one should have to protect Clark, Ray, Erceg, Bickford, Lara or Ponce.

You're right on Bickford, but I considered Lara to be part of the 2014 class.

[vannzee]

FWIW, Wikipedia has good information on the 1997 and 1992 expansion drafts.

 

In 1997, all players in each organization were subject to the draft unless protected. In 1992, teams could protect 15 players. Players chosen in the 1991 and 1992 drafts, along with players from the 1990 draft who were 18 or younger when signed, were automatically protected. The article doesn't mention international signees who weren't subject to the draft.

 

Wikipedia details about who was protected in the 1976, 1968, and 1961 drafts are sketchy. In the 1960 draft, teams made seven players from their 25-man rosters (as of Aug. 31) and eight others from their 40-man rosters available.

 

As a bit of trivia, because the Mets and Colt .45s were so bad over their first two seasons, the National League held a supplemental expansion draft in 1963. Four players from each established team's 40-man roster were made available, and each expansion team chose eight players.

 

One thing to keep in mind is that in previous drafts, additional players were protected after each round. In 1997, teams could protect three more players after the first round. I believe they could protect an additional three players after the second round.

 

Also keep in mind that since this is a mock draft, vannzee gets to set the rules.

 

I was trying to follow the old rules while keeping it as simple as possible.