This may not be a big deal, but as I was reading Lane Meyer of Nomaas’s excellent interview with Damon Oppenheimer, director of scouting for the Yankees, this response jumped out at me:
Lane Meyer: Last we spoke there were no budgetary constraints vs. prior years due to the economy or other things like signing CC, Tex, and AJ. Is that still the case?Damon Oppenheimer: As we speak right now I’ve been given a budget and it’s got a ceiling to it, but we’ll see what happens. I haven’t dealt with a solid budget number like this before and things have changed a little now, but we’ll deal with it and still pick the best available players that we feel we can sign. I still think we’ll have some flexibility and won’t be completely locked in to everything, but there are possibly a few more budgetary constraints this year than there have been in the past, and I think I’m going to have to make some decisions that are based on that.
It seems that the current economic situation, combined with this offseason’s free agent bonanza, could potentially limit the Yankees’ ability to spend on the draft this year. It is unclear what the proposed ceiling will be, but I imagine it won’t prevent the Yankees from going overslot on at least a few of their draft choices, including the 1st-rounder. I am hoping that finances won’t cause the Yanks to shy away from a Donovan Tate, Grant Green, or Matt Purke in the first round if they are available, and that they will be able to recognize that a multi-million dollar bonus is a relatively small price to pay for a potential star.
That said, as a fan of the Yankees and someone who follows the draft closely, it seems that even the Yankees have to face reality. I always have hoped that Oppenheimer, with a virtually limitless budget, would make it rain on the draft, handing out overslot bonuses to expensive, high-ceiling talent in every round, and in one fell swoop, filling the Yankee farm system with future superstars. As we follow this year’s draft, and maybe we see the Yankees pass on a big-name kid with million-dollar bonus demands for a reliable college player who signs for slot, perhaps we can empathize somewhat with fans of small-market teams, who often base their entire drafts on signability.
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9 Responses to Per Oppenheimer, Yankees will have fixed draft budget this year
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TIQ IQ
I wonder if the pressure to “budget” the draft was brought upon by internal forces or perhaps the recommendation by Selig that teams should walk a certain line. I would guess that latter. Even with the big signings of the off-season we did not dramatically increase payroll. I think Cash and company realize the advantage of spending on the draft. In the end though, I’m left to wonder how Selig’s framework is to play out. What do you think will happen if a team ignores his guidance?
Don’t buy into this Eric. I’m sure they’re saying what Bud wants to hear, and establishing a negotiating position heading into the season of talks with prospective draftees. If they draft a guy that they really like, they’ll find the money for him. Top guys always get their money, if this will affect anyone it would be the Brett Marshall types who get drafted later and receive big packages.
Hope Oppenheimer stays away from the 5’11-6′ “power” pitchers this time.
At what point do people seriously start questioning Opp?
“I always have hoped that Oppenheimer, with a virtually limitless budget, would make it rain on the draft, handing out overslot bonuses to expensive, high-ceiling talent in every round, and in one fell swoop, filling the Yankee farm system with future superstars.”
Let’s remember, the Yanks not only pay overslot, but probably blow other team’s scouting budget away as well. So with all of these advantages, why is the farm system mediocre? I think he is getting a pass.
The farm system was rated 5th last season. They graduated a bunch of players and had their first round pick screw them over this year, and only dropped to 15th. Not bad at all.
Moshe,
Todd has a point. The system has not been as good as it should be and we should expect more. On the other hand, Todd, we pick at the end of the rounds so one cannot expect miracles.
It has not been perfect. But as I said, it was ranked 5th last year. That suggests someone is doing something right. It is way too early to judge the system from 2007 that was ranked that way, but with Joba and Hughes, that’s already a nice start.
it could definitely be acting in the face of old man selig’s rules. we didn’t raise payroll that much (and is projected to decrease) and we did just move into a ballpark that generates much more revenue even if the seats close to home plate don’t sell out.
MLB generates so much money, why are they “restricting” the money paid out to prospects? would bud rather it stay in the wealth’s possession? it isn’t like it is going to charities otherwise…
Baseball is a business after all, some owners are having (and been having) money problems on the private side. Keeping this in mind, owners want to keep some of the money to offset their own coffers. There are a few owners that never have spent money on the team, they keep a lot of it for themselves…that’s business.
The Yankees are not going to let Bud tell them how to run the team or the draft. The next three years are Cashmans/Hals legacy, if one thinks they will let any outside force keep them from showing how well they can do their job…well, it ain’t gonna happen folks!
I see them spending what ever it takes but, with some restraint and caution in with who they pick.