Astros FA Frustrated with New International System

[Vanimal46]

Cionel Perez, a 20 year old Cuban who recently signed with the Houston Astros for $2 million, wrote a letter to MLB and MLBPA explaining his frustration with the new international system. 

“I am happy to begin my professional career but I feel abused by this system."

Perez said the Orioles were willing to offer him a major league contract worth $10 million had he been exempt from the bonus pools. However, players subject to the international bonus pools are required to sign minor league contracts, so they are prohibited from signing major league deals.

 

Much more at the link. 

[Mike Sixel]

Heh, the comments are predictably "he's rich, why is he whining"....sigh.

[Vanimal46]

 

Heh, the comments are predictably "he's rich, why is he whining"....sigh.

 

Yeah, it's sad, really... Not really seeing the forest through the trees. It's not the fact that he gets paid $2 million to play the game he loves. The problem is his market value was $10 million, right now. But because of the new international cap rule, he gets 20% of his market value. 

[biggentleben]

 

Yeah, it's sad, really... Not really seeing the forest through the trees. It's not the fact that he gets paid $2 million to play the game he loves. The problem is his market value was $10 million, right now. But because of the new international cap rule, he gets 20% of his market value. 

 

He doesn't have new international rules applied to him. He was under the previous rules from the last CBA. The new international rules come into affect with the 2017-2018 signing period.

[Vanimal46]

 

He doesn't have new international rules applied to him. He was under the previous rules from the last CBA. The new international rules come into affect with the 2017-2018 signing period.

Ah that's my mistake. So he took the $2 million because he initially agreed to a contract with them that was voided, and because of that, the Astros have to put him on the 40 man as soon as 2018? 

[Intramural Legend]

 

Yeah, it's sad, really... Not really seeing the forest through the trees. It's not the fact that he gets paid $2 million to play the game he loves. The problem is his market value was $10 million, right now. But because of the new international cap rule, he gets 20% of his market value. 

 

Couldn't any player subject to the draft make a similar argument?  

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Yeah, it's sad, really... Not really seeing the forest through the trees. It's not the fact that he gets paid $2 million to play the game he loves. The problem is his market value was $10 million, right now. But because of the new international cap rule, he gets 20% of his market value. 

 

But, that $10 mil "market value" figure is actually inflated because of other MLB signing rules.  It's based on Perez hypothetically being exempt, but a whole ton of other amateurs, both international and domestic, having their signing ability restricted.

 

And like Ben pointed out above, it's not a particularly new rule.  The exemption age has been 23 since 2012, I think.  It will go up to 25 next year, per the new agreement.  Perez at age 20 wouldn't meet either threshold.

[Vanimal46]

 

Couldn't any player subject to the draft make a similar argument?  

Yeah, for sure. I think some of them do.... Lance McCullers comes to mind where his agent told teams don't bother drafting him unless you pay him above the draft slot. 

[nicksaviking]

Right, this issue has been dealt with in the form of the new international signing rules, too bad for him it happened a year late, but it has been addressed. However I think it's presumptuous for him to assume he would have gotten the $4M (his $2M contract + the $2M tax the Astros paid for going over their signing pool). The Astros may have seen that extra $2M tax as the price of doing business but may not have given it to the player if that wasn't what they valued him at. 

 

Still wish there would have been a draft with draft pools similar to the Rule 4 pools.

 

 

[Otto von Ballpark]

The main thrust of the article is actually a very specific thing.  Perez signed with the Astros for $5 mil a couple months ago, then after a physical they were able to void his contract.  But players who previously had a contract with an MLB club are exempt from bonus pool restrictions.  Perez is arguing that his voided contract should put him in that exemption group.

 

But of course, MLB says a voided contract means you weren't ever really under contract.  And apparently Perez has accepted that fact, judging by his new contract with the Astros.

 

Really doesn't have anything to do with his age or the new rules, specifically.

[Otto von Ballpark]

At least thanks to the original voided contract and then re-signing with the same club, Perez will now either be placed on the 40-man roster next winter, or he will be subject to the Rule 5 draft.  So he'll have a quicker path to the majors.  That benefits him (although perhaps not as much as the additional $3 mil in bonus money would have benefitted him!).

[Intramural Legend]

 

Yeah, for sure. I think some of them do.... Lance McCullers comes to mind where his agent told teams don't bother drafting him unless you pay him above the draft slot. 

 

Or for that matter, any player with under 6 years of service time!  

[Thrylos]

I'd love to be abused by the system at the rate of $2 million too.

 

Where do I sign up?

[ashbury]

Where do I sign up?

You don't. Unless you have some mad baseball skills you haven't told us about.

 

That is where his complaint with the new system probably starts. Supply and demand, and somebody is artificially putting a damper on the demand.