We could pick up four draft picks!

[dunner13]

From what I understand about the way losing free agents works now is that if they are a Type A free agent then you get two draft picks for them. Both picks coming within the first two rounds. Rich Aurilla and David Weathers are both Type A Free agents ( yeh it surprised me to) which means in next years draft we would have our normal picks then 4 more in the first two rounds, assuming that we dont resign either one. Looks like aurilla is gone for sure, and I think Weathers will be to. This will be a really good chance for wayne to start rebuilding our minor leagues and adding some studs to go with bailey, bruce, stubbs and wood.

[joshnky]

From what I understand about the way losing free agents works now is that if they are a Type A free agent then you get two draft picks for them. Both picks coming within the first two rounds. Rich Aurilla and David Weathers are both Type A Free agents ( yeh it surprised me to) which means in next years draft we would have our normal picks then 4 more in the first two rounds, assuming that we dont resign either one. Looks like aurilla is gone for sure, and I think Weathers will be to. This will be a really good chance for wayne to start rebuilding our minor leagues and adding some studs to go with bailey, bruce, stubbs and wood.

I believe we have to offer them arbitration in order to receive draft pick compensation.

[George Anderson]

I believe we have to offer them arbitration in order to receive draft pick compensation.

If thats the case I would say its a no brainer not to offer arbitration. Is there any reason you wouldnt?? Worse case scenario is they end up back on the team which isnt all bad.

[joshnky]

If thats the case I would say its a no brainer not to offer arbitration. Is there any reason you wouldnt?? Worse case scenario is they end up back on the team which isnt all bad.

Worse case scenario is the player wins in arbitration and then you're forced to overpay for an aging player coming off a good year. As a small market team, thats not smart business.

[M2]

They may be signed before the team even has to make the arbitration offer. I want to say the team has until Dec. 19 to do that.

Though since both should get multi-year deals, I see no danger in offering them arbitration. There's something like zero chance that they'll accept it. Add Scott Schoeneweis to that list too. He's supposedly talking multi-year deals. He's a Type B, so the signing team wouldn't lose a draft pick on him, though the Reds would gain a supplementals pick. So the club should have seven picks in Rounds 1 and 2 next year.

[Red Leader]

I actually think in both of these cases, the Reds have nothing to lose by offering arbitration to both of them. Sure, you may have to settle for Weathers at a slightly inflated rate.

I think both would end up declining arbitration and electing to remain free agents.

[joshnky]

Will the new system discourage other teams from signing free agents. It seems to me that a team might be hesitant to sign David Weathers for a premium and then have to give up a first round pick as well. I'm sure somone will do it but I wonder if a few bidders might be scared off.

[redsmetz]

We had this discussion a few days ago and I figured if one or the other signs elsewhere, it's just procedural, but someone suggested that if they sign before the arbitration deadline, the draft picks are automatically ours. That would make sense.

I agree this can be a way for the Reds to restock their minor league system. It's the philosophy of Billy Beane, isn't it? If you don't trade them, get the draft picks. Doesn't he occasionally take flyers on possible free agents that way? Am I understanding that correctly?

[M2]

Will the new system discourage other teams from signing free agents. It seems to me that a team might be hesitant to sign David Weathers for a premium and then have to give up a first round pick as well. I'm sure somone will do it but I wonder if a few bidders might be scared off.

Looks to me like teams are spending like drunken sailors and consequences be damned. Weathers should easily be able to pick up two years for at least $3.5M a season.

[dunner13]

Even if weathers did accept arbitration we could easily trade him, probably get a good prospect out of it to.

[Highlifeman21]

Even if weathers did accept arbitration we could easily trade him, probably get a good prospect out of it to.

Absolute myth.

[RedsManRick]

FWIW, both Gonzalez and Stanton are type B guys, so we stand to lose a few as well.

[M2]

FWIW, both Gonzalez and Stanton are type B guys, so we stand to lose a few as well.

Type B doesn't cost the signing team any picks. It just awards a sandwich pick to the player's former club.

[Red Leader]

Type B doesn't cost the signing team any picks. It just awards a sandwich pick to the player's former club.

Correct. As of now, we haven't lost any draft picks.

I'm not sure if that's good or bad.

[paulrichjr]

I believe we have to offer them arbitration in order to receive draft pick compensation.

This has been discussed on other threads but the Giants in years past have been known to purposely sign free agents before the arbitration deadline so that they would automatically LOSE their first round choice. The Giants in years past felt that paying $3 million for a guy unproven was foolish. Omar Vizquel is an example of this very thing. They signed him before the deadline even though everyone knew that Cleveland was not going to resign him and not offer arbitration. Cleveland lucked out and got the pick.

In this market Aurilla and Weathers will get a job and we will offer arbitration. The only concern that I have is that we will not get a pick if the Giants sign Aurilla because their record was in the bottom half of the league and those teams don't lose their choice.

Type B free agents means that we will not lose a choice by signing those but the team that lost them will get an extra pick.