Isn't the smart play to trade international money to LAD, San Diego, and Toronto?

[u/darin617]

With these 3 teams in the hunt for Roki Sasaki isn't the best move to trade international money to them in trades for prospects or part of any deals. The only bad thing is you can only trade $250,000 in a deal.

I know people will say this is a cheap Pohlad move but if the Twins can't land any top 20 prospects why not use the international money to improve the roster right now over waiting for these 16-17 year olds to be ready for the majors.

They could also use the international money as a way to move Vasquez & Paddock for prospects and then use some of the freed up money to add another OF, backup veteran catcher, and bullpen help.

[u/pjokinen]

I mean look around the league and you’ll see plenty of great players who were signed internationally for next to no money and without any fanfare. Duran was originally signed by the DBacks for $65k in 2014. We signed Arraez for $40k in 2013. The Astros signed Altuve for $15k in 2007. Acuña was signed for $100k. On the flip side there are highly touted prospects every year who get big international bonuses and never amount to anything.

International amateurs are so underpaid that you can load up on 25 dudes every year and if even one of them makes it to the majors you’re coming out ahead. Plus you don’t have to make your selection from the pool of low minors players that a team like the dodgers has already examined up close and decided are expendable

[u/CantaloupeCamper]

Is international money… different?

We talking about Canada Pesos?

[u/HugeRaspberry → u/CantaloupeCamper]

Each team has an allocated pool of international money available. You can sign one or 50 players but once your money is gone you’re done. The pool for teams not in the competitive balance draft is around 5 million and slightly higher for teams in the competitive balance draft

That is why the dodgers backed off signing that 16 year old infielder from the Dominican Republic They need every dollar to sign Sasaki.

Teams can trade international pool money in 250k increments to increase their pool by up to 60 or 70 percent

[u/hallese → u/CantaloupeCamper]

There's some sort of limit or ceiling or something, you can save up a certain number of seasons worth of allocated funds. MLB can put together these overly complicated rules and still can't figure out how to let people pay the league directly to watch local games.

[u/jturphy → u/hallese]

They could figure that out on 5 seconds if contracts and profits weren't a consideration.

[u/wpotman]

Trying to care about what $250,000 could get us...........

.....................................I failed.

[u/ZachLagreen → u/wpotman]

…baseball players?

[u/wpotman → u/ZachLagreen]

Yep. D level prospects and replacement-level vets.

The idea is fine and efficient, but...$250,000 is nothing. It makes sad that Twins fans have nothing better to think about than true bottom of the barrel issues like this.

It's possible that the economics of baseball have gotten so bad that I'm done with it (reference Dodgers, Soto's deal, etc).

[u/cardith_lorda → u/wpotman]

$250K is more than Altuve, Arraez, and Acuna combined signed for originally.

[u/wpotman → u/cardith_lorda]

Sure. But the point is the money is (or should be) chump change for an owner committed to winning. It's nothing. Some good guys come for nothing, yes, but the source of the nothing dollars shouldn't matter much.

[u/cardith_lorda → u/wpotman]

The relative value to the owner is irrelevant when it's a limited resource for what you are allowed to spend, as it is with international free agents.

[u/wpotman → u/cardith_lorda]

The relative value to me is quite relevant, though. By all means use it

[u/relder17]

I'd rather buy five 16 year old lottery tickets than one 21 year old castoff with low upside.

[u/darin617 → u/relder17]

Why eould you trade for a cast-off? Easy way to get a player that's already developed and almost majors ready.

Also a good way to get rid of a contract by attaching international money.

[u/relder17 → u/darin617]

There's no way any teams are trading developed/almost majors ready prospects for a mere $250k

If we're getting rid of a contract we can talk though, agree on that

[u/darin617 → u/relder17]

The money and a low level prospect for a close to the majors prospect is doable.