Phils still likely to get first-round pick for Madson
The Phillies Zone: The Phillies will still receive a first-round draft pick and a compensatory pick for Ryan Madson provided they offer him salary arbitration under the new collective bargaining agreement, according to a baseball source.
Phils still likely to get first-round pick for Madson
Bob Brookover, Inquirer Baseball Columnist
The deadline for the Phillies to offer salary arbitration to free agents is midnight Wednesday with the motivation being that a team is compensated with draft picks should their player sign elsewhere.
This rule impacts Type A free agents Ryan Madson, Jimmy Rollins and Roy Oswalt.
Thanks to the new collective bargaining agreement, which was announced by baseball Tuesday, the rules of the game have changed and become somewhat convoluted. According to a baseball source, the Phillies will still receive a first-round draft pick and a compensatory pick for Madson provided they offer him salary arbitration.
According to the source, the Phillies would receive the first-round pick directly in front of the team that signed Madson. The team that signs Madson will still keep its first-round pick and select immediately after the Phillies.
For example, if Madson signs with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, which is a definite possibility, the Phillies would pick 18th overall and the Angels would make their selection immediately after. The position is subject to change based on other free-agent signings. The Phillies will also get a compensatory pick for Madson after the first round.
Knowing that a first-round pick awaits them, the Phillies will certainly offer Madson salary arbitration without fear of him accepting it. Even if he did accept it, he would probably only get around $7 or $8 million after making $4.5 million last season. At that point, the Phillies could keep him or trade him. The most likely scenario is that Madson gets a multi-year deal worth much more as a free agent and the Phillies get a first-round pick.
The Phillies lost their first-round pick, currently the 31st overall selection, when they signed Type A free agent Jonathan Papelbon. The team will not retain that pick, but will receive two compensatory picks for Papelbon.
The baseball source said the rules this year have not changed for a number of Type A free agents, including Rollins and Oswalt. Should the Phillies offer arbitration to Rollins and Oswalt, they would be compensated with a first-round pick and a compensatory pick for each player. The source said that the team that signs them would lose their first-round picks.
That does not mean the Phillies are going to offer arbitration to both players. It's highly unlikely, in fact, that the Phillies offer salary arbitration to Oswalt because he made $16 million last season and would receive a raise in the arbitration process.
Rollins, on the other hand, is likely to be offered salary arbitration and the Phillies would be more than happy if he accepted a one-year deal even if it meant a substantial raise over the $8.5 million he made last season. The Phillies' preference is to re-sign Rollins.
Starting next year, the free-agent compensation rules will be entirely different.
According to mlbtraderumors.com, the new rules read like this: "Free agents will cost compensatory draft picks if their former clubs offer guaranteed one-year deals with an average salary that matches or exceeds the average salary of the 125 highest-paid players from the previous season. The offer must be made at the end of the five-day free agent “quiet period,” and the player will have seven days to accept," according to the CBA."
"Teams that sign players who have been offered these lucrative one-year salaries will surrender their first-round draft choice. However, teams with top-ten picks will give up their second-highest pick instead."
Nice article. One problem though. Just because Oswalt made $16 million last season doesn't guarantee him a raise via arbitration. That is simply wrong. What happens is that both Oswalt/Phillies submit arbitration figures based on his 2010 performance. I am sure Roy's agent wouldn't be dumb enough to demand $16 million since he was out of action for significant time and when he was pitching, he did not throw like the Ace he was labled to be.— drhoffman- Agree with you dr., think in arbitration IOswalt might seek $14 million, Phils could offer $11-12 million and expect to 'win.' Joe Blanton makes $10.5 million and the Phils would be delighted if Blanton ever had a season like Oswalt had in 2011, maybe with more than 140 innings pitched however.— Claudio Vernight
- Why would a team signing Madsen keep their 1st rd pick, by the Phils can't retain theirs after signing Papelbon?— bw19121
- Because the rule changed with the NEW CBA which took effect after the Phils signed Papelbon. — mikeyj34
- bw19121, Phils surrender their first rd pick because Ruben likes being aggressive and jumping the gun. Paps was signed before any agreement was made on a new CBA, therefore, his contract falls under the old rules, where, if Boston were to offer Papelbon arbitration, the Phils would have to surrender their first round pick. Now that Paps has agreed to a deal with the Phils already, Boston has no risk in offering arbitration to Paps and getting the Phils pick.
On another note, I think the Phils would be dumb not to offer arbitration to both J-Roll and Oswalt. Both are seeking multi year deals, so there really isn't much risk in them accepting arbitration.— robm0202 - So do the Phillies get picks in front of the teams that sign Rollins and Oswalt, if they offer abritration? If so, this is one way to rebuild your farm system with young talent.— 76er
- Hell I would offer both Jimmy and Madison arbitration and iftheytake it we could use Madison as trade bait or keep him and let him and Papelbon close games and who dose it better is the main guy the other one is the set up guy that would make our relief pitching one of the best in the league but Madison won't except that so we at least get a 1st and a middle pick too. as for jimmy no more than 3 yearsw ith 4 th opition— srcdaddy1216
- If you don't even know the players' names, how seriously can we take your opinion? — phillyl0
- Yawn!!!— billtfla
- Teams that sign Rollins or Oswalt lose their first rounder. The team that signs Madson does not lose their first rounder. Why?— mikemaddog
- According to a new rule, Relievers dont cost a first round draft pick. — illrhyme
- If the Phillies get a first round pick for Madsen, maybe Reid can make the pick.— Justaschmuck
- So is it still the last 16 picks in the first round or would the Phils select in front of the Marlins if they signed him?— cjh136
- So if the team with the worst record signs Madsen, do the Phils get the #1 overall pick?— ronin32
- sounds like it, could be blessing in disguise if a bottom 15 team signs him,under the old rules we would get a compensation pick between rounds 1 and 2, as well as a 2nd rounder, under new rules we would get the pick before the team that signs him as well as a comp pick between rounds 1 and 2.— robm0202
