What teams have shown the most interest in Bumgarner?

Braves: I'd have to disagree with you on that last point. Most players that do make it to the majors first get there with the team that drafted them. Obviously some of them will be involved in a minor league trade or become a minor league free agent, but not a majority of them.

 

I would be interested in a study that would compare the success of baseball players drafted out of high school versus drafted out of college. Professional sports are so bottom line driven now and while there may be even 20 teams courting Madison right now, the one who signs him will own him (literally) and it will be a whole new world. It's a lot for anyone of us to process, much less a 17 year old kid. That's why I think signing bonuses offered to high school athletes ought to equal the four year education they are giving up. If the athlete meets or exceeds the organization's goals, then start shelling out the big bucks. It would level the decision making process and relieve the player from the pressure of giving up huge $$$ to play at the college level should he prefer to do that.

I know Madison will make the right decision - he's a fine young man.

 

I'm sorry, but from what I am reading/hearing Mr. Bumgarner will not benefit by going to college, he is a high prospect but he isnt the next Nolan Ryan/Clemens/Maddox therefore attempting to "play" the owners for more $$$ or another team will simply land him in college for 3yrs with the risk of injury and no significant $$$......I am sure on Thursday we will know where he ends up and it looks to be LA....Good Luck to him.

 

LA..........

what makes you think so?

 

It's just fun talk...nobody really knows. It's a great topic to discuss until next HS season rolls around.

 

All HS and college players are eligible for Professional baseball scholarship. It is a negotiated item that varies based on circumstances (years left to graduate, school attended, etc.); it must be started within 2 years of leaving pro baseball. There are some other factors as well (going to school while on contract). It is not something ML baseball advertises, but it is there to be used...but it must be negotiated.

 

He was probably talking about the mock draft at mlb.com which was all one man's opinion, Johnathan Mayo. He had Bumgarner going to the Dodgers with the 20th pick. Baseball America's latest draft projection has him number 12, and I saw one that had him going to Atlanta with the 14th pick. Also, Madison was one of three players mentioned today as possible targets of the Braves with that first round selection. Jason Heyward, Joshua Smoker and Bumgarner. Those first two guys are from Georgia.

 

Braves has been explaining something this whole thread that people should know. First of all madison and his family will not be bartering with any major league clubs to get a deal with the Braves. It just doesn't work that way. he will excitedly await to see which team picks him just like everyone else in the draft is. Imagine the NBA draft and how everyone is sitting around waiting but the "deals makers" are doing all kinds of stuff off stage that the athlete has no idea is going on. That's kind of the way the baseball draft goes. he could be told anything by any organization but it amounts to nothing until his name is called.

secondly, braves referred to slot money. this is a system MLB started using to help keep rogue contracts out of the draft. You will not see 1 million and then ten picks later a three million dollar deal. There is sort of a declining bonus amount that goes from pick 1 all the way to the fifth round. There will be some exceptions, but if madison gets picked 15th for instance he will get offered slightly less than number 14 and slightly more than number 16. If he demands three million his stock will fall and he'll go in the second round and he'll be taking "rocks for Jocks" this fall, better known outside chapel hill as geology.

thirdly, there are different things that go into contract negotiations. For a 1st rounder like madison he will sign his bonus which is what the big question really is. he will also be given a reserve clause that lasts for seven years that pays for school should his career not work out. mind you it lasts seven years. In all likelihood he will be immediately given a major league contract. which means when his A ball buddies that signed in the 30th round are making 1200$ a month he will be making the MLB minimum. We're talking about 350,000$ a year. the last part of his contract is called an incentive bonus. With the money he will be making this means very little but for the minor leaguers on very little money these are nice. when he makes it to AA he'll get a bonus of around 5,000$ and in triple A 7,5000$, like I said spending money from him.

braves says he has good representation so I'm sure Madison won't have to stress too much about these logistics. He'll be able to be an 18 year old and let adults with business and law degrees help him with his money.

someone mentioned the stress of going pro instead of college. stress is when you are busting your butt in class to make 2.0 and not getting in the games and all you want is 20$ to get a pizza for you and your girlfriend on a friday night but your parents didn't have the money to give away this week. not what kind of car to buy and where to get your first piece of real estate at 19......

 

Excellent post but...

madison is only 17 until august 1st.

 

I agree with OleLefty for the most part, but there is the well known story of what happened with Jeff Francouer in the draft. He had a sholarship to play football and baseball at Clemson, and they made it clear that if anyone other than his hometown Braves selected him, he would go to Clemson. He was a very highly regarded football player. From all indications he wasn't bluffing and it worked as he lasted until the Braves picked late in the first round. Obviously though, that is a rare exception to the rule, and there's no reason to believe the Bumgarners are planning anything like that. Just wishful thinking by Brave's fans like me.