FanNation

In a weekend that featured the NBA playoffs, the NHL playoffs and countless great pitching match-ups, the talk of the sports world was undoubtedly the NFL Draft.

Love it or hate it, the NFL Draft has become a spectacle unlike anything else in sports. It’s two full days of nothing but information, phone calls, trades, and big guys in suits wearing hats. Placed strategically at the mid-point between the Super Bowl and the start of training camp, it provides deprived football fans exactly the dose they need to get them through until the start of the season.

But the NFL draft was not always the media extravaganza it is today. Thanks to a cult following and some shrewd marketing ideas, it has developed into two days of celebrating and second-guessing.

The Major League Baseball draft could not be more different. For years, the draft was done in secrecy, with the league and its management actually going out of their way to conceal the results. While the privacy aspect has diminished, coverage has grown at a snail’s pace. The last decade has seen the institution of draft coverage on the internet, and in 2007 the first round of the draft was televised live for the first time.

There is still much more that can be done with the MLB draft, but from a marketing aspect and with the goal of bettering the game of baseball. Here are ten ideas, some of which need to be changed by major league baseball, and some that involve others in the game:

10 – Better coverage of college baseball

College baseball coverage has come a long way in the past few years, due largely in part to an offspring of regional sports channels. While coverage has grown, college baseball is still not widely covered on a national basis each season until the College World Series (and recently the previous round, the Super-Regionals). The main source of national coverage during the season is ESPN U, a channel which does not come standard on many cable packages. One of the reasons for the lack of interest in the MLB players draft is the players’ lack of name recognition. Being able to see more college baseball games would generate that recognition.

9 – Trading the rights to drafted players

There is a rule in place (called the “Pete Incaviglia Rule”) which does not allow a player to be traded until he has been under contract with the club that drafted him for one year. This ensures the drafted player can not hold out for more money with the leverage of demanding a trade. This prevents players from demanding a trade, and it’s essential to teams with smaller payrolls being able to sign players. What should be allowed, however, is a small window of opportunity (perhaps around 48 hours or just on draft day itself) during which time the rights to the player may be traded, much like is allowed in the NFL or NBA. This would eliminate the “signability pick” and the freefall of talented players to higher paying teams later in the first round. A team could draft the most talented player available and trade his rights to a higher paying team and at least get something in return rather than draft lesser players they know they can sign. It would also eliminate the need for the slotting system.

8 – Abolish the slotting system

The slotting system is a system of guidelines MLB has set forth suggesting the amount of signing bonus each slot in the draft should be offered. This is an-ill fated attempt to regulate the outrageous demands by some amateur players. Unfortunately, it was nothing more than suggestions, and it had no merit, backing, or consequence. While some teams used it as a starting point in their negotiations, other teams ignored it completely with no repercussions.

7 – Even the playing field

Theoretically, the draft is where the bad teams should have the advantage as they get higher draft picks. In reality however, the wealthier teams still have an advantage because they will once again outspend other teams. They are able to take talented high-school players who are expected to go to college in later rounds and lure them to the professional ranks with bonuses typically reserved for 1st round picks. Small-market teams can only afford one or two seven-figure bonuses per draft. Wealthier teams can afford to spring for a few more. Somehow there needs to be a limit on this.

6 – Better coverage of Minor League Baseball

The main difference between Major League Baseball and NFL and NBA is that draftees are not seen again for a number of years following the draft. NFL and NBA picks play right away. MLB draftees are left to toil in the minor leagues. In order for the names to stay relevant in the fans’ minds, the fans need to be able to maintain contact with the players they have watched in college and followed into the draft. Losing contact with players once they enter the minors contributes to the irrelevancy of the draft itself. Currently, the only national coverage of minor league baseball is online statistics. A minor league highlight show along the lines of Baseball Tonight would go a long way.

5 – Better TV Coverage of the Draft

Last year was a good first step. Now it’s time to take another one. Add another round and make it more of a production. At this point, going overboard with the pomp and circumstance would actually help. Let’s have a “green room” with the top 5-10 players, give the players hats (at least baseball players actually wear hats) and interview them. At this point, over-promotion would be better than under-promotion. (The only caveat here would be for high school players. MLB would have to make sure that this did nothing to endanger their NCAA eligibility.)

4 – Baseball needs Mel Kiper Jr.

Regardless of your opinion of him, the NFL Draft would not be what it is today without Mel Kiper Jr. Baseball needs it’s version of him. It needs someone who hosts can go to and get real answers about a player. We need the hair and we need the knowledge.

3 – Better coverage of high school players

I’m not sure how to handle this, but the draft definitely suffers because so many of the players selected are high school players that no one knows. Somehow there has to be a way to learn more about these players. College football’s national signing day has almost reached the status of the NFL Draft, so it is possible.

2 – Scouting Combines

Far and away the coolest idea to improve the draft: a baseball scouting combine would be a haven for scouts and fans alike. Look at the success of the NFL Combine. Now take that, but have players do drills that actually translate to the success in their sport. Players would run the 60 yd-dash, make throws from their position, take batting practice, and make plays in the field. Pitchers would throw bullpens. Catchers would show off their pop times. I can already name a handful of GM’s that would take some no name catcher in the first round because he had three 1.9’s to second base. We could even incorporate some live at-bats with the best hitters facing the best pitchers.

It would be just like a standard college baseball showcase, only with the top amateur players in the nation. If the field was too big, it could even be broken up regionally, with 5-6 combines scattered throughout the country. The whole thing would be televised of course. Who wouldn’t take off from work to watch that?

1 – Allow the trading of draft picks

Why shouldn’t rebuilding teams be able to stockpile draft picks when they trade away veteran players? What if the Orioles trade with the Astros had been Tejada for Luke Scott, Matt Albers and a 2nd round pick, and their trade with the Mariners had been Bedard for Adam Jones and a 1st? The Orioles would have four picks in the top-75. Not only would this be a new strategy and allow for more flexibility for trades, but it would create more interest in the draft. Orioles’ fans would have two more reasons to watch.