Televising the MLB Draft

SmedIndy · 04-20-2002, 11:13 PM

After watching about 5 hours of the NFL draft (even baby Katie was starting to babble along with Mel Kiper, Jr., Draft Expert), I really think it's time for MLB to get with it and televise the draft.

They do the entire NFL draft, and the NBA draft (only two rounds, sure, but that makes sense for them to have just a two round draft). They televise the first part of the NHL draft (and the whole darn thing in Canada, and that's 10 rounds).

Why not? They still have this mistaken idea that if they publicize the draftees, then the minors will lose players to the colleges. Colleges have finished recruiting these kids their junior year.

Televise the first 100 picks or so. Have a couple Baseball America experts along with the Baseball Tonight folks and a couple of grizzled old scouts.

People like us, we know of Adam Dunn, Corey Patterson, Hank Blalock, and Sean Burroughs before they come up to the bigs. The more casual fans don't, and that's too bad.

Slippery Pedro · 04-20-2002, 11:21 PM

Remember ESPN's coverage of the Rockies/Marlins Expansion Draft? Didn't exactly go all that well - and most of those were players we heard of - then. Still, it couldn't be any worse than a tractor pull or cheerleadering competition?

pwdennis · 04-20-2002, 11:48 PM

Poor idea - most draft picks that are selected in the MLB draft, whether of collegians or preps, are known only locally (and I mean very locally) Florida has several of the top collegiate baseball programs in the nation, and schools such as UCF, Florida Atlantic and Stetson (my alma mater) receive zero television coverage unless the Sunshine Network picks up a game they play against Florida, FSU, or Miami. We get some regional coverage of college baseball for the big three but none of any team outside the southeast until the CWS

The situation is worse yet for the preps. If ESPN would like to do a two hour "post game" recap of the draft okay, but not televising the whole thing

TGwynn19 · 04-21-2002, 06:42 AM

I'd personally like to see the draft on ESPN or wherever but I doubt we will see it anytime soon. I think the main reason is the 'turnaround time'. When a NBA player is drafted in the lottery he usually gets alot of PT his rookie year, less so in the NFL but most high round draftees usually play as rookies. In MLB it may take 2-3 years for a #1 overall to make the show, let alone a 3-5 rounder. Don't know if that has anything to do with it, but that is my take.

Skip · 04-21-2002, 12:16 PM

I'm with PW. People can watch the NFL and NBA drafts all over the country and have their own opinions because they've at least heard of many of the players. Very very very few people know the kids being drafted by MLB. SP - it might be more interesting than a tractor pull (might), but I doubt it would do as well in the ratings.

satchel · 04-21-2002, 12:48 PM

I wouldn't watch it. In the NFL and NBA (which I admit I do not know much about) you are looking at players who can make an impact within a year or two, no? The baseball draft seems too speculative to be interesting. I'll read in Baseball Weekly about the picks of the teams I care most about.

I don't know - I think I am fairly involved on the scale of baseball fans, and yet I really cannot follow the minors or college ball. I barely know the farm systems of the teams I follow most closely. If I can't find time for draft-level players, and I'm relatively core, is there really a market for this?

TGwynn19 · 04-21-2002, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Skip
SP - it might be more interesting than a tractor pull (might), but I doubt it would do as well in the ratings.

Interesting...i wonder if die-hard tractor pull fans have their own Netshrine!

sweaver · 04-21-2002, 01:18 PM

I would think a couple rounds would go OK on ESPN2. I wonder if the ESPN boys would want to put it on? If they'd go for it, hopefully MLB would. Any publicity helps.

Craig S. · 04-21-2002, 02:22 PM

So few baseball players have name recognition coming out of high school or college that I don't think the draft would attract high ratings.

I think a big part of this is due to the nature of the sport. When your favorite NBA, NHL or NFL team drafts a player, you're expecting him to contribute within 1 or 2 years, hence the attraction of seeing who they pick. MLB players obviously aren't usually expected to step in so quickly, and development is given more time and importance in baseball.

The other drafts are really about the presentas much as the future, which is why they are televised and attract such a following. The same isn't true for baseball, at least not to the same degree.

Duque · 04-21-2002, 02:33 PM

Personally, I think all the extra attention lavished on the NFL and NBA drafts borders on the ridiculous (best quote I ever heard - "Mel Kiper Jr. is the only guy outside of Santa Claus to base his entire career on one day.")

moose · 04-21-2002, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Duque
Personally, I think all the extra attention lavished on the NFL and NBA drafts borders on the ridiculous (best quote I ever heard - "Mel Kiper Jr. is the only guy outside of Santa Claus to base his entire career on one day.")

Actually, I read an interview w/ MKJr. on Espn's Page Two, and it sounds like he starts up for next year's draft within a few days of the newly completed draft.

I'm not cryin' for him - he loves it!

SmedIndy · 04-21-2002, 04:29 PM

Actually, I'm thinking that if you start televising the draft, you build on something, and within 3 to 5 years it becomes a bigger deal.

I'm still watching the dang NFL draft today. I think zombies ate my brain...

cubfan33 · 04-21-2002, 05:23 PM

I don't think that the lack of name recognition would hurt. If ESPN (or Fox, whatever) would do the baseball draft like the NBA and NFL do theirs, it would take care of itself. Honestly, beyond the top names, do you really know all those guys that go to the NFL, even in the first round? If you're like me, you know several well, you know a couple by reputation, and you've heard of more in the media. How do we get to know them? Mel Kiper pimps them, they show highlights, they do interviews at odd angles, etc etc. There's NO REASON the same couldn't be done for baseball. I would think the agents would push this if nothing else.

MLB, however, doesn't really have much incentive to do it. They're not the best at marketing and since HS player drafting takes such heat in the NBA, it could backlash in baseball as well.

Slippery Pedro · 04-21-2002, 05:44 PM

Perhaps baseball doesn't want it done because it's just another way for teams to look bad?

Imagine, ESPN does it, and when a guy gets drafted in the first round, they start showing all these clips, having stories/interviews, etc., on how great the guy is - - - and, then, he never makes it out of AA.

Very few draft picks, even the high ones, live up to the hype. Perhaps baseball doesn't want to add even MORE hyp to these guys?

cubfan33 · 04-21-2002, 05:47 PM

The other issue that I forgot is that any MLB draft pick - well, almost any - is not going to have any impact on a team in the short attention span of most fans. With the NBA and NFL, its entirely likely that you will see the guy your team drafted on the field/court the very next season. Even more likely, this guy will make an impact on your team.

When the Colts drafted Peyton Manning, you KNEW the team was better. When the Twins drafted Joe Mauer, Twins fans could count on seeing him in three or four years at best.

04-20-2002, 11:21 PM	#2
Slippery Pedro NetShrine Creator & Curator Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: NetShrine WHQ Posts: 999	Remember ESPN's coverage of the Rockies/Marlins Expansion Draft? Didn't exactly go all that well - and most of those were players we heard of - then. Still, it couldn't be any worse than a tractor pull or cheerleadering competition? __________________ Steve, Forum Administrator PLEASE READ: Community Standards . : ~ : PLEASE SHOP: Our Stuff! : ~ : HOW CAN YOU: Help? : ~ : BE NICE: To Your Fav Baseball Person. : ~ : ARE YOU: Posting Correctly?

04-21-2002, 12:48 PM	#6
satchel NetShrine All-Century Team Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 2,601	I wouldn't watch it. In the NFL and NBA (which I admit I do not know much about) you are looking at players who can make an impact within a year or two, no? The baseball draft seems too speculative to be interesting. I'll read in Baseball Weekly about the picks of the teams I care most about. I don't know - I think I am fairly involved on the scale of baseball fans, and yet I really cannot follow the minors or college ball. I barely know the farm systems of the teams I follow most closely. If I can't find time for draft-level players, and I'm relatively core, is there really a market for this? __________________ Rare mold, old vomit - An anagram rejected by Tom Riddle Last edited by satchel : 04-21-2002 at 12:51 PM.

04-21-2002, 02:33 PM	#10
Duque NetShrine's Desperado Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Southern CA Posts: 2,638	Personally, I think all the extra attention lavished on the NFL and NBA drafts borders on the ridiculous (best quote I ever heard - "Mel Kiper Jr. is the only guy outside of Santa Claus to base his entire career on one day.") __________________ Bad Andy It's such a fine line between stupid and clever.

04-21-2002, 05:23 PM	#13
cubfan33 NetShrine All-Century Team Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 1,359	Put it on! I don't think that the lack of name recognition would hurt. If ESPN (or Fox, whatever) would do the baseball draft like the NBA and NFL do theirs, it would take care of itself. Honestly, beyond the top names, do you really know all those guys that go to the NFL, even in the first round? If you're like me, you know several well, you know a couple by reputation, and you've heard of more in the media. How do we get to know them? Mel Kiper pimps them, they show highlights, they do interviews at odd angles, etc etc. There's NO REASON the same couldn't be done for baseball. I would think the agents would push this if nothing else. MLB, however, doesn't really have much incentive to do it. They're not the best at marketing and since HS player drafting takes such heat in the NBA, it could backlash in baseball as well. __________________ UTK available only at www.baseballprospectus.com "I was pulling for Pete and agreeing with (commissioner) Bud Selig that Pete should be eligible for the Hall of Fame," said Giles, now chairman of the Phillies. "Bud was close to making him eligible right after his meeting with Pete (November 2002). Right after that, Pete got into tax trouble (in California), and that delayed the process." - Phillies Chairman Bill Giles in the Dayton Daily News, January 25th, 2004.

04-21-2002, 05:44 PM	#14
Slippery Pedro NetShrine Creator & Curator Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: NetShrine WHQ Posts: 999	Perhaps baseball doesn't want it done because it's just another way for teams to look bad? Imagine, ESPN does it, and when a guy gets drafted in the first round, they start showing all these clips, having stories/interviews, etc., on how great the guy is - - - and, then, he never makes it out of AA. Very few draft picks, even the high ones, live up to the hype. Perhaps baseball doesn't want to add even MORE hyp to these guys? __________________ Steve, Forum Administrator PLEASE READ: Community Standards . : ~ : PLEASE SHOP: Our Stuff! : ~ : HOW CAN YOU: Help? : ~ : BE NICE: To Your Fav Baseball Person. : ~ : ARE YOU: Posting Correctly?

04-20-2002, 11:13 PM	#1
SmedIndy NetShrine's Historian Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Zionsville, IN Posts: 10,569	Televising the MLB Draft After watching about 5 hours of the NFL draft (even baby Katie was starting to babble along with Mel Kiper, Jr., Draft Expert), I really think it's time for MLB to get with it and televise the draft. They do the entire NFL draft, and the NBA draft (only two rounds, sure, but that makes sense for them to have just a two round draft). They televise the first part of the NHL draft (and the whole darn thing in Canada, and that's 10 rounds). Why not? They still have this mistaken idea that if they publicize the draftees, then the minors will lose players to the colleges. Colleges have finished recruiting these kids their junior year. Televise the first 100 picks or so. Have a couple Baseball America experts along with the Baseball Tonight folks and a couple of grizzled old scouts. People like us, we know of Adam Dunn, Corey Patterson, Hank Blalock, and Sean Burroughs before they come up to the bigs. The more casual fans don't, and that's too bad.

04-20-2002, 11:48 PM	#3
pwdennis NetShrine All-Century Team Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Winter Springs, FL Posts: 2,503	Poor idea - most draft picks that are selected in the MLB draft, whether of collegians or preps, are known only locally (and I mean very locally) Florida has several of the top collegiate baseball programs in the nation, and schools such as UCF, Florida Atlantic and Stetson (my alma mater) receive zero television coverage unless the Sunshine Network picks up a game they play against Florida, FSU, or Miami. We get some regional coverage of college baseball for the big three but none of any team outside the southeast until the CWS The situation is worse yet for the preps. If ESPN would like to do a two hour "post game" recap of the draft okay, but not televising the whole thing

04-21-2002, 06:42 AM	#4
TGwynn19 Guest Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Naples, FL Posts: 2,087	I'd personally like to see the draft on ESPN or wherever but I doubt we will see it anytime soon. I think the main reason is the 'turnaround time'. When a NBA player is drafted in the lottery he usually gets alot of PT his rookie year, less so in the NFL but most high round draftees usually play as rookies. In MLB it may take 2-3 years for a #1 overall to make the show, let alone a 3-5 rounder. Don't know if that has anything to do with it, but that is my take.

04-21-2002, 12:16 PM	#5
Skip NetShrine Vagabond Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Louisville Posts: 7,866	I'm with PW. People can watch the NFL and NBA drafts all over the country and have their own opinions because they've at least heard of many of the players. Very very very few people know the kids being drafted by MLB. SP - it might be more interesting than a tractor pull (might), but I doubt it would do as well in the ratings.

04-21-2002, 01:18 PM	#8
sweaver Netshrine Cleanup Hitter Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: The Mountain State Posts: 8,883	I would think a couple rounds would go OK on ESPN2. I wonder if the ESPN boys would want to put it on? If they'd go for it, hopefully MLB would. Any publicity helps.

04-21-2002, 02:22 PM	#9
Craig S. Guest Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,330	So few baseball players have name recognition coming out of high school or college that I don't think the draft would attract high ratings. I think a big part of this is due to the nature of the sport. When your favorite NBA, NHL or NFL team drafts a player, you're expecting him to contribute within 1 or 2 years, hence the attraction of seeing who they pick. MLB players obviously aren't usually expected to step in so quickly, and development is given more time and importance in baseball. The other drafts are really about the presentas much as the future, which is why they are televised and attract such a following. The same isn't true for baseball, at least not to the same degree.

04-21-2002, 04:29 PM	#12
SmedIndy NetShrine's Historian Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Zionsville, IN Posts: 10,569	Actually, I'm thinking that if you start televising the draft, you build on something, and within 3 to 5 years it becomes a bigger deal. I'm still watching the dang NFL draft today. I think zombies ate my brain...

04-21-2002, 05:47 PM	#15
cubfan33 NetShrine All-Century Team Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 1,359	Impact The other issue that I forgot is that any MLB draft pick - well, almost any - is not going to have any impact on a team in the short attention span of most fans. With the NBA and NFL, its entirely likely that you will see the guy your team drafted on the field/court the very next season. Even more likely, this guy will make an impact on your team. When the Colts drafted Peyton Manning, you KNEW the team was better. When the Twins drafted Joe Mauer, Twins fans could count on seeing him in three or four years at best. __________________ UTK available only at www.baseballprospectus.com "I was pulling for Pete and agreeing with (commissioner) Bud Selig that Pete should be eligible for the Hall of Fame," said Giles, now chairman of the Phillies. "Bud was close to making him eligible right after his meeting with Pete (November 2002). Right after that, Pete got into tax trouble (in California), and that delayed the process." - Phillies Chairman Bill Giles in the Dayton Daily News, January 25th, 2004.

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