Saturday Night at the Barleymoe

              Tonight Elijah Craig is joined by Jim Beam, Jose Cuervo and Jack Daniels

   Elijah: If that wasn't the fastest off season we've had in a long time then my memory must be failing.
   Jim: Yea tomorrow is the best day of the season; Budget Day .
   Jose: You're some kind of crazy gringo; it's the worst day of the season. You can reason everything out. You pinch your pennies as best you can. You have a great plan until you have to pay 2.5 for a fielding coach and everything goes to hell.
   Jack: It's the best day because it's the worst day but you get it over with early in the season.
   Elijah: Jose how do you advise the clubs you consult with?
   Jose: Do you guys know that last season the league average was 7 million for International scouting. That's just crazy. The average for both College and High School was 11 million. If you're drafting in the date 20's in the first round you're better off putting the money in Internationals. I looked at the season 40 draft from 26 to 32 picks and there are some nice players but nobody that is going to lead a team to the World Series. You have a better chance with an International if you're drafting late.
   Jack: So do you think if a team is drafting in the top ten picks they should down play internationals?
   Jose: Of course not. You have to find a way to supplement either College or High School scouting but if you land a top International and a top ten in the amateur draft you've killed it.
   Jim: I've always believed that if you can add three guys each year who can play in the majors in six years you have had a good development year.
   Jose: You can add a third starter, a backup catcher and a star and get to the wild card race. You have to scout the cream of the crop and there is more cream internationally. You only get one in the amateur draft.  You go international and you get more than one.
   Elijah: You other guys feel this way?
   Jack: Hell no, I want to max out College scouting. The guys are older more mature and might be able to start at High A; getting them to the big show sooner.
   Jim: All those guys have been passed over out of high school. Jack you're picking from the second string. You need to spend 20 million in high scouting and forget the older guys.
   Elijah: So each of you guys wants to go in a different direction. Let.s just say my team is holding the 18th pick in the draft. Tell me what you do.
   Jose: I sign three type A draft picks. I don't care who I get in the fourth round. I have three type A's and I try to sign a top International and hope for a couple International steals late in the season.
   Jim: You have to work with what you've been successful at. If the league is spending 11 million on high school scouting and I'm spending 20; I'm getting a good player probably in the fourth round-certainly in the third round. My second round pick is almost as good as my first round because my scouting is so much better than the other teams. A second round pick is only costing about 550K if I have to pay them like Jose, I'm spending 3 or 4 million or more.
   Jack: I'll take the college kids and use the money somewhere else. I can put 20 million in college scouting, 8 million in prospects and have lots of money for the other areas. You have 185 million you have to stretch every way you can.
  Elijah: I friend of mine used to say whatever you spend in scouting you have to spend half as much in prospects; what do you think of that.
  Jack: Elijah, you're talking about Evan Williams. You won't even invite  him to these sessions; why are you bring him up?
  Elijah: Who the hell knows who is going to show up at these sessions. What do you think of his opinion?
  Jose: Well it doesn't work for Internationals. You scout 20 you want to spend 20 if not more.
  Jack: I'm already on record as saying scout 20 and spend 8. I put the rest in Medical and Training.
  Jim: I'm kind of with Evan. I like to spend 16 million on prospects. After spending 20 million on High School, I've got 12 million to spend on Internationals. I can't out bid Jose but I might get a really good player away from him.
  Elijah: Last season the league averaged 16 million in prospect budget. Do you think it will go up or down?
  Jim: Sixteen million is the highest since season 40. It's going to go down this year.
  Jose: But the smart guys are going to make it work for them.
  Jack: I wish I could figure out who the smart guys are.
  Elijah: Well we know it's not you three.