PART 2 of Life as a minor league professional baseball player.

My name is Tony Ross Maddi. I am former career minor league player that played in the Houston Astros organization for 6 years. I also played in Italy professionally for a few years. I did have some interest from some readers that want to know more about playing professional baseball. Tonight, I will touch on one topic that I am familiar with in professional baseball. 

Baseball Politics

In professional baseball big money is involved. General managers, and scouts are paid to select the right players. When an organization selects a player in the MLB Draft in the first five or even ten rounds. These players are given a fairly good signing bonus and are thought of highly or the organization wouldn't have selected these players. The baseball politics comes into play because sometimes MLB organizations are incorrect in the evaluation of certain players. Scouting and evaluating isn't an exact science. Its hard to project what a player will do against the best competition and how the player will develop. Baseball politics comes into play because usually a top 10 round pick will be guaranteed playing time for at least a year or two unless he fails miserably. So that means if your a 32nd round pick or a free agent competing with a 2nd round pick for playing time at second base. Who do you think is going to get the playing time from the start?  Yes, your right the 2nd round pick. I have seen free agents and later round picks play better than the top picks in hitting, fielding, etc. Not in every case but it happens often and the 32nd round pick and free agent better work there butt off to try to earn some playing time because it won't be given to them. The reason the 2nd round pick gets the playing time is for obvious reasons. Number one is the money that was given to the player. Number two the GM and scouting department took this player number two in the draft and want this player to make it to the BIG Leagues so they can look like a genius and to keep the job that they have. I have seen 5th round picks hit miserably and be penciled into the lineup everyday. The extra guy off the bench hitting and fielding better than the 5th rounder and not getting the starting time regularly because the investment in this particular player is lower. It has always been this way and I don't know if it will ever change. The guys that make the big leagues that were 30th round picks or free agents had to earn the way to the big leagues from the beginning. So I give those guys all the credit for overcoming the odds and perservering through all the baseball politics involved in professional baseball. This article is mainly touching on baseball politics at the lower levels in the first few years in the minors. After 3 or 4 years and your tearing it up as a free agent or late round pick then the organization gets interested in you. Then its easier for them to give the player the benefit of the doubt regardless of the draft status or money involved. Don't misundertand if your really good then you have a shot at making it to Major League Baseball regardless of baseball politics or spot you were drafted. 

I hope you liked the article about pro baseball politics. If your interested in knowing more about professional baseball or life as a minor leaguer then please let me know and I will write more. Thanks!! 

Tony Ross Maddi

tony@ricogloves.com