Down by Law: Type A, B free agents

August 6th, 2007 → 1:41 pm @ // No Comments

The other day I (incorrectly) wrote that if/when Gagne signs with another team next year, the Sox will get two draft picks. That’s not true; Gagne needs to first be classified as a Type A free agent (which he almost certainly will end up being). The Type A/Type B free agent classification is one of those arcane subjects that many of the better informed baseball fans couldn’t explain; thankfully, we have ESPN’s Keith Law, who, by any measure, is in my top 5 baseball writers (Bradford, Neyer, and Posnanski are up there, too). Here’s Law’s quick rundown:

“• Type A players, ranked in the top 30 percent of players at their positions. A team that signs a Type A player gives its top draft pick to the club that the player is leaving. The “losing” club also receives a supplemental pick in the “sandwich” round between the first and second rounds.

• Type B players, ranked below the top 30 percent but in the top 50 percent of players at their positions. A team that loses a Type B player receives a supplemental pick, but the signing team does not lose any picks.

• All other players, who carry no compensation at all. There had previously been a third class of “Type C” players, but that was eliminated in the new CBA.”

Read his whole story here.


Post Categories: Eric Gagne & Free Agents & Keith Law

2 Comments → “Down by Law: Type A, B free agents”


  1. johnw

    16 years ago

    Last week I saw… I think it was on a NESN Sox broadcast… a list of all the extra draft picks obtained by the Sox in recent years for losing free agents. I wish I’d copied it down, because it was a damn impressive list. It included most of the team’s top minor-league prospects. Indeed, the Red Sox’ farm system has been dramatically upgraded by the non-signings of players like Cabrera, Pedro, and Damon.

    It’s a significant “hidden value” in the Gagne deal, whether he turns out to be Type A or Type B. Given the quality of current management’s drafting and player development, the Sox stand a decent chance of getting someone at least as good as Murphy or Gabbard (possibly both) out of next year’s draft.

    Reply

  2. redsoxrantsfromchina

    16 years ago

    Assuming Gagne is a Type A free agent those two draft choices we would be entitled to as compensation if he leaves at the end of the season better be good. Since the trade, Gabbard is pitching marginally better then Lester with a 1-1 record. Lesdter has two no decisions. Lester’s ERA is higher since the trade as are hits allowed and BB. Gagne stats are the telling ones however. In 4 appearences with the Red Sox he has allowed hits in 3 of them and has a stupefying 16 plus ERA when pitching in a Boston uniform. For more details see: http://www.redsoxrantsfromchina.blogspot.com

    Reply

Leave a Reply

%d bloggers like this: