Open Secret: Major league teams skirt the rule that they can’t sign a prospect until he’s 16 by offering boys as young as 11 handshake deals, in some cases for millions of dollars.
Stolen Promises: With enormous sums promised to poor families, moneylenders exploit them by offering loans at exorbitant interest rates and find ways to scam them.
I am a huge sports fan, and that always comes with the knowledge that there is a dark side of the business we just have to ignore to enjoy it. With that said it feels like we are hitting a tipping point as day after day the stories being told become harder and harder to push aside. With the amount of money franchines are costing I fear what comes next.
On this specific issue, I am not a fan of drafts in general however if MLB is going to hold a draft for domestic players there is zero reason not to include international players. It’s an easy way to squash this.