The Washington times., 1922-01-01

Four or five OF the big minors unol
ficially have declared an unwillingness
to accept the latest proffer, but Al
Tierney, president of the Western
League and also Of the Three-i-L..'
believes that a compromise can b -
fected, and only yesterday submit.ri
a counter proposition to Judge Lan1is,
, which may open the door to further
negotiations.
Just what Tierney's plan embodies,
aside from a method to restrict farm
ing of players drawn from the minors
Is not known. However, the plan was
submitted to Judge Lands that his
opinion might be forthcoming before
the suggested solution was made pub
lie.
Although the draft has been looked
upon as the best and fairest means for
the advancement Of a player in his
profession, few people understand just
what the draft means, how 1t operates
and what bearing II has on the ball
player struggling for a place in the
sun.
Briefly. the draft gives a club the
right to 60 into leagues Of lower classi-
fication and pick off whatever players
It desires. In the case OF Class "A
leagues only one man can be taken
from each club. and the same goes for
Class A. The consideration to be paid
for selected players runs from $4,000
in Class IA down to 81 900 for Class l..
The Ideal System.
The above indicates an ideal system
by which young players can creep to
the top Of their profession. In theory
II is such, but in the days prior to the
Lands regime the major clubs took
advantage OF the draft to collect play
ers on a wholesale scale and then ship
them out again, usually at a profit.
Efforts were made to discourage this
work, but rules, in many cases, were
| of no avail and 1t was continual abuse
| of a privilege that brought about the
| present situation in which five minor
| leagues, the American Association, Pa
| cific Cost, International, Western and
| Three Is refuse to aid the majors ex-
cept by out and out purchases.
The draft in itself really isn't obtec-
tionable to the minors. The percentage
Of selected players always has been
small and in cases where minor clubs
have possessed really great prospects
the majors bought them up before the
drafting period arrived. II a major
| club wanted a lad who showed great
promise a good price would be paid
| for him. This was done for fear some
/ other club might be awarded the play
| er II he went into the annual grab.
This way of doing business assured the
minors a fair break. They wouldn't
lose a $4,000 player for price that
would run as low as 81 900 In the case
of a class d club.
| Where Draft Boilers.
| Where the actual draft begins to
bother the minor magnate is after the
player passes into the hands Of
for club. Few drafted men make
good their first time up, and this
| means they are peddled out under OPP
ton. The option is two-fold Oh
stacle for the minors
| First. a major club is liable, at any
time. to recall an optional player to
fnl the place of an injured man. This
means a minor club might be wrecked
In mid-season through the exercise OF
the recall. Then when the minor
magnate scouts around FOR material
to replace the recalled ath,ete ne
usually finds he cannot get help from
nny other minor, because the player
he wants also is under option and he
must deal with major club, IL
must be understood that in many
cases optioned players came into con
troll Of the majors by purchases.
The farm" Is another thing that
brought the draft into bad standing
4 major club, owning a minor team.
could step out and draft men not up
to big league caliber.
These fellows. and In most cases
they would be players just step shy
|. of the majors. then would be turned
over 90 the farm" This always