Around the AL Central: Spring Training & Rule 4 Draft

photo from wtam.com

Spring Training is always an exciting time and it's a time when managers and players alike believe that thei team is in contention for the playoffs (even Shin-Soo Choo last year). Manny Acta held court out in Goodyear, Arizona. Jordan Bastian provided the quotes  at MLB.com.  Acta believes that the rebuilding is done and now it is time to provide the fans of the Indians a memorable season:

"I went through a few years where I was working on a rebuilding process," Acta said. "And now, with what we went through here last year, it's going to continue to head in the right direction. Baseball excites me, but I have an opportunity finally to be in the thick of things.

"It's always a better feeling after the game when you win than when you lose. Obviously, we have a chance to win more times than we lose now."

Lewis Pollis of WahoosOnFirst discovered an interesting story in USA Today's Sports Weekly. The story highlighted the "100 Athletes You Need To Know." The Sports Weekly's staff listed the players who had more innings or plate appearances in the minors last year than in their entire MLB careers. The list included Chisenhall, Kipnis, Ezequiel Carrera, Jeanmar Gomez, Nick Hagadone, and Cord Phelps.

 Baseball America has released the 2012 June Draft Aggregate Bonus Pools.

As part of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, teams are now assigned an aggregate signing bonus pool for their picks in the first 10 rounds of the draft. Each has a predetermined value, from $7.2 million for the No. 1 choice to $125,000 for pick No. 300 and any subsequent ..

The Twins have the most picks (13) in the first 10 rounds and have the highest overall pool of $12,368,00. The Royals have 10 picks and a pool of $6,101,500, the White Sox have 11 picks and a pool of $5,915,100, the Indians have 10 picks and a pool of $4,582,900, and the Tigers have 10 picks and a pool of $2,099,300.  The total aggregate pool for 2012 draft picks is valued at $189,903,500 while the total bonuses paid in the first 10 rounds in 2011 was $191,876,250

Any team that exceeds its bonus pool by 0-5 percent must pay a 75 percent tax on the overage. The penalties escalate, with a 75 percent tax and the loss of a first-round pick for a 5-10 percent overage; a 100 percent tax and the loss of first- and second-rounders for a 10-15 percent overage; and a 100 percent tax and the loss of two first-rounders for an overage of 15 percent or more.

From around the AL Central:

• Michael Engel of Kings of Kauffman presents the Royalman Report hosted by Tory "Royalman" Olsen & Michael Engle and this week's podcast includes Danny Duffy and Gar Ryness (The Batting Stance Guy).  
• RoyalsReview presents their Royals Pre-Spring Training Chatter which includes a number of links around the Royals blogosphere and more from the AL Central.
• BlessYouBoys.com look at the Tigers draft bonus pool.
• John Verburg at MCB Motor City Bengals takes a look at 9 10 Rookie of the Year Candidates.
• Nate Gilmore at Puckett's Pond looks at Joe Mauer and Brian Dozier. 
• Matt Adams of SouthsideShowdown discusses Manny Being Manny and his comeback with the A's.
• From last week, Joe Cowley of the Sun Times interviewed former White Sox hitting coach Greg Walker who suggested that the 2011 season was doomed before it got started. Rob Neyer of SBNation chimed in with his opinion of Walker's statements.