3
2012
Identity Fraud Still A Problem For MLB
An article by Craig Lerner
Tyler Kepner of the NY Times had an interesting article that discussed the ongoing problem of identity fraud in major league baseball.
When Sandy Alderson traveled to the Dominican Republic in 2010 to investigate identity fraud for the commissioner’s office, he went armed with a message. Alderson had previously served as the chief executive of the San Diego Padres, and related his experiences.
“I had personally been burned on a number of occasions by identity fraud,” said Alderson, now the general manager of the Mets. “One has to ask if one is prepared to make the same investment again. If you get burned too often, you may decide to go elsewhere. I think that hit home with them.”
Baseball has become so entrenched in the Dominican Republic, and nearly every team has an academy there now.
But fraud has become so widespread that more and more teams were becoming concerned about expending so many resources in what has become an increasingly risky proposition.
Alderson said the government in the Dominican Republic had been more vigilant in response.
“I think they have come to realize that baseball is an important contributor to their economy in a variety of ways; you can kill the golden goose,” Alderson said. “I think they understand that it’s important for them to create an attractive environment for baseball to continue to invest in their country.”
Age fraud continues to plague Major League Baseball. Recently Cleveland Indians right-hander Fausto Carmona was arrested for using a false identity. Turns out he is 31 years old, not 28, and even his name was fake.
Melissa Seguera of Sports Illustrated says the reason they lie is simple, bigger signing bonuses.
Check out the following chart:
Since 2003, 16-year old players from the Dominican Republic have averaged about $120,000 more in bonus money than 17-year olds. That’s about triple the bonus, and when you look at players 18 and up the difference is exponentially greater.
Ironically, it’s the older teenagers that end up making it to the majors. Here’s the age breakdown:
So here comes the gut punch, Mets fans.
SI tracked down the bonus data for all the players in the study and discovered that Fernando Martinez, who was recently cut by the Mets, was the only player to receive a seven-figure bonus.
The teenage hitting machine was signed in 2005 for a hefty $1.3 million dollars.
It figures.
About the Author: Craig Lerner
I'm a data systems engineer who loves life and is hooked on the Mets. My girlfriend and I go to about 15 games a year. Give me a cold beer, a summer day, and a Mets game, and I'm good to go. I bleed blue and orange.
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NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nationals | 26 | 17 | .605 | - |
| Braves | 26 | 18 | .591 | 0.5 |
| Marlins | 24 | 19 | .558 | 2.0 |
| Mets | 23 | 20 | .535 | 3.0 |
| Phillies | 21 | 23 | .477 | 5.5 |
Last updated: 05/23/2012
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It figures?
What was turning out to be an interesting article and the guy has to ruin it by taking an unnecessary shot at Omar and exposing, again, his BIAS towards Sandy Alderson over anything thats Mets baseball – which is first and foremost. The Mets were the Mets before Saber Sandy and they’ ll be the Mets after Saber Sandy but hopefully back with a more traditional-minded GM who knows his job is to work with and try to win as best he can with any budget given him. And also be a better public face for the Mets than Alderson, who is basically a public relations disaster starting with that horrendous Met promo he did last year with Terry Collins.
The writer should be sad that it didn’t work out with Fernando, not happy that it was Omar’s move who failed.
Oh and 1.3 million is a lot less than the 2.1 mill for Brando Nimmo. Point is they ALL DO IT for talent they believe in.
Second guessing and disgraceful BIAS
Lot’s of 16 year old’s have gotten 7 figure signing bonuses, did you mean just in 2005?
Secondly the problem wasn’t in signing a kid like Fern, it was in not signing a whole bunch of the top talented IFA’s and you can’t measure the results by the percentage of kids that make it, you have to measure it by HOW MUCH the one’s who make it do for you.
Big difference. Take the 2010 All Star game for instance. Of the 20 starters in that game 8 of them were IFA’s. If the average bonus is 500,000 (a more up to date figure) and one out 10 make it and the guy that does is an All Star he’ll probably cost you 10 M in salary during his cost controlled years and a 5 M investment in signing him and the other 9 guys who didn’t make it. 15 M over 6 years is an average of 2.5 M per year for All Star production, or you could go the Jason Bay route and pay 16 M a year for the “sure thing.”
While any prospect is in your system he’s an asset that can be traded as Montero was this off season or Vizcaino a couple of years ago in the Vazquez, Melky Logan deal between the NYY and ATL. Try getting someone to nibble on Bay.
Besides where else exactly were we supposed to ever wind up with a RFer if we didn’t attempt to develop one through international free agency? Bring back Bonilla? Well he is on the payroll, for about the same as we signed Fern for only it’s every year for 25 years. Bring back Church, Green, Diaz, Everett, Ochoa, Bell, Hildago, Burnitz? Maybe we could make another run at Winfield.
Really 1.3 M? That’s cab fare for a MLB franchise in NYC. This is one area that I give high marks to Minaya. If it weren’t for his IFA’s we’d have Harvey and a whole bunch of 4th and 5th OF’s starting for us along with backup utility players and AAA depth in the pen and rotation and behind the plate partly due to the owners self serving insistance on adhering to the ridiculous slotting guidelines that every other team in MLB scoffs at.
One reason the NYY were able to trade Montero is because of all the catchers they’ve drafted or signed internationally through the years. 2002- Cervelli, 2006 Montero, 2009 Sanchez. total cost 5 M for all three, plus they drafted Romaine and Murphy and traded for Martin.
Sure it’s a shame Fern didn’t make it, personally I would have platooned him with Bay and tried to at least raise his value but maybe there’s a good reason, who knows. the real shame of the whole thing is that we lavish millions upon millions of dollars on every one else’s retreads but cringe at the thought of spending a buck on attempting to develop our own players.
Why do you post here Bayonne. If you don’t kiss Sandy’s you know what cheeks, you obviously don’t belong here.
unlike your obvious bias against anything Sandy has ever done or ever will do?
Your infatuation and protection of a guy that ultimately failed proves that pumping your chest because you played this game at some level means jack in the knowledge of the game.
Correct,
The Gms failed because of what happened on the field and the Mets HAD THE HORSES – take a hike. Oh, do you have any of your own ideas you wish to express?
What’s wrong with you agee? The only thing relevance is that Sandy alderson has been proven to be a failure at every job he has held unless he has the edge at cheating. . how does this site allow you to keep posting your manure
The real identity theft if the theft of the identity of the team known as the NY Mets. The team currently using that name is an impostor and has stolen the real identitiy. When do we get the real Mets back?
Well when you decide to judge someone by their AGE instead of what they do your going to get people trying to HIDE their age to avoid being discriminated against!
If a guy hits .300 at age 28 and another at age 30 there is no REASONABLE reason to pay the 30 year old less!
It should be about WHAT you do not how old you are when you do it!
Something the Kiddies will never realize until they are no longer kiddies and realize they can’t get a job because of how long they have lived!
Thank you for a nice article. Since so much of this site is an examination of baseball economics: I would love to see an artice on the cost of developing raw talent into a marjor league player.
Think about it each year each team draft 50 players plus sign walk ons. All the coaches, scouts and sports facilities cost must be factored into the cost of developing this talent.
The so called “cheap” rookie players that emerge each year may cost in the tens of millions dollars each. Thanks again for the good work.