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Oakland A’s draft pick loss for signing qualified free agent determined

By David Hill

OAKLAND, CA - JULY 22: General view of the Oakland Athletics logos in the dugout before the game against the San Francisco Giants at the Oakland Coliseum on July 22, 2018 in Oakland, California. The Oakland Athletics defeated the San Francisco Giants 6-5 in 10 innings. (Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - JULY 22: General view of the Oakland Athletics logos in the dugout before the game against the San Francisco Giants at the Oakland Coliseum on July 22, 2018 in Oakland, California. The Oakland Athletics defeated the San Francisco Giants 6-5 in 10 innings. (Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images) /
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There are two potential advantages to the Qualifying Offer. First, a team has a chance to keep that player on a one year deal, albeit at a higher salary, allowing a chance to work out a long term agreement if they accept the QO. Second, if the player declines, that player comes with draft pick compensation attached, giving the team a chance to rebuild the farm system with additional draft picks.

But not all draft pick compensation is the same. If the Oakland A’s were to sign a player who was offered the QO, they would forfeit their second highest pick and have their international signing pool decreased by $500,000 per qualified player signed.

Oakland A’s have nothing to worry about when losing draft picks

Frankly, the A’s inclusion in the draft pick compensation list is purely academic. There is virtually zero chance that they sign a player with a QO attached since that would put them at the top of the free agent market. The A’s are not going to spend at that level.

If anything, the A’s interest in the draft pick compensation list would be based on what they could receive. Mark Canha is a possibility to receive the QO, although it is difficult to imagine that the A’s would ever spend $18.4 million in one year on a single player. That is especially the case considering there are questions as to whether or not they can afford to keep their core together going forward.

But it is interesting to think about. For the A’s, they have to weigh the cost of keeping a player against the future of the franchise. Knowing what type of draft picks they could receive should they place the QO on their own players, such as Canha.

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The Oakland A’s may not be losing draft picks with the free agents they sign, but they know what they could get if they place the QO on one of their players.