Our Noticias, 4/27/20: Fans vote on 2020 draft changes; Jeff Conine interview

SB Nation audience reacts to MLB Draft circumstances

U.S. professional team sports, for the most part, remain paused with no return date on the horizon. The few live “events” for our stay-at-home society have been amateur player drafts for the WNBA and NFL, both of which drew more attention than they would’ve otherwise. Next up? Major League Baseball will hold its own, tentatively scheduled for June with the option to push it back into July.

This MLB Draft will have the fewest rounds ever. Bonus pools are frozen at 2019 levels and the vast majority of signing bonuses are being deferred. College baseball programs will extend eligibility for most of their players by an extra year.

FanPulse focused its weekly national survey on the consequences that these changes may have on the 2020 class.

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If you aren’t already signed up for FanPulse surveys, get it done here!

Mr. Marlin reflects on career development

Aram Leighton of Locked On Marlins has a new interview out with longtime Marlins player Jeff Conine. Among the topics covered, why he fell all the way to the 58th round of the 1987 MLB Draft, his preference for Colorado over Florida when the Royals left him unprotected in the expansion draft, comparing and contrasting the 1994 players’ strike to the current delayed season, the high expectations that the 1997 Fish had, and the frantic negotiations that brought him back to town at the 2003 waiver deadline.

This was only the first part of their conversation—the rest is being released in the coming days.

Walk-off links

• We continue to accept submissions for the Why I Love Baseball survey!
• The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are on the verge of upsetting the Rocket City Trash Pandas for the Diamond Digest Best Minor League Team Name championship. Vote on Twitter.
• Last year’s Marlins first-round draft pick JJ Bleday will be a guest on Sev & Geff Live Tuesday at noon. Submit your questions for him here (or in the article comments, so I can pass them along to the hosts). As usual, you can stream the episode on YouTube or Periscope.
• Speaking of first-rounders, Ian Smith’s mock draft for Prospects 365 has the Marlins selecting Vanderbilt star Austin Martin this summer with the No. 3 overall pick.
• Right-hander Ryan Cook didn’t appear in any Spring Training games and isn’t even guaranteed to make the Marlins roster, and yet he has partnered with the Miami Marlins Foundation’s COVID-19 relief efforts. MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro confirms that Cook had a broken toe, but is now fully recovered.

• Ryne Stanek will begin his final night of competition in the MLB The Show Players League at 9 p.m. ET. His opponents are Ian Happ of the Cubs and Hunter Pence of the Giants. Streaming on Twitch.