2036 Free Agent Signing Period #1 (Days 1-10)

[Kingdom]

Sounds more than reasonable. Sleep on it.

[Kingdom]

Somehow I don't remember that ever happening in my past OOTP lives.

That was definitely a first for me. And I've been doing sim leagues since before Buckfoston and Bonn Bonn were born. Seemingly so. >_>

[Porter]

Now that the prospect thing is over. I really like my signing of George and Million.

[browntown653]

Bastard...George didn't like my organization. Happy with the fairly cheap pickup of SP Ramirez though.

[Porter]

Bastard...George didn't like my organization. Happy with the fairly cheap pickup of SP Ramirez though.

In the words of Nelson. **HA HA**

I like the core of guys on offense with Starrett (29 HR, 106 RBI, 60 SBs), Hill (33 HR, 121 RBI, 33 SBs), George (40 HRs and 147 RBIs), Marinez (26 HR, 103 RBIs), Shaul (24 HRs, 66 RBIs in his rookie year), Conaway (.390 OBP, 42 SBs)

[Sabu88]

Ahhh... yes my genius at work again.

This is a baseball simulation. Let's keep that logic in mind.

1) In prior years I had to keep a tight budget with my team, whilst free spending was rampant with 25mill+ offers per year going out to a single player. It surely gave me a distinct unfair advantage, but I didn't whine and complain to Molina about how my team had ZERO money to spend and had to keep a payroll each year. The results? They speak for themselves.

2) I left because the competition sucked, and I get convinced to come back by dear old friend OH here and I take over the Pirates again. I realize that HEY! they don't have anyone on the team worth a shit, a low payroll, and tons of money to burn. Hell..this is a new experience for me! So what do I do? I fill the holes with the rules given to me.

I don't need to go over all them...but here's a summary...

1) Three players could be offered contracts of 10mill+ up to 20 million
2) ALL players in FA were available except the noted exceptions in the players selected in the contraction draft

Let me say that again... ALL players.

If you didnt think to offer a prospect of high caliber a large salary then that's a problem of yours...not mine. Don't punish me for you not doing your job.

3) How I chose to spend my money was up to me. You all had the same chance to spend it. This is no different than the Yankees offering a foreign prospect a lucrative contract when teams like the Pirates have no chance at matching the offer.

4) Whatever "solution" to this problem is, I'm sure it will favor the whiners. That being said, any decision should go through me. I have no problem further curtailing to people *****ing and whining, but I want a some say on what happens to the players that I rightfully signed.

[Porter]

I just say make sure you pay every penny for the people you sign. Congratulations that you found a loophole and signed everyone to a 1 or 2 year deal for that amount of money. It wasn't really a genius at work and no different then the rookie wage scale in the NFL. So heck lets say we let you keep all the guys, then keep them to the contracts they were signed to. 1 or 2 years. So all of them would be FAs at the end of the season or after that. Since that's exactly who you signed him to, you shouldn't have a problem to get them back when they become FA's. That's just taking your contract at literal face value. Sure, you will probably come back with the fact they get automatically resigned. Sure go ahead, but you're paying what your originally offering since any other contract would be set for the next 3 years before arby. So that's the options for Mr. Loophole to have. Let him keep them if he wants but pay for every penny at either the length of the contract (1yr or 2yrs if i remember right) or until arby starts for the players in mind. Like I proposed before. If you want to offer the same offer I gave George who puts up MVP numbers to a guy that's underdeveloped, go ahead but you only signed him for 2 years. And going 40 million over your projected last years budget with guys that are underdeveloped makes no sense, but if you offer the contract it should be at what you offered them. If you were smarter about it, do it for 6 years.

I do agree with him that everyone had the same rules. At the same time, this is actually idiotic considering if he is held to all the contracts given at their length because at projections he would lose all his money by 2038. There is the karma angle when he can they can lose talent while on their contract. I know it won't be popular with mostly everyone else. Look at it this way it's 1 or 2 year deal, leave it at that for the amount he offered regardless if he leaves him in the minors or not, they become a FA after the life of the deal offered. Then make a decision when they becomes a FA to try and add them to a draft pool. Sure he would get a choice to resign them after that original length like any other person. Figuring when he goes to resign them will be asking for considerably less money. Put the stipulation that the players in questions cant be offered less than 75% of the original deal. If GMs want to leave because PIT gets to keep the guys, it's up to them but if that happens, that's what I propose. We knew someone would do it but was smart enough to not offer 84 million to guys that may or may not pan out. We just need to hold him to the amount that he offered at least.

That's all I really care/ask: Make him pay for every ****ing penny.

Edit: And looking at the prospects signed, He still doesn't have the best farm in the league. Which is pretty damn funny considering he's such a genius and all. You spent 84 million more than mostly everyone that has prospects. At least buy the guys in the current draft pool if you're going to spend that much. I'm evil, but the more I look at this, the more stupid these moves are.

[Foster]

Bastard...George didn't like my organization.

That explains half the people I tried to sign.

[Molina00]

Ahhh... yes my genius at work again.

This is a baseball simulation. Let's keep that logic in mind.

1) In prior years I had to keep a tight budget with my team, whilst free spending was rampant with 25mill+ offers per year going out to a single player. It surely gave me a distinct unfair advantage, but I didn't whine and complain to Molina about how my team had ZERO money to spend and had to keep a payroll each year. The results? They speak for themselves.

2) I left because the competition sucked, and I get convinced to come back by dear old friend OH here and I take over the Pirates again. I realize that HEY! they don't have anyone on the team worth a shit, a low payroll, and tons of money to burn. Hell..this is a new experience for me! So what do I do? I fill the holes with the rules given to me.

I don't need to go over all them...but here's a summary...

1) Three players could be offered contracts of 10mill+ up to 20 million
2) ALL players in FA were available except the noted exceptions in the players selected in the contraction draft

Let me say that again... ALL players.

If you didnt think to offer a prospect of high caliber a large salary then that's a problem of yours...not mine. Don't punish me for you not doing your job.

3) How I chose to spend my money was up to me. You all had the same chance to spend it. This is no different than the Yankees offering a foreign prospect a lucrative contract when teams like the Pirates have no chance at matching the offer.

4) Whatever "solution" to this problem is, I'm sure it will favor the whiners. That being said, any decision should go through me. I have no problem further curtailing to people *****ing and whining, but I want a some say on what happens to the players that I rightfully signed.

So I am supposed to get your approval on any decision when you are the one who found and exploited the loopholes? Not just on the offers to minor leaguers but you seem to have found a workaround of the limit on $10-$20 mil offers as well, essentially signing 6 guys to $10 mil contracts, one of which kept me from signing Bryant. I'm sure other GM's lost out on some of those players as well. The point here is not that you had a lot of money to throw around and used it, many GM's do that and is not the problem. You exploited loopholes and took advantage of the system to the detriment of nearly every other GM that submitted FA offers. As the commissioner it is my responsibility to do what is in the best interests of the league as a whole, not just the best interests of one GM. Unfortunately I was unaware of the contractual issues that would arise, otherwise I would have had the rules be much more involved regarding the prospects and the financial rules.

[Molina00]

I just say make sure you pay every penny for the people you sign. Congratulations that you found a loophole and signed everyone to a 1 or 2 year deal for that amount of money. It wasn't really a genius at work and no different then the rookie wage scale in the NFL. So heck lets say we let you keep all the guys, then keep them to the contracts they were signed to. 1 or 2 years. So all of them would be FAs at the end of the season or after that. Since that's exactly who you signed him to, you shouldn't have a problem to get them back when they become FA's. That's just taking your contract at literal face value. Sure, you will probably come back with the fact they get automatically resigned. Sure go ahead, but you're paying what your originally offering since any other contract would be set for the next 3 years before arby. So that's the options for Mr. Loophole to have. Let him keep them if he wants but pay for every penny at either the length of the contract (1yr or 2yrs if i remember right) or until arby starts for the players in mind. Like I proposed before. If you want to offer the same offer I gave George who puts up MVP numbers to a guy that's underdeveloped, go ahead but you only signed him for 2 years. And going 40 million over your projected last years budget with guys that are underdeveloped makes no sense, but if you offer the contract it should be at what you offered them. If you were smarter about it, do it for 6 years.

I do agree with him that everyone had the same rules. At the same time, this is actually idiotic considering if he is held to all the contracts given at their length because at projections he would lose all his money by 2038. There is the karma angle when he can they can lose talent while on their contract. I know it won't be popular with mostly everyone else. Look at it this way it's 1 or 2 year deal, leave it at that for the amount he offered regardless if he leaves him in the minors or not, they become a FA after the life of the deal offered. Then make a decision when they becomes a FA to try and add them to a draft pool. Sure he would get a choice to resign them after that original length like any other person. Figuring when he goes to resign them will be asking for considerably less money. Put the stipulation that the players in questions cant be offered less than 75% of the original deal. If GMs want to leave because PIT gets to keep the guys, it's up to them but if that happens, that's what I propose. We knew someone would do it but was smart enough to not offer 84 million to guys that may or may not pan out. We just need to hold him to the amount that he offered at least.

That's all I really care/ask: Make him pay for every ****ing penny.

I actually like this idea too, although it would involve me monitoring the players each year until their contracts run out. For me it's down to OM's plan and this.

[Porter]

I actually like this idea too, although it would involve me monitoring the players each year until their contracts run out. For me it's down to OM's plan and this.

Oh believe me, you will have help montoring those contracts.

[Slyder]

Ahhh... yes my genius at work again.

This is a baseball simulation. Let's keep that logic in mind.

Its about having fun, having 1 guy taking a loophole and flying a 767 through isnt fun its a douche move.

1) In prior years I had to keep a tight budget with my team, whilst free spending was rampant with 25mill+ offers per year going out to a single player. It surely gave me a distinct unfair advantage, but I didn't whine and complain to Molina about how my team had ZERO money to spend and had to keep a payroll each year. The results? They speak for themselves.

Ive been Minnesota, Milwaukee, and Kansas City in the other leagues. Your point? Everyone has to deal with that.

2) I left because the competition sucked, and I get convinced to come back by dear old friend OH here and I take over the Pirates again. I realize that HEY! they don't have anyone on the team worth a shit, a low payroll, and tons of money to burn. Hell..this is a new experience for me! So what do I do? I fill the holes with the rules given to me.

I don't need to go over all them...but here's a summary...

1) Three players could be offered contracts of 10mill+ up to 20 million
2) ALL players in FA were available except the noted exceptions in the players selected in the contraction draft

Let me say that again... ALL players.

If you didnt think to offer a prospect of high caliber a large salary then that's a problem of yours...not mine. Don't punish me for you not doing your job.

3) How I chose to spend my money was up to me. You all had the same chance to spend it. This is no different than the Yankees offering a foreign prospect a lucrative contract when teams like the Pirates have no chance at matching the offer.

4) Whatever "solution" to this problem is, I'm sure it will favor the whiners. That being said, any decision should go through me. I have no problem further curtailing to people *****ing and whining, but I want a some say on what happens to the players that I rightfully signed.

You spent more on prospects that may NEVER help you. You took advantage of a loophole in OOTP that some Im sure arent aware of to the Nth degree. That is going to kill your ability to compete even wtih "the great prospects". Thats not smart its outright dumb and a douche move. Since you made mention of Real life MLB I agree with Porter anyone signed this time should either A) Get the contract renewed until they hit arby or B) they become free agents and cannot resign for less than 75% of the current deal. Which is precisely how MLB works with arby contracts and rookies.

[OrioleMagic]

Ahhh... yes my genius at work again.

This is a baseball simulation. Let's keep that logic in mind.

1) In prior years I had to keep a tight budget with my team, whilst free spending was rampant with 25mill+ offers per year going out to a single player. It surely gave me a distinct unfair advantage, but I didn't whine and complain to Molina about how my team had ZERO money to spend and had to keep a payroll each year. The results? They speak for themselves.

2) I left because the competition sucked, and I get convinced to come back by dear old friend OH here and I take over the Pirates again. I realize that HEY! they don't have anyone on the team worth a shit, a low payroll, and tons of money to burn. Hell..this is a new experience for me! So what do I do? I fill the holes with the rules given to me.

I don't need to go over all them...but here's a summary...

1) Three players could be offered contracts of 10mill+ up to 20 million
2) ALL players in FA were available except the noted exceptions in the players selected in the contraction draft

Let me say that again... ALL players.

If you didnt think to offer a prospect of high caliber a large salary then that's a problem of yours...not mine. Don't punish me for you not doing your job.

3) How I chose to spend my money was up to me. You all had the same chance to spend it. This is no different than the Yankees offering a foreign prospect a lucrative contract when teams like the Pirates have no chance at matching the offer.

4) Whatever "solution" to this problem is, I'm sure it will favor the whiners. That being said, any decision should go through me. I have no problem further curtailing to people *****ing and whining, but I want a some say on what happens to the players that I rightfully signed.

The bolded part is over the top. I love a little good-natured smack talk to add flavor to the league, but this thread is too serious a topic for that. You should note that there are several GMs here on this board that are going to give you the competition you desire and possibly more. Now onto the nuts and bolts of your post.

Every GM should prioritize fairness over all else. In retrospect, leaving minor leaguers in an FA pool that was subject to blind-bidding jeopardized the fairness. Signing a 19 year old prospect with 10-9-6-6-5 talent ratings and 3/4 actual contact ratings to a 30 million dollar contract is completely absurd. Giving Towry 10 million with only 6 talent in movement is just as absurd. Haffey for 10 million... again... absurd. Giving Cavanaugh who only has 6 contact, 3 million would be enough to raise my eyebrows in itself. Torres for $5 million for 3 years? Theron Pearson was at least close... I offered him 5 years/800k. I offered Boyd 1.2 million because he was nearly developed and the risk was not absurd. I also offered Torres 5 years/1.2M. 1.2 million was the line I drew as "reasonable" for a prospect that wasn't fully developed. If we assume for the sake of argument that I am being conservative with 1.2 million and double my figure to roughly 3 million for a prospect, I don't think I would like it, but I wouldn't call it "absurd".

I think you should recognize that at least 15 other GMs did not get even close to what you were offering. I would ask you to consider the State of the League and not fall back on "everyone else had the same chance to offer..." Yes, everyone did have that chance, but everyone else recognized that offering those figures for undeveloped prospects was unreasonable. Even if MoMo converts all of your signed prospects to MLCs and releases them back into the pool, you will have done very well with the signings of Bryant, Haug, Tollefson, and a couple of others. Some of us will lose everything we signed and not get the chance to go back and take a shot at the MLB FAs like we could have.

[cjkalt]

If he really wants to pay that much every year of the deal go for it, its not like those prospects are even that good to be honest, he'd been better off signing MLB'ers and flipping them off at the deadline like the Pirates do every year.

I do see where Sabu is coming from which is why I liked a true international FA process, if he wants to bid 15 mil for the rights to each of these FA's he should have that right, just should be clear for everyone whats going to happen and not some backroom deal

Any way we can get the contraction guys on rosters? Kind of annoying not knowing who the top guys i can sign without filtering through it all...

[Molina00]

Any way we can get the contraction guys on rosters? Kind of annoying not knowing who the top guys i can sign without filtering through it all...

Not until free agency is done and they can be signed as scrub FA's.