muchomaas
09-22-2001, 08:53 PM
One of the problems of the computer trading/roster handling, which I hope will be fixed before pay time is the tendency of some teams to take on an enormous amount of salary that they don't intend to use. I think that can be aleviated by using this new roster management idea.
My idea is to go to a 40-man roster, and then the "low minors."
It would work like baseball in that you have the option on players with less than three years experience and at least -some statistical line over which you know he is just getting a tiny bit of time each year and nothing more- say 40 IP, or 80 AB or 40 appearances. Players you have options on can be called up to the majors from wherever (either low minors, or the 40-man roster) three times in a year.
After they attain that level of experience, they can refuse to be sent down to the minors except on an rehab assignment (where, theoretically they could langour for long periods of time - a tactic often used by teams (ok, myself) to reduce contract year player demands), which would mean you wouldn't have 10 year vets languishing in triple A.
I would suggest you call the "40-man roster but not on the MLB roster" AAAA. I think it will ease player management and ensure that teams don't accumulate too much experienced talent just to sit it in the minor leagues, and to prevent big market teams from buying experienced players and sitting them in the minors. (If they refuse their assignment, you have to release them or put them back on the roster, meaning a major "Sunk" cost, and the reason why many teams keep their overpriced $5M second basemen.)
This having to buy out their contract would also, then impact teams that have the money to do this, giving large market teams a reason spend their money - to clear out the driftwood to make room for new players. I would also suggest something akin to the Rule 5 Draft, wherein any players who play for 5 or 6 years in one team's minors will be given the option of becoming a free agent. This will create an additional incentive - players not on the 40-man roster after 5/6 years could be automatically Free Agents- so maybe you have to buy out somebody who you gave too long a contract to.
As you transition from an open game to a pay model, I think it will be necessary to place limits on clubs, such as these, which will keep the playing field more level for people just stepping into a league that has maybe been running for a few years and has the poor general managing of the computer teams to make up for. This, it seems, will ensure a certain baseline of talent out there each year.
To, Recap:
1. Add a new level, AAAA. This is essentially the 15 players not on the major league roster (say 9 batters, 6 pitchers), including those with at least 3 years experience (after which they won't stay in "low minors"), as well as young players with options. (In practice any player with options can be brought up and sent down innumerable times, though they are accumulating important Service time (measured in yrs in which made a MLB appearance) & appearances).
2. Any player on the 40-man roster can be put on the MLB roster, but those without options will not necessarily back go down to AAAA. (I suggest making this a random with factors such as age, skills, and amount of money they're making. Perhaps instead of being sent down they ask to be bought out of their contract for a reduced rate. ) Note: This is why in the majors, players with options, i.e. young players are sent down in certain cases rather than the team risking losing a player they'll have to take a financial hit for.
3. In addition, when players are brought up from the low minors to the Majors, they must displace a player with options from the 40 man roster to the low minors. Players without options (i.e. 3 yrs exp, etc.) will not go from AAAA to AAA/Low Minors.
It's a little more complicated, but I think no more complicated than the new free agency over the old, system, and just as large an improvement. And think of the benefits:
You'll be one of the first baseball games to incorporate the machinations of handling your 40-man roster to the game. It'd add another GM element for those in hourly snail leagues, able to juggle the roster daily like Dan Duquette.
You can stop teams from accumulating lots of talent at the end of free agency for cheap and then stocking it in the minors, improving the poor computer AI and limiting machiavellian human GMs. Also you'd add to the number of young, useful free agents available (maybe you disperse them if you don't think people will sign them, so in addition to your 18-23 yr old kids you'd get one or two 24-28 yr old career minors guys).
And it would mean there would always be a number of veterans available at any point during the season because there just isn't enough room on the 40-man roster to keep all of it. (I think, obviously, you make it so the computer won't trade for anyone they can't fit onto their 40-man roster or put into the low minors, thereby increasing the importance of signing minor league free agents or maintaining a decent farm system).
What are everyone's thoughts on this system? Is it too hard? Is it worth it? I think it would help things tremendously, what do you think? Do you have more suggestions?
-muchomaas/mercutio
My idea is to go to a 40-man roster, and then the "low minors."
It would work like baseball in that you have the option on players with less than three years experience and at least -some statistical line over which you know he is just getting a tiny bit of time each year and nothing more- say 40 IP, or 80 AB or 40 appearances. Players you have options on can be called up to the majors from wherever (either low minors, or the 40-man roster) three times in a year.
After they attain that level of experience, they can refuse to be sent down to the minors except on an rehab assignment (where, theoretically they could langour for long periods of time - a tactic often used by teams (ok, myself) to reduce contract year player demands), which would mean you wouldn't have 10 year vets languishing in triple A.
I would suggest you call the "40-man roster but not on the MLB roster" AAAA. I think it will ease player management and ensure that teams don't accumulate too much experienced talent just to sit it in the minor leagues, and to prevent big market teams from buying experienced players and sitting them in the minors. (If they refuse their assignment, you have to release them or put them back on the roster, meaning a major "Sunk" cost, and the reason why many teams keep their overpriced $5M second basemen.)
This having to buy out their contract would also, then impact teams that have the money to do this, giving large market teams a reason spend their money - to clear out the driftwood to make room for new players. I would also suggest something akin to the Rule 5 Draft, wherein any players who play for 5 or 6 years in one team's minors will be given the option of becoming a free agent. This will create an additional incentive - players not on the 40-man roster after 5/6 years could be automatically Free Agents- so maybe you have to buy out somebody who you gave too long a contract to.
As you transition from an open game to a pay model, I think it will be necessary to place limits on clubs, such as these, which will keep the playing field more level for people just stepping into a league that has maybe been running for a few years and has the poor general managing of the computer teams to make up for. This, it seems, will ensure a certain baseline of talent out there each year.
To, Recap:
1. Add a new level, AAAA. This is essentially the 15 players not on the major league roster (say 9 batters, 6 pitchers), including those with at least 3 years experience (after which they won't stay in "low minors"), as well as young players with options. (In practice any player with options can be brought up and sent down innumerable times, though they are accumulating important Service time (measured in yrs in which made a MLB appearance) & appearances).
2. Any player on the 40-man roster can be put on the MLB roster, but those without options will not necessarily back go down to AAAA. (I suggest making this a random with factors such as age, skills, and amount of money they're making. Perhaps instead of being sent down they ask to be bought out of their contract for a reduced rate. ) Note: This is why in the majors, players with options, i.e. young players are sent down in certain cases rather than the team risking losing a player they'll have to take a financial hit for.
3. In addition, when players are brought up from the low minors to the Majors, they must displace a player with options from the 40 man roster to the low minors. Players without options (i.e. 3 yrs exp, etc.) will not go from AAAA to AAA/Low Minors.
It's a little more complicated, but I think no more complicated than the new free agency over the old, system, and just as large an improvement. And think of the benefits:
You'll be one of the first baseball games to incorporate the machinations of handling your 40-man roster to the game. It'd add another GM element for those in hourly snail leagues, able to juggle the roster daily like Dan Duquette.
You can stop teams from accumulating lots of talent at the end of free agency for cheap and then stocking it in the minors, improving the poor computer AI and limiting machiavellian human GMs. Also you'd add to the number of young, useful free agents available (maybe you disperse them if you don't think people will sign them, so in addition to your 18-23 yr old kids you'd get one or two 24-28 yr old career minors guys).
And it would mean there would always be a number of veterans available at any point during the season because there just isn't enough room on the 40-man roster to keep all of it. (I think, obviously, you make it so the computer won't trade for anyone they can't fit onto their 40-man roster or put into the low minors, thereby increasing the importance of signing minor league free agents or maintaining a decent farm system).
What are everyone's thoughts on this system? Is it too hard? Is it worth it? I think it would help things tremendously, what do you think? Do you have more suggestions?
-muchomaas/mercutio