New ideas? I hope.

[metdenn]

A. More effective farm system with risks. Vast improvements, bust etc. which would help people trade prospects instead of sitting on them.
-Some more ideas on this. Draft players (the ones you get in the offseason) be totally random in skill, so even the worst spenders might get a McGuire, but the improvement depends a litle on luck and a lot on spending.
-Need at least 1-2 years in the minors before you reach decent potential.

These ideas would help have teams like the yanks send a prospect to Twins for some proven stars, just because prospects, like in life, are just estimates. Piazza was 62 round, and Generation K was top picks. Case in point.

B. Start talks at any time with a prospect as long as he is still in his first 2 years. Sign a kid who was in your minors til 27 to another 7 year deal before he proves himself, and he still has 2 years on his contract. Could make a min amount of signing like 8-10. Oakland has done that with Mulder etc. Helps small markets. But deals could be busts, so its a gamble like life.

[metdenn]

C. Also, I know its been suggested, but how about even teams. It would be an interesting twist.

D. On that topic, howabout a league where it starts off with random fictional players? I am a little tired of restartign with teams and doing the same motion with the same players, it would be interesting to learn from the begining. That element also allows for even teams in which everyone starts with lower salary players.

[Cipster]

I agree that there should be greater variability in the prospects. Right now nobody wants to trade a prospect with a great scouting report because they know he will produce. Also I rarely saw anybody improve significantly after they are in AAA. A half letter grade is the most I observed. Right now everyone just spends as much as they can on the farm and sit on their prospects. More variability will encourage more trading and risk taking.
There is no need to go get a veteran at the deadline because you can stick a 23 yo in there and he'll deliver if the scouting grades are there.

[khan]

This would add more realism to the game as well. In actual MLB, great prospects are often traded to get developing stars or even one year rent-a-players. Having risk associated with prospects would lead to more trades and ultimately a fighting chance for the small market teams who can't spend 200 points on their farm system.

[metdenn]

Not to mention if low spending teams can get a great player, some large market will focus less on developing talent, but be like real large market teams, let the Twins breed and lean them and then outprice them!