1873 Off-season Thread (Season 36)
 

Starting this before the draft, solely so I can list next year's cap figures:

Uggh, just deleted my file by accident

SLOP LINKS (League file, HTML, PAYROLL REPORT, DRAFT TRACKER) - Front Office Football Central

I know, I found it last night haha

What's going on with the draft pool? They're all 17 or younger and it's pretty weak.

The game generated this draft class, nerds. Don't shoot the messenger. It's not clear what you all want from these classes. Like what's too much? Last year someone whined when there were too many players with a certain level of power. In the past, folks have complained there's too much talent. Now there's not enough. I'm not sure where the medium is. Other than, the game knows we have too much talent and is bleeding us out.

I can add talent to the pool though, if that's what people are saying. I haven't even looked at the draft class yet. Just not clear what direction I'm supposed to take. Is this the part of the show where I mention that when I started FOOL there was no draft and all incoming rookies hit the market as FAs? ;) I know none of you want to nuke the draft...

I'm fine with a weak draft class. Just thought the ages seemed very young and unusual.

I changed the age range from 16 to like 20 I think purposely because someone complained (and I understood that) that having kids at 22 didn't give them time to develop. So that might be why.

Weaker draft classes might not be a bad idea, though what it does promote is that the teams on top now will likely be on top for the next foreseeable future until the stars of today start to age and retire.

I guess you could call it SLOP's steroid era, and we just started serious testing, lol.

age is irrelevant when the talent level is this low! its all about the talent fairy!

Hmm...

No, whatever you are thinking and whatever your intentions are, it is best for the league to leave things as they are (well, you can change the age back to 16 - 22 to get a better distribution of talent since 21 and 22 year olds are more developed even if their potential is generally less than high school players).

Then again, it is your world, or playground at least.

Yeah I'm not making any last-minute changes now. Draft class is how it is. But I will give an advanced heads up, that I intend to make sure the game generates some international free agents. I realize that doesn't mean that the bad teams can get them, necessarily, but...it'll achieve my aims of keeping parity near where it should be. I will fix the age distribution again though for next year. That's easy.

And honestly, it's been ages since we had a really big transcendent off-season, so it'd be good to see one.

I'll keep watching draft classes though, because I do want draft picks to have value.

We're back to 20 teams, even steven in each division and in each league. I folded Nome and St. Louis. Well, St. Louis was merged with San Diego because they have no farm system and were an expansion team that had no benefit of even an expansion draft. It's better for competitiveness, but the farm systems of both clubs were released to the wild, as was anyone on Nome's major league roster.

That also means everyone moves up two spots in the upcoming draft tonight.

Your welcome.

File is up commies. Tomorrow we'll do FA1.

I forgot to add the internationals. Will do so after tonight.

I can't get it to load in game. Any ideas?

Alright, I think Im up again

File is up. FA2 tomorrow. A few foreign FAs added to the pool as you'll see, so hopefully you saved room for dessert.

Thursday, November 28th, 1872
Brooklyn Titans: Signed free agent MR Pat White to a 3-year contract worth a total of $4,725,000.
Winnemucca Choo-Choos: Signed free agent LF Jaime Daughtry to a 7-year contract worth a total of $183,000,000.
Portland Thorns: Signed free agent 3B Pat McDaniel to a 2-year contract worth a total of $1,700,000.
Washington Grays: Signed free agent 3B J.D. Frieden to a 4-year contract worth a total of $13,400,000.
Winnemucca Choo-Choos: Signed free agent RF Joey Moore to a 6-year contract worth a total of $43,000,000.
Winnemucca Choo-Choos: Signed free agent SP Freddie Peters to a 6-year contract worth a total of $50,000,000.
Portland Thorns: Signed free agent SP Izzy Moreno to a 2-year contract worth a total of $5,200,000.
Worcester Crows: Signed free agent SS Vinny Ibarra to a 2-year contract worth a total of $1,800,000.
Winnemucca Choo-Choos: Signed free agent 2B Jordan Gonzales to a 2-year contract worth a total of $2,600,000.
Worcester Crows: Signed free agent SP J.J. Gump to a 3-year contract worth a total of $5,400,000.
Brooklyn Titans: Signed free agent RF Tom Tudor to a 4-year contract worth a total of $10,800,000.
Gettysburg Gomers: Signed free agent C Carlos Cortes to a 2-year contract worth a total of $1,200,000.
Memphis Smokers: Signed free agent CL T.J. Rogers to a 1-year contract worth a total of $1,575,000.
Memphis Smokers: Signed free agent CL Al Jackson to a 3-year contract worth a total of $20,000,000.
Portland Thorns: Signed free agent SP B.J. Bilodeau to a 2-year contract worth a total of $3,800,000.
Thursday, November 21st, 1872
Cleveland Laborers: Signed free agent 1B Michito Hata to a 4-year contract worth a total of $28,000,000.
Cuyahoga Spiders: Signed free agent 1B Dave Bohannon to a 4-year contract worth a total of $45,000,000.
Cuyahoga Spiders: Signed free agent SP Jamie Berkowitz to a 1-year contract worth a total of $3,850,000.
Memphis Smokers: Signed free agent MR Amari Gray to a 1-year contract worth a total of $2,000,000.
Brooklyn Titans: Signed free agent CF J.J. Blaisdell to a 4-year contract worth a total of $8,400,000.
Worcester Crows: Signed free agent 3B Jimmy Kemme to a 3-year contract worth a total of $9,900,000.
Sunday, November 17th, 1872
Washington Grays: Signed 3B Ron Storms to a 2-year contract extension worth a total of $3,300,000.

Crap, guess my export didn't take. Hopefully some signings this time around.

Huge final year team options (CL Al Jackson) are allowed in this league? Guess I need to start taking advantage of that.

I hate to agree, but that violates the unwritten dont be a douche rule.

$10m option isn't huge in this league. Never has been.

its more than the 2 previous years.... its not absolute value, its the marginal value. this deal would cause him to say no if I offered 3 years 6 per.... and thats a problem.

What? Really? The deal is $4m, $6m and $10m. You realize that anyone could've beaten that contract by just going over a bit more on the front part of the deal. I don't really see anything wrong with it.

I mean, it'd be different if it was some crazy high price that no one would be willing to pay. But I just don't see how a contract that guarantees the guy $10m with a $10m option is abusive. So many of us could've beaten that deal if we'd just offered a bit more.

Especially since Memphis doesn't have a history -- or really anyone left in the league -- has a history of signing guys to "big" extensions and then dropping them in the walk year unless they suck.

That's just not a problem over here. I can understand being annoyed that you didn't get him -- I thought I made a competitive offer on him too -- but...again, that contract isn't all that crazy in my opinion.

I disagree. I have no idea what I offered him... or if I offered him, but the engine is messed up, and loves options.

Im not saying Memphis is cheating... but there should be a rule that no team option can be higher than the lowest guaranteed year.

Ooh, I see what you mean. That makes sense. I hadn't thought of it like that.

of course you see. NATS!!!!!

go GIO

Sorry. I get what you all are saying now. It makes sense. I will add a rule.

a rule that NATS rule? I support.

Actually, I have a better idea. I've updated the rules thread. Effective after FA2 tonight, player or team options cannot be included in contracts. I recognize we've all done it up through now and even into FA2 and so, this is fine. But starting after I sim tonight, no more.

This will make it easier. With the DWEEB rule anyway, there's no real need for them and player options always annoyed me in this league for someone reason.

But this will solve the problem, because there is a definite exploit in the game towards options.

a player option is guaranteed.. no team options might be better... just a thougth!

and i would like to point out, that i find no cheating in memphis!

I do find fault in anyone who sends me trades now, as I have been drinking :D

Sounds good. I wasn't pushing for a rule change, just trying to find out if I can start gaming the system too.

As claphamsa said, I always thought it was an unwritten rule in the ootp online universe.

No, I didn't think anyone was calling out Memphis. Or asking for a rule change. I just don't want to be in the business of policing contracts and this just puts everyone on the same playing field because the game does have a predisposition towards liking option years and so, this just makes it better since we won't be using them anymore. And I use them more than anyone, so I'm not even a fan of my own rule. But...I think it'll work better.

Also, the DWEEB rule cut limit is lowered from $20m per year to $10m per year. Effective Opening Day '73.

BOOOOO

<3 DWEEB

I've already exported with a couple of offers including options for tonight. It's possible I don't sign any of those guys, but am I going to be in trouble if one of them does sign a deal that includes an option?

EDIT: Never mind. Just read the rule post.

I generally dont use options, but your rule makes ZERO sense. ZERO POINT ZERO.


Also, guys signed prior to this year pretty much have to be grandfathered into the $20 million dweeb rule.

Did we do FA2?

I didn't run the sim last night, because my internet wasn't working until late. I will do it now.

I am not seeing your exports (but I'm getting everyone else's that's exporting..) are you sure it's confirming when you send it. Your last export took on March 30th, fyi.

No HTML until tonight's sim. I have to get to work.

01/19/1873

SECOND LEAGUE OF OFFSEASON PLAY
MAJOR TRANSACTIONS DEC 1872

BNN Index | SLOP | SCORES | STANDINGS | STATS | TEAMS | PLAYERS | TRANSACTIONS | HISTORY

Oct 1872 | Nov 1872 | Dec 1872 | Jan 1873
Wednesday, December 18th, 1872
Grand Rapids Robins: Signed free agent MR Jae Lee to a 1-year contract worth a total of $1,700,000.
Portland Thorns: Signed free agent SP Carlos Placencia to a 1-year contract worth a total of $800,000.
Winnemucca Choo-Choos: Signed free agent MR Leandro Gimenez to a 2-year contract worth a total of $1,350,000.
San Diego Fathers: Signed free agent MR J.J. Mixson to a 7-year contract worth a total of $47,620,000.
Winnemucca Choo-Choos: Signed free agent RF Jamie Banfield to a 4-year contract worth a total of $9,030,000.
Winnemucca Choo-Choos: Signed free agent SS A.J. Neville to a 1-year contract worth a total of $900,000.
Cuyahoga Spiders: Signed free agent C Pat Taupier to a 1-year contract worth a total of $2,900,000.
Washington Grays: Signed free agent SP Carlos Hueck to a 3-year contract worth a total of $19,600,000.
San Diego Fathers: Signed free agent RF A.J. Bogue to a 3-year contract worth a total of $16,500,000.
Saturday, December 14th, 1872
Cuyahoga Spiders: Signed free agent LF Victor Jimenez to a 5-year contract worth a total of $35,000,000.
Wednesday, December 11th, 1872
Memphis Smokers: Signed free agent CL Dion Psara to a 1-year contract worth a total of $375,000.
Memphis Smokers: Signed free agent 3B Harry Underhill to a 6-year contract worth a total of $76,000,000.
Washington Grays: Signed free agent SS Javeed Matta to a 5-year contract worth a total of $117,000,000.
Chicago Hornets: Signed free agent SP Ty Loomis to a 1-year contract worth a total of $2,800,000.
Portland Thorns: Signed free agent 2B Robby Uriarte to a 7-year contract worth a total of $144,000,000.
Saturday, December 7th, 1872
Worcester Crows: Signed 1B Jimmy Arbogast to a 2-year contract extension worth a total of $2,200,000.

riday, January 3rd, 1873
Winnemucca Choo-Choos: Signed free agent SP Quadir Williams to a 2-year contract worth a total of $2,800,000.
Winnemucca Choo-Choos: Signed free agent SP Braiden Boles to a 10-year contract worth a total of $160,000,000.
Memphis Smokers: Signed free agent 1B Ruben Rivero to a 2-year contract worth a total of $7,200,000.
Lake Tahoe Syndicate: Signed free agent C Danny Contreras to a 1-year contract worth a total of $950,000.
Thursday, January 2nd, 1873
Winnemucca Choo-Choos: Signed free agent C Dave Shaffer to a 1-year contract worth a total of $800,000.

Good on Portland finally spending some money. ;)

Washington spent, but we knew they could do that. Also, I didn't realize Jimmy Arbogast was still in the bigs. Good to see.

The team is finally competitive so it makes sense. I thought I'd be spending a lot more as I made some pretty outrageous offers to other players as well.

dola, I'm pretty sure my offer to Hueck was for much more than what he signed for with Washington. Oh well, dems da breaks.

File is up.