What's the deal with Free Agency??!!

[Shield]

So i just had my offseason a few days ago with SD and the entire process pissed me off. I had only 10 players signed going into the offseason and every time i tried to make an offer it said "You are over the maximum roster size" or something like that, this includes offers to my own FAs. I was only allowed to offer arbitration. My last resort was to try and cut someone from my minor league team and sure enough after releasing 1 guy it allowed me to make offers. I don't understand this one bit.

Another thing i don't get is I thought every player with less than 7yrs experience were arbitration eligible. But when i try to sign some of those guys it only allows me to make a full on offer and not offer arbitration. Maybe i don't fully understand the arbitration process? Just because Latos and Maybin had stellar years shouldn't mean i need to pay them 10+mil/year. And if I don't someone else snatches them from me.

[kpak76]

Re: What's the deal with Free Agency??!!

Cut the guys who don't have a contract that have a low potential. The guys you don't plan on signing back in the first place. The guys with the F potential. The rookies you drafted took up some of the roster spots, so now you are over the roster limit of 90. Just cut all the F since they most likely will never make your MLB roster.

[Benzhiyi]

Out of contract players still appear on your 90-man roster until Feb (I think) unless you go in and release them manually. Do that for any players you don't want once the FA process begins and the problem should be solved.


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=51.353066,-2.377808

[kpak76]

Re: What's the deal with Free Agency??!!

Out of contract players still appear on your 90-man roster until Feb (I think) unless you go in and release them manually. Do that for any players you don't want once the FA process begins and the problem should be solved.


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=51.353066,-2.377808

Actually I think they stay on the roster right up before the rule 5 draft. It's like a couple weeks, the first star before the rule 5 draft.

[Austin Hawk]

Re: What's the deal with Free Agency??!!

Another thing to keep in mind that I found out myself recently is that any free agent you sign will automatically be placed on your MLB roster, regardless of his ability or age. So you may be limited if your MLB roster is full and you just want to sign someone for minor leagues.

[dbacks_Nation]

Re: What's the deal with Free Agency??!!

Another thing to keep in mind that I found out myself recently is that any free agent you sign will automatically be placed on your MLB roster, regardless of his ability or age. So you may be limited if your MLB roster is full and you just want to sign someone for minor leagues.

Untrue.

If you want to sign someone to a minor league contract, make sure you have an open roster spot on an MiLB team and cycle to your Triple-A or Double-A team, and offer a contract.

[eyeamg0dly]

Re: What's the deal with Free Agency??!!

So i just had my offseason a few days ago with SD and the entire process pissed me off. I had only 10 players signed going into the offseason and every time i tried to make an offer it said "You are over the maximum roster size" or something like that, this includes offers to my own FAs. I was only allowed to offer arbitration. My last resort was to try and cut someone from my minor league team and sure enough after releasing 1 guy it allowed me to make offers. I don't understand this one bit.

Another thing i don't get is I thought every player with less than 7yrs experience were arbitration eligible. But when i try to sign some of those guys it only allows me to make a full on offer and not offer arbitration. Maybe i don't fully understand the arbitration process? Just because Latos and Maybin had stellar years shouldn't mean i need to pay them 10+mil/year. And if I don't someone else snatches them from me.

i dont remember the exact rules for arbitration, but the player must play a couple seasons first before they are eligible for it. the rules for the off season transactions are in the game. im not sitting in front of my ps3 to find it for you. but just look around and im sure you can find it.

i find the offseason so tricky sometimes, because they dont give you enough information to make sound decisions. for arbitration, i want to compare the player to other similiar players to judge their production and their general worth. for example lets say i have a young pitcher with good stuff, i have no way to compare him to other pitchers in the league to get a general ball park figure of what is a good offer.

[HechticSooner]

Re: What's the deal with Free Agency??!!

The way that it works in MLB is that the first three years all players get the league minimum unless they qualify for super two status. This is where a player gets arbitration one year early because they produced in the top tier of their position. Otherwise after three years and before six you enter arbitration years, if you can't agree to a multi year deal. Most major players get signed to long term deals well before they enter their first arbitration year because teams like to know that they have these players locked up and know exactly how much you have to pay for the privilege.

The journeymen type players are usually the types that get arbitration, think your Hairston bros. type player. Of course by the rules of the mlb after your sixth year of service you get free agency. In the old CBA these players that went to fa would if they were good enough to be a type A or B free agent they would be offered arbitration as well. The new extention of the CBA changes this to where you no longer need to offer arb but it also changes the way compensation works.

Needless to say that MLB roster eules can be VERY convoluted, especially since i didnt even touch on the way the Rule t5

[HolyStroke3]

Re: What's the deal with Free Agency??!!

Less than 3 years of MLB service=matching contract (not less than 80% of what they made the previous year iirc)

3-6 years of service=arbitration

6+ years of service=free agency

Super 2 is an exception to these rules, I don't remember the exact amount of service, but a player just under 3 years and in the top 17% iirc at his position is eligible for arbitration

When Type A or Type B free agents are signed by a new team, their previous team is compensated with draft picks