Post by Rockies GM (Harris) on Oct 15, 2010 17:56:17 GMT -5
Free Agency
A player not listed on any franchise’s 50-Man Roster will be declared a free agent. A free agent can be any professional baseball player, major league or minor league that has already signed a real-life professional MLB contract, which includes contracts with MLB team affiliates (minor league teams).
When you decide there is a player you wish to add to your 50-Man Roster from free agency, you will need to sign that player to a contract. The league’s minimum salary requirement is $300,000 per year. The longest you may sign a player to contract at the league minimum is two years. The longest you can sign a player to a contract with an average annual salary of less than $500,000 per year is three years (more than $300,000 per year and less than $500,000 per year). The longest you can offer ANY contract is 7 years.
Retirement
If you sign a player to a contract and he retires, you are responsible for that contract. The only way you will not be penalized is if a player retires due to a CAREER ENDING INJURY (including death). If that is the case, you are able to release that player and will only have to pay half of his contract for that year and that year only. Be careful when making bids for older players, especially with high Average Annual Salaries. Please note; getting old, aching, or losing skills is NOT defined as a career ending injury.
As in real-life, sometimes players receive numerous contract offers. The player will ultimately choose the team that has offered them the most lucrative contract. The Average Annual Salary (AAS) of a contract will determine the most lucrative contract.
AAS is determined as follows: You simply take the average of the contract.
For example:
10: $1,000,000
11: $2,000,000
AAS = $1,500,000
A GM Can bid however many times they please on a said player. GM's trying to outbid another bid must outbid previous bid by at least $500,000.
Number of years of the contract offer
Total amount of the contract offer
Average Annual Salary (AAS)
A breakdown of the contract per year
Example:
Red Sox offer CI Bill Buckner
5-year contract worth $48.5M
AAS: $9.7M
2009 - $7M
2010 - $9M
2011 - $11M
2012 - $11M
2013 - $10.5M
Free Agent Rulings
Contract Signing Rules for Prospects and Major Leaguers
A contract offer will not be valid if any single year salary is MORE or LESS then 50% of the AAS of a contract. The highest single year salary of a contract may not exceed 1.5 x AAS, and the lowest single year salary of a contract my not be below .5 x AAS for any one year.
Example: If a player's annual average salary is $5,000,000 per season, the lowest salary that can be offered is $2,500,000 and the highest salary that can be offered is $7,500,000. This rule was created to avoid back loading of contracts. This is a very important rule. If you fail to meet these criteria, your bid will be voided.
The formula for tabulating +/- 50% would be:
AAS 5,000,000 x .50 = 2,500,000
AAS 5,000,000 x 1.5 = 7,500,000
50% of $5M = $2.5M therefore it is $5M +/- $2.5M
Contract Signing Rules for Minor Leaguers
Minor League players bids are to be offered a flat average annual salary bid that will remain intact until the player gains prospect eligibility.
Example: Red Sox sign minor leaguer A to a $500k contract. Player A will be paid $500k every season until the season after he loses minor league eligibility. At that point he enters the 5-year prospect system and you then must refer to Cot's for his contractual status. If a contract offered to a minor leaguer is worth an AAS of 1 million dollars or more, that player is not eligible for your 10-Man Minor League Roster, and must be placed on the 40-Man Major League Roster. Once you sign a Minor Leaguer you must announce if you will be placing him in your 10-Man Minor League System or your 40-Man Major League Roster.
However, minor leaguers can also receive major league contracts (that is, without a flat AAS, and with a yearly breakdown). Regardless of what the AAS is (even if under 1M), the player must be placed on the 40-Man major league roster and their salary will count against the cap.
Important Note: Minor League Players who are drafted in June are not eligible to be bid on in FA; they are to be left for the MLB Player Draft starting January 1st.
Contract Signing Rules for International Players
This rule is simple, but very important. First, let it be stated that an international player cannot be signed without first signing with a MLB team or a MLB minor league affiliate. With that said, a player who is less 26 years of age or younger, will be bid on the same way defined minor leaguers are (flat AAS), and thus will be eligible for the 5 year prospect rule. If a player is 27 years of age or older, he is not considered a minor leaguer, and cannot be retained under the 5 year prospect rule. Instead, this player will require a major league contract and will be bid on the same way defined prospects and major leaguers are.
Important Note: International Players who come over mid-season are not eligible to be bid on in FA; they are to be left for the MLB Player Draft starting January 1st.
Important Notes
A GM cannot make a contract offer to a player who has not signed a contract with a real life Major League franchise.
Priority Lists
In some situations there may be more players up for bid in which your roster/cap allows you to have, but you would like to take a stab at all of them in hopes of landing one or two. If this is the case you may send a priority list to the Free Agency account.
Example:
You want 1 of Players A, B and C. You would make bids for all 3 with a message of your intent to win only 1 of these players. Send a priority list in the order you want to win them, and this will allow you to avoid going over roster limits, or your salary cap.
1. Player B
2. Player C
3. Player A
Free Agent Bidding Schedule
YOU CAN POST A PLAYER AT ANY TIME DURING THE OPEN SEASON. DURING THE OFFSEASON, THERE WILL BE A SCHEDULE WHEN FREE AGENCY OPENS BACK UP.
OPEN FA BIDDING
In order to win a player, no bid must have beaten out the highest bid within 24 hours. 24 hours must pass without a bid beating out one's bid in order to win said player. There will be $100k increments for $5M or less bids, $250k from $5M-$10M bids, and then $500k for $10M or more bids.
Releasing a Player to Free Agency
A GM has the right to waive any player to free agency. To waive a player and drop him to free agency, you must post the player's name that you are releasing in a new thread in the board titled "Player Releases". This will make permanent the decision to waive a player to free agency. Once posted, there is no turning back. A GM will still be responsible for half of that player’s salary for the duration of the contract UNLESS that player is signed to a contract by another franchise; in which case, continued responsibility for that player's salary could be negated in full or reduced. If the players new contracts AAS is equal, or higher then the previous contract then your responsibility will be negated in full and that player will no longer count against your salary cap. If the AAS is lower, then you will still be responsible to pay half of that player's salary over the life of the previous contract. If said player remains unsigned, you must continue to count half of that player's salary against your cap until his contract expires.
What happens when I drop a Minor Leaguer?
If you drop a defined minor leaguer or a defined prospect from your 40-Man Roster you are to pay half of that contract for 1 year and 1 year only. If you drop a defined Minor Leaguer from your 10 Man Minor League System, you are not responsible for any salary as any minor leaguer not named to your 40-Man Roster does not count against your cap. Please keep in mind, a minor leaguer with an AAS of higher then 1 million is not eligible to be placed on your 10-Man Minor League Roster, however, if dropped you would still only owe half of that players salary for 1 year and 1 year only.
Can I release a player and then re-sign him?
If a GM waives a player to free agency, you must wait a 14-day period before re-signing him. At which time, if you do resign said player, you are still responsible for half of his previous contract in terms of both salary and term, as well as the new contract handed out UNLESS the players new contract exceeds the AAS of his previous one; in which case you are not responsible for half of the players contract anymore. If a player is released by one team and is picked up the following season by the same team, then the rule applies only if the player's contract at the time of his waiver was a multi-year contract.
Contract Expiration
Each offseason, there are always a number of players who have had their contracts expire. These players naturally become free agents and, as such, are available to accept contract offers being made by other GMs.
There are essentially three types of contracts for purposes in Home Plate:
* a real life contract transacted on or before Opening Day of 2010 (April 6th, 2010); or a real life contract resulting from a franchised player
* a contract won in the free agent bidding process
* a "prospect contract", which is a form of protection for players qualifying as "prospect" players (5 years).
Home Plate Dynasty League does recognize options, but you must decide weather to pick up any option before posting your official 50 man roster.
Cot's - mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/
To protect against the loss of all free agents in a particular calendar year, a GM will be granted the ability to try and keep a player via a Restricted Tag(s) and/or Franchise Tag(s). Each franchise has a different amount of tags dependant on the tier you are in, in terms of salary cap. You will also be able to protect all qualified "minor league" players and also be allowed to protect your qualified "prospect" players as well. Prospect players as a reminder are defined as players who are engaged in the 5-year prospect rule.
What are franchise tags?
If owned, you will have the ability at the end of the year to name a “franchise player(s)”. This player, although having his contract expire will not be eligible for free agency within our league, and will be forced to sign with the same team. In this specific case ONLY, the franchise player will have to assume the real life contract he receives (including 1 year deals or holdouts). In this case, "real-life" acts as an arbitrator of sorts in determining a fair market value for the player. This can either improve or hinder your team depending on how much the player signs for. If the new "real-life" contract puts a franchise over the salary cap maximum, the GM will receive a notice from the Commissioner’s Office after which time he/she will have 72-hours to correct the problem. Keep in mind, this is the only case in which a team may go over the salary cap, and the reason being, the salary for your current franchised player is yet to be determined.
What are restricted players?
A team will also have the ability to name at least one restricted player each season. Restricted players will, in effect, be treated just like free agents with one BIG difference. Once the "Winter Meetings" begin in early December, restricted players can be made contract offers like every other free agent. However, at the end of the contract offering period, the team who restricted the player will have 72 hours to match the winning offer. If a GM chooses to match the winning contract offer, then he/she will be allowed to restructure the "matching" contract so that it best fits their team's salary structure and then re-sign the player. The "restructured" contract must, however, still have the same average annual salary; but may not add additional years to the contract. If a GM fails to respond or chooses not to match the best contract offer made to their player, then the auctioned player will be required to sign with the highest bidder, whose bid then becomes that team's obligation. If you sign a restricted FA, you must provide draft pick compensation to the team in which lost said player (rule explained further in "MLB Player Draft"). Also, if matching the highest offer puts you over the salary cap, then you will not be afforded that player and he will go the next highest bidder. Plan accordingly.
Restricting a player provides a semi protective measure to help a GM retain that player, while not assuring it. In order to provide some, but not absolute assistance in that retention, the following guidelines are placed on Restricted FA bidding:
The Average Annual Salary ("AAS") that a GM bids will require a certain minimum number of years that the offer must cover in order to be a valid bid. The HIGHER the AAS, the LONGER the MINIMUM contract term you MUST offer in order to make a valid bid. The MINIMUM contract term is based solely on the offer's AAS, and is determined as follows:
AAS = up to $3M, then MINIMUM 1 yr deal
AAS = $3M+ to $6M, then MINIMUM 2 yr deal (total min contract = $6,000,001 to $12M)
AAS = $6M+ to $9M, then MINIMUM 3 yr deal (total min contract = $18,000,001 to $27M)
AAS = $9M+ to $12M, then MINIMUM 4 yr deal (total min contract = $36,000,001 to $48M)
AAS = $12M+ to $15M, then MINIMUM 5 yr deal
AAS = $15M+ to $18M, then MINIMUM 6 yr deal
AAS = $18M+ to 21M, then MINIMUM 7 yr deal
Any bid not meeting the correct minimum term offered will be voided. The bidder can always make a contract term LONGER than the minimum number of years since the AAS only determines the MINIMUM term.
Options
Team Options: A team that has player(s) with Team Options are able to exercise or decline the Team Option. If you exercise the player(s) Team Option then you will have that player(s) under contract through the year(s) and salary for the Team Option. If you decline the Team Option that player will become a Free Agent and you will not have that player under contract.
Mutual Options: A team that has player(s) with Mutual Options are able to exercise or decline the Mutual Option. If you exercise the player(s) Mutual Option then you will have that player(s) under contract through the year(s) and salary for the Mutual Option. If you decline the Mutual Option that player will become a Free Agent and you will not have that player under contract.
Player Options: A team that has player(s) with Player Options are NOT able to exercise or decline the Player Option. Player(s) with Player Options will not have their Player Options picked up. They will automatically be declined and the player(s) will become a Free Agent and you will not have that player under contract.
Vesting Options: A team that has player(s) with Vesting Options are NOT able to exercise or decline the Vesting Option. Player(s) with Vesting Options will NOT have their Vesting Options picked up. They will automatically be declined and the player(s) will become a Free Agent and you will not have that player under contract.
A player not listed on any franchise’s 50-Man Roster will be declared a free agent. A free agent can be any professional baseball player, major league or minor league that has already signed a real-life professional MLB contract, which includes contracts with MLB team affiliates (minor league teams).
When you decide there is a player you wish to add to your 50-Man Roster from free agency, you will need to sign that player to a contract. The league’s minimum salary requirement is $300,000 per year. The longest you may sign a player to contract at the league minimum is two years. The longest you can sign a player to a contract with an average annual salary of less than $500,000 per year is three years (more than $300,000 per year and less than $500,000 per year). The longest you can offer ANY contract is 7 years.
Retirement
If you sign a player to a contract and he retires, you are responsible for that contract. The only way you will not be penalized is if a player retires due to a CAREER ENDING INJURY (including death). If that is the case, you are able to release that player and will only have to pay half of his contract for that year and that year only. Be careful when making bids for older players, especially with high Average Annual Salaries. Please note; getting old, aching, or losing skills is NOT defined as a career ending injury.
As in real-life, sometimes players receive numerous contract offers. The player will ultimately choose the team that has offered them the most lucrative contract. The Average Annual Salary (AAS) of a contract will determine the most lucrative contract.
AAS is determined as follows: You simply take the average of the contract.
For example:
10: $1,000,000
11: $2,000,000
AAS = $1,500,000
A GM Can bid however many times they please on a said player. GM's trying to outbid another bid must outbid previous bid by at least $500,000.
Number of years of the contract offer
Total amount of the contract offer
Average Annual Salary (AAS)
A breakdown of the contract per year
Example:
Red Sox offer CI Bill Buckner
5-year contract worth $48.5M
AAS: $9.7M
2009 - $7M
2010 - $9M
2011 - $11M
2012 - $11M
2013 - $10.5M
Free Agent Rulings
Contract Signing Rules for Prospects and Major Leaguers
A contract offer will not be valid if any single year salary is MORE or LESS then 50% of the AAS of a contract. The highest single year salary of a contract may not exceed 1.5 x AAS, and the lowest single year salary of a contract my not be below .5 x AAS for any one year.
Example: If a player's annual average salary is $5,000,000 per season, the lowest salary that can be offered is $2,500,000 and the highest salary that can be offered is $7,500,000. This rule was created to avoid back loading of contracts. This is a very important rule. If you fail to meet these criteria, your bid will be voided.
The formula for tabulating +/- 50% would be:
AAS 5,000,000 x .50 = 2,500,000
AAS 5,000,000 x 1.5 = 7,500,000
50% of $5M = $2.5M therefore it is $5M +/- $2.5M
Contract Signing Rules for Minor Leaguers
Minor League players bids are to be offered a flat average annual salary bid that will remain intact until the player gains prospect eligibility.
Example: Red Sox sign minor leaguer A to a $500k contract. Player A will be paid $500k every season until the season after he loses minor league eligibility. At that point he enters the 5-year prospect system and you then must refer to Cot's for his contractual status. If a contract offered to a minor leaguer is worth an AAS of 1 million dollars or more, that player is not eligible for your 10-Man Minor League Roster, and must be placed on the 40-Man Major League Roster. Once you sign a Minor Leaguer you must announce if you will be placing him in your 10-Man Minor League System or your 40-Man Major League Roster.
However, minor leaguers can also receive major league contracts (that is, without a flat AAS, and with a yearly breakdown). Regardless of what the AAS is (even if under 1M), the player must be placed on the 40-Man major league roster and their salary will count against the cap.
Important Note: Minor League Players who are drafted in June are not eligible to be bid on in FA; they are to be left for the MLB Player Draft starting January 1st.
Contract Signing Rules for International Players
This rule is simple, but very important. First, let it be stated that an international player cannot be signed without first signing with a MLB team or a MLB minor league affiliate. With that said, a player who is less 26 years of age or younger, will be bid on the same way defined minor leaguers are (flat AAS), and thus will be eligible for the 5 year prospect rule. If a player is 27 years of age or older, he is not considered a minor leaguer, and cannot be retained under the 5 year prospect rule. Instead, this player will require a major league contract and will be bid on the same way defined prospects and major leaguers are.
Important Note: International Players who come over mid-season are not eligible to be bid on in FA; they are to be left for the MLB Player Draft starting January 1st.
Important Notes
A GM cannot make a contract offer to a player who has not signed a contract with a real life Major League franchise.
Priority Lists
In some situations there may be more players up for bid in which your roster/cap allows you to have, but you would like to take a stab at all of them in hopes of landing one or two. If this is the case you may send a priority list to the Free Agency account.
Example:
You want 1 of Players A, B and C. You would make bids for all 3 with a message of your intent to win only 1 of these players. Send a priority list in the order you want to win them, and this will allow you to avoid going over roster limits, or your salary cap.
1. Player B
2. Player C
3. Player A
Free Agent Bidding Schedule
YOU CAN POST A PLAYER AT ANY TIME DURING THE OPEN SEASON. DURING THE OFFSEASON, THERE WILL BE A SCHEDULE WHEN FREE AGENCY OPENS BACK UP.
OPEN FA BIDDING
In order to win a player, no bid must have beaten out the highest bid within 24 hours. 24 hours must pass without a bid beating out one's bid in order to win said player. There will be $100k increments for $5M or less bids, $250k from $5M-$10M bids, and then $500k for $10M or more bids.
Releasing a Player to Free Agency
A GM has the right to waive any player to free agency. To waive a player and drop him to free agency, you must post the player's name that you are releasing in a new thread in the board titled "Player Releases". This will make permanent the decision to waive a player to free agency. Once posted, there is no turning back. A GM will still be responsible for half of that player’s salary for the duration of the contract UNLESS that player is signed to a contract by another franchise; in which case, continued responsibility for that player's salary could be negated in full or reduced. If the players new contracts AAS is equal, or higher then the previous contract then your responsibility will be negated in full and that player will no longer count against your salary cap. If the AAS is lower, then you will still be responsible to pay half of that player's salary over the life of the previous contract. If said player remains unsigned, you must continue to count half of that player's salary against your cap until his contract expires.
What happens when I drop a Minor Leaguer?
If you drop a defined minor leaguer or a defined prospect from your 40-Man Roster you are to pay half of that contract for 1 year and 1 year only. If you drop a defined Minor Leaguer from your 10 Man Minor League System, you are not responsible for any salary as any minor leaguer not named to your 40-Man Roster does not count against your cap. Please keep in mind, a minor leaguer with an AAS of higher then 1 million is not eligible to be placed on your 10-Man Minor League Roster, however, if dropped you would still only owe half of that players salary for 1 year and 1 year only.
Can I release a player and then re-sign him?
If a GM waives a player to free agency, you must wait a 14-day period before re-signing him. At which time, if you do resign said player, you are still responsible for half of his previous contract in terms of both salary and term, as well as the new contract handed out UNLESS the players new contract exceeds the AAS of his previous one; in which case you are not responsible for half of the players contract anymore. If a player is released by one team and is picked up the following season by the same team, then the rule applies only if the player's contract at the time of his waiver was a multi-year contract.
Contract Expiration
Each offseason, there are always a number of players who have had their contracts expire. These players naturally become free agents and, as such, are available to accept contract offers being made by other GMs.
There are essentially three types of contracts for purposes in Home Plate:
* a real life contract transacted on or before Opening Day of 2010 (April 6th, 2010); or a real life contract resulting from a franchised player
* a contract won in the free agent bidding process
* a "prospect contract", which is a form of protection for players qualifying as "prospect" players (5 years).
Home Plate Dynasty League does recognize options, but you must decide weather to pick up any option before posting your official 50 man roster.
Cot's - mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/
To protect against the loss of all free agents in a particular calendar year, a GM will be granted the ability to try and keep a player via a Restricted Tag(s) and/or Franchise Tag(s). Each franchise has a different amount of tags dependant on the tier you are in, in terms of salary cap. You will also be able to protect all qualified "minor league" players and also be allowed to protect your qualified "prospect" players as well. Prospect players as a reminder are defined as players who are engaged in the 5-year prospect rule.
What are franchise tags?
If owned, you will have the ability at the end of the year to name a “franchise player(s)”. This player, although having his contract expire will not be eligible for free agency within our league, and will be forced to sign with the same team. In this specific case ONLY, the franchise player will have to assume the real life contract he receives (including 1 year deals or holdouts). In this case, "real-life" acts as an arbitrator of sorts in determining a fair market value for the player. This can either improve or hinder your team depending on how much the player signs for. If the new "real-life" contract puts a franchise over the salary cap maximum, the GM will receive a notice from the Commissioner’s Office after which time he/she will have 72-hours to correct the problem. Keep in mind, this is the only case in which a team may go over the salary cap, and the reason being, the salary for your current franchised player is yet to be determined.
What are restricted players?
A team will also have the ability to name at least one restricted player each season. Restricted players will, in effect, be treated just like free agents with one BIG difference. Once the "Winter Meetings" begin in early December, restricted players can be made contract offers like every other free agent. However, at the end of the contract offering period, the team who restricted the player will have 72 hours to match the winning offer. If a GM chooses to match the winning contract offer, then he/she will be allowed to restructure the "matching" contract so that it best fits their team's salary structure and then re-sign the player. The "restructured" contract must, however, still have the same average annual salary; but may not add additional years to the contract. If a GM fails to respond or chooses not to match the best contract offer made to their player, then the auctioned player will be required to sign with the highest bidder, whose bid then becomes that team's obligation. If you sign a restricted FA, you must provide draft pick compensation to the team in which lost said player (rule explained further in "MLB Player Draft"). Also, if matching the highest offer puts you over the salary cap, then you will not be afforded that player and he will go the next highest bidder. Plan accordingly.
Restricting a player provides a semi protective measure to help a GM retain that player, while not assuring it. In order to provide some, but not absolute assistance in that retention, the following guidelines are placed on Restricted FA bidding:
The Average Annual Salary ("AAS") that a GM bids will require a certain minimum number of years that the offer must cover in order to be a valid bid. The HIGHER the AAS, the LONGER the MINIMUM contract term you MUST offer in order to make a valid bid. The MINIMUM contract term is based solely on the offer's AAS, and is determined as follows:
AAS = up to $3M, then MINIMUM 1 yr deal
AAS = $3M+ to $6M, then MINIMUM 2 yr deal (total min contract = $6,000,001 to $12M)
AAS = $6M+ to $9M, then MINIMUM 3 yr deal (total min contract = $18,000,001 to $27M)
AAS = $9M+ to $12M, then MINIMUM 4 yr deal (total min contract = $36,000,001 to $48M)
AAS = $12M+ to $15M, then MINIMUM 5 yr deal
AAS = $15M+ to $18M, then MINIMUM 6 yr deal
AAS = $18M+ to 21M, then MINIMUM 7 yr deal
Any bid not meeting the correct minimum term offered will be voided. The bidder can always make a contract term LONGER than the minimum number of years since the AAS only determines the MINIMUM term.
Options
Team Options: A team that has player(s) with Team Options are able to exercise or decline the Team Option. If you exercise the player(s) Team Option then you will have that player(s) under contract through the year(s) and salary for the Team Option. If you decline the Team Option that player will become a Free Agent and you will not have that player under contract.
Mutual Options: A team that has player(s) with Mutual Options are able to exercise or decline the Mutual Option. If you exercise the player(s) Mutual Option then you will have that player(s) under contract through the year(s) and salary for the Mutual Option. If you decline the Mutual Option that player will become a Free Agent and you will not have that player under contract.
Player Options: A team that has player(s) with Player Options are NOT able to exercise or decline the Player Option. Player(s) with Player Options will not have their Player Options picked up. They will automatically be declined and the player(s) will become a Free Agent and you will not have that player under contract.
Vesting Options: A team that has player(s) with Vesting Options are NOT able to exercise or decline the Vesting Option. Player(s) with Vesting Options will NOT have their Vesting Options picked up. They will automatically be declined and the player(s) will become a Free Agent and you will not have that player under contract.