C Wil Nieves

[seanrmgallagher]

I think it makes more sense to allow it before the season. Major League teams routinely offer minor league contracts to veterans with no guarantee of making the major league roster in the offseason.

[Jss0062]

The offer would not be for a major league deal. For example, I could offer a $50k minor league deal to Nieves. He would make $50 for the year but would not be on the Major League or 40 man roster. If at some point during the season, I choose to place him on the 40 man roster, he would then make $400k for the season. Regardless, he would become a FA at the end of the 2014 season.

This is how I understand the rule.  I think after the initial free agency done by position if the player is unsigned then he is eligible for a minor league contract.

[Maydab23]

I agree with Sean. How about we just make a new annotation for offering this type of contract instead of using time to distinguish when it is okay to sign a vet to minor league deal. In real baseball vets are signed all the time to minor league deals before other bigger players are signed. I say let the market dictate which vets can be signed to minor league deals. Following my proposal as shown below votto could be offered a minor league deal (of course like real life it would immediately be blown out the water) but it would help for those tweeners.

Instead of PC + $ you can offer a major league vet IST (Invitation to Spring Training) + $

Each bid offer must increase by 50K. Winner pays the one time bonus amount and has the player in minor leagues for 1 season only. At any point if that player is called up the salary defaults to 400K. Basically the same as minor league free agents except you only have them for one season regardless if you ever put them on 40 man roster

At any point during FA bidding if someone offers a ML contract of any value then it trumps all IST + $ bids.

Real teams do this every year for players trying to hang on but are not good enough for ML contracts.

Thoughts?

[seanrmgallagher]

I agree with Sean. How about we just make a new annotation for offering this type of contract instead of using time to distinguish when it is okay to sign a vet to minor league deal. In real baseball vets are signed all the time to minor league deals before other bigger players are signed. I say let the market dictate which vets can be signed to minor league deals. Following my proposal as shown below votto could be offered a minor league deal (of course like real life it would immediately be blown out the water) but it would help for those tweeners.

Instead of PC + $ you can offer a major league vet IST (Invitation to Spring Training) + $

Each bid offer must increase by 50K. Winner pays the one time bonus amount and has the player in minor leagues for 1 season only. At any point if that player is called up the salary defaults to 400K. Basically the same as minor league free agents except you only have them for one season regardless if you ever put them on 40 man roster

At any point during FA bidding if someone offers a ML contract of any value then it trumps all IST + $ bids.

Real teams do this every year for players trying to hang on but are not good enough for ML contracts.

Thoughts?

 :iatp:

[ThePetis]

I agree with Sean. How about we just make a new annotation for offering this type of contract instead of using time to distinguish when it is okay to sign a vet to minor league deal. In real baseball vets are signed all the time to minor league deals before other bigger players are signed. I say let the market dictate which vets can be signed to minor league deals. Following my proposal as shown below votto could be offered a minor league deal (of course like real life it would immediately be blown out the water) but it would help for those tweeners.

Instead of PC + $ you can offer a major league vet IST (Invitation to Spring Training) + $

Each bid offer must increase by 50K. Winner pays the one time bonus amount and has the player in minor leagues for 1 season only. At any point if that player is called up the salary defaults to 400K. Basically the same as minor league free agents except you only have them for one season regardless if you ever put them on 40 man roster

At any point during FA bidding if someone offers a ML contract of any value then it trumps all IST + $ bids.

Real teams do this every year for players trying to hang on but are not good enough for ML contracts.

Thoughts?

Love the idea.  I'm all for it as long as it doesn't put too much of an administrative effort on Chris & Jeremy.

[Maydab23]

Love the idea.  I'm all for it as long as it doesn't put too much of an administrative effort on Chris & Jeremy.

Jeremy,

Is it possible to just put IST under salary for current year for any player signed to this type of deal. Of course when/if promoted to 40man the IST would change to 400K.

If they are never promoted then the IST's would be easily identified at the end of the year and be removed from roster back into FA pool for the next year.

[chrisetc21]

The offer would not be for a major league deal. For example, I could offer a $50k minor league deal to Nieves. He would make $50 for the year but would not be on the Major League or 40 man roster. If at some point during the season, I choose to place him on the 40 man roster, he would then make $400k for the season. Regardless, he would become a FA at the end of the 2014 season.

The problem is in baseball players have agents and they would never sign a minor league deal if a major league deal were possible.  So there needs to be a mechanism that behaves in the interest of the player.  The start of the major league season should be that mechanism because if a major league spot weren't available by the end of spring training it makes sense for a player to sign a minor league deal.

[seanrmgallagher]

I just think that the bidding process accounts for possible MLB deals. All MLB offers trump MiLB offers, so if there is a team willing to give the player an MLB deal, that would happen.

[chrisetc21]

Ha.  We're trying to streamline the things we have to keep track of, not add to them.

[chrisetc21]

Honestly, in the name of simplicity were just going to waive the six year rule.  If you sign a player with six years of service his arbitration figure will say max and he will become a free agent after the season if not resigned.  The market will dictate who gets signed to minor league deals.  I'm going to close this thread.  Please create a new one to bid on the player.