RFA Tags / Arbitration

[Dan Wood]

Are we taking away trading the contracts if resigned? I would think resigning then dealing a player would have to fall under the same time period as signing and dealing a Free Agent.

[lp815]

Right now, teams have about three months to trade expiring contracts.  I agree that is a bit excessive, but the availability to do this is good for a fantasy league.  We have six tiers... why not do the following.

Tier #1 (the Yankee tier) = 0 weeks
Tier #2 = 1 week
Tier #3 = 2 weeks
Tier #4 = 3 weeks
Tier #5 = 4 weeks
Tier #6 = 5 weeks

We could also employ an arbitration extension that signifies the player is in year 4 (year after Prospect Contract ends), year 5, or year 6.  These can be 1-3 year deals using the current contract extension market values.  They basically take the term restrictions and throw them out the window.

Possibly group the Yankees with tier 2, combine tier 4 with tier 3, and group tier 6 with tier 5, to make things simpler?  5 weeks is still a long time....something like this?:

Tier 1 & 2 - 1 week
Tiers 3 & 4 - 2 weeks
Tiers 5 & 6 - 3 weeks

[Colby]

Are we taking away trading the contracts if resigned? I would think resigning then dealing a player would have to fall under the same time period as signing and dealing a Free Agent.

That sounds reasonable... that a player who signs an extension after the season can't be dealt for, oh say, 60 days.

[lp815]

That sounds reasonable... that a player who signs an extension after the season can't be dealt for, oh say, 60 days.

Yup, I'd agree with that also.

[Canada8999]

Is this a realistic change?

[Colby]

Is this a realistic change?

This is a change to compromise between the fun of an aggressive trade-market after the season in this league with the reality of baseball and the few sign and trades that do exist.

[rcankosy]

I agree with getting rid of the RFAs. 

However, I would like to see teams lose all rights to expiring contracts after the season.  I agree with Ben that the smart teams would probably trade their expiring contracts no matter how short the window.  Therefore, the majority of quality free agents will never be available on the open market.  I realize that as a small market team I will probably never be able to sign one of those free agents.  I believe though that the big market teams will big high for those players, and that will leave more bargain free agents for the small market teams like myself.  The current system also rewards the big market teams by allowing them to extend contracts for potential free agents like Lee and Fielder at lower than market value.

[Colby]

I agree with getting rid of the RFAs. 

However, I would like to see teams lose all rights to expiring contracts after the season.  I agree with Ben that the smart teams would probably trade their expiring contracts no matter how short the window.  Therefore, the majority of quality free agents will never be available on the open market.  I realize that as a small market team I will probably never be able to sign one of those free agents.  I believe though that the big market teams will big high for those players, and that will leave more bargain free agents for the small market teams like myself.  The current systrem Also, rewards the big market teams by allowing them to extension contracts for potential free agents like Lee and Fielder at relatively lower than market value.

Well, let's go with a system in which players automatically become FA.  We could allow a tiered system for small market teams to extend a number of players w/expiring contracts.

[rcankosy]

Does that mean that the only option available for small market teams is to either re-sign or lose the player with the expiring
contract?  Are we completely eliminating the sign and trade option for all teams regardless of market size?

[Dan Wood]

Seems that way