Official RC Vote on Clearing Extension Loopholes

[rcankosy]

I want to be clear on prospect extensions.  I am voting in favor of not only the extensions being allowed after the season, but the market discounts will also be granted to extensions after the season as well.  I think this is the part that Dan and I got hung up on earlier.  I don't want the market discounts getting lost in the final rules changes, so you might have to split the voting on prospect extensions into 2 votes.

[Dan Wood]

I have no problem with the prospect extensions coming after the season, but I do have a problem with it coming after this season. I don't think we should change that rule mid-season since some GMs have already been planning differently, and the rule was written differently. So currently my vote is no on post season prospect extensions, and yes on post season regular extensions. To start prospect extension grace period post 2012, I would vote yes to that.

[Colby]

We'll vote on the timing of rules after they are established...

Voting thus far
1) Management of salary caps for not just current year but future 5-6 years.  This is something we are doing in New Era and is much more realistic for a franchises' books.  It also prevents GMs from financially ruining future years with cash exchanges.

YAY - Roy, Dan (doesn't care on %, wants this to be called the 2010 Angels rule.)
NAY - Colby (vote changed as representative of small market teams), Howe (would approve 30% above cap), Ben

2) Should regular contract extensions for expired prospect contracts be the only type of extensions allowable for expired contracts in the offseason?  If so, should we adopt a short window to do this such as two weeks?

YAY - Roy (deadline of January 1st / FA), Colby (begin of FA), Dan, Ben
NAY - Howe

3) I am suggesting a rule change that says contract extensions can be done one of two ways.  The first is a traditional extension which is only allowable in the last year of the current contract.  The extension is added on in future years.  For example, a 2011 contract could get a three year extension starting in 2012 and ending in 2014.   The second is our current type of extensions which is essentially a new contract overwriting the old one.  We have minimum and maximum years protecting this new contract status.

YAY - Roy (any time), Colby (one year prior), Dan, Ben (only do actual extensions one year prior)
NAY - Howe (wants to keep it simple, but allow 6-year deal)

4) Prince Fielder Rule - Should regular extensions on expiring contracts not be allowed AFTER the season?  For example, an extension in November 2011 for what was a 2011 contract. It really isn't feasible to have this for such a realistic league.  This puts more honus on the trade deadline and free agency.

YAY - Colby, Roy, Dan (I believe you are for this), Howe, Ben (your vote was no, but your explanation suggested these should not be allowed, a lot of double negatives to sort through)
NAY -

5) In addition to our 60-day NTC rule, any players signed to extensions and FA contracts in the offseason cannot be traded until June 1st the following year.

YAY - Roy, Dan, Howe, Colby
NAY -

6) Dan's suggeston of allowing to extend players to salaries less than their current, effective after their current contract.  This is an addendum on to Rule #3.

YAY - Dan
NAY - Colby (have them go to FA if you want lower salary), Howe

7) Ben's suggestion of having an extension deadline on players with expiring contracts coincide with the trade deadine (approximately 60 days before end of season).

YAY - Ben, Colby, Dan
NAY - Howe

[rcankosy]

Well now, that brings about yet another question.  When exactly are these new rules going to be implemented?  It doesn't matter to me, and it has no bearing on how I vote.  However, based on Dan's response, it may matter to other people so we should clear that up now too.

[Canada8999]

4) Prince Fielder Rule - Should regular extensions on expiring contracts not be allowed AFTER the season?  For example, an extension in November 2011 for what was a 2011 contract. It really isn't feasible to have this for such a realistic league.  This puts more honus on the trade deadline and free agency.

YAY - Colby, Roy, Dan (I believe you are for this), Howe, Ben (your vote was no, but your explanation suggested these should not be allowed, a lot of double negatives to sort through)
NAY -

Correct.  I am not in favor of extending regular contracts after the season.  The Prince Fielder Rule is more on not trading players without a contract, which I am also against.

7) Ben's suggestion of having an extension deadline on players with expiring contracts coincide with the trade deadine (approximately 60 days before end of season).

Can you clarify what you mean by an extension deadline that coincides with the trade deadline?  I meant more if you extend a player, we apply the June 1st for the next season rule on them, so you don't extend early in the season just so you can trade in the offseason.  If the extension kicks in on the next season's books, they should have to wait until June 1st just like if they were signed as an FA.

[Colby]

Got it Ben, so your suggestion is really part of number six extending the June 1st deadline to any extension during the year and FA contracts during the offseason?

[Canada8999]

Got it Ben, so your suggestion is really part of number six extending the June 1st deadline to any extension during the year and FA contracts during the offseason?

Correct.  If I wanted to game the system with our new rules, I would have extended Fielder during last season and apply it to this season's books.  Come the offseason if I decide I couldn't really afford him, can make the exact same trade all within the rules that were meant to prevent me from being able to trade him.

If you extend starting the following season, the contract should be treated the same as signing an FA during the offseason where they cannot be traded until June 1.  Applying this to the Fielder example, I would have had to go into 2011 with both him and Pujols, which was obviously not feasible and I would have had to trade one before the deadline or let one of them walk (which is the intention).

[Canada8999]

1) Management of salary caps for not just current year but future 5-6 years.  This is something we are doing in New Era and is much more realistic for a franchises' books.  It also prevents GMs from financially ruining future years with cash exchanges.

YAY - Roy, Dan (doesn't care on %, wants this to be called the 2010 Angels rule.)
NAY - Colby (vote changed as representative of small market teams), Howe (would approve 30% above cap), Ben

If #3 passes which seems likely, I am in favor of looking one season ahead.  If we're making extensions that apply to a future season only, we need to regulate that season as well as the current season.

[Canada8999]

I have no problem with the prospect extensions coming after the season, but I do have a problem with it coming after this season. I don't think we should change that rule mid-season since some GMs have already been planning differently, and the rule was written differently. So currently my vote is no on post season prospect extensions, and yes on post season regular extensions. To start prospect extension grace period post 2012, I would vote yes to that.

I don't see language in the current rules that says a prospect cannot be extended using the prospect contract after their prospect contract has expired.  The vote is whether or not it should be allowed, but based on what I'm looking at disallowing them is what would actually require a change. 

While there may be some owners who have been operating under the impression that they would not be allowed, I know I have many P-2011 players I plan to keep, and have been expecting I could extend them on the prospect extension this offseason since there is no rule that says otherwise...

[Dan Wood]

ex·pire  (k-spr)
v. ex·pired, ex·pir·ing, ex·pires
v.intr.
1. To come to an end; terminate: My membership in the club has expired.

I think the definition of the word supports my case