IMPORTANT: FREE AGENCY (RULES REVISED 1/29)

[Daniel]

Well, I for one would never offer a NTC. It burdens a team too much if the player gets injured. I also agree that it can spiral out of control if too many NTC's are giving. I read something about 3NTCs per team per year and as many as possible in a team. I would say perhaps it should be limited to one per year and have a maximum of two or three players with NTCs on any given roster.  This would allow the NTCs to be used more to franchise one or two players than to be used merely for bargaining purposes.

Also, I would propose that - like in real life- the NTC could be waived if the player agrees to it. This could be simulated in cap hits. I would propose two and a half times the value per year of 2m. So say I want to trade a player with 3y remaining in his contract and a NTC. I would be able to trade him if I take on an additional cap hit of 5m during each year of the contract. This would allow a minimum degree of flexibility while imposing a harsh enough penalty to make it unattractive.

[PlayerX3D]

Well, I for one would never offer a NTC. It burdens a team too much if the player gets injured. I also agree that it can spiral out of control if too many NTC's are giving. I read something about 3NTCs per team per year and as many as possible in a team. I would say perhaps it should be limited to one per year and have a maximum of two or three players with NTCs on any given roster.  This would allow the NTCs to be used more to franchise one or two players than to be used merely for bargaining purposes.

Also, I would propose that - like in real life- the NTC could be waived if the player agrees to it. This could be simulated in cap hits. I would propose two and a half times the value per year of 2m. So say I want to trade a player with 3y remaining in his contract and a NTC. I would be able to trade him if I take on an additional cap hit of 5m during each year of the contract. This would allow a minimum degree of flexibility while imposing a harsh enough penalty to make it unattractive.

I agree that NTC's burden the team heavily.  But the restrictions would be put in place to prevent GM's that are not so committed to their teams from putting down NTC's on every FA they bid on and then abandoning the team.  This would put future GM's in a position where they cannot win or rebuild.

I would definitely endorse a plan of 1 NTC per team with buyout clause.  And actually, the 2.5x cap hit per year is a great way to do it.  This would make it an effective negotiating tool without devastating the free agent market in coming years.

[Lindner]

I agree 1000%.  In the current scenario, I would envision every single Blue Chip free agent being hit with a No Trade Clause to keep salaries down.  This would mean that Pujols, Fielder, Reyes, Cano, etc. etc. would all be locked onto a roster for half a decade.  And then next year it would happen to several more, and so on and so on until almost every major player is locked on a roster.  It seems like there is no benefit to the league in having these in place since it would do nothing but stymie all transactions moving forward.  For what it's worth, my vote is on the elimination of NTCs or at the very least adding extreme limitations to them.

It could be my obsession with trading players, but I wanted to second Doug's thoughts on this matter.

 

Agreed...

[kenny]

It doesn't seem like the potential benefits of a NTC in this league is worth the potential risks (to the league). We won't be using them in this league.

[johnbosma]

Will trades be automatically approved in this current period without a trade committee? Or could Kenny act as  temporary one-man trade committee until a new one is established?

The reason I ask is because both of my trades have been made with free agency in mind and my FA strategy would change if one or more of the trades didn't go through or had to be altered.

(I posted this question originally in the thread of one of my trades but realized that this is probably a more appropriate place.)

[DVB78300]

Any word yet on when we might be starting free agency?

[snbts]

Probably as soon as we find a GM for the Rockies.

[PlayerX3D]

Hey guys,

It's been a while since I've heard anything, so I figured I would put out a message to make sure you guys are still alive out there.  If we are still waiting on an owner for the Rockies, I have a friend who will take the team.  He's new to this sort of thing, but I could help him along since the Rockies aren't a bad team to build from.  Is that the last hurdle to cross before we get into the FA process?

[kenny]

I have somebody interested who PM'd me last night. Waiting to hear back. Also have a backup in case he falls through.

Yes, that would be the last hurdle, assuming no surprises.

[MOLI643]

I have also a friend  ROBMOL he is looking for teams