FA Prospect Contracts

[Dan Wood]

I agree with you Ben. I also happen to think any prospect signed should get a prospect contract and a signing bonus. It just makes it easier that way.

[guak2005]

I like the signing bonus method better. In case the regular contracts system is also accepted I would suggest that whomever signs him with this type of deal cannot change it to a prospect contracts and that the only way a player could regain the prospect status would be through FA and as long as he still hasn't met the requirements.

[rcankosy]

I don't think you can change the rules mid-stream.  I asked the question PRIOR to the draft, and it was answered.  Colby's ruling formed the basis for my current draft, and it also guided my long-term salary planning.

[rcankosy]

I meant free agency, not the draft.

[Canada8999]

Understandable Roy, and you're likely not the only one - whatever we decide to do will need to work with/around that.

[rcankosy]

How would you treat a player such as Ryan Wheeler if he hasn't played a game in the majors when his contract expires at the end of the 2011 season since he's not currently signed to a prospect contract?  On what basis, would you determine his salary if I wish to re-sign him?

[Canada8999]

I'm not really sure what a good answer to that question is...

Personally, I don't think I agree with signing a player to a salaried contract, letting it run out and then re-signing them to a prospect contract - they were not a prospect before, how can they go back to being one?  Is that realistic, or within the intention of a prospect contract?

I'm not in favor of affecting transactions that have been made by owners operating under the assumption that they could follow the above interpretation - this wouldn't be fair.

I don't think having any kind of grandfather clause where existing 'salaried' prospects can be extended as prospects, but anyone signed after this FA period will be treated by a different rule - this would be messy.

I'm stuck on this... ideas?

[rcankosy]

I'll offer you a real life analogy.  Andrew Brackman has a *major* league contract, not a minor league one like most prospects.  However, he is still a prospect and will have no major league service time accrued when his current deal runs out if he has not been promoted to the majors.  Also, his service time did not begin when he signed his major league contract for arbitration or free agent eligibility.

[rcankosy]

I think we're also getting too wrapped up in the verbige of what constitutes a prospect versus a standard contract.  I simply look at it as signing a prospect and spreading or pro-rating his signing bonus.  It would be simpler if we classified it as a prospect contract from the beginning with an ending year such as Ryan Wheeler (P-2011).  That way we identify the player as a prospect and clearly identify when his signing bonus ends.  After 2011, his signing bonus has been paid off, and his salary goes down to 500K.  He loses prospect status 3 years after pitching 40 innings or playing 50 games.  From a records standpoint, it's no harder than tracking other prospects.  The only tricky part would be if he passed the 40 IP or 50 games played prior to the end of the 2011 season when his signing bonus would have been paid off.  If that happened, he would still cease to be a prospect exactly 3 years after the season in which that occurred.  The real question is whether anyone cares whether the signing bonus is paid off in 1 year or multiple years.  I liked Colby's ruling, because it allowed a small market team like mine to be able to sign good prospects wihout having to shell out the entire amount in 1 year.

[Dan Wood]

The way the salary system is set up is so that you have to at least pay for half the salary of a player once his contract is over. If we make the exception for prospects then, we will have to make further exceptions down the road. Each team has a budget, and each team is given options when they sign a player. Take the hit up front, or spread it out. That is left up to a teams particular GM. In the case of Ryan Wheeler, you beat out several people that also wanted him and didn't want to go higher. Neither team was in the higher echelon of salaries, so they would have been given the same opportunity as you, as to how to sign him. Taking signing bonus hits up front, allows to clear up space the following year, and then you have a player under control and minimum for several years. Also it allows you to release them if they don't ever reach their promise, without costing you their salary. The alternate option is spreading the money out, in that instance you loose all other benefits of taking the hit up front. If he is still a prospect at the end of his guaranteed contract, then he can be signed as a prospect, but he is due a salary bonus to make up the difference. Others are in the same boat as you with several prospects that have gone for a lot more than anyone expected they would have. This is all part of running a team. Believe me I am not trying to be a prick here, but we are all operating under the same rules, and more than a few of us, under the same budget constraints.