All Questions Answered

[Rawhide GM (Jimmy-LM)]

Gentlemen and Amy,

If you have questions about any of the rules or draft or roster or what have you, please post them here. Max and I will do our best to answer them all this week.

[Empire 66ers GM (Hani)]

I'm trying to use the Proboards app on my Android but it does not seem to work it says check with admin. Just wondering if there is some setting here on the site?

[Rawhide GM (Jimmy-LM)]

I have no clue Hani, I'm not a tech guy by any means. I will try and see if there is anything in the settings that I should check off for you.

[Deleted]

1) The roster rules (No2) state that we have a 55 man roster with a 25 man ML roster and a 30man milb roster. But the ML Roster and scoring rules (No14) stats there is a 65man roster with a 25 man ML roster (implying a 40man milb) roster. I am assuming the the first rule is the correct one?

2) The roster rules (No2) state that minor league guys are defined as only those guys being under 50IP and 150ABs. Does that mean once a player reaches those limits, then that player MUST be promoted to the ML roster (or else dropped). For instance, let's say it's 2011 and I have Paul Goldschmidt in my milb and his real teams promotes him in August. I've got 25 guys on my team already I like, no of whom I want to drop. Goldy passes 150ABs in the last two weeks of the season while I'm in the playoffs, do I have to promote him then to keep him or can I leave him in the minors although he is no longer a minor leaguer as defined by our rules?

3) ML Roster and Scoring rules (No14) imply that we can freely promote guys up and down from milb to mlb and back. So as a corollary to my previous question, does this only flexibility only apply to guys under the rookie limits (i.e. players who aren't defined as minor leaguers cannot be sent down)?

4) If the answers to No2 and 3 are not a strict definition of milb eligibility based on rookie limits (no need to answer if it is strict), what if any are the limits on sending guys up and down? Can I use my milb as an extended bench to stream guys by just sending dudes up and down all the time? What about guys like Dustin Ackley this season that get sent down to the actual minors, am I stuck keeping them on my MLB roster?

5) For the four seasons after rookie limits are passed, do we use major league service time or just the calendar? Ex. BJ Upton passed rookie limits in 2004, but spent all of 2005 in the minors. So, does that count as one of his four seasons then, or do we use his MLB service time (well, the lack thereof) instead. BJ is a clear-cut example since he lost a whole season, but plenty of guys bounce up and down, Alex Gordon only spent about a third of season in MLB in 2009 for example after already getting 1000MLB ABs in the previous two years.

6) For guys that are arbitration eligible in MLB, I assume that means if one of our prospects ends his 4yr stint goes to our FA with no extention and later to MLB FA with no extension we will have to use a franchise tag perhaps 3 times in order to retain him? Take Giancarlo Stanton as an example, he currently has 3.5 years of MLB experience (so 3 years regardless of the answer in Q1) and will be FA in here next year for the 2015 season and FA in MLB for the 2017 season. So, if he never signs a multi-year deal with the Marlins and hits actual MLB free agency on that schedule, I would have to franchise him in here three times (2015, 2016, 2017) to actually get to keep him in here under the franchise tag. Is that correct? (No worries either way, I just wanna know, because if so I'm assuming that guys like stanton in that scenario will often end being put under the restricted tag rather than the franchise tag - because it'd be a big cost to have to burn a tag for 3 years in a row - and the franchise tag will be reserved for guys like McCutchen that signed longterm deals).

7) What happens when a guy you own signs a extension in real life. Are there any instances where you automatically get that extension without a tag? i.e. A) Prospects that sign extensions before the four years are up - You owned Paul Goldschmidt last season as a prospect when he was extended midseason, to you automatically get that extension when his 4 prospect years are up or do have to franchise to get it; B) Veterans that sign extensions before their current MLB contract ends - You had previously franchised/drafted Adam Wainwright and owned him last year when he got his extension last spring, do you automatically get that extension too or do you have to franchise him; C) ARB eligible guys that sign extensions after their arbitration/1 year deal is made - You franchised owned Cole Hamels in 2012 and after he and Philly agreed to a 1 year deal in lieu of arbitration, he later that summer signed a longterm extension, do you automatically get him or does he need to be franchised again. I get that for restricted free agents none of this applies because the bidding controls the contract so this really only applies to franchised guys or prospects.

[Empire 66ers GM (Hani)]

Oct 15, 2013 14:10:08 GMT -5 Rawhide GM (Jimmy-LM) said:

I have no clue Hani, I'm not a tech guy by any means. I will try and see if there is anything in the settings that I should check off for you.

Seems you have to 'apply' to have it listed on the proboards directory :

www.proboards.com/getting-started/forum-directory

[Deleted]

mobile works fine for me, to add this to my mobile app, i just entered the address manually when proboards asked for it. no problem.

->ruthianrotobaseball.proboards.com

[Rawhide GM (Jimmy-LM)]

1) The roster rules (No2) state that we have a 55 man roster with a 25 man ML roster and a 30man milb roster. But the ML Roster and scoring rules (No14) stats there is a 65man roster with a 25 man ML roster (implying a 40man milb) roster. I am assuming the the first rule is the correct one? A: 55 Man Roster, I fixed this issue in the rules.

2) The roster rules (No2) state that minor league guys are defined as only those guys being under 50IP and 150ABs. Does that mean once a player reaches those limits, then that player MUST be promoted to the ML roster (or else dropped). For instance, let's say it's 2011 and I have Paul Goldschmidt in my milb and his real teams promotes him in August. I've got 25 guys on my team already I like, no of whom I want to drop. Goldy passes 150ABs in the last two weeks of the season while I'm in the playoffs, do I have to promote him then to keep him or can I leave him in the minors although he is no longer a minor leaguer as defined by our rules? A: You do not have to promote a minor leaguer to your mlb roster regardless of their status. But you cannot demote a player with a MLB contract to the minor leagues.

3) ML Roster and Scoring rules (No14) imply that we can freely promote guys up and down from milb to mlb and back. So as a corollary to my previous question, does this only flexibility only apply to guys under the rookie limits (i.e. players who aren't defined as minor leaguers cannot be sent down)? A: This applies to guys that are defined as prospects, who are still under the 4 year service time once the exceed their rookie limitations. So Mike Trout could be sent down to the minors freely, David Ortiz could not. But this will generally serve as the ability to move guys down who are young guys that get moved up and down constantly from the 25 man roster, with no penalty of losing control of their service.

4) If the answers to No2 and 3 are not a strict definition of milb eligibility based on rookie limits (no need to answer if it is strict), what if any are the limits on sending guys up and down? Can I use my milb as an extended bench to stream guys by just sending dudes up and down all the time? What about guys like Dustin Ackley this season that get sent down to the actual minors, am I stuck keeping them on my MLB roster? A: Theoretically yes, but I am going to try and impose a 7 day hold on any player that is moved up or down from Minors to 25 man roster, because I wont to nix the extended benches you could theoretically create. So if a player was mved up to the mlb roster, you wouldnt be allowed to send him down for 7 days, likewise you send off your 25 man roster, you cant bring him back up for at least 7 days. Ackley would fall into that PProspect status with one year of eligibility, so he could be sent down. Dexter Fowler just exhausted his, so you would have to hold him or waive him to free agency.

5) For the four seasons after rookie limits are passed, do we use major league service time or just the calendar? Ex. BJ Upton passed rookie limits in 2004, but spent all of 2005 in the minors. So, does that count as one of his four seasons then, or do we use his MLB service time (well, the lack thereof) instead. BJ is a clear-cut example since he lost a whole season, but plenty of guys bounce up and down, Alex Gordon only spent about a third of season in MLB in 2009 for example after already getting 1000MLB ABs in the previous two years.
A: We use Calender Years. We dont start counting the first year until the year after the eligibility is exceeded. If a player misses an entire year due to injury or sent to the minors without accruing one MLB at bat or IP, then their service limit gets extended one year, but if 1AB/IP is accrued, then the year counts towards eligibility.

6) For guys that are arbitration eligible in MLB, I assume that means if one of our prospects ends his 4yr stint goes to our FA with no extention and later to MLB FA with no extension we will have to use a franchise tag perhaps 3 times in order to retain him? Take Giancarlo Stanton as an example, he currently has 3.5 years of MLB experience (so 3 years regardless of the answer in Q1) and will be FA in here next year for the 2015 season and FA in MLB for the 2017 season. So, if he never signs a multi-year deal with the Marlins and hits actual MLB free agency on that schedule, I would have to franchise him in here three times (2015, 2016, 2017) to actually get to keep him in here under the franchise tag. Is that correct? (No worries either way, I just wanna know, because if so I'm assuming that guys like stanton in that scenario will often end being put under the restricted tag rather than the franchise tag - because it'd be a big cost to have to burn a tag for 3 years in a row - and the franchise tag will be reserved for guys like McCutchen that signed longterm deals). A: You can tag them all 3 years with a franchise tag, or you could place a restricted tag on them, which allows everyone else to bid on a player, but you will guarantee yourself the ability to match a longterm contract. But you run the risk of paying a lot of money to the player (possibly more then arbitration), or allowing the player to walk and accepting picks for compensation. This is where your managerial skills will come n to play as far as weighing short vs longterm costs.

7) What happens when a guy you own signs a extension in real life. Are there any instances where you automatically get that extension without a tag? i.e. A) Prospects that sign extensions before the four years are up - You owned Paul Goldschmidt last season as a prospect when he was extended midseason, to you automatically get that extension when his 4 prospect years are up or do have to franchise to get it; B) Veterans that sign extensions before their current MLB contract ends - You had previously franchised/drafted Adam Wainwright and owned him last year when he got his extension last spring, do you automatically get that extension too or do you have to franchise him; C) ARB eligible guys that sign extensions after their arbitration/1 year deal is made - You franchised owned Cole Hamels in 2012 and after he and Philly agreed to a 1 year deal in lieu of arbitration, he later that summer signed a longterm extension, do you automatically get him or does he need to be franchised again. I get that for restricted free agents none of this applies because the bidding controls the contract so this really only applies to franchised guys or prospects. A: If a player with an expiring contract has an extension, or is a free agent, you will get whatever contract the sign(ed). If a player like Goldschmidt hasnt exceeded his 4 years, but you want to guarentee your control on him and pay him more money earlier, you could place a franchise tag on him earlier than his protected status runs out.

[Deleted]

In reference to Number 7, the biggest reason for being able to tag PP player before his 4 years are up is if you won't have enough tags

EX:

It's 2015. Mike Trout has signed a real life extension of some sort, and along with Trout you have Jose Bautista and Jered Weaver set to expire after the 2016 season. You could use a Franchise Tag on Trout post-2015 so you lose a year of $500K salary, but don't have to sacrifice losing one of Bautista, Weaver, or Trout. That's really the main reason, although paying more money earlier is a reason as well (but doesn't make a ton of sense unless you're just generous)

As for 1-6 I think Jimmy answered them flawlessly. No complaints here, all make sense.

[Deleted]

Ok, that helps thanks. This early designation is an interesting wrinkle that helps too. But leads me to one other question that only relates to this year and the draft.

If say I draft a PP that already has a longterm contract, like Madison Bumgarner or Matt Moore, do I take the guy as a PP or do I get his actual contract (or have the option of doing either)? In other words, if I draft Bumgarner who will be in year 4 of protected player status, will I have to franchise him next season to get his longterm deal or can I just get that directly from the draft? Basically, allowing any draftees to be treated as an early franchised player now.  (If allowed, I would guess the extension will have to have been signed before the draft in order to have that option).  It's only relevant because the draft is the only time a player will be first taken and already have a longterm deal.

I understand after the draft this is all moot since all players will be have to be tagged after 4 years or lost, but I didn't know if there was a different thought for the draft.  I don't actually have an opinion of which was is best because the relative values will be adjusted inherently by the draft anyway, I just wanna know what the answer is because a guy like Bumgarner is going to worth more in the draft if I don't have to franchise him next season to keep him longterm.  And if I do have franchise him, no worries either, he just goes down the draft board a little bit.

Also, based on the above answer, I understand it that if I had owned Cole Hamels in 2012 by franchising, in order for me to get his extension he signed in the summer of 2012, I would have to Franchise him again in 2013 even though he signed an extension while I owned him.  Because the first contract he signed under my Franchise tag was a one year deal, the extension he signed later the same season wouldn't count, the franchise only applies to the first deal he signed.  If I'm wrong about that, let me know.

[Deleted]

iOS, so maybe it's an android issue. but it would seem silly for proboards to write an iOS app that let you type in the webaddress, but not allow you to do the same in android. proboards needs to update that app if that's the case.

[Empire 66ers GM (Hani)]

Oct 15, 2013 16:33:29 GMT -5 @muspelle said:

mobile works fine for me, to add this to my mobile app, i just entered the address manually when proboards asked for it. no problem.

->ruthianrotobaseball.proboards.com

played with it...got it..Im' in

[Deleted]

A second follow-up (which kind of dovetails with my first one). Are Puig, Darvish, Iwakuma, Cespedes, etc. designated as PP. The way I read the rules they are. Even once FA comes to them in following years, they will be signed by signing bonus in here and then taken as PP.

Also, and this applies either way, if I ended up taking Puig's real life contract on (for instance a later year franchising) would I take on just the base salary? Or would it be base salary plus bonus. In Puig's case the signing bonus was quite high ($12M). However, even for MLB vets sometimes the signing bonus is significant (Anibal Sanchez only had a $8M contract this year, well below the average of his other years, but he had a $4M signing bonus) and if you just look at COTS base yearly numbers you wouldn't capture that. I think base salary is just easier personally, but I don't really care much, and it's certainly possible MLB guys start demanding big signing bonuses for varying reasons, this is just a clarification question for future franchising of guys whether "salary" means just base salary or base+pro-rated bonus.

[PawSox (GazW)]

Regarding contracts; if someone has been traded mid-contract and their old team are still paying part of their deal would you have to pay for the whole contract or the portion they are receiving from their current team?

For example this year AJ Burnett was paid $16.5m but only $8m was paid by Pittsburgh. The rest was paid by the Yankees.

I would assume it's for the whole of the salary but just wanted to confirm.

[Deleted]

Few question about 2 player contracts and Prospects/Rookes. Ian Desmond and Strasburgh from Washington.

Ok here is the contract for Desmond from Cot and it says he resigned on 1/18/13.

1.Did he sign for a 1 year 3.8M? Or he signed a longer deal and its not showing?

Ian Desmond ss
1 year/$3.8M (2013)
• 1 year/$3.8M (2013)
o re-signed by Washington 1/18/13 (avoided arbitration)
• 1 year/$0.5125M (2012)
o re-signed by Washington 3/2/12
• 1 year/$0.4415M (2011)
o re-signed by Washington 3/2/11
• 1 year/$0.4M (2010)
o re-signed by Washington 2/10
• 1 year/$0.4M (2009)
o contract purchased by Washington 11/10/08
o re-signed by Washington 2/14/09
• drafted 2004 (3-84)
• $0.43M signing bonus
• agent: Doug Rogalski
• ML service: 3.027

Here is Strasburg contract:

Stephen Strasburg rhp
4 years/$15.1M (2009-12)
• 4 years/$15.1M (2009-12)
o signed Major League contract with Washington 8/17/09
o $7.5M signing bonus
(paid in 3 installments of $2.5M, 9/1/09, 1/10/10, 1/10/11)
o 09:$0.4M (pro-rated), 10:$2M, 11:$2.5M, 12:$3M
o if not arbitration-eligible after 2012 season, 2013 salary is $3.9M
• drafted 2009 (1-1) (San Diego State)
• agent: Scott Boras
• ML service: 2.118

I have Few questions.
It says that he got a 7.5 million dollar signing bonus right.

2.So if I draft a prospect does that signing bonus will go against my cap and if it will go against the cap will it be spread out or you get a hit for that year?
So from my understanding Strasburg does not have a contract and is eligible for arbitration this year or he is going to sign a long term deal. I understand if you draft him and he goes through arbitration you only get him for one year and then you can tag him right.

3.When a draft starts I can draft any free agents right. So let’s say the free agent will not sign with a new or old team until let’s say April or May. Do I still hold rights to him or there is deadline to when he is going to get signed?

4.What happens to a Prospect/Rookie who got drafted and did not sign a contract with a team who drafted him, can he be drafted or be on your team even if he is not signed?

5.What happens if a Prospect/Rookie got drafted and did not want to sign with that team. Then next year he went back to the draft and got drafted by different MLB team?

6. In this Inaugural Draft is there any players that are not eligible to be drafted. For example: Unsigned rookies/prospects, Rookies/Prospects that don't won't to sign with the team that drafted them and going back to next years draft, International players that are not signed yet.

Thank you!

[Deleted]

Desmond is in his 2nd arb season, and that 3.8M is a 1 year deal. He'd be on another 1 year deal in here unless he signs for longer in real life. He's pending a contract ATM, although not really a FA in real life.

Strasburg is Arb eligible this season in year 4 (i believe for this league's purposes) and will be similar to Desmond.

I'll leave the rest to otehrs.

[Deleted]

my understanding is both of those guys are in the 4th year of PP status (both crossed the IP/AB limits in 2010) and thus $500K for this final year of PP, regardless of whether they sign a longer deal or not (you would have to franchise tag the guy to get the longer deal). although that's just a literal reading of the rules, i've asked some similar clarifications above too to make sure it is truly that literal. esp for the initial draft.

[Deleted]

Oct 15, 2013 17:25:25 GMT -5 @muspelle said:

Ok, that helps thanks. This early designation is an interesting wrinkle that helps too. But leads me to one other question that only relates to this year and the draft.

If say I draft a PP that already has a longterm contract, like Madison Bumgarner or Matt Moore, do I take the guy as a PP or do I get his actual contract (or have the option of doing either)? In other words, if I draft Bumgarner who will be in year 4 of protected player status, will I have to franchise him next season to get his longterm deal or can I just get that directly from the draft? Basically, allowing any draftees to be treated as an early franchised player now.  (If allowed, I would guess the extension will have to have been signed before the draft in order to have that option).  It's only relevant because the draft is the only time a player will be first taken and already have a longterm deal.

I understand after the draft this is all moot since all players will be have to be tagged after 4 years or lost, but I didn't know if there was a different thought for the draft.  I don't actually have an opinion of which was is best because the relative values will be adjusted inherently by the draft anyway, I just wanna know what the answer is because a guy like Bumgarner is going to worth more in the draft if I don't have to franchise him next season to keep him longterm.  And if I do have franchise him, no worries either, he just goes down the draft board a little bit.

Also, based on the above answer, I understand it that if I had owned Cole Hamels in 2012 by franchising, in order for me to get his extension he signed in the summer of 2012, I would have to Franchise him again in 2013 even though he signed an extension while I owned him.  Because the first contract he signed under my Franchise tag was a one year deal, the extension he signed later the same season wouldn't count, the franchise only applies to the first deal he signed.  If I'm wrong about that, let me know.

From what I understand (Jimmy is more of the rules guy) you could choose PP designation or the real contract for a player drafted. After that, whatever contract is chosen is PERMANENT

As for the Hamels question, yes, you would need to use two Franchise Tags

[Deleted]

Oct 15, 2013 20:39:46 GMT -5 @muspelle said:

A second follow-up (which kind of dovetails with my first one). Are Puig, Darvish, Iwakuma, Cespedes, etc. designated as PP. The way I read the rules they are. Even once FA comes to them in following years, they will be signed by signing bonus in here and then taken as PP.

Also, and this applies either way, if I ended up taking Puig's real life contract on (for instance a later year franchising) would I take on just the base salary? Or would it be base salary plus bonus. In Puig's case the signing bonus was quite high ($12M). However, even for MLB vets sometimes the signing bonus is significant (Anibal Sanchez only had a $8M contract this year, well below the average of his other years, but he had a $4M signing bonus) and if you just look at COTS base yearly numbers you wouldn't capture that. I think base salary is just easier personally, but I don't really care much, and it's certainly possible MLB guys start demanding big signing bonuses for varying reasons, this is just a clarification question for future franchising of guys whether "salary" means just base salary or base+pro-rated bonus.

Again, from what I understand in helping write the rules you could choose the contracts of Puig, Iwakuma, Cespedes, etc

Also, you only use base salary and not signing bonus. Makes it too complicated.

[Deleted]

Oct 16, 2013 10:03:18 GMT -5 PawSox (GazW) said:

Regarding contracts; if someone has been traded mid-contract and their old team are still paying part of their deal would you have to pay for the whole contract or the portion they are receiving from their current team?

For example this year AJ Burnett was paid $16.5m but only $8m was paid by Pittsburgh. The rest was paid by the Yankees.

I would assume it's for the whole of the salary but just wanted to confirm.

You're correct, it would be the entire contract paid by his owner in here.

[Deleted]

Oct 16, 2013 11:51:28 GMT -5 @moloy77 said:

Few question about 2 player contracts and Prospects/Rookes. Ian Desmond and Strasburgh from Washington.

Ok here is the contract for Desmond from Cot and it says he resigned on 1/18/13.

1.Did he sign for a 1 year 3.8M? Or he signed a longer deal and its not showing?

Ian Desmond ss
1 year/$3.8M (2013)
• 1 year/$3.8M (2013)
o re-signed by Washington 1/18/13 (avoided arbitration)
• 1 year/$0.5125M (2012)
o re-signed by Washington 3/2/12
• 1 year/$0.4415M (2011)
o re-signed by Washington 3/2/11
• 1 year/$0.4M (2010)
o re-signed by Washington 2/10
• 1 year/$0.4M (2009)
o contract purchased by Washington 11/10/08
o re-signed by Washington 2/14/09
• drafted 2004 (3-84)
• $0.43M signing bonus
• agent: Doug Rogalski
• ML service: 3.027

Here is Strasburg contract:

Stephen Strasburg rhp
4 years/$15.1M (2009-12)
• 4 years/$15.1M (2009-12)
o signed Major League contract with Washington 8/17/09
o $7.5M signing bonus
(paid in 3 installments of $2.5M, 9/1/09, 1/10/10, 1/10/11)
o 09:$0.4M (pro-rated), 10:$2M, 11:$2.5M, 12:$3M
o if not arbitration-eligible after 2012 season, 2013 salary is $3.9M
• drafted 2009 (1-1) (San Diego State)
• agent: Scott Boras
• ML service: 2.118

I have Few questions.
It says that he got a 7.5 million dollar signing bonus right.

2.So if I draft a prospect does that signing bonus will go against my cap and if it will go against the cap will it be spread out or you get a hit for that year?
So from my understanding Strasburg does not have a contract and is eligible for arbitration this year or he is going to sign a long term deal. I understand if you draft him and he goes through arbitration you only get him for one year and then you can tag him right.

3.When a draft starts I can draft any free agents right. So let’s say the free agent will not sign with a new or old team until let’s say April or May. Do I still hold rights to him or there is deadline to when he is going to get signed?

4.What happens to a Prospect/Rookie who got drafted and did not sign a contract with a team who drafted him, can he be drafted or be on your team even if he is not signed?

5.What happens if a Prospect/Rookie got drafted and did not want to sign with that team. Then next year he went back to the draft and got drafted by different MLB team?

6. In this Inaugural Draft is there any players that are not eligible to be drafted. For example: Unsigned rookies/prospects, Rookies/Prospects that don't won't to sign with the team that drafted them and going back to next years draft, International players that are not signed yet.

Thank you!

1) It's a 1 year, 3.8M deal to avoid going to arbitration but he is still PP eligible.

2) No SBs or cost for prospects you draft in any draft we have here (original or FYPD)

3) You'll hold the rights to any player until he signs. So if you drafted Kyle Lohse last year, you would have his rights until he signed. When he signed you would need to pick up his contract (which was 3/33 if I remember correctly). If you don't want the deal or cannot afford it you can decline his rights and release him to free agency.

4) Any unsigned prospects (like Phil Bickford) cannot be drafted in our original draft set to take place after the WS. Our FYPD will take place after the signing deadline so you won't be able to take unsigned players.

5) Take Mark Appel for example. He would be eligible for a 2013 FYPD rather than 2012 (when the Pirates selected him)

6) Prospects, like Bickford, that didn't sign with a team after this draft cannot be taken.