[rferry]

I like large minor leagues. In MLB leagues, I tend to make leagues in Canada, Puerto Rico, Great Plains, South Texas and/or Four Corners. The result is everyone gets 8 minor league clubs plus VSL/DSL and all parts of North America (except Alaska & Hawaii) have affiliate clubs.

As to handling them, I use ages. I really only micro-manage the careers of 100 or so in the organization - generally top picks and high talent stars. For some, that may be merely limited to a monthly review of their progress and assigning them a set position on a club. The rest I leave their development to chance, and sometimes they replace one of the 100. If by age 24 or 5 years after your draft class, you get released unless there's position scarcity. I find other teams are less patient so I'll check the free agents list for young left-handed pitchers, left/switch-hitting catchers and infielders and defensive studs to see if I can find a gem.