[SamuraiProgrammer]

First of all, thanks for answering!

Originally Posted by BBGiovanni

OK, I think there are a couple of things going on here, apologies in advance if I've misread. First, although it's very accurate to talk about "relegating" players to the minors, in baseball the word they use is "optioning" or "sending down"; in the OOTP context people will be confused that you are talking about something else. (I only recently realized that baseball's system is the opposite of international football, in that players move up and down as opposed to teams. But anyway )

Got it. I will be more specific in the future.

Originally Posted by BBGiovanni

Second, I think you are missing out on the "40 man roster" concept. In OOTP you can make it larger/smaller or turn it off, but in MLB there are really two rosters. The regular 25/26 man active roster from which you can choose your players for a game, and the 40 man roster including 15 reserve players. It sounds like you added players to the 40 man roster by accident when you tried to get them on the spring training active roster.

Maybe, but I don't think so. The 40 man roster only says 25/40 players. The Spring Training Roster says 60/60 players. To me that seems like I didn't do what you suggested.

Originally Posted by BBGiovanni

OOTP recently added the ability to add minor leaguers to the active roster during spring training, you'll see the number change from 26 to 40 or 60 or whatever you set, and you can pull minor leaguers up and down freely until the season starts. BUT if you add them to the 40 man, they are a permanent part of your roster, begin drawing a major league salary, and count against the overall 40 man limit. It also triggers a bunch of other things that work through payroll, limit the number of years you can send someone to the minors, etc.

I had some data from before spring training pasted into a spreadsheet. I have identified that the original roster was, in fact, 25 men.

I have identified the two players that are receiving a salary but are not on the 40 man roster. Both have 3 option years remaining and have not used an option this year.

Out of curiosity, I may use the template I saved and create a new game just to see if this situation of 2 extra players is there. If not, I must have done something wrong, but in light of the 40 man roster showing 25 men, I don't believe it was that.

Originally Posted by BBGiovanni

Assuming the game will let you send someone to the minors, because there are limits on how many times that can happen, their salary remains the same. As long as the guy stays on your roster, on the injured list, or even if someone claims him on waivers or you release him outright, he will get paid. MLB contracts are guaranteed.

This is what I am afraid of. I thought I read somewhere about a player demoted to the minors receiving a % of his contract but have not been able to find it again. I probably imagined it or erroneously confused something else as applying to my situation.

It will be interesting to see what happens since these two players are not on the 40 man roster.

Originally Posted by BBGiovanni

I'll leave the budget question for others, as I don't fully understand what is or isn't counted and how OOTP decides to include full or partial amounts. When you try to offer a contract over budget the game will give you a "your owner does NOT approve this contract". With your description of the owner I'd say you should assume it's a hard cap.

Hard cap is what I am afraid of. Oh well, I shouldn't expect my first run as GM with financials to have gone perfectly

Thank you again for answering. I am still open to any other suggestions from you or anyone else.

I think I will save right before the last game of spring training and start sending players down and see what happens.