When a player is no longer earning his big salary

mars001 · 06-01-2015, 10:09 AM

What do you do when a high salaried veteran player is in the final couple years of their contract, and their performance drops significantly?

Do you keep them on roster and bench them?

Do you cut them and add the remaining salary to your expenses for this year (could be a lot)? Budget wise is this better in the long run?

ra7c7er · 06-01-2015, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mars001

What do you do when a high salaried veteran player is in the final couple years of their contract, and their performance drops significantly?

Do you keep them on roster and bench them?

Do you cut them and add the remaining salary to your expenses for this year (could be a lot)? Budget wise is this better in the long run?

I start the player most likely to win. So if an veteran becomes a overpaid bench warmer then so be it. I rarely release players early but I will if they are causing issues with the team.

Personally I've gotten to the point where I don't offer more then a 1-2 year contract to anyone over 35 and won't do more then a 3 year to anyone over 30.

r0nster · 06-01-2015, 10:50 AM

Attempt to trade the player and get a bit creative in how you work your deals. You never know if that team just might accept the deal. WIN NOW teams might go for it or even surprising a rebuilding team. Still be interesting to see if you able to unload the player

rstoomeyii · 06-01-2015, 12:32 PM

i usually get to a point where i try and move them. if you offer enough prospects (never anyone I'm in love with but not bags of crap either) with a older, big salary player AI will accept

Padreman · 06-01-2015, 01:13 PM

I play them one full year (assuming I still have for a few years) to see if he can still handle the bat, if not I try for trade but if a All I get is trash then. No. I also
Try trading him with one of my two international leagues that usually works but again only if I get something good in return. If all else fails he becomes my backup and pinch hitter

rpriske · 06-01-2015, 03:40 PM

Trade for anything.

Mike45 · 06-01-2015, 03:54 PM

he has an "accident"

NoOne · 06-01-2015, 03:56 PM

defintiely trade him. get anything you can. dump prospects you don't want and try to get one you do in return.

also, get rid of them before they regress to benchwarmers. otherwise on occasion you will have to cut them. as they age you should be drafting 2-3 potential replacements of varying qualities anyway.

i will start with the shop player around feature and look for a team that stands out by what they are offering. otherwise, i look for a team with a very weak starter at that position (color code in trade screen or various reports). if more than one team fits the description, weigh the different offers.

i am very conscientious of contracts and length. know how long you intend to keep each player. you should always have options planned out years in advance - except in extreme cases of injury, aggressive early aging (rare), or whatever other rare events you can think of.

like ra7c7er said, keep cotracts for 35-36+ short and sweet. overpaying a couple years is better than a complete lump istting on your bench for 20million/year the last few years of a long contract. if they're personality is good i don't mind signing batters in their 30's with option years at age 36 and 37. pitchers are trickier imo. you can make similar guidelines (maybe a year younger). regardless, don't write anything in stone.

jaysdailydose · 06-01-2015, 04:21 PM

The situation my team is in at the time is always going to affect my answer to this question.

Pretty much everything in OOTP is situation-dependent. If you're managing in an "ideal" fashion, you aren't paying a player for his past-his-prime years, especially if you have managed your farm system well and have reinforcements ready or nearly ready to take over.

It is part of the reason why I have a hard time not playing out every game. I feel like a real GM and manager to where I *need* to see what is happening on the field. I can't be a Billy Beane type and not watch the games and then deal with the results.

jaysdailydose · 06-01-2015, 04:25 PM

One thing I do try to use with older players is using team options. For instance, I just signed a 34-year old Buddy Bell to a two-year extension, with the second season being a team option. He was making $1.9M in the current season, and was forced into the starting lineup essentially since the last day of spring training, and has produced well for the first 40 games. He wanted an extension, so I gave him a $600K raise for the next season ($2.5M) and a second year which is a team option at $2.75M.

If he falls apart at age 35, I'm only on the hook for that season. If he continues to produce that year, I only have to give him a quarter million raise for his continued production.

As Ra7c7er said, just concentrate on how you structure contracts, especially for your older players -- and try to have "succession plans" in place for those spots on your roster.

CameronB · 06-01-2015, 05:51 PM

As someone who has attempted to bring the Mariners to prominence this year...

I've run into this issue with Cruz and Cano almost every single time (10 attempts now). My current philosophy is monitor production and midseason development report to see how quickly they are deteriorating,

Peregrine · 06-01-2015, 05:57 PM

Hope they retire.

Trebro · 06-01-2015, 06:14 PM

It's a bit more complicated now with owners trying to keep popular players--and sometimes signing them for you, but this game requires you to be ruthless (or Ruth-enabled, if you are playing historical). You cannot sign a player to a long-term deal you aren't completely comfortable with. While a 32-year old signing a big deal is realistic (and happens with the AI), I personally won't do it--anytime I've wavered, I've come to regret it.

If I do get stuck, I usually try to trade as others have mentioned, make liberal use of the disabled list (oh, they're hurt 6 days? Let's DL them.), and in the end, if you can't stand it any longer, release them and take the hit.

MizzouRah · 06-01-2015, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rpriske

Trade for anything.

Typically what I do.. look for a trade to a young player (good or bad)

ThePretender · 06-01-2015, 06:35 PM

Yeah, you get whatever you can for him. And you learn to trade guys sooner and not get emotionally attached.

sc_superstar · 06-01-2015, 09:19 PM

waive them, hope someone gets decimated by injuries and claims

aquapong · 06-01-2015, 10:52 PM

I start to get leery about long contracts after 32. Unfortunately, I've missed out on some very productive years for some vets I didn't resign because at 32 they want 7 years $29 mil per year. I can think of only 4 players that would have been worth signing them to that contract in my current franchise, but many more that I thankfully passed on.

I usually trade overpaid guys for a bag of balls. I've forced the retirement of two guys...one was a 25yo that had 2 5 war years in a row and then got concussions the next two seasons. By the next season, he wasn't even 1/3 of the player he was, but I had already signed him to a big deal after his 2 good seasons.

Kronos · 06-01-2015, 10:55 PM

Try to trade them, if they are at least useful they can sit on the bench, if they have really fallen off...released.

Matt Arnold · 06-01-2015, 11:27 PM

Some players are still useful even into their 40s, so I've had a few guys who I didn't mind giving a longer-ish deal to, even when older. They may spend the last year as a DH, but still have given me useful play-time.

Otherwise, personally I try to trade them away. It will often take lots of searching, or waiting until during the season, but I can often deal a guy for a differently useless player with a shorter deal. So maybe I deal my 12M backup 2B for an 8M middle reliever, but if I happen to have excess infielders or a farm guy to fill in, and my bullpen has been struggling, I'll often take that deal.

kackle85 · 06-04-2015, 09:36 AM

I try to be very pro active with these since I usually am managing a low budget team. If I see even a moderate decline in a player over 32 who is making big bucks I'm doing whatever I can to dump. Sometimes the player will go on to have a few more good seasons on his new team but thats just the way it goes. If I have a little room in the budget and cant trade these types of players i just release them and eat the remaining salary right away if possible.

06-01-2015, 10:09 AM	#1
mars001 All Star Reserve Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 940	When a player is no longer earning his big salary What do you do when a high salaried veteran player is in the final couple years of their contract, and their performance drops significantly? Do you keep them on roster and bench them? Do you cut them and add the remaining salary to your expenses for this year (could be a lot)? Budget wise is this better in the long run?

06-01-2015, 01:13 PM	#5
Padreman Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2013 Location: Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico (formally San Diego, CA.) Posts: 4,131	I play them one full year (assuming I still have for a few years) to see if he can still handle the bat, if not I try for trade but if a All I get is trash then. No. I also Try trading him with one of my two international leagues that usually works but again only if I get something good in return. If all else fails he becomes my backup and pinch hitter __________________ Chargers= Despicable Traitors

06-01-2015, 03:40 PM	#6
rpriske Hall Of Famer Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Spencerville, ON, Canada Posts: 27,220	Trade for anything. __________________ Rusty Priske Poet, Canadian, Baseball Fan ````````````````````````````````````````

06-01-2015, 04:21 PM	#9
jaysdailydose Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 2,325	The situation my team is in at the time is always going to affect my answer to this question. Pretty much everything in OOTP is situation-dependent. If you're managing in an "ideal" fashion, you aren't paying a player for his past-his-prime years, especially if you have managed your farm system well and have reinforcements ready or nearly ready to take over. It is part of the reason why I have a hard time not playing out every game. I feel like a real GM and manager to where I need to see what is happening on the field. I can't be a Billy Beane type and not watch the games and then deal with the results. __________________ Manager - Motor City Marshals Perfect Manager/Discord Name: jaysdailydose

06-01-2015, 04:25 PM	#10
jaysdailydose Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 2,325	One thing I do try to use with older players is using team options. For instance, I just signed a 34-year old Buddy Bell to a two-year extension, with the second season being a team option. He was making $1.9M in the current season, and was forced into the starting lineup essentially since the last day of spring training, and has produced well for the first 40 games. He wanted an extension, so I gave him a $600K raise for the next season ($2.5M) and a second year which is a team option at $2.75M. If he falls apart at age 35, I'm only on the hook for that season. If he continues to produce that year, I only have to give him a quarter million raise for his continued production. As Ra7c7er said, just concentrate on how you structure contracts, especially for your older players -- and try to have "succession plans" in place for those spots on your roster. __________________ Manager - Motor City Marshals Perfect Manager/Discord Name: jaysdailydose

06-01-2015, 10:50 AM	#3
r0nster Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 3,081	Attempt to trade the player and get a bit creative in how you work your deals. You never know if that team just might accept the deal. WIN NOW teams might go for it or even surprising a rebuilding team. Still be interesting to see if you able to unload the player

06-01-2015, 12:32 PM	#4
rstoomeyii Minors (Single A) Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Currently Baltimore originally Boston Posts: 97	i usually get to a point where i try and move them. if you offer enough prospects (never anyone I'm in love with but not bags of crap either) with a older, big salary player AI will accept

06-01-2015, 03:54 PM	#7
Mike45 Minors (Double A) Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 162	he has an "accident"

06-01-2015, 03:56 PM	#8
NoOne Banned Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 7,273 Infractions: 0/1 (3)	defintiely trade him. get anything you can. dump prospects you don't want and try to get one you do in return. also, get rid of them before they regress to benchwarmers. otherwise on occasion you will have to cut them. as they age you should be drafting 2-3 potential replacements of varying qualities anyway. i will start with the shop player around feature and look for a team that stands out by what they are offering. otherwise, i look for a team with a very weak starter at that position (color code in trade screen or various reports). if more than one team fits the description, weigh the different offers. i am very conscientious of contracts and length. know how long you intend to keep each player. you should always have options planned out years in advance - except in extreme cases of injury, aggressive early aging (rare), or whatever other rare events you can think of. like ra7c7er said, keep cotracts for 35-36+ short and sweet. overpaying a couple years is better than a complete lump istting on your bench for 20million/year the last few years of a long contract. if they're personality is good i don't mind signing batters in their 30's with option years at age 36 and 37. pitchers are trickier imo. you can make similar guidelines (maybe a year younger). regardless, don't write anything in stone.

06-01-2015, 05:51 PM	#11
CameronB Bat Boy Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 12	As someone who has attempted to bring the Mariners to prominence this year... I've run into this issue with Cruz and Cano almost every single time (10 attempts now). My current philosophy is monitor production and midseason development report to see how quickly they are deteriorating,

06-01-2015, 05:57 PM	#12
Peregrine All Star Reserve Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Cary, North Carolina Posts: 635	Hope they retire.

06-01-2015, 06:14 PM	#13
Trebro All Star Reserve Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 755	It's a bit more complicated now with owners trying to keep popular players--and sometimes signing them for you, but this game requires you to be ruthless (or Ruth-enabled, if you are playing historical). You cannot sign a player to a long-term deal you aren't completely comfortable with. While a 32-year old signing a big deal is realistic (and happens with the AI), I personally won't do it--anytime I've wavered, I've come to regret it. If I do get stuck, I usually try to trade as others have mentioned, make liberal use of the disabled list (oh, they're hurt 6 days? Let's DL them.), and in the end, if you can't stand it any longer, release them and take the hit.

06-01-2015, 06:35 PM	#15
ThePretender All Star Starter Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 1,331	Yeah, you get whatever you can for him. And you learn to trade guys sooner and not get emotionally attached.

06-01-2015, 09:19 PM	#16
sc_superstar Major Leagues Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 407	waive them, hope someone gets decimated by injuries and claims

06-01-2015, 10:52 PM	#17
aquapong Major Leagues Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 378	I start to get leery about long contracts after 32. Unfortunately, I've missed out on some very productive years for some vets I didn't resign because at 32 they want 7 years $29 mil per year. I can think of only 4 players that would have been worth signing them to that contract in my current franchise, but many more that I thankfully passed on. I usually trade overpaid guys for a bag of balls. I've forced the retirement of two guys...one was a 25yo that had 2 5 war years in a row and then got concussions the next two seasons. By the next season, he wasn't even 1/3 of the player he was, but I had already signed him to a big deal after his 2 good seasons.

06-01-2015, 10:55 PM	#18
Kronos Major Leagues Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Northern Ky. Posts: 318	Try to trade them, if they are at least useful they can sit on the bench, if they have really fallen off...released.

06-01-2015, 11:27 PM	#19
Matt Arnold OOTP Developer Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Here and there Posts: 16,218	Some players are still useful even into their 40s, so I've had a few guys who I didn't mind giving a longer-ish deal to, even when older. They may spend the last year as a DH, but still have given me useful play-time. Otherwise, personally I try to trade them away. It will often take lots of searching, or waiting until during the season, but I can often deal a guy for a differently useless player with a shorter deal. So maybe I deal my 12M backup 2B for an 8M middle reliever, but if I happen to have excess infielders or a farm guy to fill in, and my bullpen has been struggling, I'll often take that deal.

06-04-2015, 09:36 AM	#20
kackle85 Minors (Single A) Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 71	I try to be very pro active with these since I usually am managing a low budget team. If I see even a moderate decline in a player over 32 who is making big bucks I'm doing whatever I can to dump. Sometimes the player will go on to have a few more good seasons on his new team but thats just the way it goes. If I have a little room in the budget and cant trade these types of players i just release them and eat the remaining salary right away if possible.