Wierd contract talks

Biggio509 · 07-25-2010, 12:54 PM

I am playing in the early years it was around 1875. Ross Barnes is going to become a free agent. I look and he wants to test the market. Ok. Then I get an email saying hey my contract is about to expire. I meet his demands, the guy hit over .400 the last couple of years. He fires back the money isn't enough and counter-offers the same amount I offered! I raise it a couple of times until it is $11000. No dice.

So I am thinking ok he really does want to test the market. Barnes becomes a free agent. I make an offer and he is demanding $638! I already offered him $1100 but he likes my $638 offer now! Eventually a bidding war breaks out and during preseason I sign him for $1150, a huge amount in 1875. So I guess it worked but it was a strange negotiation to say the least.

Curtis · 07-25-2010, 03:28 PM

That's not the first time something like that has been posted for Version 11, but usually it ends with the holdout playing elsewhere for half or less the money they turned down.

Congratulations on landing your man! Are you using one-year contracts?

Biggio509 · 07-25-2010, 03:43 PM

Can you set the league to one year contracts? I think that is the way it worked back in the 1800's and 1900's. I have free agency set to 1 yr for availability but beyond that I haven't found a way to limit the contract structure.

Curtis · 07-25-2010, 04:47 PM

I think what you're doing may be the best you can hope for. As far as I know (and Le Grande Orange would be the one to ask about this), prior to free agency 98/99% of contracts were single season. Only superstars got two season contracts, and not many of them. I don't remember any three+ season contracts.

This would be a nice addition for historical leagues.

Curtis · 07-25-2010, 06:46 PM

This is from Baseball Reference.com:

"…after the 1879 season, the NL owners agreed to allow teams to list up to 5 players who other teams were forbidden to sign. The reserve list was originally a secret, but once it leaked out the system was written into the league rules.

After the peace agreement between the NL and the American Association, the leagues agreed to respect each other's reserve lists and to expand the size of the list. Over the remainder of the 1880s, the reserve list was expanded to cover each team's entire roster, and the formal reserve clause was added to the standard player's contract."

The Players' League, formed in 1890, was the first attempt by the players to get around the reserve clause. By the way, Wikipedia states that there were NO multi-year contracts in baseball prior to McNally/Messersmith going free agent.

07-25-2010, 12:54 PM	#1
Biggio509 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 2,027	Wierd contract talks I am playing in the early years it was around 1875. Ross Barnes is going to become a free agent. I look and he wants to test the market. Ok. Then I get an email saying hey my contract is about to expire. I meet his demands, the guy hit over .400 the last couple of years. He fires back the money isn't enough and counter-offers the same amount I offered! I raise it a couple of times until it is $11000. No dice. So I am thinking ok he really does want to test the market. Barnes becomes a free agent. I make an offer and he is demanding $638! I already offered him $1100 but he likes my $638 offer now! Eventually a bidding war breaks out and during preseason I sign him for $1150, a huge amount in 1875. So I guess it worked but it was a strange negotiation to say the least.

07-25-2010, 03:28 PM	#2
Curtis Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Watertown, New York Posts: 4,567	That's not the first time something like that has been posted for Version 11, but usually it ends with the holdout playing elsewhere for half or less the money they turned down. Congratulations on landing your man! Are you using one-year contracts?

07-25-2010, 03:43 PM	#3
Biggio509 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 2,027	Can you set the league to one year contracts? I think that is the way it worked back in the 1800's and 1900's. I have free agency set to 1 yr for availability but beyond that I haven't found a way to limit the contract structure.

07-25-2010, 04:47 PM	#4
Curtis Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Watertown, New York Posts: 4,567	I think what you're doing may be the best you can hope for. As far as I know (and Le Grande Orange would be the one to ask about this), prior to free agency 98/99% of contracts were single season. Only superstars got two season contracts, and not many of them. I don't remember any three+ season contracts. This would be a nice addition for historical leagues.

07-25-2010, 06:46 PM	#5
Curtis Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Watertown, New York Posts: 4,567	This is from Baseball Reference.com: "…after the 1879 season, the NL owners agreed to allow teams to list up to 5 players who other teams were forbidden to sign. The reserve list was originally a secret, but once it leaked out the system was written into the league rules. After the peace agreement between the NL and the American Association, the leagues agreed to respect each other's reserve lists and to expand the size of the list. Over the remainder of the 1880s, the reserve list was expanded to cover each team's entire roster, and the formal reserve clause was added to the standard player's contract." The Players' League, formed in 1890, was the first attempt by the players to get around the reserve clause. By the way, Wikipedia states that there were NO multi-year contracts in baseball prior to McNally/Messersmith going free agent.