Seasonal Checklist for Newbies

[jmknpk2]

I have a different checklist for each different league I play. The lists differ due to rules and options that differ between leagues as well as differences between online and solo play. This is a somewhat generic checklist, in which I tried to follow the real-life baseball year.

I created this checklist to help me not forget to take care of important things at the right time.

For the exact dates of events in your specific league, see the "League Events" screen available from the league drop-down.

-----Beginning of pre-season (late January):
Review position ratings, to change player position/role when beneficial.
Review pitching role to see if any bullpen can start or starters need to move to bullpen.
Review long term contracts ("Salaries" page) to see payroll in future seasons.
Review league finances on "Front Office" page to see if we can take on or need to dump salary.
Start negotiating contract extensions with players I know I want to keep long term.
Trade players or sign free agents as desired.

-----Before spring training starts (February):
Review batters for secondary positions they want to learn. Play them at those positions during Spring Training.
Selectively promote players from the secondary (40-man) roster to the active major league roster (avoiding automatic promotion).
Waive & DFA players on the secondary (40-man) roster that I don't want to go to spring training.
If player is not on 40-man, consider remaining options before calling up for spring training, to avoid a player without minor league options being forced through waivers after Spring Training.
Set pitching chart for Spring Training.
Set Lineups for Spring Training.
Be sure extra players are available during spring training so that players aren't overworked and become injury prone.

-----After Spring training (early April):
Move players off of the expanded (40-man) spring training roster to prepare for the regular season Active (25-man) roster.
Set team strategy for the coming season.

-----Before First-Year Player Draft (mid-June):
Make draft list if necessary (online leagues)

-----After First-Year Player Draft (mid-June):
Negotiate signing bonuses with drafted players
Set player positions and pitching role if change is desired.

-----Before Trade Deadline (end of July):
Consider strengthening current team or gearing for future by making trades or trading away older players in return for youngsters to play in future seasons.

-----Before the roster expansion (mid August):
For teams contending for a play-off spot, be aware that the playoff roster is restricted to players who were on the active roster on the day before the roster expansion.
If considering promoting a minor league player to the active roster, keep in mind that players with no remaining minor league options may need to be waived to be demoted back to the minors!
Promote additional players to the expanded (40-man) active roster as desired.

-----Near End of Season (end of September):
Adjust pitching order (7 day lineup in online sim leagues) to reserve the best pitchers for the initial games of the playoffs.

-----After playoffs, before Salary Arbitration Hearings (November):
Handle player options (respond in lower left of in-game email sent to manager).
Adjust player arbitration offers (special screen from the team drop-down).
Move players from active roster down to minor leagues to avoid league minimum salary next year.
Make long term contract plans/considerations (extensions, trades, sign free agents ....) for the next several years.
Hire new personnel if necessary.

-----After eligible players file for free agency (November):
Sign Free Agents

-----Before rule 5 draft (December):
Protect eligible rule-5 players that I don't want to be drafted from my team, by placing them on the secondary roster. Rule 5 eligible players have a "#" next to their name on the transactions screen.
If I want to draft rule 5 players from other teams, I need to make sure I have room for the players on the secondary roster.
Fill out the draft list if necessary (online leagues).

-----Winter Meetings (December):
Best time to make trades with other teams.

[Déjà Bru]

This is really very good. Some threads should be stickied on this board.