How does your league handle high payrolls?

[simsports]

I hope this wasnt already covered, I did a few searches but had no luck. I am setting up a league that will be ready for the new expansion and notice how high the Yankees payroll is (over $200m) If you have incorporated a salary cap in the league how did you handle that. Even though we all know the Yanks payroll is overboard, it would be pretty tough to just tell the Yanks GM to cut half his payroll or take away his highest paid players away until payroll was at the cap. I know the Yankees haters out there would love that to happen lol. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, Thanks!

[ortonius]

My league does something a little different than most in this area. I came up with a rule that eliminates a salary cap but imposes stiff penalties for going negative on cash.

• There will be no “salary cap" for EOTD. Here are the guidelines for the EOTD franchises:
1. Your team may not operate in the RED (having a negative cash balance) for 2 consecutive years. If this happens, your franchise will be penalized your 1st round draft pick in the following year. Back-to-back instances (or a 3rd year of operating in the red) will lose their 1st and 2nd round picks and be subject to removal from the league by the commissioner.
2. You are allowed to "bank" money for the following year. If you don't make enough to cover your expenses, that money can be used towards your expenses and you will not be penalized if you still have a surplus. This means even if you do not make money for the year, but still have a cash surplus, your season does not count as a season in the RED. Only a season where a team finishes with a negative cash balance, does a team get “counted in the RED”.
3. If you operate in the RED for one season, then in the following year your franchise makes money. The clock is then reset and you may be in a deficit the next season without penalty.

[Dan Theman]

I'm assuming the league will be populated by human and not AI GM's.

If you're wanting to institute a cap when a team is already over it, I'd recommend that you allow your Yankees GM to select whatever players he wants and have him trade them to other teams until he's under the cap. It only seems fair that he gets something in return, and if he's trading to human owners who know he's being forced to, they likely won't give him too much which would in turn imbalance the game.

Maybe an auction setting would be best. "Now on the block, Randy Johnson. Do I hear two 5-star prospects? Anyone? Yes! Two five-star prospects from the Seattle GM...." etc., etc., etc..

[Karros270]

Originally Posted by Dan Theman

I'm assuming the league will be populated by human and not AI GM's.

If you're wanting to institute a cap when a team is already over it, I'd recommend that you allow your Yankees GM to select whatever players he wants and have him trade them to other teams until he's under the cap. It only seems fair that he gets something in return, and if he's trading to human owners who know he's being forced to, they likely won't give him too much which would in turn imbalance the game.

Maybe an auction setting would be best. "Now on the block, Randy Johnson. Do I hear two 5-star prospects? Anyone? Yes! Two five-star prospects from the Seattle GM...." etc., etc., etc..

I would think then that the Yanks GM would end up with the butt of the Yankee's roster. There is no way they would be able to unload a guy like Giambi or Bernie Williams with what they make.

[Dan Theman]

Hmm. Good point. Maybe as an alternative to trading, he should be allowed to cut a player or two?

[Karros270]

I say let him keep them. With the length and dollar amounts of those contracts the team should be quite hamstrung for awhile and with no farm system it only gets tougher. It would be an interesting challenge to say the least.