Minor league free agency (how does this work exactly?)

Mike Lowe · 05-13-2010, 09:52 PM

Search did not turn up something specific.

If a guy has been a career minor leaguer, and he is scheduled to be a minor league FA, what happens if you call him up to the majors that year? Does he begin arbitration? Become a regular FA?

This guy typically has 7-10 years experience in the minors...

Flying Dutchmen · 05-13-2010, 10:38 PM

If you place call him up, he'll go on the 40-man roster and I'm fairly sure he won't become a free agent. I know for sure he won't start arbitration - that begins after 3 years (by default) of major league service - minor league time is irrelevant.

Le Grande Orange · 05-14-2010, 01:20 AM

In the real world, a player is eligible for minor league free agency once he has completed seven seasons in the minors with the organization which originally signed him. If he's released by the organization which originally signed him before those seven seasons are up, then he immediately becomes a free agent. He can sign a new minor league contract with any other organization of whatever length is agreed to (though it's almost always only for one year).

Note that serving on option in the minors while on the 40-man roster counts towards the seven seasons of minor league service.

I'd have to doublecheck this, but players eligible to become minor league free agents do so on or about October 15th, unless they have signed a major league contract for the following season.

As to what OOTP does, I'm not sure. I know it used to calculate the time needed to become a minor league free agent incorrectly (it uses a method more complicated than that used in the real world). I did point this out to Markus during the beta, but I'm not sure if it got implemented.

MimesisBTG · 05-14-2010, 01:41 AM

Straight from the manual:

"Professional service time and time on a secondary roster affect minor league free agency. On the day the playoffs end, if a minor league player is not currently on the secondary roster, he becomes a free agent if:

Professional Service Time - Time on Secondary Roster >= 6 years"

Le Grande Orange · 05-14-2010, 02:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MimesisBTG

Straight from the manual:

"Professional service time and time on a secondary roster affect minor league free agency. On the day the playoffs end, if a minor league player is not currently on the secondary roster, he becomes a free agent if:

Professional Service Time - Time on Secondary Roster >= 6 years"

That is not how it works in the real world, however. Accumulated secondary (40-man) roster time has NOTHING to do with minor league free agency eligibility.

The only thing that matters is if the player has spent part or all of seven seasons in the minors with the organization which originally signed him (time spent on option counts toward that seven season requirement). If he has, and he's not signed to a major league contract for the next season (i.e. he's not on the 40-man roster) then he becomes a minor league free agent as of Oct. 15 and can sign a minor league contract with any other minor league club.

OOTP is getting it wrong, unfortunately.

05-13-2010, 09:52 PM	#1
Mike Lowe Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 2,178	Minor league free agency (how does this work exactly?) Search did not turn up something specific. If a guy has been a career minor leaguer, and he is scheduled to be a minor league FA, what happens if you call him up to the majors that year? Does he begin arbitration? Become a regular FA? This guy typically has 7-10 years experience in the minors... __________________ SSG Baseball Simming in real-time (daily sims) since 2015 Join us by filling out an application from the website below Website \| Discord

05-14-2010, 01:20 AM	#3
Le Grande Orange Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Up There Posts: 15,642	In the real world, a player is eligible for minor league free agency once he has completed seven seasons in the minors with the organization which originally signed him. If he's released by the organization which originally signed him before those seven seasons are up, then he immediately becomes a free agent. He can sign a new minor league contract with any other organization of whatever length is agreed to (though it's almost always only for one year). Note that serving on option in the minors while on the 40-man roster counts towards the seven seasons of minor league service. I'd have to doublecheck this, but players eligible to become minor league free agents do so on or about October 15th, unless they have signed a major league contract for the following season. As to what OOTP does, I'm not sure. I know it used to calculate the time needed to become a minor league free agent incorrectly (it uses a method more complicated than that used in the real world). I did point this out to Markus during the beta, but I'm not sure if it got implemented. Last edited by Le Grande Orange; 05-14-2010 at 01:22 AM.

05-13-2010, 10:38 PM	#2
Flying Dutchmen Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 213	If you place call him up, he'll go on the 40-man roster and I'm fairly sure he won't become a free agent. I know for sure he won't start arbitration - that begins after 3 years (by default) of major league service - minor league time is irrelevant.

05-14-2010, 01:41 AM	#4
MimesisBTG Minors (Double A) Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 104	Straight from the manual: "Professional service time and time on a secondary roster affect minor league free agency. On the day the playoffs end, if a minor league player is not currently on the secondary roster, he becomes a free agent if: Professional Service Time - Time on Secondary Roster >= 6 years"