September call up and options question

[BaseballGoodToMe]

If a player is not on the 40 man, then gets added and called up on the same day in September, is an option year used?

[Le Grande Orange]

Originally Posted by BaseballGoodToMe

If a player is not on the 40 man, then gets added and called up on the same day in September, is an option year used?

In real life, in order for an option year NOT to be used, the player has to spend less than 20 days on option to the minors. If I recall correctly, OOTP uses an even lower standard: just one day on option to the minors counts as an option year being used.

So, as long as you don't send the player down, an option year shouldn't be charged

[Orcin]

LGO is right, there is no option used in OOTP if the player is not in the minors "overnight", i.e. when the day is completed.

[andyhdz]

Yeah definitely do not send down a player after a September call up if he is new to the 40 man roster.

I have mixed issues about the September call up. If you are in a tight race the AI will still play the new guys and I pretty sure it costs me a few games here and there. For this reason I'm really careful about who I call up in September if the playoffs are on the line and rarely go the full 40 man roster unlike the AI who calls up everyone. Since I don't manage games i simply don't trust the AI in this situation.

[Drstrangelove]

Originally Posted by BaseballGoodToMe

If a player is not on the 40 man, then gets added and called up on the same day in September, is an option year used?

Nope. (1) If he had never been on a 40-man roster before, no option is used. (2) And, if he had been on a 40-man at any other time in his career, an option was already charged that season. Calling a player up isn't what uses the option: it's having them in the minors that does it. But only after they have been on the 40. A lot of the players that come to spring training are not considered to be on the 40-man, so they can come, then go back to the minors and still not be treated as having been on the 40 man.

That's why a lot of players still have 3 unused options while they're in the majors. They came up and never went back down.

[nutt]

I treat my backend of the bullpen like the Dodgers to with real-life callups: I'll cycle the crap out of that 7th/8th guy back and forth to Louisville for a fresh arm! When 9/1 hits, I call up 2-3 additional arms on the spot, along with an additional bat or two. I will carry 30 players from 9/1 thru the conclusion of my AAA team's season (if no post-season, that's literally two days away).

[Curve Ball Dave]

Originally Posted by andyhdz

I have mixed issues about the September call up. If you are in a tight race the AI will still play the new guys and I pretty sure it costs me a few games here and there. For this reason I'm really careful about who I call up in September if the playoffs are on the line and rarely go the full 40 man roster unlike the AI who calls up everyone. Since I don't manage games i simply don't trust the AI in this situation.

I do the same. If I'm in a playoff race I'll only call up guys who I think will help me. I'm particularly careful with pitchers. I'll recall position players who were up with the big club during the season as injury replacements and performed well, but I didn't have the room to keep them on the active roster. I'll also call up guys who can be strong late inning defensive replacements.


Teams IRL in playoff races don't call up everyone either, just guys who they know can help.

[Timofmars]

For you guys that don't want the AI to use your fringe call-up players in games, you could always set the "bench for x days" individual strategy.

I like to call up guys that are already on the 40-man or will be soon to protect from rule-5 or minor league free agency, especially if they are not happy with their role because they expect to be playing in the majors.

If the division is clinched, I'll even let them start over my stars so I can be fairly confident there won't be any late devastating injuries to my stars right before the playoffs begin.

[PSUColonel]

One thing to keep in mind though...when you call up a player anytime except in spring training...it start the clock on his controllable contract length.

[Le Grande Orange]

Originally Posted by PSUColonel

One thing to keep in mind though...when you call up a player anytime except in spring training...it start the clock on his controllable contract length.

Technically, as soon as a player is signed by a major league organization, his controllable contract time starts since if he doesn't make the majors he can become a minor league free agent.