Will free agent signings for independent leagues be improved?

[Baconi]

I'm sure other people have noticed this but in the current game, for leagues with lower finances, players often sign bizarre contracts that do not reflect the value. Many times the league leaders in OPS and WAR for a season will go to free agency and end up signing a minor league contract with a different team in the same league, or a league with even lower reputation. I'm talking about guys with an OPS+ of 200 and over signing MILCs, sometimes they have a MILC with a major league contract if they are promoted, but the salary is usually only equivalent to the "Below Avg Quality Player" salary level in the league settings or lower. It makes actually playing in those leagues not very fun imo because you can easily sign superstar level players for cheap and win.

[Baconi]

I'm messing around more now as a GM, and I've come to the conclusion that it's basically broken. All the best players ask for a minor league contract with a low-paying option when you offer them a contract. Sometimes players will say they received a better offer and their demand increases to an actually reasonable salary, but if you offer them a MILC with a major league option again then they will accept it anyway. So something is wrong. I've already tested this with different AI evaluation settings and the same still happens.

[perez24]

Originally Posted by Baconi

I'm messing around more now as a GM, and I've come to the conclusion that it's basically broken. All the best players ask for a minor league contract with a low-paying option when you offer them a contract. Sometimes players will say they received a better offer and their demand increases to an actually reasonable salary, but if you offer them a MILC with a major league option again then they will accept it anyway. So something is wrong. I've already tested this with different AI evaluation settings and the same still happens.

That has not been my experience and I'm glad! I can't usually do that until I'm in spring training.

[Baconi]

Originally Posted by perez24

That has not been my experience and I'm glad! I can't usually do that until I'm in spring training.

Here's an example. This player was leading the league in WAR for three straight seasons and nearly won back to back Triple Crowns. As you can see his initial demand starts at $4 mil+ but all I did was offer him a $110,000 contract (which is the league minimum!) and he accepted.

What settings do you use?

[Harry Doyle]

That last screen isn't "signing". The player (or agent) has accepted the offer "to consider". You will have to wait until they get back to you as to whether they will sign or not.

[dward1]

multi league universes have been very shaky on financials for a long, long time. I suspect this is because the financial system and team-building AI has not been refined or improved in many many seasons.

as it is not a part of the game that can transfer to making more revenue on the Perfect Team side I suspect it will be untouched like almost all solo-game features are

[Baconi]

Originally Posted by Harry Doyle

That last screen isn't "signing". The player (or agent) has accepted the offer "to consider". You will have to wait until they get back to you as to whether they will sign or not.

Yes, I have done this before with similar players and they did end up signing. I didn't actually sign him because I was only acting as a team's GM.

[Baconi]

Originally Posted by dward1

multi league universes have been very shaky on financials for a long, long time. I suspect this is because the financial system and team-building AI has not been refined or improved in many many seasons.

as it is not a part of the game that can transfer to making more revenue on the Perfect Team side I suspect it will be untouched like almost all solo-game features are

I don't really agree with this, the team does put in work for features in the solo game. I've been really impressed with the tournaments feature that they've implemented and I'm looking forward to the coaching system overhaul in 22.
I don't expect the AI to be perfect, because most people probably just manage in the MLB. But I hope this is something that is fixed or improved because there seems to be something fundamentally wrong with player logic here, like a bug or something.

[dward1]

Originally Posted by Baconi

I don't really agree with this, the team does put in work for features in the solo game. I've been really impressed with the tournaments feature that they've implemented and I'm looking forward to the coaching system overhaul in 22.
I don't expect the AI to be perfect, because most people probably just manage in the MLB. But I hope this is something that is fixed or improved because there seems to be something fundamentally wrong with player logic here, like a bug or something.

tournaments are amazing, I agree. a huge boost to my fictional world. I don't think they were necessarily developed for solo game player though: it feels like a Perfect Team focused thing

[perez24]

Originally Posted by Baconi

Here's an example. This player was leading the league in WAR for three straight seasons and nearly won back to back Triple Crowns. As you can see his initial demand starts at $4 mil+ but all I did was offer him a $110,000 contract (which is the league minimum!) and he accepted.

What settings do you use?

I don't typically mess with that kind of stuff. The game is a challenge enough for me without making it harder!

[dave1927p]

Originally Posted by dward1

tournaments are amazing, I agree. a huge boost to my fictional world. I don't think they were necessarily developed for solo game player though: it feels like a Perfect Team focused thing

now that you mention that, you could be right.

I am curious about the OP...hopefully there's been some adjustments to it.

[Lukas Berger]

Originally Posted by dward1

tournaments are amazing, I agree. a huge boost to my fictional world. I don't think they were necessarily developed for solo game player though: it feels like a Perfect Team focused thing

Nope, they have nothing to do with PT, they were purely a regular game feature.

[Lukas Berger]

On the main point of the thread here, it seems the big issue that is causing the problem is that minor league contracts shouldn't even be allowed in Indy Leagues or leagues without actual minor leagues, right? Without those, it would force the players to negotiate for regular contracts in each league.

We added this to our list of stuff to look at, but it won't be in the release version of the game though. Hopefully in a patch.

[dave1927p]

Originally Posted by Lukas Berger

On the main point of the thread here, it seems the big issue that is causing the problem is that minor league contracts shouldn't even be allowed in Indy Leagues or leagues without actual minor leagues, right? Without those, it would force the players to negotiate for regular contracts in each league.

We added this to our list of stuff to look at, but it won't be in the release version of the game though. Hopefully in a patch.

Yes that is definitely the case. That will be great if it can be patched...I would be a bit surprised if it was that easy to implement though. Even when there are minor leagues, most players shouldn't even consider that as an option when they'd earn a higher salary elsewhere. Major league affiliates not having financials is the bigger challenge, but the above would be a big improvement....In a future version it would be good to see "minor league contracts" completed rebuilt to account for actual money that the player considers and baseball world recognizes accordingly.

[24Rocks]

Originally Posted by Lukas Berger

On the main point of the thread here, it seems the big issue that is causing the problem is that minor league contracts shouldn't even be allowed in Indy Leagues or leagues without actual minor leagues, right? Without those, it would force the players to negotiate for regular contracts in each league.

We added this to our list of stuff to look at, but it won't be in the release version of the game though. Hopefully in a patch.

This is good to look at and I agree somewhat with the OP, a guy who rakes in my KBO league who wants to sign in MLB but doesn't and wont Negotiate with KBO shouldn't be signing in Indy ball for nothing he should change his mind and go back to one of my 2 INT leagues.

I disagree with contracts are broken because for FA fringe players sign all types of deals in my game tho as was mentioned

Originally Posted by dward1

multi league universes have been very shaky on financials.

and that player(side note how was he in Indy ball so long he looks pretty good) is a FA so that's not him taking that contract just taking the offer tho players looking to move up to higher leagues tend to take lower then asking because they want to be in better reputation league I have noticed.

I would love to see some changes to MLC for Indy Leagues would be nice but, one of the things I do is every May I go to each Indy team and offer MLC to 2 players each who wont negotiate with Indy teams and about 50% sign now most get bought from those teams shortly after but it helps keep a few players around and keeps the talent pool of my INT leagues a little higher as well as some players wont sign there either unless they get bought from Indy team.
So maybe changes to how players feel about playing in different leagues changes longer they stay unsigned Or more MLC for Indy leagues with salary options that the AI can use.

[PSUColonel]

Was this ever fixed? Can someone confirm or deny?