Frontload or backload contracts?

dumbrabbit · 12-02-2014, 07:24 PM

I have always been told that front loading contracts will free your club financial resources for free agency, several years later.

Is this true? What do you guys do? Can you provide any tips on how to effectively divide player contracts in OOTP? How do you guys divvy up values?

Trebro · 12-02-2014, 07:56 PM

I think it depends on your financial situation. I tend to slightly increase salaries over time, since OOTP free agents seem to like that. I never have an extreme change over time, because I like to have a good feel for my payroll.

Back-ending is a mistake, IMO, because if you finances change or the player is a dud, now you're pretty good and stuck.

If you have a ton of dough to front load now, though? Might as well use it, since OOTP doesn't let you really bank money for the future (I wish it did--would love to have ability to ask owner to "reserve 5Mill a year while we rebuild, so I can have extra $$ for a rental in 3 years).

TNCubsFan · 12-03-2014, 04:16 PM

IMO the correct answer depends on a few things.
#1. What are your finances like, and looking forward, over the proposed length of deal?
#2. What do you look like with young talent coming Arb eligible?
#3. Are you win now or rebuild?
#4. Age of player.

Once you answer these four questions you should have your answer for that particular situation. Not all situations are alike. In a solo league I had a 25 y.o. switch hitting w/ power CF that I front loaded heavily so that the first three years of the deal were payed out to the tune of 65 mil + so that the last four years were due 40mil. The extra 20+ mil went to arb raises and two WS appearances.

At a different time I had a big contract coming off the books in two years so I signed a veteran 3B who career was 350 / 425/ 500 to a back loaded four year contract to hit in the two hole. I had a good guess that I would over pay the last year, and I did, but it fit where I was at the time.

I hope that this helped a bit instead of muddying the waters.

rudel.dietrich · 12-03-2014, 05:57 PM

Front loaded contracts are too easy to give in OOTP. In real life, players and their agents tend to avoid front loaded contracts unless the player is desperate or has a special situation.

In OOTP it is pretty easy to sign almost anyone to a front loaded contract.

Number4 · 12-04-2014, 04:23 AM

Why should a player dislike having a front-loaded contract? Assuming it is the same amount.

azepeda · 12-04-2014, 05:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dumbrabbit

I have always been told that front loading contracts will free your club financial resources for free agency, several years later.

Is this true? What do you guys do? Can you provide any tips on how to effectively divide player contracts in OOTP? How do you guys divvy up values?

If I have a ton of money available for the next few years I will front load a contract, it does you no good to finish the season with 35 million or so. If I have a lot of arbitration eligible players coming up then back load the salary and dump the player in a trade before the balloon payment comes due. I will jack up a salary of a FA I like and give him a huge back loaded contract, say 40 million a year for the last five years, and then trade the player before that 40 million a year is set to begin.

12-04-2014, 04:23 AM	#5
Number4 Major Leagues Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 460	Why should a player dislike having a front-loaded contract? Assuming it is the same amount. Last edited by Number4; 12-04-2014 at 05:33 AM.

12-02-2014, 07:24 PM	#1
dumbrabbit All Star Reserve Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 827	Frontload or backload contracts? I have always been told that front loading contracts will free your club financial resources for free agency, several years later. Is this true? What do you guys do? Can you provide any tips on how to effectively divide player contracts in OOTP? How do you guys divvy up values?

12-02-2014, 07:56 PM	#2
Trebro All Star Reserve Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 753 Blog Entries: 1	I think it depends on your financial situation. I tend to slightly increase salaries over time, since OOTP free agents seem to like that. I never have an extreme change over time, because I like to have a good feel for my payroll. Back-ending is a mistake, IMO, because if you finances change or the player is a dud, now you're pretty good and stuck. If you have a ton of dough to front load now, though? Might as well use it, since OOTP doesn't let you really bank money for the future (I wish it did--would love to have ability to ask owner to "reserve 5Mill a year while we rebuild, so I can have extra $$ for a rental in 3 years).

12-03-2014, 04:16 PM	#3
TNCubsFan Major Leagues Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 300	IMO the correct answer depends on a few things. #1. What are your finances like, and looking forward, over the proposed length of deal? #2. What do you look like with young talent coming Arb eligible? #3. Are you win now or rebuild? #4. Age of player. Once you answer these four questions you should have your answer for that particular situation. Not all situations are alike. In a solo league I had a 25 y.o. switch hitting w/ power CF that I front loaded heavily so that the first three years of the deal were payed out to the tune of 65 mil + so that the last four years were due 40mil. The extra 20+ mil went to arb raises and two WS appearances. At a different time I had a big contract coming off the books in two years so I signed a veteran 3B who career was 350 / 425/ 500 to a back loaded four year contract to hit in the two hole. I had a good guess that I would over pay the last year, and I did, but it fit where I was at the time. I hope that this helped a bit instead of muddying the waters. __________________ "If a tie is like kissing your sister, losing is like kissing your grandmother with her teeth out" George Brett HOF

12-03-2014, 05:57 PM	#4
rudel.dietrich Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Zürich, Switzerland Posts: 8,608 Infractions: 1/0 (0)	Front loaded contracts are too easy to give in OOTP. In real life, players and their agents tend to avoid front loaded contracts unless the player is desperate or has a special situation. In OOTP it is pretty easy to sign almost anyone to a front loaded contract.