Absolutely no MLB Free Agents willing to negotiate with a last place team?

subtle · 04-17-2015, 11:32 AM

I started a new 2015 MLB game with the Rockies, where I added a lot of great prospects and young talent in the first season but finished in last place.

Now, during free agency, absolutely none of the MLB free agents will negotiate for me. I have a great young foundation of a team, I've been given a $140 MM budget (I have no idea why this happened and would be curious if other posters have seen small market owners giving out a curiously high amount of money for a budget). I have the league setup to use the major international leagues (***, Korea, Cuba, Mexico, Australia) and the international free agents will negotiate with my team.

I'm really not trying to cry about **my game**, I just wondered if anyone else is encountering this as it seems a bit heavy-handed and unrealistic?

Posting here instead of the bug thread because it seems like this is due to mechanics in the game but possibly an unintended consequence worth discussing?
Thanks in advance.

frangipard · 04-17-2015, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by subtle

I started a new 2015 MLB game with the Rockies, where I added a lot of great prospects and young talent in the first season but finished in last place.

Now, during free agency, absolutely none of the MLB free agents will negotiate for me. I have a great young foundation of a team, I've been given a $140 MM budget (I have no idea why this happened and would be curious if other posters have seen small market owners giving out a curiously high amount of money for a budget). I have the league setup to use the major international leagues (***, Korea, Cuba, Mexico, Australia) and the international free agents will negotiate with my team.

I'm really not trying to cry about **my game**, I just wondered if anyone else is encountering this as it seems a bit heavy-handed and unrealistic?

Posting here instead of the bug thread because it seems like this is due to mechanics in the game but possibly an unintended consequence worth discussing?
Thanks in advance.

Is there a reason they give? Did you hire a lousy manager? How many is "absolutely none?" There are a couple hundred free agents most years.

ra7c7er · 04-17-2015, 11:40 AM

Early in the off-season it will be hard for you to sign top flight FAs. Don't worry though just means if you dig a bit you can build a great team and still have money left over.

anthonywvalentine · 04-17-2015, 11:49 AM

I finished last season 82-80. We just entered free agency and 9 out of 10 players would not negotiate with the Atlanta Braves.
Including a player who was a -1.0 WAR last season for a team that won 45 games.

Assos · 04-17-2015, 12:03 PM

Could be a number of things like manager personality as stated above, another factor is home town pull, so players are coded to stay closer to home, others are coded for greed. You might want to check their personality. In the end, all players want to win and maybe they are not viewing you as a ready to win team.

olivertheorem · 04-17-2015, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anthonywvalentine

I finished last season 82-80. We just entered free agency and 9 out of 10 players would not negotiate with the Atlanta Braves.
Including a player who was a -1.0 WAR last season for a team that won 45 games.

I know it's off topic, but I want to know what team went 45-117.

ihatenames · 04-17-2015, 04:34 PM

Check again later in free agency. Guys tend to soften their stances as the offseason progresses depending on the offers received.

statfreak · 04-17-2015, 06:03 PM

I've seen this complaint a lot recently, especially in online leagues. There are too many players refusing to even negotiate with teams. Not a very good design decision and probably something that needs to be softened.

Assos · 04-17-2015, 06:11 PM

OOTP is being backed by the Boras Agent Company! If they do not sign you can get them cheaper.

r0nster · 04-17-2015, 06:17 PM

don't fret just go the trade route then when your club improves then you will get FA interested in hearing what you have to offer them

RchW · 04-17-2015, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by statfreak

I've seen this complaint a lot recently, especially in online leagues. There are too many players refusing to even negotiate with teams. Not a very good design decision and probably something that needs to be softened.

I don't see it as a design decision. I have zero issue with FA negotiations. As with most problems it seems to be league type specific.

ra7c7er · 04-18-2015, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RchW

I don't see it as a design decision. I have zero issue with FA negotiations. As with most problems it seems to be league type specific.

I have a similar issue with my fictional league. I have only independent leagues (league reps of 10,7,6,5,1) and I will get players that will not sign with even the top teams of the top league. It's not that they won't sign with a specific team it's them not willing to sign with ANY team. Like they are waiting for a MLB team or something to sign with even though their isn't any league better then what is trying to sign them. This doesn't happen with many players, maybe 2-4 a year) and they will eventually sign with a team usually 3-4 months after the start of free agency. Since they at least sign eventually I don't fret about it a lot. Just a annoyance.

The real issue I have is with managers and a coaches doing the same thing. Except they will NEVER sign with any team. Constantly saying they don't want to sign with a team. It's like they are so good the game has them coded to not be willing to coach below a threshold my fictional world doesn't support since my world is all independent leagues. It wouldn't be much of a problem if it wasn't for the fact that these were coaches created by the game for my world.

anthonywvalentine · 04-18-2015, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by olivertheorem

I know it's off topic, but I want to know what team went 45-117.

Online league. Detroit in 2033.

Ruthian23 · 04-18-2015, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by statfreak

I've seen this complaint a lot recently, especially in online leagues. There are too many players refusing to even negotiate with teams. Not a very good design decision and probably something that needs to be softened.

Yeah, I have seen this in a fictional I'm playing, too. I think in reality, the number of players who would refuse to even listen to a team, even if only to use them as negotiating leverage, has to be pretty small, and certainly much smaller than the game indicates.

kevrock · 04-19-2015, 08:14 AM

It has completely housed free agency for a couple teams in out online league. Not just last place teams. Something is very wrong.

r0nster · 04-19-2015, 11:31 AM

I am curious since we talking about FAs has anybody ever seen a player approach you and ask if you be interested in them playing for you???? I have yet to see this happen. I am sure that their agents in real life do approach GMs

BaseballLife322 · 04-19-2015, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by r0nster

I am curious since we talking about FAs has anybody ever seen a player approach you and ask if you be interested in them playing for you???? I have yet to see this happen. I am sure that their agents in real life do approach GMs

Nope... But that would be a cool addition.

subtle · 04-20-2015, 11:24 AM

In case it helps, I have scouting and coaches/managers turned off and I released all coaches and scouts before I started the league so it should not be personalities that are causing this unless it's a bug.

Also, I am a week into the next season and still no MLB free agents will negotiate with me. The team is a little over .500.

After I patch to the update released this week, I'm going to start a new game and test it again.

bulldog55 · 04-29-2015, 11:14 PM

Also getting this in my online league. Good teams, bad teams, it doesn't matter. Players almost universally won't negotiate. This is a fictional-historical league.

Anyone · 04-30-2015, 12:48 AM

I see this as a design decision, and a bad one. One of the coders admitted they were overly aggressive about it and would modify it in a patch.

But...just think of the subset of players with "Very Low" Desire For Winner: They care about a lot of things more than being on a winning team. Depending on other personality factors, that might be mostly money, or it might be more other quality of life issues (team chemistry, the manager and the like, for example; or whether they like the city).

I'd definitely say there are a subset of players in real life to whom being a baseball player is just a job, and they have to talk a good game about wanting very much to win, but they just want to collect a very nice paycheck and like their boss (manager) and coworkers.

And anyone who isn't "High" or higher on Desire for a Winner shouldn't refuse to negotiate with a team that seems like it won't win. Those not "Very Low" should require a lot more money to sign with a very bad team, but should listen to the offer.

Everyone would rather win, but the player personality system should really be used in the area, and range from highly competitive players who really won't play for a team that seems like a loser to mercenary players who just want to collect their paycheck.

04-17-2015, 11:32 AM	#1
subtle Minors (Single A) Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 85	Absolutely no MLB Free Agents willing to negotiate with a last place team? I started a new 2015 MLB game with the Rockies, where I added a lot of great prospects and young talent in the first season but finished in last place. Now, during free agency, absolutely none of the MLB free agents will negotiate for me. I have a great young foundation of a team, I've been given a $140 MM budget (I have no idea why this happened and would be curious if other posters have seen small market owners giving out a curiously high amount of money for a budget). I have the league setup to use the major international leagues (*, Korea, Cuba, Mexico, Australia) and the international free agents will negotiate with my team. I'm really not trying to cry about my game**, I just wondered if anyone else is encountering this as it seems a bit heavy-handed and unrealistic? Posting here instead of the bug thread because it seems like this is due to mechanics in the game but possibly an unintended consequence worth discussing? Thanks in advance.

04-17-2015, 04:34 PM	#7
ihatenames Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Rockford Posts: 2,535	Check again later in free agency. Guys tend to soften their stances as the offseason progresses depending on the offers received. __________________ New Album coming soon!

04-17-2015, 06:03 PM	#8
statfreak Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 2,435	I've seen this complaint a lot recently, especially in online leagues. There are too many players refusing to even negotiate with teams. Not a very good design decision and probably something that needs to be softened. __________________ Roll out the barrel!

04-29-2015, 11:14 PM	#19
bulldog55 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: California's Canada Warnings: 17 Posts: 2,475	Also getting this in my online league. Good teams, bad teams, it doesn't matter. Players almost universally won't negotiate. This is a fictional-historical league. __________________ Commissioner, Trans-Continental Base Ball Association Owner/GM, Los Angeles Electrics (TCBA), Beaverton Rangers (OTBL), Portland Mavericks (Union League), and Los Angeles Superbas (Century League) Being smart, don't always make you popular.

04-17-2015, 11:40 AM	#3
ra7c7er All Star Starter Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 1,098	Early in the off-season it will be hard for you to sign top flight FAs. Don't worry though just means if you dig a bit you can build a great team and still have money left over.

04-17-2015, 11:49 AM	#4
anthonywvalentine All Star Reserve Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Connecticut Posts: 647	I finished last season 82-80. We just entered free agency and 9 out of 10 players would not negotiate with the Atlanta Braves. Including a player who was a -1.0 WAR last season for a team that won 45 games.

04-17-2015, 12:03 PM	#5
Assos All Star Starter Join Date: May 2004 Location: Just on the fair side of the foul pole! Posts: 1,772	Could be a number of things like manager personality as stated above, another factor is home town pull, so players are coded to stay closer to home, others are coded for greed. You might want to check their personality. In the end, all players want to win and maybe they are not viewing you as a ready to win team.

04-17-2015, 06:11 PM	#9
Assos All Star Starter Join Date: May 2004 Location: Just on the fair side of the foul pole! Posts: 1,772	OOTP is being backed by the Boras Agent Company! If they do not sign you can get them cheaper.

04-17-2015, 06:17 PM	#10
r0nster Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 3,002	don't fret just go the trade route then when your club improves then you will get FA interested in hearing what you have to offer them

04-19-2015, 08:14 AM	#15
kevrock Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 159	It has completely housed free agency for a couple teams in out online league. Not just last place teams. Something is very wrong.

04-19-2015, 11:31 AM	#16
r0nster Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 3,002	I am curious since we talking about FAs has anybody ever seen a player approach you and ask if you be interested in them playing for you???? I have yet to see this happen. I am sure that their agents in real life do approach GMs

04-20-2015, 11:24 AM	#18
subtle Minors (Single A) Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 85	In case it helps, I have scouting and coaches/managers turned off and I released all coaches and scouts before I started the league so it should not be personalities that are causing this unless it's a bug. Also, I am a week into the next season and still no MLB free agents will negotiate with me. The team is a little over .500. After I patch to the update released this week, I'm going to start a new game and test it again.

04-30-2015, 12:48 AM	#20
Anyone Major Leagues Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 405	I see this as a design decision, and a bad one. One of the coders admitted they were overly aggressive about it and would modify it in a patch. But...just think of the subset of players with "Very Low" Desire For Winner: They care about a lot of things more than being on a winning team. Depending on other personality factors, that might be mostly money, or it might be more other quality of life issues (team chemistry, the manager and the like, for example; or whether they like the city). I'd definitely say there are a subset of players in real life to whom being a baseball player is just a job, and they have to talk a good game about wanting very much to win, but they just want to collect a very nice paycheck and like their boss (manager) and coworkers. And anyone who isn't "High" or higher on Desire for a Winner shouldn't refuse to negotiate with a team that seems like it won't win. Those not "Very Low" should require a lot more money to sign with a very bad team, but should listen to the offer. Everyone would rather win, but the player personality system should really be used in the area, and range from highly competitive players who really won't play for a team that seems like a loser to mercenary players who just want to collect their paycheck.