AI veterans seemingly never refusing demotion

[atl_braves]

I know the game doesn't "recognize names," but it shouldn't matter in this case, as this is just bizarre for any long-time veteran (well over 5 years of service) with a big ML contract, regardless of the names. When playing quickstart, I'm seeing players like David Ortiz, Teixeira, Beltran, A-Rod, Sabathia accept demotions to AAA.

I could understand once in a while if a player with a super low "greed" rating accepted a demotion, but that should be the exception. Players with contracts and service time like the ones I mentioned simply shouldn't be able to be buried in the organization after clearing waivers.

I have not disabled the right to refuse assignment, although I double check every time I see another head-scratching demotion.

[Friendly_Beaver]

Originally Posted by atl_braves

I know the game doesn't "recognize names," but it shouldn't matter in this case, as this is just bizarre for any long-time veteran (well over 5 years of service) with a big ML contract, regardless of the names. When playing quickstart, I'm seeing players like David Ortiz, Teixeira, Beltran, A-Rod, Sabathia accept demotions to AAA.

I could understand once in a while if a player with a super low "greed" rating accepted a demotion, but that should be the exception. Players with contracts and service time like the ones I mentioned simply shouldn't be able to be buried in the organization after clearing waivers.

I have not disabled the right to refuse assignment, although I double check every time I see another head-scratching demotion.

That's odd, I seem to always have my veterans refuse demotion, Steve Tolleson and Jeff Francis to name 2 who really should just thank the heavens I didn't flat out release them to begin with (I did once they refused).

In my quickstart all the above players you mentioned are still in the bigs but Tex, CC and Ortiz are on the block.

[RchW]

The only time I've seen it happen is with older players with ratings hits.

IMO marginal players ie AAAA types and hangers on should not refuse so often. This is probably hard to balance in the programming.

[atl_braves]

Originally Posted by RchW

The only time I've seen it happen is with older players with ratings hits.

IMO marginal players ie AAAA types and hangers on should not refuse so often. This is probably hard to balance in the programming.

How many of these quad-A players have accrued the necessary service time to refuse an assignment, though?

[aderosa32]

Curtis Granderson and Carlos Gomez are killing me with their refusals. I took over a online league team, the Mets in 2016. It's not enough that they are ridiculously overpaid and I can't dump their salary, but they just have to be stubborn and refused a demotion as well.

It's frustrating, but one of my favorite features of the game. You will be punished for very bad contracts, even if you inherited those bad contracts. I can't say I've run into a similar situation as the OP. All players that accept demotion typically are AAAA players or former stars on league minimum contracts.

[atl_braves]

I'm wondering if the game punishes users more than it does AI teams. Because Granderson is another guy I've seen in AAA. I've only been in this situation a couple times, and I have had a player refuse, so I released him. However, I can't say I've ever seen an AI team release a player outright because he refused a demotion. I don't have hard evidence on this, which is why I'm asking about other people's experiences.

The consensus seems to be that the refusal is a good feature, and I agree. I just haven't seen it used by AI teams. I recognize what RchW is saying (some players SHOULD accept the demotion, making it hard to program), but I think a fairly simple and effective fix would be to make that players with a contract value (either AAV or total) over a certain number would just refuse every time. You just don't see the Ryan Howards and Dan Ugglas of the world going to triple-A. They get traded or released.

[Hoiles]

On my side, it seems that most players on MY teams who can refuse demotion do refuse demotion. This includes overpaid over-the-hill former stars, to borderline 1/2 star guys. On the MLB quickstart, Liz and Morton on the Bucs always refuse, but I usually am able to send down S Rodriguez. However, if I'm able to trade them to clear space, the AI ends up being able to demote them, which is annoying.

[atl_braves]

My guess is that the AI is tougher on the user than the CPU teams. I'm all for making it tougher on the user, but it kinda sucks to see a future HOFer languishing in AAA when he had the option to be released to pursue other opportunities.

[SirMichaelJordan]

Originally Posted by atl_braves

I know the game doesn't "recognize names," but it shouldn't matter in this case, as this is just bizarre for any long-time veteran (well over 5 years of service) with a big ML contract, regardless of the names. When playing quickstart, I'm seeing players like David Ortiz, Teixeira, Beltran, A-Rod, Sabathia accept demotions to AAA.

I could understand once in a while if a player with a super low "greed" rating accepted a demotion, but that should be the exception. Players with contracts and service time like the ones I mentioned simply shouldn't be able to be buried in the organization after clearing waivers.

I have not disabled the right to refuse assignment, although I double check every time I see another head-scratching demotion.

I've reported this a few versions ago. I never really paid attention to it since but thats mainly because I lowered the aging a bit and guys like former all stars seem to hang around on the main roster now. But yea, it seemed like that feature did not apply to the AI because I would take over a team, demote a vet and he would refuse. Then I would return that team back to the AI and by the following week the same player would in AAA.