Player Development and International Complex

Sig · 04-15-2013, 11:34 AM

1.) I absolutely love the new player development update section. While consistently depressing from a GM perspective, what a great way to quickly get a feel for play progression! Nice add.

2.) Anyone have any thoughts/ideas on how to handle players in the International Complex? I know they automatically get moved up past 20 years of age, but if you sign a guy with good talent when would it be ideal to move them up to the minors? Is there any benefits to keeping them in the IC?

Fenway · 04-16-2013, 12:09 AM

I'm also curious how to use the IC. I mostly have just been leaving players there.

jmarsh123 · 04-16-2013, 08:38 AM

I've just been treating it as a level below Rookie league. Once his ratings bump up above 30 (20-80 scale), I'll usually promote him to a rookie league since his skill level seems to be in line with recent draftees.

I have a stud 17-year old center field prospect holding his own in rookie league.

Mantush · 04-16-2013, 10:29 AM

I don't think the AI (if you have your minors set to be run by the AI) promotes players from the International Complex if they are below twenty years old. I haven't done any rigorous testing in this regard, but I have manually promoted by bonus babies, and they have been placed in Short-A after I let the AI set up my minor league rosters. I have no clue why the AI would agree to put them in a level above Rookie ball, but at the same time, refuse to take them out of the International Complex previously.

With that said, I am promoting guys from the International Complex the year after they sign. That means, if I signed a guy in 2013, he will spend the rest of the 2013 season in the International Complex and will make the jump state-side for the beginning of the 2014 season. I don't care if the player is 'ready' or not, especially since it is hard to quantify what is 'ready' at such a low-level. Even my top draft picks struggle in their first exposure to rookie ball, so I don't care if my seventeen year old Dominican bonus baby struggles. The important thing is that they are exposed to my good coaches.

On a completely unrelated note, the CBA rules are driving me crazy and quickly teaching me the consequences of not having self-discipline. In my first IFA pool, a lesser version of Xander Bogaerts was created. He was demanding a signing bonus of around $1,000,000, which I figured to be pretty reasonable. I put in my opening bid for three fourths of that, and he quickly rejected my bid and told me to go higher.

I did. And so did the three other teams bidding on him.

I figured, this kid has superstar written all over him - and my scout agreed, given that he had rated him an 80 on a 20-80 scale - so there was no cost too high. I dipped into my limitless cash reserve, and offered the player a three million dollar bonus after a few rounds of negotiations. He signed. However, I was not content with just one player. I wanted more. I needed to have all the good players in the pool. I amassed a litany of offers to the best remaining available players, and ended up spending 200% of the cap - the cap being three million - in my first year of international free agency.

The next year has already rolled around, and the most that I can offer any player is $250,000, which sucks. It especially sucks because the game has generated a superb SS prospect, 80 overall, 8 speed (2-8 scale), 8 contact potential, 6 gap potential, 2 HR potential, 8 eye potential, and 6 avoid Ks potential. Did I also mention that all his fielding ratings are above 6? Yeah, the guy is going to be stud - granted, anything can happen - but if he pans out, he's an all-star; maybe he ends up in the Hall of Fame. His bonus demand is $6,500,000. Oh how I wish I could sign you...

There's also a starting pitcher in this class with a demand well over three million, and he may actually be a better player than the SS when all things are considered. 8 stamina, 7 stuff, 6 movement, 8 control, 55% ground ball, and 90-92 MPH velocity. He throws six pitches; a fastball, curveball, slider, changeup, splitter, and forkball. I want to sign him, too, but alas, I cannot because of my spending spree last year. If I could go back in time and spend stupidly this year instead of last, I would. But you know what they say, hindsight is 20/20.

04-15-2013, 11:34 AM	#1
Sig Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Batavia, IL Posts: 46	Player Development and International Complex 1.) I absolutely love the new player development update section. While consistently depressing from a GM perspective, what a great way to quickly get a feel for play progression! Nice add. 2.) Anyone have any thoughts/ideas on how to handle players in the International Complex? I know they automatically get moved up past 20 years of age, but if you sign a guy with good talent when would it be ideal to move them up to the minors? Is there any benefits to keeping them in the IC?

04-16-2013, 12:09 AM	#2
Fenway Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Back Bay in Boston Posts: 295	I'm also curious how to use the IC. I mostly have just been leaving players there.

04-16-2013, 08:38 AM	#3
jmarsh123 Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 26	I've just been treating it as a level below Rookie league. Once his ratings bump up above 30 (20-80 scale), I'll usually promote him to a rookie league since his skill level seems to be in line with recent draftees. I have a stud 17-year old center field prospect holding his own in rookie league.

04-16-2013, 10:29 AM	#4
Mantush Minors (Double A) Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 147	I don't think the AI (if you have your minors set to be run by the AI) promotes players from the International Complex if they are below twenty years old. I haven't done any rigorous testing in this regard, but I have manually promoted by bonus babies, and they have been placed in Short-A after I let the AI set up my minor league rosters. I have no clue why the AI would agree to put them in a level above Rookie ball, but at the same time, refuse to take them out of the International Complex previously. With that said, I am promoting guys from the International Complex the year after they sign. That means, if I signed a guy in 2013, he will spend the rest of the 2013 season in the International Complex and will make the jump state-side for the beginning of the 2014 season. I don't care if the player is 'ready' or not, especially since it is hard to quantify what is 'ready' at such a low-level. Even my top draft picks struggle in their first exposure to rookie ball, so I don't care if my seventeen year old Dominican bonus baby struggles. The important thing is that they are exposed to my good coaches. On a completely unrelated note, the CBA rules are driving me crazy and quickly teaching me the consequences of not having self-discipline. In my first IFA pool, a lesser version of Xander Bogaerts was created. He was demanding a signing bonus of around $1,000,000, which I figured to be pretty reasonable. I put in my opening bid for three fourths of that, and he quickly rejected my bid and told me to go higher. I did. And so did the three other teams bidding on him. I figured, this kid has superstar written all over him - and my scout agreed, given that he had rated him an 80 on a 20-80 scale - so there was no cost too high. I dipped into my limitless cash reserve, and offered the player a three million dollar bonus after a few rounds of negotiations. He signed. However, I was not content with just one player. I wanted more. I needed to have all the good players in the pool. I amassed a litany of offers to the best remaining available players, and ended up spending 200% of the cap - the cap being three million - in my first year of international free agency. The next year has already rolled around, and the most that I can offer any player is $250,000, which sucks. It especially sucks because the game has generated a superb SS prospect, 80 overall, 8 speed (2-8 scale), 8 contact potential, 6 gap potential, 2 HR potential, 8 eye potential, and 6 avoid Ks potential. Did I also mention that all his fielding ratings are above 6? Yeah, the guy is going to be stud - granted, anything can happen - but if he pans out, he's an all-star; maybe he ends up in the Hall of Fame. His bonus demand is $6,500,000. Oh how I wish I could sign you... There's also a starting pitcher in this class with a demand well over three million, and he may actually be a better player than the SS when all things are considered. 8 stamina, 7 stuff, 6 movement, 8 control, 55% ground ball, and 90-92 MPH velocity. He throws six pitches; a fastball, curveball, slider, changeup, splitter, and forkball. I want to sign him, too, but alas, I cannot because of my spending spree last year. If I could go back in time and spend stupidly this year instead of last, I would. But you know what they say, hindsight is 20/20.