What's the best way to get rid of an expensive and under-performing player?

GreyOdin · 07-09-2018, 11:31 AM

Hey there folks,

Very green and new to the game, so I have only a slight idea what I'm doing. I was wondering if you could help with a conundrum.

I have player on my team, 34 years old, very expensive, only two star, couldn't catch a cold, let alone a baseball. I tried shopping him around but only get more expensive players in return, now he's very unhappy with and refused to be demoted to the minor leagues.

Do I put him on the Trade Block? Waive him? Release him? Take him out back and shoot him? It's quite early in my season but I don't want to carry him for much longer and need to shed some salary.

Any suggestions?

Rampkin325 · 07-09-2018, 12:53 PM

Hi there! I would suggest maybe letting him play a few weeks if not a couple of months and see if he ends up starting out hot. If his stats are higher, you should see better offers for him. You could also try to waive and designate, but there is no guarantee that someone claims him off of waivers and he could also risk "refuse to be demoted".

battists · 07-09-2018, 01:32 PM

Honestly, this is really tough. Ultimately if he refuses, you can’t demote him. You could keep trying to trade him. You may have to sweeten the pot by offering a decent chunk of cash in return. Or maybe you can take someone back who only has one year left on his deal instead of two. If you can’t swing a trade you’re just going to be stuck eating the contract.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

BirdWatcher · 07-09-2018, 03:15 PM

I am curious if you are on the hook for his contract beyond the current season or not? If so, I have sometimes found that it makes sense to work out a trade where I get someone else's unwanted, overpaid veteran (perhaps even a bit more overpaid) whose contract will expire sooner than the guy I am trying to unload.
A little short-term pain for some long-term relief is sometimes the best you can hope for.

Timofmars · 07-09-2018, 07:47 PM

You'll never get really good deals with just the shop around feature, but that can be an indicator of who is most interested in your player. Take the offer that seems best, then add offer additional prospects and play around with it to get a better deal.

Another thing that works that may be considered an exploit is to take the other team's old poorly rated active roster players who they probably don't want. They'll often be willing to give you those players, plus pay 100% of their salaries, and they will see the offer as even more positive than before. You may be able to give them your overpaid player for a few of their old ones that you can release or trade, and they'll pay for all the salaries.

mitchkenn · 07-09-2018, 08:39 PM

You could always do what Boston did to Sandoval and Ramirez, just decide they aren't worth having on the roster, release them (DFA maybe) and eat the salary, but at least it will open up your roster for someone who might be able to help your team.
yes, i know Boston had the ability to eat those contracts, but the idea behind it i liked.

jimmysthebestcop · 07-10-2018, 12:40 AM

Depends on how many years you have and if your rebuilding or what kind of position you are in.

If I am on a rebuilding team and I know I am going to have league minimum awful players for 1-2 years I will eat my over priced Vets contract 100% in a trade.

You have to line up the trade manually because when you shop you can't say I am willing to pay 100% of his contract. Often when you do you can get a nice prospect just like some teams pull off IRL. Especially if you target Closers or RPs.

Go to the teams that have lots of money and who are in "win it now" or "rebuilding". Sometimes the rebuilding teams take him and later trade him since they aren't on the hook for the salary anyway.

Or if its a long contract look for an expiring one even if its more money if it expires this year you are better off. And if its before the season starts the following year you can get a comp pick out of it.

dbqs · 07-10-2018, 03:09 PM

My tips -

- give up highly-rated prospects who are injury prone or have bad personalities
- retain a portion of the salary
- trade long bad contracts for shorter bad contracts, especially if you are rebuilding.

Team options seem to be a little bit exploitable with the AI GMs. I've been able to trade an albatross veteran with 2 years of guaranteed salary for another guy who was just as bad and pricey but with 1 year and a team option, so the next year I was fine and they were still stuck with that loser.

07-09-2018, 11:31 AM	#1
GreyOdin Bat Boy Join Date: Jul 2018 Posts: 4	What's the best way to get rid of an expensive and under-performing player? Hey there folks, Very green and new to the game, so I have only a slight idea what I'm doing. I was wondering if you could help with a conundrum. I have player on my team, 34 years old, very expensive, only two star, couldn't catch a cold, let alone a baseball. I tried shopping him around but only get more expensive players in return, now he's very unhappy with and refused to be demoted to the minor leagues. Do I put him on the Trade Block? Waive him? Release him? Take him out back and shoot him? It's quite early in my season but I don't want to carry him for much longer and need to shed some salary. Any suggestions?

07-09-2018, 12:53 PM	#2
Rampkin325 Bat Boy Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 6	Getting rid of Mr. Expensive Hi there! I would suggest maybe letting him play a few weeks if not a couple of months and see if he ends up starting out hot. If his stats are higher, you should see better offers for him. You could also try to waive and designate, but there is no guarantee that someone claims him off of waivers and he could also risk "refuse to be demoted".

07-09-2018, 01:32 PM	#3
battists Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 18,506 Blog Entries: 7	Honestly, this is really tough. Ultimately if he refuses, you can’t demote him. You could keep trying to trade him. You may have to sweeten the pot by offering a decent chunk of cash in return. Or maybe you can take someone back who only has one year left on his deal instead of two. If you can’t swing a trade you’re just going to be stuck eating the contract. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ Come check out my dynasty report, Funky Times!

07-09-2018, 08:39 PM	#6
mitchkenn Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Oregon, not by design Posts: 2,853	You could always do what Boston did to Sandoval and Ramirez, just decide they aren't worth having on the roster, release them (DFA maybe) and eat the salary, but at least it will open up your roster for someone who might be able to help your team. yes, i know Boston had the ability to eat those contracts, but the idea behind it i liked. __________________ "This is my opening farewell " - Jackson Browne “They make a desolation and call it peace.” ― Agha Shahid Ali "Maybe she just has to sing, for the sake of the song - And who do I think that I am to decide that she's wrong." - Townes Van Zandt "I saw a young man leaning on his wooden crutch - He called out to me, 'Don't ask for so much' And a young woman leaning in her darkened door She cried out to me, 'Why not ask for more?' " - Leonard Cohen "Hello darkness, my old Friend ...." - Paul Simon Before Mays, before DiMaggio, there was Oscar Charleston. "All the lies about Babe Ruth are true." - Waite Hoyt Avatar is the late great Townes Van Zandt. rip.

07-10-2018, 03:09 PM	#8
dbqs Major Leagues Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Comiskey Posts: 316	My tips - - give up highly-rated prospects who are injury prone or have bad personalities - retain a portion of the salary - trade long bad contracts for shorter bad contracts, especially if you are rebuilding. Team options seem to be a little bit exploitable with the AI GMs. I've been able to trade an albatross veteran with 2 years of guaranteed salary for another guy who was just as bad and pricey but with 1 year and a team option, so the next year I was fine and they were still stuck with that loser. __________________

07-09-2018, 03:15 PM	#4
BirdWatcher Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 4,262	I am curious if you are on the hook for his contract beyond the current season or not? If so, I have sometimes found that it makes sense to work out a trade where I get someone else's unwanted, overpaid veteran (perhaps even a bit more overpaid) whose contract will expire sooner than the guy I am trying to unload. A little short-term pain for some long-term relief is sometimes the best you can hope for.

07-09-2018, 07:47 PM	#5
Timofmars Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 251	You'll never get really good deals with just the shop around feature, but that can be an indicator of who is most interested in your player. Take the offer that seems best, then add offer additional prospects and play around with it to get a better deal. Another thing that works that may be considered an exploit is to take the other team's old poorly rated active roster players who they probably don't want. They'll often be willing to give you those players, plus pay 100% of their salaries, and they will see the offer as even more positive than before. You may be able to give them your overpaid player for a few of their old ones that you can release or trade, and they'll pay for all the salaries.

07-10-2018, 12:40 AM	#7
jimmysthebestcop Banned Join Date: Jun 2018 Posts: 1,728 Infractions: 0/2 (5)	Depends on how many years you have and if your rebuilding or what kind of position you are in. If I am on a rebuilding team and I know I am going to have league minimum awful players for 1-2 years I will eat my over priced Vets contract 100% in a trade. You have to line up the trade manually because when you shop you can't say I am willing to pay 100% of his contract. Often when you do you can get a nice prospect just like some teams pull off IRL. Especially if you target Closers or RPs. Go to the teams that have lots of money and who are in "win it now" or "rebuilding". Sometimes the rebuilding teams take him and later trade him since they aren't on the hook for the salary anyway. Or if its a long contract look for an expiring one even if its more money if it expires this year you are better off. And if its before the season starts the following year you can get a comp pick out of it.