Int'l Free Agent Signing Tips?

Klew1986 · 04-25-2015, 03:31 PM

I'm just curious if anyone has any tips/suggestions when it comes to signing Int'l FA at the start of July. Do you guys just give them what they want? Do you start lower and work your way up? Do you offer more than they ask?

progen · 04-25-2015, 03:57 PM

I always give them their asking price. And so far in every case, I've found that they always get offers better than mine, and come back to me two or three times, before they make a decision.

And remember, if you go over the international limit, which I believe is 3.5m(not sure on that though), you can't go over $300,000 the following year for any player. Although I use as much discretion as possible since I play stats only, and with scouts set to very low.

Klew1986 · 04-25-2015, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by progen

I always give them their asking price. And so far in every case, I've found that they always get offers better than mine, and come back to me two or three times, before they make a decision.

And remember, if you go over the international limit, which I believe is 3.5m(not sure on that though), you can't go over $300,000 the following year for any player. Although I use as much discretion as possible since I play stats only, and with scouts set to very low.

Yeah. it's set at $3,000,000 in my fictional game. There quite a few nicely rated players, so I might go over that 3.5 million. I'm in the 2nd year as an expansion team, so I have quite a bit of budget room.

frangipard · 04-25-2015, 05:01 PM

1) IMO, the way to make it realistic is to turn off (or way down) the "spontaneous discoveries" and max out the July 2 signings to 120 players.

2) The game is also incorrect in the penalty for going over the limit -- AIUI starting last year, the rule is that any team going over the limit, even by $1, faces a TWO-year ban on signings over $300k.

3) Strategy-wise, that's even more incentive to do what real MLB teams have started doing: if you have the cash to go over, go waaaay over and sign tons of guys. (e.g. the Yankees spent something like $18M last year) You're out of it the next year, but you've loaded up.

4) I really, really, really wish there was a "match offers up to" feature.

Afino · 04-25-2015, 05:21 PM

See, I've seen if you put it at 120 players, there are a good number of players that get left in the pool because teams run out of money....

Rockfan616 · 04-25-2015, 06:01 PM

I always get close to the $3 million limit but never get over it, I normally sign at least 4-5 good international FA's with only one of them normally being really high priced. It works out pretty well in the end too for me usually.

IsaacR · 04-25-2015, 08:00 PM

I tend to go over. If you go over often teams will not offer more than once or twice on a player, especially on the lower rated guys.
Once I kept matching demands and I ended up paying $18 million for one guy alone.

kevrock · 04-25-2015, 11:18 PM

Unless this has changed in 16, just sign as many IFAs as you can no matter the price. The talent pool is so jaded toward IFAs it's crazy.

It's crazy in online leagues, so I can't imagine the advantage offline players must have over AI.

sabrtoothtiger · 04-26-2015, 01:13 AM

Quantity over quality. I've had too many 6+ mil players flame out by AA and too many guys I've signed for 70k become great major league players to go any other way.

mpejkrm · 04-26-2015, 02:28 AM

I usually stay away from big potential guys and go for guys in the 40-55 range (on 20/80 scale). If you used a bonus pool in the 3-5M range (I use 4.5M), spending 750K on a couple of guys can't hurt. Best case scenario they boom big time (which can happen), worst case scenario, hey, it's not 6M or something crazy. I'll take 6 750K players with a better chance at booming than one 7M player.

04-25-2015, 03:31 PM	#1
Klew1986 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 2,727	Int'l Free Agent Signing Tips? I'm just curious if anyone has any tips/suggestions when it comes to signing Int'l FA at the start of July. Do you guys just give them what they want? Do you start lower and work your way up? Do you offer more than they ask?

04-25-2015, 05:01 PM	#4
frangipard OOTP Roster Team Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 763	1) IMO, the way to make it realistic is to turn off (or way down) the "spontaneous discoveries" and max out the July 2 signings to 120 players. 2) The game is also incorrect in the penalty for going over the limit -- AIUI starting last year, the rule is that any team going over the limit, even by $1, faces a TWO-year ban on signings over $300k. 3) Strategy-wise, that's even more incentive to do what real MLB teams have started doing: if you have the cash to go over, go waaaay over and sign tons of guys. (e.g. the Yankees spent something like $18M last year) You're out of it the next year, but you've loaded up. 4) I really, really, really wish there was a "match offers up to" feature. Last edited by frangipard; 04-25-2015 at 05:06 PM.

04-25-2015, 05:21 PM	#5
Afino Hall Of Famer Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 3,827	See, I've seen if you put it at 120 players, there are a good number of players that get left in the pool because teams run out of money.... __________________ GUBA: Moscow Enforcers

04-25-2015, 03:57 PM	#2
progen All Star Starter Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 1,535 Infractions: 0/1 (1)	I always give them their asking price. And so far in every case, I've found that they always get offers better than mine, and come back to me two or three times, before they make a decision. And remember, if you go over the international limit, which I believe is 3.5m(not sure on that though), you can't go over $300,000 the following year for any player. Although I use as much discretion as possible since I play stats only, and with scouts set to very low.

04-25-2015, 06:01 PM	#6
Rockfan616 Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 275	I always get close to the $3 million limit but never get over it, I normally sign at least 4-5 good international FA's with only one of them normally being really high priced. It works out pretty well in the end too for me usually.

04-25-2015, 08:00 PM	#7
IsaacR Major Leagues Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Bowie, Maryland Posts: 464	I tend to go over. If you go over often teams will not offer more than once or twice on a player, especially on the lower rated guys. Once I kept matching demands and I ended up paying $18 million for one guy alone.

04-25-2015, 11:18 PM	#8
kevrock Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 159	Unless this has changed in 16, just sign as many IFAs as you can no matter the price. The talent pool is so jaded toward IFAs it's crazy. It's crazy in online leagues, so I can't imagine the advantage offline players must have over AI.

04-26-2015, 01:13 AM	#9
sabrtoothtiger Minors (Double A) Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 137	Quantity over quality. I've had too many 6+ mil players flame out by AA and too many guys I've signed for 70k become great major league players to go any other way.

04-26-2015, 02:28 AM	#10
mpejkrm All Star Reserve Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 951	I usually stay away from big potential guys and go for guys in the 40-55 range (on 20/80 scale). If you used a bonus pool in the 3-5M range (I use 4.5M), spending 750K on a couple of guys can't hurt. Best case scenario they boom big time (which can happen), worst case scenario, hey, it's not 6M or something crazy. I'll take 6 750K players with a better chance at booming than one 7M player.