How do you handle contract negotations?

Fronzizzle · 05-28-2020, 10:06 AM

I'm finding that in some instances, salary demands and negotiations are a bit wonky, and I'm wondering how others proceed, specifically in this situation.

I had a 31-year old 2B that is one of the top players in the league. Just above average on D, but a 9-WAR player three straight years (around 6-WAR each of the three years before that).

He was coming up on free agency and said he was interested in an extension, but his demands were a 9-year contract at around $50M per. I tried bringing the number and years down (adding options, vesting years, etc.) but he wouldn't come down from over $42M per year. That didn't come close to fitting in my budget, so I made a qualifying offer and let him walk.

Once free agency started, his demand listed on the main screen was $53M. A week into free agency and he signed with Cincinnati - for a six-year deal that averages $26M a year, the final year being a vesting option.

The player doesn't have high or low Greed, and this is after the 2040 season. My team (the Tigers) have won the division 8 straight years, we've won 4 WS during that time and the reputation of all of the personnel is Legendary or Excellent. No bad relationships, great team chemistry, etc.

I could have fit the $26M into my budget pretty easily, and I wanted the player back so I'm a bit bummed to see how this turned out. I'm wondering what I could have/should have done differently? I'm also a bit confused when the Demand listed on the main page is literally 2x as much as what he signed for. You can watch the Demand change over time, but not sure what good it does if it's nowhere near what the player is actually willing to settle for.

chrondon84 · 05-28-2020, 10:27 AM

Id have given him a 8 year deal with the 7/8 years on team options and a player option for the 4th year on the hope that he opts out when hes 35.

But to be honest 50$ is a lot for any one player at that age. If he was 27 it would be different.

In my experience, as free agency goes along the players demands lower on the free agency player list. But once you open up the contract negotiation page the demand will be different, matching what their highest offer is.

I have also had a player that I was trying to keep for his whole career and he signed with the Dodgers for less years and money than what I offered. Either I was not paying good enough attention to his other offers or he just wanted to leave, not sure.

Anywho, good luck with the situation.

JasonC23 · 05-29-2020, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fronzizzle

Once free agency started, his demand listed on the main screen was $53M. A week into free agency and he signed with Cincinnati - for a six-year deal that averages $26M a year, the final year being a vesting option.

The demand on the main screen is his starting point; very rarely will free agents get the ridiculous contracts they demand. The key is to click on "Offer Contract" on the player's Contract tab every day. Sure, it will start with the same ridiculous demand, but at some point, the message will change from a generic appreciation for your interest in him to something about how another team's offer is intriguing but he's still interested in what you are offering, and his demands will now reflect what the other AI teams are offering him. The new demands will show you what you will more realistically need to spend to sign him, and you can start negotiating in earnest at that point.

In other words, I would bet that a few days into free agency, the player from your example would have had a message saying something about Cincinnati's offer being tempting but giving you a chance to top it, and asking you for, say, a 6-year deal for $29M or $30M a year. The main screen would not have changed to reflect Cincinnati's offer; only the "Offer Contract" screen would have given you the more accurate picture of what he'd been offered and what it would actually take to sign him.

jimmysthebestcop · 05-29-2020, 12:08 AM

It is a weird dynamic the player asking for an extension will always be an absurd amount over what they ask for in a free market. But honestly anyone after the age of 27 on the defaults and I wouldn't offer more then a 3 year deal. Maybe 5 with options.

Or if they want a long term deal drop a player opt out after 3. I've never seen a player not opt out.

discodude5 · 05-29-2020, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JasonC23

The demand on the main screen is his starting point; very rarely will free agents get the ridiculous contracts they demand. The key is to click on "Offer Contract" on the player's Contract tab every day. Sure, it will start with the same ridiculous demand, but at some point, the message will change from a generic appreciation for your interest in him to something about how another team's offer is intriguing but he's still interested in what you are offering, and his demands will now reflect what the other AI teams are offering him. The new demands will show you what you will more realistically need to spend to sign him, and you can start negotiating in earnest at that point.

In other words, I would bet that a few days into free agency, the player from your example would have had a message saying something about Cincinnati's offer being tempting but giving you a chance to top it, and asking you for, say, a 6-year deal for $29M or $30M a year. The main screen would not have changed to reflect Cincinnati's offer; only the "Offer Contract" screen would have given you the more accurate picture of what he'd been offered and what it would actually take to sign him.

I've seen threads talking about huge demands but don't remember seeing this way of working through the negotiations. I've always just given up on the player when he wants a huge contract.

JasonC23 · 05-30-2020, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by discodude5

I've seen threads talking about huge demands but don't remember seeing this way of working through the negotiations. I've always just given up on the player when he wants a huge contract.

I definitely recommend waiting until another team offers a contract and you see the "XXXX's offer is nice, but I bet you can beat it" demand before giving up; if that first "adjusted" demand is still out of your range, it's time to let him go, but if not, put in a contract offer and see where it leads.

Tony820 · 05-30-2020, 01:04 AM

This doesn’t work for every situation, but I’ll give you one possible solution.

If you want to keep an older player around for 2-3 more years instead of a 7-8 year deal, I’ve found front loading the first 2-3 years, then giving the player an opt out after year three with much lower salary obligations for the last few years. So for example:

2021:37 million
2022: 37 million
2023: 37 million
Player Opt Out
2024: 19 million
2025: 19 million
2026: 19 million

Depending on how high you can go those first few years, you can usually get a guy to bite. If he opts out after that, he was either worth the money and you can always try and sign him again. Plus then you just signed an older player for just 3 years instead of the 6. If he opts in, you’ve got him at a much lower rate and should be OK, unless he totally fell off a cliff.

05-28-2020, 10:06 AM	#1
Fronzizzle Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 177	How do you handle contract negotations? I'm finding that in some instances, salary demands and negotiations are a bit wonky, and I'm wondering how others proceed, specifically in this situation. I had a 31-year old 2B that is one of the top players in the league. Just above average on D, but a 9-WAR player three straight years (around 6-WAR each of the three years before that). He was coming up on free agency and said he was interested in an extension, but his demands were a 9-year contract at around $50M per. I tried bringing the number and years down (adding options, vesting years, etc.) but he wouldn't come down from over $42M per year. That didn't come close to fitting in my budget, so I made a qualifying offer and let him walk. Once free agency started, his demand listed on the main screen was $53M. A week into free agency and he signed with Cincinnati - for a six-year deal that averages $26M a year, the final year being a vesting option. The player doesn't have high or low Greed, and this is after the 2040 season. My team (the Tigers) have won the division 8 straight years, we've won 4 WS during that time and the reputation of all of the personnel is Legendary or Excellent. No bad relationships, great team chemistry, etc. I could have fit the $26M into my budget pretty easily, and I wanted the player back so I'm a bit bummed to see how this turned out. I'm wondering what I could have/should have done differently? I'm also a bit confused when the Demand listed on the main page is literally 2x as much as what he signed for. You can watch the Demand change over time, but not sure what good it does if it's nowhere near what the player is actually willing to settle for.

05-28-2020, 10:27 AM	#2
chrondon84 Minors (Single A) Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: Portland Oregon Posts: 95	Id have given him a 8 year deal with the 7/8 years on team options and a player option for the 4th year on the hope that he opts out when hes 35. But to be honest 50$ is a lot for any one player at that age. If he was 27 it would be different. In my experience, as free agency goes along the players demands lower on the free agency player list. But once you open up the contract negotiation page the demand will be different, matching what their highest offer is. I have also had a player that I was trying to keep for his whole career and he signed with the Dodgers for less years and money than what I offered. Either I was not paying good enough attention to his other offers or he just wanted to leave, not sure. Anywho, good luck with the situation.

05-29-2020, 12:08 AM	#4
jimmysthebestcop Banned Join Date: Jun 2018 Posts: 1,727 Infractions: 0/2 (5)	It is a weird dynamic the player asking for an extension will always be an absurd amount over what they ask for in a free market. But honestly anyone after the age of 27 on the defaults and I wouldn't offer more then a 3 year deal. Maybe 5 with options. Or if they want a long term deal drop a player opt out after 3. I've never seen a player not opt out.

05-30-2020, 01:04 AM	#7
Tony820 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Mar 2020 Posts: 115	This doesn’t work for every situation, but I’ll give you one possible solution. If you want to keep an older player around for 2-3 more years instead of a 7-8 year deal, I’ve found front loading the first 2-3 years, then giving the player an opt out after year three with much lower salary obligations for the last few years. So for example: 2021:37 million 2022: 37 million 2023: 37 million Player Opt Out 2024: 19 million 2025: 19 million 2026: 19 million Depending on how high you can go those first few years, you can usually get a guy to bite. If he opts out after that, he was either worth the money and you can always try and sign him again. Plus then you just signed an older player for just 3 years instead of the 6. If he opts in, you’ve got him at a much lower rate and should be OK, unless he totally fell off a cliff.