Retirees/Player Contract Option decisions

[recte44]

Friday, October 30th, 2009
Greenville Moonshiners: CL Brendan Meyer has executed his last optional contract year.
Omaha Barnstormers: SP Vicente Martínez has executed his last optional contract year.
Omaha Barnstormers: MR Chase Pack has executed his last optional contract year.
Phoenix Talons: SP David Klopp has executed his last optional contract year.
Vancouver Mounties: SP Christian Nichols voids his last optional contract year.
Valencia Stars: SS George Bellairs voids his last optional contract year.
Montreal Blazers: 1B Duane Whitley has executed his last optional contract year.
Atlantic City Gamblers: 3B Ashton Fontenot has executed his last optional contract year.
Carolina Kraken: MR Cliff Webb has executed his last optional contract year.
Carolina Kraken: SS Kenji Masaki has executed his last optional contract year.
Buffalo Bison: MR David Brumfield has executed his last optional contract year.
Des Moines Kernels: SS Waichirou Moronobu voids his last optional contract year.
Marquette Suns: 3B Fredrick Simon has executed his last optional contract year.
Las Vegas Hustlers: C Roark Dempsey voids his last optional contract year.
Las Vegas Hustlers: 2B Donald Noboru has executed his last optional contract year.
Long Beach Surfers: MR Neil Huggins has executed his last optional contract year.
Long Beach Surfers: SS Byung-Ryu Poc has executed his last optional contract year.
Seattle Storm: MR Valentine Michael Smith has executed his last optional contract year.
Hawaii Tropics: SP Nelson Williams retires.
Buffalo Bison: MR Jeffrey Muniz retires.
Buffalo Bison: MR Amen Mitrani retires.
Marquette Suns: SP Sean Bergman retires.
Omaha Barnstormers: RF Justin Akers retires.
Marquette Suns: SP Jay Lee retires.
Long Beach Surfers: 3B Rye Kelly retires.
Des Moines Kernels: PC Mike Madorin retires.
California Crusaders: MA Remy Gauthreaux retires.
Des Moines Kernels: BC Charlie Feinkohl retires.
Louisville Sluggers: DO Steve Rogers retires.
Long Beach Surfers: PC Bill Wilson retires.
Buffalo Bison: MA Reggie Cleveland retires.
Atlantic City Gamblers: HC Bryan O'Cloonan retires.
Calgary Marauders: MA Ed Kramer retires.
Phoenix Talons: PC Juan Sosa retires.
Baltimore Monarchs: Bench Coach Michael Battaglia leaves the team, his contract was not renewed.
Washington Bobwhites: Bench Coach Tim Massey leaves the team, his contract was not renewed.
Greenville Moonshiners: Bench Coach Doug McKeachan leaves the team, his contract was not renewed.
Omaha Barnstormers: Manager John Ganzel leaves the team, his contract was not renewed.
Chicago Black Sox: Team Trainer Chad Jensen leaves the team, his contract was not renewed.
California Crusaders: Pitching Coach Adam Dansereau leaves the team, his contract was not renewed.
California Crusaders: Hitting Coach Larry Hisle leaves the team, his contract was not renewed.
California Crusaders: Team Trainer Guy McDonald leaves the team, his contract was not renewed.
Valencia Stars: Team Trainer Luis Hernández leaves the team, his contract was not renewed.

[recte44]

This was from the last sim, surprised no one has spoken on it.

Honestly, I didn't know Dempsey had an option. Shoot. Now he wants 7 years, $12M.

Guess I'm looking for a catcher, and there's a Zimmer Award winner on the market, folks.

Love the new financials. Before, I'd just sign him and not give it a second thought.

[recte44]

Also, in planning this offseason, remember that min salary won't roll to $500K until Opening Day. Watch that $110M cap.

[agrudez]

Omaha Barnstormers: SP Vicente Martínez has executed his last optional contract year.

Sorry Felipe! Looks like Martinez wants to be the #5 starter on a winner after all!

[JimBob2232]

Also, in planning this offseason, remember that min salary won't roll to $500K until Opening Day. Watch that $110M cap.

Does 110M include staff?

I feel like there are so many changes at once. I'm struggling to keep up with the big picture...I'm sure I'm not alone.

[Al-Hoot]

It does not include staff. This has not changed.

[JimBob2232]

Okay...so my current budget is $112m. So can i spend 110m on players? What if my revenue drops to 90M this year? am i screwed?

I guess i need to re-group and figure out this financial model before making any big leaps (which i already did!)

[recte44]

Yes. Finances are way more important to manage now. You still have a "safety net" if you have bonus funds (which most of us do).

[agrudez]

I guess i need to re-group and figure out this financial model before making any big leaps (which i already did!)

The only things that will immediately affect you are:
1) FAs/extensions will have higher starting points
2) Your budget was increased 10%

Even under the old model if you spent 100M (the old budget cap) and only made 90M then you were still 'screwed' (well... not really... most teams had WAY more than 10M in excess cash on hand in the coffers anyway).

[recte44]

So basically we just took away our crutches.

[Al-Hoot]

I guess i need to re-group and figure out this financial model before making any big leaps (which i already did!)

The only things that will immediately affect you are:
1) FAs/extensions will have higher starting points
2) Your budget was increased 10%

Even under the old model if you spent 100M (the old budget cap) and only made 90M then you were still 'screwed' (well... not really... most teams had WAY more than 10M in excess cash on hand in the coffers anyway).

I think Kyle means your salary cap was increased 10%.

[JimBob2232]

I guess i need to re-group and figure out this financial model before making any big leaps (which i already did!)

The only things that will immediately affect you are:
1) FAs/extensions will have higher starting points
2) Your budget was increased 10%

Even under the old model if you spent 100M (the old budget cap) and only made 90M then you were still 'screwed' (well... not really... most teams had WAY more than 10M in excess cash on hand in the coffers anyway).

I think Kyle means your salary cap was increased 10%.

Right. But only 8 teams have 110M+ for current budget, so I think their owners will limit them to their budget, right? In addition, many teams are well under the $110M in revenue. So both of these could cause teams to need to spend below the cap to keep financially sound. Right?

[agrudez]

I think Kyle means your salary cap was increased 10%.

Yeah, my mistake.

Right. But only 8 teams have 110M+ for current budget, so I think their owners will limit them to their budget, right?

Yeah, the owner will hold them to whatever their budget is (which includes personel, but not draft expenses... I think), but the commish will hold them to a flat 110M for player expenses regardless.

In addition, many teams are well under the $110M in revenue. So both of these could cause teams to need to spend below the cap to keep financially sound. Right?

If you are spending more money than you are making then you will lose money at the end of the year. If you ever actually got into the red heading into a season it would drastically alter the budget your owner would allow you to use (not to mention affect many outside game engine additions... like the ability to participate in the EBA draft, maintain your stadium, etc.).

Again, these mechanics were not changes (in fact, they are inate OOTP functionality). The only thing that changed is that we may actually have to start paying attention to them for once, haha.

[JimBob2232]

I think Kyle means your salary cap was increased 10%.

Yeah, my mistake.

Right. But only 8 teams have 110M+ for current budget, so I think their owners will limit them to their budget, right?

Yeah, the owner will hold them to whatever their budget is (which includes personel, but not draft expenses... I think), but the commish will hold them to a flat 110M for player expenses regardless.

In addition, many teams are well under the $110M in revenue. So both of these could cause teams to need to spend below the cap to keep financially sound. Right?

If you are spending more money than you are making then you will lose money at the end of the year. If you ever actually got into the red heading into a season it would drastically alter the budget your owner would allow you to use (not to mention affect many outside game engine additions... like the ability to participate in the EBA draft, maintain your stadium, etc.).

Again, these mechanics were not changes (in fact, they are inate OOTP functionality). The only thing that changed is that we may actually have to start paying attention to them for once, haha.

Concur. I just wonder about the "level playing field" angle of this. Right now, only 1/3 of the league (and maybe less) can spend up to the (now even higher) salary cap. New Orleans is in the top 1/3, so I'm okay with it...but I would imagine teams that can only spend 80M/year might have an issue. Maybe winning cures all, but some teams (like Marquette) are giong to be perpetually behind the 8 ball because they have the lowest media revenue in the league.

Regardless...change is needed. I'm sure more change will be needed a few seasons from now, but this is a step in the right direction.

[Al-Hoot]

I know teams can finish in the red (over-budget) for a season. This just means they lose cash.

But will the game ever allow teams to spend such that their (current or year-end) cash balance goes below zero?

[agrudez]

But will the game ever allow teams to spend such that their (current or year-end) cash balance goes below zero?

Yeah, happens all the time in other leagues. The owner's budget is set based on last year's revenue, so if a team spends up to the budget given, but underperforms in the following year then they are going to lose money. Some owners are also more 'giving' (not caring as much about meeting the bottom line) and many commish's will also process trades over budget (despite owner objection - as long as it is reasonable and under the league cap). There are also situations where really bad teams just can't get a budget low enough to turn a profit and start to hemhorrage money.

Now... when you are in the hole, it does seize up quite a bit. You can't put more than half the league average into scouting (doesn't affect us, obviously), you can't extend players above next year's projected budget, you can't sign FAs at all, you draft budget gets slashed, etc (and all of this on top of an already decreased budget)... definitely not a place you want to be.

[agrudez]

Concur. I just wonder about the "level playing field" angle of this. Right now, only 1/3 of the league (and maybe less) can spend up to the (now even higher) salary cap. New Orleans is in the top 1/3, so I'm okay with it...but I would imagine teams that can only spend 80M/year might have an issue. Maybe winning cures all, but some teams (like Marquette) are giong to be perpetually behind the 8 ball because they have the lowest media revenue in the league.

Regardless...change is needed. I'm sure more change will be needed a few seasons from now, but this is a step in the right direction.

Media revenue (which does factor team success in its calculation... along with market size and a few other things) is getting a modest bump and we may very well deem (after a few seasons) that maybe average attendance/ticket price will deserve a modest bump as well; however, it won't be because bottom feeder teams have budgets < the league cap. As you say... winning cures many ails and it would be broken if MRQ's owner allowed him to have the same player payroll as MAD's owner. My owner just came back to me with a low 90s budget, for instance... which is about what I expected.

[Al-Hoot]

I believe the salary cap was justly raised because *all* player salaries were raised.

If you are concerned about budget, there are PP options to increase it.

If you need more cash, there is a PP option for that.

Marquette smallest media revenue is due to them having the smallest market size, which is directly due to its franchise relocation.

You don't need to be maxed on the cap to be able to win. NO should know this and I think LV and /or franchises keep winning without being near the salary cap.

[kestu]

I guess i need to re-group and figure out this financial model before making any big leaps (which i already did!)

The only things that will immediately affect you are:
1) FAs/extensions will have higher starting points
2) Your budget was increased 10%

Even under the old model if you spent 100M (the old budget cap) and only made 90M then you were still 'screwed' (well... not really... most teams had WAY more than 10M in excess cash on hand in the coffers anyway).

Don't we also have additional costs for stadium maintenance starting this year?

[Al-Hoot]

Don't we also have additional costs for stadium maintenance starting this year?

Yes, and based in that grrrrr chart found in the financial changes post, I believe for most teams it is $2.5mil taken out of your bonus funds account (which is whatever cash you had > $20mil at end of season). So you don't take that money out of the $20mil from what's left in your in-game finances. I think the correct way to read the chart, for instance the second line is:

$2.5m per year for a stadium 10-19 years old, for a total "decade" cost of $25m.

I think we are starting from 1995 as far as stadium age goes, unless a team relocated since then.

Unless things have changed, or I am reading it wrong.