Seems to me...

[Deleted]

That a Major League contract offer of a lesser amount should be more attractive than a Minor League contract to a free agent. Can someone explain why this isn't the case?

[Deleted]

Highest bid wins, no exceptions. You could offer a 45 yr old a ten yr deal at $1.99M AAS or a $2M 1 yr deal and the 1 yr deal would win. It's a 1 size fits all rule that keeps accounting and ruling on bids simplified. AAS rules the day and that keeps things simple.

[Deleted]

A $1m MiLB contract amounts to a zero $ owner investment. One can just hide the $ on an exempt list and drop the player for nothing. Not the case with a MLB contract. Just pointing out another flaw. Wouldn't complicate things much to fix this.

[Former Angels GM (Mike C.)]

although I completely agree with your assessment of the situation since I have bid $1m almost every time, to get the player I want and to be able to drop him if I want. If someone wants to get the player I also want, they need to offer MLB contract of over $1m. It does work pretty good, your talking only from $0.5m to $1m. I don't think its really really worth it to change it, it can be changed pretty easy but would almost eliminate any MiLB deals over $0.5m. If someone really wants someone they can get him at a MLB contract at $1.001m, that seems more than fair.

In MLB, someone gets offered a $1m minor league deal and a $0.5m MLB deal it comes down to individuals financial decisions. I would assume most would rather have the money.

[Pirates GM (Hollar)]

Because as close as we try to get it, a major league deal with one of our clubs doesn't mean the player will actually be in the major leagues. We emulate as much as we can, but we have no bearing on the level the player is assigned to. So chase the money.

[Former Mets GM (Bob D.)]

Personally I think the bigger need for change is the tie breaker of 1st person to bid. I would suggest create a waiver wire type ranking system for ties

[Rays GM (Donavan)]

The current tie-breaker is-

1. AAS amount
2. If AAS is the same, then length of contract (years)
3. then if both the AAS & contract length are identical, then time at which the bid was received.

I like the current arrangement, as it mirrors real life in most markets.

If the moneys good, and the contract length is good, then your going to agree to a deal, your not going to wait for the same offer to come along again.

[Deleted]

Well, accept for the fact that MLB money is guaranteed and MiLB money isn't.  Leading me back to the crux of my original argument.

[Reds GM (Pat H.)]

Mike C. said you can offer a MLB contract for 1.001M, but you can also offer a MiLB AAS contract for any amount more than 1,000,000.

MiLB AAS 1.0M or less is eligible for exempt list and can be released to free agency from the exempt list without penalty at any time.
MiLB AAS 1.001M or more is not eligible for exempt list and can be released without penalty during the Non-tender period. Otherwise, if released to free agency, you only owe half the contract for the remaining year.

Players signed to any MiLB contracts are under protection and will not be eligible for free agency until all protection years are used. (Years spent in minors do not use protection years).

Players signed to MiLB exempt contracts will lose exempt status, enter the PP system, and make their real life salary the season after their first appearance in the majors.
Players signed to non-exempt MiLB contracts enter the PP system and make their real life salary the year after using a qualifying year of protection.

Signing a player to a MLB contract must have a defined amount of salary for each year signed and can not be for more than 7 years. If released, you will owe half of each yearly amount for every year of the contract.