Post by Reds GM (Pat H.) on Nov 20, 2013 8:07:55 GMT -8
When you use a Franchise tag on a player, you are obligated to use that players real life contract that is in place on opening day of the coming season. That players contract is not officially finalized in our league until opening day. At the beginning of that player's opening day game his contract becomes official and finalized for our league. Whatever is in place in real life at that time, is what we honor when a player is franchised. If that player has a one year deal, then that is what we use. If that player has a 12 year deal with options for the 13th and 14th years, then we honor the 12 year part of the deal and ignore all options.
Examples:
Player A is eligible for free agency in our league this off-season. Since he was on my roster at the end of last season, I can keep him from free agency by using my Franchise tag on him, which I do. During November in real life, his team exercises his option for one year at $8 million. I now plan on having him under contract for only 1 more year at $8 million. During the month of February in real life, his team trades him to another team and that new team signs him to a 3 year extension with an option for another year. Since I used my franchise tag on him, I now get to honor the 3 year extension because it happened before opening day and I change my roster to reflect the new contract.
Player B is eligible for free agency in our league this off-season. Since he was on my roster at the end of last season, I can keep him from free agency by using my Franchise tag on him, which I do. In real life, Player B is arbitration eligible and has not agreed to a contract. I plan on paying him his estimated arbitration figure found on the mlbtraderumors.com website. I use that figure of $8 million and that is what I put on my roster page noted that it is an estimate. In January, his real life team agrees to avoid arbitration and signs him to a 1 year deal for $6 million dollars. So I immediately change my roster to reflect the new salary. I see there are rumors of him signing to a long term deal but nothing ever comes of it. On opening day, he is still signed to that same contract. Now I know he will be eligible for free agency again next off-season. In May, he agrees to a 4 year extension with his real life team. I do not get to add that in our league because it happened after opening day. If I use a FT on him again the following year I will get to honor the new 4 year extension then.
Three things to point out:
1. We do not exercise contract options, or honor contract options, or recognize options.
2. The only way we can sign a player for longer than 7 years is through the use of a franchise tag. We can not offer any free agents contracts longer than 7 years.
3. The contract used after franchising a player is not final until opening day and what happens after opening day we do not get to use.
FAQ:
If a player who I could franchise tag signs a contract, can I still make him my franchise player before the deadline even though I know his contract?
Yes. You can franchise a player who is not in the first year of a deal as well.
Examples:
Player A is eligible for free agency in our league this off-season. Since he was on my roster at the end of last season, I can keep him from free agency by using my Franchise tag on him, which I do. During November in real life, his team exercises his option for one year at $8 million. I now plan on having him under contract for only 1 more year at $8 million. During the month of February in real life, his team trades him to another team and that new team signs him to a 3 year extension with an option for another year. Since I used my franchise tag on him, I now get to honor the 3 year extension because it happened before opening day and I change my roster to reflect the new contract.
Player B is eligible for free agency in our league this off-season. Since he was on my roster at the end of last season, I can keep him from free agency by using my Franchise tag on him, which I do. In real life, Player B is arbitration eligible and has not agreed to a contract. I plan on paying him his estimated arbitration figure found on the mlbtraderumors.com website. I use that figure of $8 million and that is what I put on my roster page noted that it is an estimate. In January, his real life team agrees to avoid arbitration and signs him to a 1 year deal for $6 million dollars. So I immediately change my roster to reflect the new salary. I see there are rumors of him signing to a long term deal but nothing ever comes of it. On opening day, he is still signed to that same contract. Now I know he will be eligible for free agency again next off-season. In May, he agrees to a 4 year extension with his real life team. I do not get to add that in our league because it happened after opening day. If I use a FT on him again the following year I will get to honor the new 4 year extension then.
Three things to point out:
1. We do not exercise contract options, or honor contract options, or recognize options.
2. The only way we can sign a player for longer than 7 years is through the use of a franchise tag. We can not offer any free agents contracts longer than 7 years.
3. The contract used after franchising a player is not final until opening day and what happens after opening day we do not get to use.
FAQ:
If a player who I could franchise tag signs a contract, can I still make him my franchise player before the deadline even though I know his contract?
Yes. You can franchise a player who is not in the first year of a deal as well.
