draft compensation decision - timing

[bostonredsoxgm]

One more thought,

If we do switch draft compensation rules, we need to be clear and careful about the timing.

One example - Nap Lajoie is on the trade market. He's in the last year of his contract, listed as a Type A free agent. I have no idea what he's asking for, in terms of a new deal, but his value as a one-year rental in a trade is a lot higher if there's compensation for his potential loss. I'm sure anyone who enters a deal for Lajoie would appreciate some kind of guarantee concerning rule change timing.

I checked the OOTP 9 manual and forums: 3 items.

1. No mention of exactly how players qualify for compensation - but forums have mentioned the following: if the player isn't rated in the top half of the league at his position, there's a good chance he won't be worth any compensation. Erve Beck is our #12 rated 2B. Of course, his rating could have been very different at the end of last year.

2. No mention I could find of how long you need to have a player under contract before you can earn compensation for him as a free agent.

3. I feel it would be unfair for anything I write here to dilute the trade value of Nap Lajoie or any other player (I'm not in the market to trade for Lajoie, by the way), but I feel it's very important for both sides in any trade to be as clear and confident as possible concerning what they're getting.


Steve
Americans GM

[Commissioner/Reds]

If we ditch the draft pick compensation, we have to do it two years out to be fair.

[House Of Cards]

I vote we do it.

[athleticsgm]

I am for it also.

[Commissioner/Reds]

It does help the bad teams though. I know we all hate not being able to sign that big free agent for fear of losing the "all powerful" draft pick. But most of the teams saying to ditch are teams that can sign any Free Agent without losing a draft pick and get a draft back in return. (when I say can't lose a draft pick, I mean a first rounder).

For example, had the A's or Cards signed Nap Lajoie. They would have lost a 2nd round pick. That's a pretty good bargain to me.

Draft pick compensation gives bad teams the ability to rebuild while good teams are going for championships. I realize the grading for the free agents are not perfect, but so far I think it has worked well to distribute more draft picks back to bad teams.

The problem so far is that the draft picks are not normally as valuable as many perceive them to be. So far, teams are picking the "biggest" name, instead of the best player or to fill a need on their team. A team that needs pitching continues to draft hitting; and vice versa.

My two cents is if teams were more careful with their picks they would win more. Also, if some of these bad teams would sign a "sure thing" in free agency, they would get more value than a 2nd round pick.

[House Of Cards]

Well you know why I am against it. The game stole my 2nd round pick last year - 1st overall in the 2nd round - and gave it to you.

I made no signings that should have resulted in such an outcome, but it did, and you still haven't rectified the situation.

Am I mad, yes, I am. But rather than see this happen to someone else, I would prefer just to get rid of the draft pick compensation. Just like I would like to get rid of the Rule IV draft. Both of these things cause nothing but headaches for owners, and really are horrible ideas for online internet leagues.

They make sense in real life, but in fantasy, really serve no purpose.