Posted by goldenboy00 on 1/29/2016 10:57:00 AM (view original):
I dont want to accuse anyone of something before I totally understand what is happening, but i have an owner in a league that has signed players to odd contracts, for the most part multi year deals. Most of the players are average at best. The strange part is he gives them all rather large bonuses sometimes as much as 7 million a season...then they make the minimum for three or four more seasons. Could there be a legit reason to do this? 
as an example.
 Player Profile: Bum Thomas - Hardball Dynasty Baseball | WhatIfSports

All you had to do was ask me. I'm sure I'm not the only one to do this? Rolling into the current season I planned on signing a big time expensive free agent or two and I either missed out or they just weren't there. I ended up with a lot extra cap space, so I then front loaded the crap out of a few guys that may not be top players but are serviceable. It looks funky the first year like with Thomas but the other 4 years he is very cheap. Some guys will back load contracts, where I prefer to front load them.

Posted by tecwrg on 1/29/2016 2:11:00 PM (view original):

Posted by goldenboy00 on 1/29/2016 11:30:00 AM (view original):
I for the most part will make the contract higher in the first few years. easier to move a 36 year old pitcher with 2 seasons remaining of 5 million and 4.5 million  rather then two seasons at 6 million a piece. The players usually want the contract balanced but i do my best to work it my way when possible. 

There are times when you might want to front load the contract, and there are times when you might want to back load the contract.

There are times when you might want to do a signing bonus, and there are times when you might not.

There are times when you might want to tack a mutual option onto the final season of a contract, and there are times when you might not.

If you lock yourself into a "this is the was I usually/always do contracts" mode of thinking, you're likely doing yourself a disservice.

I don't know.....I mutual option almost EVERY contract especially if the player is over 30...