I cant imagine how boring this game would be with the intent of losing games.   FA signings are just as enjoyable for me as the draft and IFA.  It is clear to me that many people interpret value differently in this game.    One man's trash is another man's treasure.   Mr. Dillon Tartabull, http://www.whatifsports.com/HBD/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=5238055  made it thru the entire FA period without an offer.   He's got 3 pwr and 6 vL.    But I've got him platooning at 2b vs. righties with his 84 range and 84 glove.  He is batting .319 in 135 AB after 75 games.   Also has 16 SB and .360 OBP.      Signed him for 740k.    That's a solution player right there.   He is platooning with  http://www.whatifsports.com/HBD/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=3932916  who has 43 vR.   Dude has a fantasic batting eye with excellent contact.  OBP this year of .416.    I've got 2b wrapped up with two overlooked players who, together, are putting up all star numbers.  Or close to it anyway.    Never throw in the towel man!   What did Adrian say to Jocky?   Just win !   (haha... otherwise known as Rocky... I am not going to correct that)

I have never completely torn down a team. I have taken mediocre teams and made them contenders the same season simply by adjusting the defense. I am amazed at how many people pay so little attention to that aspect. The best one I did was a 75 win team to a 102 win team with 4 gold glove winners. I picked up a couple of cheap defensive FA's and a couple of bullpen pitchers and won 4 straight division titles. Haven't won a championship as yet, but have managed 2 league championships. I would qualify as a world jumper as well. I have given up very good teams in bad worlds. Most recently, a 99 game winner in a world that vetoed about 20-25 trades. Just got tired of all the bickering and fighting on the main chat board. Right now, I have 2 favorite worlds and the rest of the worlds I'm "feeling out". Just left another world that had the same 2 teams in the World Series for 4 consecutive seasons. The two strongest teams I've ever seen. Now they want to start adding new rules!!

"Almost anyone on my ML roster over the age of 27 (and a few under 27) available for good ML prospects. Rebuilding, but hope to contend next year."

This was posted to one of my leagues today.

Ohhhhhh.  GOOD ML prospects.  Well that makes sense, then.

"I am in a rebuilding phase...worst team in the world according to the ratings. Any player on my ML roster is on the block. Looking for younger talent."

Posted by sjpoker on 3/29/2015 8:12:00 PM (view original):
"I am in a rebuilding phase...worst team in the world according to the ratings. Any player on my ML roster is on the block. Looking for younger talent."

And too often the talent they accept is AAA talent. I just don't get it. 

This season I took over the worst team I have ever had in Hamilton. They won a whopping 36 games last season. This after a 47 win campaign the season before. The majors had pretty much AAA talent signed to stupid contracts and the minors is also pretty devoid of talent as well. I also have a lot of work to do to build my minors back up.

Thus far however I sit at 26-25 and only 5 games out of first. How have I got this far? No one wants any of my players but I have used what I have available, signed the very best defensive players that I thought were available  and a couple of mid rotation SP as FA. I also picked one of the most pitcher friendly ball parks that was available to me at sign up. Defense first will win a lot of HBD games. At the very least it will make you competitive. But simply being competitive isn't very appealing to a lot of coaches when they do a rebuild. They want top 3 draft picks. Well we all would like them tbh.

My future plan in this rebuild? Not much different next season as I need to run out these stupid contracts. By year 3 I want to sign an Ace, sign 3 slightly above average bats and continue to yearly sign the best gloves that are available in my world and once this is in motion play heavy in the IFA market with the money I am saving by being a glove first team. By year 3 I fully expect to be winning my division and be able to build up my minors. All accomplished w/o tanking my team.

That almost mimics the strategy I used my first season in Hamilton.   Except I no payroll issues.   The previous owner had stripped the team of all it's talent and payroll.   But, with nothing of note in FA, I just signed a handful of low cost FA and claimed anyone worth a damn off the WW(most of which were superior fielders).

1	halo23	ML	61-101	.377	4th	No	No
2	shesaid	ML	74-88	.457	3rd	No	No
3	shesaid	ML	78-84	.481	4th	No	No
4	RubeRant	ML	72-90	.444	4th	No	No
5	kingdean	ML	65-97	.401	4th	No	No
6	MikeT23	ML	75-87	.463	4th	No	No
7	MikeT23	ML	89-73	.549	3rd	No	No
8	MikeT23	ML	91-71	.562	2nd	No	No
9	MikeT23	ML	101-61	.623	2nd	Yes	No	no	no	no
10	MikeT23	ML	109-53	.673	1st	No	Yes	yes	yes	yes
11	MikeT23	ML	107-55	.660	1st	No	Yes	yes	yes	no
12	MikeT23	ML	101-61	.623	1st	No	Yes	yes	no	no
13	MikeT23	ML	113-49	.698	1st	No	Yes	no	no	no
14	MikeT23	ML	112-50	.691	1st	No	Yes	no	no	no
15	MikeT23	ML	90-72	.556	2nd	Yes	No	yes	no	no
16	ratfink99	ML	95-67	.586	1st	No	Yes	no	no	no
17	jmcgarry	ML	96-66	.593	1st	No	Yes	no	no	no