Have a veteran SP I acquired through trade a couple seasons ago. Is an FA at the end of the year. In spring training he said he would resign, then the regular season started and he now says he wants to test the market. He also happened to get a one point bump in one of his ratings, and his overall, after spring training.

I suspect the one point overall bump (bringing him to 81 overall) is why he won't resign now, as I haven't seen that before. My question is whether anyone has seen that before, and whether demoting him might get him to re-sign? He has one option left, and he's quite good. I'd rather him lose a point in each key rating and resign him, then have to go to FA and pay him an average salary that's $6M-$7M higher.

I think, depending on his patience rating, demoting him would be a guarantee to get him to walk.

Hardball Dynasty – Fantasy Baseball Sim Games - Player Profile: Nicholas Byrd

Never seen what you describe but there's no harm in trying the demotion ploy.

FWIW, I've had players get devastating injuries with huge ratings hits not change their mind about re-signing.

It'd be worth a shot, but I'd think that once the line is crossed and the player decides he's not re-signing that's the end of it.

Sim logic wise I mean.

Have you guys seen it be triggered by a ratings bump before? Or seen them change their minds after the start of the season? Obviously I can't prove it now but he was definitely willing to resign during the offseason. Have never seen them change their minds at any point during the year before, and figured I'd wait until the end of the season in case of injury

In my experience the messages you see before budgets set are worthless.

Your story is changing a bit. 

Initially you said he was willing to resign during ST.
Then, after a 1 point bump, he refused.

Now you're saying he was willing to resign in the off-season.
Which sounds like you're not sure he was willing to sign during ST.

So, yeah, I'm pretty sure everyone has seen that.    And, no, demoting in hopes of losing a point will not matter in my experience.

OK maybe that's the key then. This is a guy under contract for S28. After budgets had been set for S28, he was willing to resign for S29 and beyond. I'm sure it was after budgets had been set. He now is not willing to resign. I can't confirm when that change happened (if it was before or after the start of spring training). I blamed it on the rating bump, but maybe it was because just a timing thing. I had not previously seen a guy change his mind post-budget setting.

I've never seen a guy willing to resign after budgets are set and refuse later in the season. 

I've seen plenty say they'd resign after rollover/before budgets and then refuse.   Many complaints have been made over it.

I've seen plenty say they'd resign/refuse to resign before rollover and change their mind after rollover.

Thanks