What would be an ideal budget for a rebuilding team? I should have a top 10 pick next season and will have around a 50 million dollar payroll. Also looking to get a top prospect in the international market.

Anyone who answers this question doesn't know enough about HBD to give an answer.

I can give it a shot. 

Since it looks like the only team you own is in World Morgan, and this is your second season, your budget options are partly dictated off of last year's choices.

Last seasons budget:

Player:  95
Prospect:  6
Coach: 12
College:  12          
High School: 12
International:  6
Advanced:  14
Medical:  14
Training:  14

Now, aligning your budget with this season's goals: 

You state a desire to rebuild and be a contender in the international market.  If you really want to contend in the international market, than you have to be willing to cut back in other areas.  The first one I would cut is advanced scouting, and would drop that down to 10 next season, which would be the minimum allowed.

Next I would increase my training and medical by 4 points each, up to 18.  This is a personal philosophy, once I have a good player I like to keep them healthy and trained.  Benefits of this can be found in other threads I'm sure, I haven't checked these forums out since they changed to the new format.

Prospect payroll needs to be 20 million if you want to contend for some serious prospects, as well as a bump in your international scouting services up to 10, for the maximum 4 point increase.

So that leaves us with College, HS, and Coaches payroll:

I am only willing to shell out significant cash for 1 coaching position, and that is my fielding instructor.  Assuming you have a good one who is willing to re-sign, allot 8 million for coaches.  If you want more advice on how to hire a staff of quality coaches on only 8 million, I advise you start a new thread and ask that question.  If your fielding instructor is garbage, or unwilling to re-sign, bump your coaches payroll up to 10 million, and be prepared to shell out at least 2.5 million on a fielding instructor.

You have a little bit of flexibility with your College and HS scouting Options.  I don't think you can go wrong in either direction, just depends on how much time and effort you are willing to put in to customizing your amateur draft order, and how many supplemental picks you can reasonably expect to gain.  For your projected budget, I've left your HS and College scouting at the same as last year, and you can decide how you would like to move forward.

So working backwards your budget would look something like this: (Bold indicates zero flexibility in accordance with the goals you outlined above)

Player:  77
Prospect:  20
Coaches:  8  (10 if new fielding instructor is needed)
College: 12
HS:  12
Intl:  10
Adv:  10
Med:  18
Trng:  18

Ok, with this budget, you will be able to rebuild effectively. 

You will most definitely be a player in the international market, but the quality and number of prospects you see wont be that great.  Be prepared to dive in head first on the first all-star caliber player you see because another one might not come around.  With a player payroll of 50 million, you have 27 million that can be transferred over if necessary. 

I would hold off on signing any free agents until spring training begins and salary demands have decreased, preserving your precious payroll for international talent.

He's already said his payroll is 50m.   Ideally, you want your payroll to be 15m.   I think that's the minimum to fill out all rosters with minimum wage players.

I'd recommend 20 in IFA and 20 in HS or college(0 in the other).  ADV is useless to me so I'm going 0.  You need training and medical for full development so 20m each.   6m in coaching if you do it right.

So...
Payroll - 15m
Coach - 6m
Training - 20m
HS/College - 20/0m(or vice versa) 
Medical - 20m
IFA - 20m
Prospect - 20m
ADV - 0m

That's 121m.   So you'll have 64m leftover.  Transfer to IFA and you have 52m in prospect money.

THAT'S the answer.   But you can't do that because of where you are right now.

Damn Mike now I am thinking that the 40M I transferred to IFA in No Quitters this season seems kind of paltry...

i've never heard of a rebuilding team running no money in advance scouting. why wouldn't you want to know how these players project? whenever i rebuild i make a lot of trades. but with 0 in ADV, one should have to turn in their trade keys.

Posted by rls1 on 7/11/2011 12:59:00 PM (view original):
i've never heard of a rebuilding team running no money in advance scouting. why wouldn't you want to know how these players project? whenever i rebuild i make a lot of trades. but with 0 in ADV, one should have to turn in their trade keys.

If you know how the development pattern(s) work, you can make a pretty accurate guess about their projections. It's a little tougher with players who have 0-1 years pro experience, but not impossible.

A rebuilding team should sign lots of players at the end of FA to short-term deals to fill out gaping roster holes instead of plugging them with non-ML -caliber players. You may surprise yourself and contend, which is fun.

Posted by rls1 on 7/11/2011 12:59:00 PM (view original):
i've never heard of a rebuilding team running no money in advance scouting. why wouldn't you want to know how these players project? whenever i rebuild i make a lot of trades. but with 0 in ADV, one should have to turn in their trade keys.

Short version:  If I draft/sign them, I know what I saw.   If I'm trading for them, I'll check the other owner's development patterns.  If he has no pattern, I won't trade with him.   There are 30 other owners.

Last seasons budget:

Player:  95
Prospect:  6
Coach: 12
College:  12          
High School: 12
International:  6
Advanced:  14
Medical:  14
Training:  14


My best guess as to how I'd run this season's budget if I were you:
Player:  70 or 72.
Prospect:  20.  With about 16-18 to transfer, you can get a top IFA (maybe not THE top IFA) and sign your 1st rounder.
Coach: 9 or 11 depending on Fielding Instructor.  The extra million over Sdhizzle's budget is to compete effectively for solid minor league coaches.
College:  16         
High School: 16.  Your record may well suck this season, and you'd like to be at 20/20 next season to make sure you get the very best player available to you.
International:  10
Advanced:  10
Medical:  14-- Something's gotta give, and I generally don't get clobbered by inury length running 13-14 medical,
Training:  18