Hey guys,

There are five games left in my first season.  The minor league playoffs are already underway.  When is the best time to promote minor leaguers?  After their regular season (or playoffs) end?  And as for the major leaguers facing free agency that I wish to retain, when do I start negotiating with them?  I've heard after the season but before the rollover....is that true?  How far after the end of the World Series is the rollover?  Since I've not been through this process before, I want to get the timing right.  Thanks!

The game is locked when the ML World Series ends, so any moves you want to make must be done before the end of the WS.  Rollover happens approximately three days after the WS ends.

As for resigning potential departing FA's, the best bet is to wait until the regular season ends.  You can sign them to extensions before then if you wish, but there's always a slight chance that they could suffer a major injury in the last couple of games, and you may want to reconsider whether you really want them to return.  So to play it safe, wait until the regular season has concluded.  If you make the playoffs, then wait until you're knocked out.  If you make the WS, then do it late in the Series but before it has concluded.

Minor league promotions can be done at any time.  If you have teams in the minor league playoffs, then you may want to wait until they are over.  Unless you have good prospects who are due to be promoted to a level that's still alive in the playoffs.  In that case, you want to promote them now so that they get more playing time.

I had two additional questions.  First, I have a AAA player or two that I want to call up at some point so I don't risk losing them to retirement.  Can I do that after the regular season ends or will I need to do it sooner?  Second, I'm contemplating whether I want to keep, trade or lose a player (see link) to free agency.   Is there any means or rule of thumb I can use to determine whether he will be a Type A, Type B free agent or neither? 

http://www.whatifsports.com/HBD/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=2445125

For your AAA players, as long as they're on the 40 and not older than mid-30's, they shouldn't retire.  If you plan to bring them up to the majors for next season, I would wait until the end of spring training to promote them to the ML roster.  Just in case they suffer an injury during ST.  You wouldn't want them to start accruing their ML service time while on the DL.

And the player that you linked will most likely by a type A.  It's based on OVR rating, and an 81OVR SS should by a type A.

Good to know, thanks.  Both are 28 and on my 40 man roster.  One has been at AAA for 4 years while the other has been there for 7 seasons and am considering him as the potential free agent's replacement (74OVR SS).  I will wait to call one or both up at the end of spring training unless they are needed before that. 

What does Turner want?  I think I would sign him, make it for 4 years rather than 5.

4/$29M which seems pretty reasonable, however, I'm playing Turner at 3B as I've got a better defensive SS under contract this year for $9M and two additional seasons at the same price.   I'm 32 games into my season and on pace for about 75 wins.  I'm taking a wait and see approach that could involve re-signing, trading or letting him go to free agency and pocketing the picks.  I've got a $92M payroll but will have about $25M in bad contracts coming off the books in two seasons.  Couple that with only having one elite (2B) prospect at AA or above,I don't anticipate being much of a force in the next few seasons, thus i'll be looking to curb payroll, focus on the draft and international free agency and make more a splash when I have some payroll freed up.  The only question is whether Turner bridges that gap or brings young talent back that becomes part of that rebuilding process.