So, I am not enjoying the FA bidding process. But, I think I might be able to enjoy it more if I understood it better, so I am reaching out to the esteemed vets of the Hardball for some guidance:

1. If I offer a player a max deal and get the little #1 in the ping pong paddle... can I then reduce my offer without making him treat me like the owner in college basketball dynasty who offers cash or a TV? I do not want to drive him away... but I want to scare away other owners who like to bid an inch at a time until they can steal from me while I am sleeping.

2. I do not mind losing a player if the other owner bids more than me. But I simply cannot check in every 4 hours 24/7 due to work committments. I just want the chance to counter, and since past experience has taught me that this is not possible... what do you do to get the guy you want without having to offer a max bid?

Thanks for your guidance,
JRNY

Thanks Mike. Is there a trigger that causes certain owners to not get the chance to counter? I mean, if I offer 25% more than the 2nd place bid, does that make him sign immediately (assuming that bidding has been open for at least 24 hours)? What determines whether or not simmy will allow for a counter?

Not that I know of.   Only one offer will trigger a signing and almost all FA sign by the 3 PM cycle on the last day of FA.

I don't think there's a trigger in the sense that it depends much on what you do.  My hunch, and it's only that, is that FA's have a pre-determined threshold of either money or time.  Some guys sign on the first possible cycle - even once in awhile a really good Type A.  Other guys my sign once a certain $ threshold is reached. Still others (perhaps 40-50% of the best FA's) won't sign until the 2nd to last cycle.

I've offered max, led for 3-4 cycles, then got outbid (the winner had better coaches).  Other times, I've held the lead for 5-6 cycles, lost the lead, gained it back, then the FA signed without giving me a chance to counter.  Sometimes you get a "Sports Agency", other times you get "Boras".  It's a pretty random process - and it's not easy.  Since there are no Yankee and Red Sox franchises who get to play with an unfair advantage, it's tough to get the guys you want.

Thanks everyone. I am still waiting for my pitching coach and bullpen coach to sign. Perhaps that is part of the reason why I have been in the lead for a big dollar pitcher for so many cycles without a signing.

Do agents mean anything?

Doubt it.  But I've never researched names and tried to correlate signing rates... might be interested in finding that out...

Agents are for a future enhancement.