I traded for a player last year, we just won the WS and he has an option for 20 million this year with a 5 mill buyout. I think that I can buy out his contract and sign him for 3 more years at about 7-8/year, thus saving money this year. But I know I run the risk of him not signing, and not getting a Type A. Is their any factors that should at least influence my decision, basically wanting to know hte odds of him wanting to resign.

Depends if you're willing to gamble on him.

If that player is a key piece (and his salary would indicate that), you risk losing him for nothing in order to save some cash.

I guess it also depends how badly you need the cash....

I think I can get by with just picking up the option, but then I will have to lower my money on other categories that I do not want. I have 2 Type A and a type B coming up, so I want to keep the money in prospect and High School Scouting. He is a great pithcer, but not sure I would sign him back next year. He is my #3-4, but an ace on any other team. I just want to know if their are any ratings that will help me with my decision. Like patience or anything else.

If he's any good, he'll become a free agent.

No real way you can tell, but if you think he's be a type A player, those are the guys that test FA...

He will absolutely be a type A this year and next. That is my struggle. If I knew I would get a type A this yera I would take that chance, but since you don't if you decline an option then I don't want to do that knowing that I will either re-sign him or get a type A next year.

I'm assuming it's this guy:
Garrett Niekro

I'm not 100% sure he'd be a type A next season. It would depend on whether he continues to decline or not. He'd for sure be a type B though.

Cam Anderson had his option declined and the he re-signed without testing the market in the last week (real time).

He did suffer an elbow injury late in the previous season, that dropped him from 78OV to 75OV, and likely affected his A/B status.

Don't forget the buyout price on top of the new contract price -- if he is that good I would exercise the option and then take my chances with him next season, when if you dont get him in free agency (even if you have to go into regular free agency and bid against others), you will at least get the draft picks.

If he's only your #3 or 4, let him go, save $20M and take the Type A if that possible.

Has anyone suggested to WIS that declining a team/mutual option shouldn't prevent the team from getting compensation picks?

See here where "Team declined option" still nets compensation in real life:

http://www.examiner.com/x-28775-MLB-Draft-Examiner~y2009m11d10-Elias-releases-list-of-Type-A-and-Type-B-free-agents

And btw, since he's 34 and he's borderline Type A (Type B in my world), I wouldn't keep him at 20 mill. He's too much of a risk to decline to be a surefire Type B.

Quote: Originally Posted By torrone on 11/23/2009If he's only your #3 or 4, let him go, save $20M and take the Type A if that possible

If you decline an option, you dont get compensation.

Quote: Originally Posted By spudpicker on 11/23/2009
Has anyone suggested to WIS that declining a team/mutual option shouldn't prevent the team from getting compensation picks?

See here where "Team declined option" still nets compensation in real life:

http://www.examiner.com/x-28775-MLB-Draft-Examiner~y2009m11d10-Elias-releases-list-of-Type-A-and-Type-B-free-agents

I'm sure there's a wrinkle to do with offering arbitration to pending FAs (that HBD doesn't address) that's playing a role here.

We (in HBD) deal with a relatively simplified version of the MLB FA process.

I thought about it and can't see what role that might play. There's guaranteed cash going to the pocket of anyone declined option where that's not necessarily so in the MLB, so I'd say there's even more reason to make it like the MLB.

I'd be open for hearing what reasoning you might suspect is at play, otherwise someone should at least mention it to them.

As I understand it for MLB, in order to receive your Type A or B compensation, a team has to offer arbitration to the player prior to, or in conjuction with, the player filing for free-agency. If the player declines arbitration, they become a FA, and the team is entitled to compensation.

We don't have this stage, so the SIM assumes that if you are declining an option, you wouldn't want to keep the player.