After years of neglect, I have decided to try and improve my minor league system. Frankly, since there are no reward points awarded for minor league success, I always thought it would be a waste of time. But since I have had a lack of success at the ML level, I am finally convinced that a strong minor league system might be a good way to go.

Is there a blueprint for fixing it mid-season? We just passed the all star break in Capra, and there are 4 minor league position players and 1 minor league pitcher to choose from. I think what I have in the minors right now are better than these scrubs, so I may need to wait until the offseason to put in the big fix -- and by that time I might change my mind again. I am not willing to sell off ML talent for career minor leaguers. That will not be part of the blueprint.

Is there a blueprint for fixing it during the off-season? Maybe take a year off from bidding on internationals and use the money on minor leaguers during the FA period? If this is my intent, do I cut everyone who does not have a chance at making the big league club and start from scratch?

I am open to suggestions, but I don't want to start a debate about the merit of minor league systems. I have heard it all before from my league-mates who constantly send me emails notifying me that my pitchers are tired.

Thanks/JRNY

1) Quantity of pitchers. There are plenty available at tryout camp. At the very low minors, sta/dur are almost as important as stuff. Bad pitchers being rested will be 100% better than good pitchers on 0/0. Have 4-5 pitchers inactive at each level.

2) Waiver wire. Guys will get released/waived as the season goes on for various reasons. If you're on the ball, you may still be able to add a few useful guys.

3) Career-minor league IFAs. For $50k each, you can really boost the system with these guys.

4) Ringers. Crappy career AAA guys will kill low A pitching, if you're willing to pay twice as much in salary for the player.

For next season, just take the time to search minor league FAs on the first day or so, and get in on the offers. Minor League FAs like to go to orgs that lack depth at their position, and since everyone offers the same salary, you should be in good shape to get a bunch.

Sign all your draft picks. Even the crappy ones. Promote them up through the system every year. Decide who the "best" of the crappy ones are and play them over the "worst" of the crappy ones. Your mediocre career minor leaguers will have a slight talent advantage over the other guys bottom-of-the-barrel career minor leaguers and will win games.

Keep your minor league rosters as full as you can. Both active (25) and inactive (between 10-13).

Sign all the over IFA to re-stock your minors. If you're short at every level, position-wise, that's the only way you'll fill them.

Thanks for the ideas. This is exactly the type of commentary I was looking for.

Excellent advice fellas!!

Quote: Originally Posted By MikeT23 on 2/18/2010
Sign all the over IFA to re-stock your minors. If you're short at every level, position-wise, that's the only way you'll fill them.

It wasn't so much that I was short. The quality was just very poor. I couldn't figure out the best way to improve the minors, not necessarily just figuring out a way to keep them stocked with bodies. I am ready to win a AAA, AA, Hi A and Low A title in the same season. Then I can tell my league buddies to get off my back! LOL.

Check the major league free agent lists. You may find players there willing to sign a minor league deal.

Quote: Originally posted by csherwood on 2/18/2010Check the major league free agent lists.  You may find players there willing to sign a minor league deal.

You'd be surprised how many minor league free agents you can get cheap.....most of them are pretty good.... pitchers can be taken from the tryout camp list....not great, but they can fill holes.

i just sign minor league FA's during the FA signing period. i normally just sign my draft picks from rounds 1 and 2 and guys who are a DITR away from an ML career in rounds 6-10. if i have extra prospect payroll at year's end, i sign my other draft picks and some crappy IFAs.

my minor league teams generally end up at .500 or better.

Look at keeping groups of players together. If you have a few talented pitchers who are around the same place in terms of development move them along together.

That way you are not having a "stud" along with a bunch of tryout guys.

Quote: Originally posted by jrnyfan01 on 2/18/2010
Is there a blueprint for fixing it during the off-season? Maybe take a year off from bidding on internationals and use the money on minor leaguers during the FA period? If this is my intent, do I cut everyone who does not have a chance at making the big league club and start from scratch?

The purpose of the minor leagues is to develop future major leaguers, so I'd advise you to keep adding talent to your system. Just add players as they become available, and cut less talented players when you reach your limit per level. Don't cut until you need to.

Don't worry if you don't have a AA SS. It helps, but don't trade away someone with a ML future to plug a minor league hole.

Sign your draft picks, spend your remaining prospect money on int'ls (some of those guys can turn into DITR) and scour the waiver wire every day. One man's trash is another man's treasure.

Also, make sure your pitchers aren't so exhausted. Makes a big difference.

Long term, work your draft to prioritize, sign IFA's with ML potential. Short term, sign ML minimum, and assign to minors.

Here's what I do with my draft. I rank and prioritize all the guys with ML potential up front. Spend a fair amount of time tweaking that.

Then, when I'm done with all the ML potential guys, I quickly go through and identify two or three of the best career minor league types at each position and then rank them immediately after the ML guys. Sometimes I'll grab 3 or 4 of them in rounds 6-10 or so.

Help builds some depth in the minors.