If I leave a guy in the minors for 10 days before giving him his first call-up to the majors, and then at the beginning of the next season give him another 10-15 days in the minors will I still get the extra year before arb? Or is it "once the clock starts ticking, it doesn't stop"?

Yes. No.

Days on the ML roster are what is counted.

In order to avoid the first ML service year, the guy must be on a minor league team for a minimum of 20 days on the minor league schedule, which typically starts 2 sim days after the majors.

You may have a point, overeasy... once it has ticked over to "1", it'd be primed to tick over to "2" after the following season.

I know this from firsthand experience of bringing up 5 guys 1 sim day too soon.

ouch.

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Quote: Originally Posted By overeasy on 7/08/2009
In order to avoid the first ML service year, the guy must be on a minor league team for a minimum of 20 days on the minor league schedule, which typically starts 2 sim days after the majors.

Is there any reason to believe this only applies to the "first ML service year"? That is, if a player with 1 ML year begins the season in AAA, and stays for the 20+ minor league days before being promoted, why wouldn't he end that season at 1.xxx ML years, and then reach 2 ML years the following season?

Quote: Originally posted by rojorider on 7/08/2009If I leave a guy in the minors for 10 days before giving him his first call-up to the majors, and then at the beginning of the next season give him another 10-15 days in the minors will I still get the extra year before arb? Or is it "once the clock starts ticking, it doesn't stop"?

No, you will not get the extra year. In order to have a year not count as a ML service year, you have to have them in the minors for 20 minor league days that year. If it's 10 days, then those days count as ML service days. If it's 19 days, they count as ML service days. If it's 20 days, they count as minor league time, not ML service days.

Poop. Oh well, none of them were future stars anyways. Can I demote them later one at a time for 10 days apiece and swing it that way?

Yes. They need to accumulate 20 minor league days over the course of the season, but it need not be consecutive.

Quote: Originally Posted By zbrent716 on 7/08/2009

Quote: Originally Posted By overeasy on 7/08/2009

In order to avoid the first ML service year, the guy must be on a minor league team for a minimum of 20 days on the minor league schedule, which typically starts 2 sim days after the majors.

Is there any reason to believe this only applies to the "first ML service year"? That is, if a player with 1 ML year begins the season in AAA, and stays for the 20+ minor league days before being promoted, why wouldn't he end that season at 1.xxx ML years, and then reach 2 ML years the following season?

I don't believe that it is restricted to the first ML service year. In fact, after I lost bidding wars on some free agent pitchers that would have allowed my team to compete this season, the 5 guys I mentioned above were all demoted to AAA during spring training, where they stayed for 21 minor league days. That season is almost over so I don't yet know for certain.

Ok so if you call up a guy at roster expansion, he will get 26 days of ML service time that season (I just counted the days remaining on my schedule). If you wait the 20 ML days the following season, will that do the trick?

Quote: Originally posted by jimmystick on 3/06/2010Ok so if you call up a guy at roster expansion, he will get 26 days of ML service time that season (I just counted the days remaining on my schedule). If you wait the 20 ML days the following season, will that do the trick?

I just did the math... but not sure if I'm totally correct on this so if somebody can confirm I'd appreciate it.... 26 days on the ML roster on the first day of roster expansion, then wait 28 ML days the following season and he it won't count as an ML service year.

I think I'll wait 30 days just in case but I think I should be safe with 28, correct?

Quote: Originally Posted By sordie on 7/09/2009Yes. They need to accumulate 20 minor league days over the course of the season, but it need not be consecutive

Incorrect.

Minor league assignments of less than 20 days are counted as major league time. So it does need to be consecutive.

10 + 10 does not = 20 when it comes to trying to game the arb clock.