I'm about to promote the Overall #2 Draft pick from a few years ago. Barring injury, he should be a Cy Young candidate for many seasons. My question is, what's the best plan to keep him on the team for the max number of seasons? I'm going to wait 25-30 games to promote him to delay the arbitration, but what's the best year to sign him to a long term deal that will give me the best opportunity to be able to sign him to a SECOND long term deal. Any advice? Thanks.

Shawn

What's his patience rating?

My best guess is build a good team around him.  You might have to rely on the loyalty factor to get him to favour your max deal over others' max deal offers.

Found the player-- he's an SP with an OVR of 79, headed for the mid 80s at least, patience 77.

It is my considered opinion that there is no way to make a player want to stay with you. The way to maximize his usefulness to your franchise is, and I'm sure you know all this:
1)  Don't bring him up until he is an important piece of a playoff run.  In this case, he's a stud, and you've already brought the previous owner's mess to .500, so it's time whenver you want.
2)  Wait 21-25 days before you bring him up the first season.
3)  Wait until his final arb to long-term him, and then sign him for 5 seasons regardless of how many he asks for, to maximize the number of season you control him for.
4)  Be prepared to pay through the nose or collect the type A compensation after his 11th season.  In his last season, hire ridiculously good pitching coaches throughout the organization in an effort to win the max contract battle.  You're already in the best pitchers' park in the South, so you can't do any better there.

Posted by dedelman on 7/9/2011 11:47:00 AM (view original):
Found the player-- he's an SP with an OVR of 79, headed for the mid 80s at least, patience 77.

It is my considered opinion that there is no way to make a player want to stay with you. The way to maximize his usefulness to your franchise is, and I'm sure you know all this:
1)  Don't bring him up until he is an important piece of a playoff run.  In this case, he's a stud, and you've already brought the previous owner's mess to .500, so it's time whenver you want.
2)  Wait 21-25 days before you bring him up the first season.
3)  Wait until his final arb to long-term him, and then sign him for 5 seasons regardless of how many he asks for, to maximize the number of season you control him for.
4)  Be prepared to pay through the nose or collect the type A compensation after his 11th season.  In his last season, hire ridiculously good pitching coaches throughout the organization in an effort to win the max contract battle.  You're already in the best pitchers' park in the South, so you can't do any better there.

I was with you until #4.  Pitching coaches have an influence on signing free agents?

If his patience rating is 77, ignore much of the advice above. He will stay with your franchise as long as you want him to.

Thanks all for the advice. Appreciate it.