Anyone ever offer a big league deal? Good pitcher who's already 21...thought maybe a ML contract would sway him (haven't offered one...was just considering it).

Could bury him in the pen and even demote him since he's going to have options. Even on a one year deal...you'd still control the guy wouldn't you (with some arbitration years)? Or would it be like a one-year free agent and he'd be gone?

1/ You'd still control him after, his contract will revert to whatever his playing level is.

2/ Any player can refuse a BL deal, "Whoa, I appreciate the offer, but all I want is a minor league deal and a chance to show my stuff..."

3/ He better be REAL good. Remember a 21 year old International is already developed, won't grow much at all if any.

I don't know that I'd actually do it...was just playing around with the idea...as for being REAL good...certainly looks legit.

Now that I think about it, I've never done it with an IFA. I've successfully signed domestic minor league free agents to a big league deal, but the IFAs have all declined. My guess is that they're probably programmed to go for the most bonus money they can get. Would like to hear if anyone else has ever signed an IFA to a big league deal. Now there's a rare case where a player might demand a BL deal, in which case you likely have to offer.

There is a HUGE 95 rated INTL over in Moneyball right now. I offered him a three year MLB deal because he is 23 years old and rated 95. However, he declined. He said he would prefer a one year deal. The system didn't allow me to offer him a one year MLB deal.

I feel like that's a good thing. Seems like you could pretty easily manipulate the system by offering BL contracts. You could offer more $ because you wouldn't have to transfer anything (as opposed to having a max $20 mil prospect budget). Granted you would be paying INTs before they fully developed, but for the right guy I absolutely would.

I used to haul in IFA’s through big league deals all the time. They changed that and no longer allow big league deals.

Posted by pray4pro on 9/19/2019 5:15:00 PM (view original):
I feel like that's a good thing. Seems like you could pretty easily manipulate the system by offering BL contracts. You could offer more $ because you wouldn't have to transfer anything (as opposed to having a max $20 mil prospect budget). Granted you would be paying INTs before they fully developed, but for the right guy I absolutely would.

You can’t offer too much more money. It would only allow the ML minimum.

In the end I didn’t take a shot at the ML offer and was able to land the guy with the last chunk of my Prospect cash.

Are you the Cowboy Bob Ellis who was a professional wrestler in the 1960's?