Minor League FAs

[RedSoxGM - (Kevin)]

My question/proposal is in regards to the acquisition of a minor leaguer through the free agency process (a non-franchise minor).

Currently, the process is one owner posts the minor FA at a minimum bid of $50,000, with increments of $50,000 per allowed after that. This I have no issue with. It's a sound, proven salary system.

My feeling on this has always been that the owner who does the legwork and finds the minor leaguer should have some advantage on signing the minor FA over the rest of the owners. In each dynasty league I've been in, there are certain owners who scour the minor leagues all the time looking for an up and comer. When they post a minor FA, everyone goes out and researches the player and then owner who did the legwork becomes "just another bidder" at this point. I'll admit, I have signed some minor FAs that I knew nothing about before someone else went out and found them.

Would you give any consideration to perhaps allowing the posting owner to top the winning bid (after the usual time wait) by 10%-20% to sign the player; else it goes to the highest bid?

thanks!

[DiamondbacksGM - (Neal)]

Dec 21, 2009 22:37:32 GMT -5 RedSoxGM - (Kevin) said:

My question/proposal is in regards to the acquisition of a minor leaguer through the free agency process (a non-franchise minor).

Currently, the process is one owner posts the minor FA at a minimum bid of $50,000, with increments of $50,000 per allowed after that. This I have no issue with. It's a sound, proven salary system.

My feeling on this has always been that the owner who does the legwork and finds the minor leaguer should have some advantage on signing the minor FA over the rest of the owners. In each dynasty league I've been in, there are certain owners who scour the minor leagues all the time looking for an up and comer. When they post a minor FA, everyone goes out and researches the player and then owner who did the legwork becomes "just another bidder" at this point. I'll admit, I have signed some minor FAs that I knew nothing about before someone else went out and found them.

Would you give any consideration to perhaps allowing the posting owner to top the winning bid (after the usual time wait) by 10%-20% to sign the player; else it goes to the highest bid?

thanks!

I understand what you are saying but sometimes the initial bidder isn't the only person aware of a "hidden gem" prospect etc....just the first person not willing to wait anymore and lodge a bid. Thus, some other owners might get into the bidding not because they went out and researched him but they were watching him too.
The bidding process is a strategical issue. If you want to make sure you win players you better have saved up money. I know some owners have kept salaries low for THIS very reason.
The final 20% bid thing wouldn't work because it would make other owners lodge unnecessary high minors bids in order to make sure they weren't outbid by the original owner. It would prob. provoke owners to lodge tons of initial bids on players just to see which ones can be had on the cheap.