Franchise Tag Rules

[Tigers GM (Alex)]

Hey y'all,

Before the FT rules, we have another rule amendment. Here's that...

Beginning in the 2014 offseason, teams will only be allowed to pick up the real-life contracts of 2 of their expiring players, as opposed to an unlimited amount now.

Here's going to be the franchise tag rules. Read carefully to make sure that you understand it all, and feel free to ask questions....

Every year, upon the completion of the ODC World Series, each team will receive one franchise tag. Here are the rules regarding this tag and it's usage:

-The franchise tag may not be traded. Franchise tags do not roll over from year to year. You'll receive one every offseason - use it or lose it.

-Teams must announce the usage of their franchise tag by December 1st. A thread will be created following the World Series where you'll do this.

-You must additionally declare the length of your franchise tag, from 1-3 seasons. This may not be changed afterwards.

-In order to tag a player this offseason you must have owned them from Jan 1st, 2013. In future seasons in order to tag a player you must have owned them for at least one full season.

-Upon usage of a franchise tag, a team's payroll may not exceed $110M ($5M over the $105M cap). You must also be back under the cap by the start of the season.

-Franchise tags aren't all worth the same. Keep in mind that these amounts are subject to change in future seasons, with inflation. We will be using the ESPN player rater. If a player has missed more than 50 games (so 112 games played), or not exceeded 24 games started (for SP), you must use the players average rating from the past 2 seasons. Here is what this year's franchise tagging scale is...

Top-10 Hitter: $28M
Top-30 Hitter: $25M
Top-50 Hitter: $18M
Top-100 Hitter: $14M
Other Hitter: $12M

Top-10 Starting Pitcher: $28M
Top-30 Starting Pitcher : $22M
Top-75 Starting Pitcher: $15M
Top-120 Starting Pitcher: $12M
Other SP: $8M

Top-10 Relief Pitcher: $15M
Top-30 Relief Pitcher: $10M
Top-50 Relief Pitcher: $7M
Other RP: $5M

-After a player has been tagged, you may not pick up their real life contract upon expiration of the tag. You will have 2 choices: Either let the player become a FA, or retain him for another 1-3 years at a 40% increase in salary. For example, if I tag a top-30 hitter following this season for $25M, after his tag expires I could retain him at $35M a season. After that expires, it would increase to $49M a season. Etc, etc.


And that's that. Do your worst

-Alex and Mike.

[Mets GM (Jack)]

so 1 player's are gonna get 50M a year, this is just bad for the league

[Tigers GM (Alex)]

Aug 20, 2013 21:18:21 GMT -5 Mets GM (Jack) said:

so 1 player's are gonna get 50M a year, this is just bad for the league

Thanks for that intelligent response Jack.

[Deleted]

I just don't get the idea of this. I think in most cases tags will not be used but in the instance they are it will dilute FA which has been my argument against this all along and the ability to tag players for 3 years just doesn't seem right. NFL tags are for 1 year.

[Mets GM (Jack)]

Aug 20, 2013 21:23:05 GMT -5 Tigers GM (Alex) said:

Aug 20, 2013 21:18:21 GMT -5 Mets GM (Jack) said:

so 1 player's are gonna get 50M a year, this is just bad for the league

Thanks for that intelligent response Jack.

your welcome

[Deleted]

This whole rule just seems plain unneccesary.


The past few suggestions or rules you 2 have come up with have really seemed the same as this one. Just seems like overthinking.

This tag is a bad idea and only being allowed to pick up 2 expiring contracts is even worst.

[Deleted]

I actually thought it was only one guy who was a expiring (6)

[Deleted]

I agree with Jimmy and Psych,
1. it will kill FA significantly, which especially sucks for those who have already saved up cash for next offseason.

2. Players are now gonna be making $49M, relievers could be making $30M+, which is absolutely absurd, especially when players are making half of our cap.

We have something that is working that most other dynasty leagues don't, don't fix something if it isn't broken.

[Deleted]

I like the idea of a FT but these prices your implying are pretty high.

[Deleted]

1- Im not totally against it, but I would say 1 per team, at MAX

2- The price is high, I know it is to make people think about keeping that player but seems like a very high amount.

3- It shouldnt dilute FA too much, maybe a few players here an their but the chances even 12 teams use this in 1 season is highly unlikely.

4- Like someone else said this league is already great why fix it with a random rule such as this?

5- a FT should be a 1 year deal only - not this 3 year deal you are speaking of.

that is all

[Deleted]

Kev if your only allowed to keep 2 players that are expiring per offseason and your going to be tagging guys for even 1 year but some times multiple the majority of players who won't be kept as expiring contracts or the guys who won't be tagged a majority of the time are going to be role players.

Which means FA becomes full of basically role players with the occasional stud slipping through and all that's going to do is inflate contracts for second tier type players.

[Tigers GM (Alex)]

This really won't change FA very much. At most it will be used on 5-10 players a season. But FA will also receive a boost from only allowing teams to pick up 2 real life contract extensions a year, that was the point of implementing that rule. I'm fine just dropping that amendment if people would prefer it. The point is, this will not kill FA.

To all of you saying that players will now be getting $49M contracts, I don't think that you understand how the rule works. Teams still need to have the salary cap room if they wish to do that. Franchise tags don't allow teams to disregard the cap.

The point of this rule, is to allow players to have some control over the retainment their players. We can't realistically negotiate with players, or offer them contract extensions, so this is how we'll best replicate that. The current system of allowing teams to pick up contract extensions is just random luck of who resigns and who doesn't. While I'm fine with that system also remaining in place, a FT gives the league an extra element of strategy and realism.

Mike and my goal for this league is to have it be as realistic as possible. We believe that this rule adds to that. We're sorry if you don't like it, but this is happening. It will not have a measurable impact on free agency, and we will not suddenly be seeing players with $49M contracts.

[Tigers GM (Alex)]

Aug 21, 2013 15:20:02 GMT -5 @jimmyfingaz1123 said:

Kev if your only allowed to keep 2 players that are expiring per offseason and your going to be tagging guys for even 1 year but some times multiple the majority of players who won't be kept as expiring contracts or the guys who won't be tagged a majority of the time are going to be role players.

Which means FA becomes full of basically role players with the occasional stud slipping through and all that's going to do is inflate contracts for second tier type players.

I'm not sure why you think no studs will be available in free agency with this. I'd be shocked if at least 2 of Kershaw, Scherzer, and Cano (the top-3 upcoming FAs) don't hit the market. As we've said, teams will still need the cap to use their tags.

[Astros GM (Max)]

I just don't understand why we need this. There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with the league here. Adding something so major as this that will affect the league and owner's psychology from today on. We are fine here I'd say, no need to fix what isn't broken

[Tigers GM (Alex)]

Aug 21, 2013 17:35:55 GMT -5 Astros GM (Max) said:

I just don't understand why we need this. There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with the league here. Adding something so major as this that will affect the league and owner's psychology from today on. We are fine here I'd say, no need to fix what isn't broken

You're right. There's no problem with our current setup. And there's also nothing wrong with 8-team fantasy football leagues. Every kind of league serves its purpose. As I stated, our goal with this league is to make it as realistic as possible, and we feel that adding a way for teams to retain players adds to that.

Once again, this will not have a major effect on free agency. The vast majority of players will still hit FA, perhaps even more than before with the only picking up 2 extensions rule (which I'm still fine removing).

I'm sorry if you don't like the rule, but you'll just have to get over it. It's happening, and trust us, it's impact will not be as big as all of you are making it out to be.

[Rangers GM (Bill)]

For the record I also don't understand the need to do this. As it stands now a year 6 guy is a FA unless he's extended. Under the new rule he may or may not be a FA unless he's extended. What's the point? Also from the perspective or realism, I don't really think the new tags make this league any more or less realistic. It seems like we're randomly adding a complication that adds no value to the league. It also appears that the majority of owners are against this rule change.

Whatever you want to do, it's not like anybody is going to quit over this, but why jam this down our collective throats when it's clear that nobody wants to implement this change?

[Astros GM (Max)]

I've seen way more people against this than for this... Why do it still? Like Bill said no one will quit over this but at the very least I think this rule should not take effect until next year as there are quite a few teams, likely the majority of the league, has made at least one move, and most multiple, that were in preperation this offseason.

And I certainly believe that the 2 resignings of (6) players needs to be there is there is a franchise tag or free agency will be barren

[White Sox GM (Michael)]

I wish you guys would have said something during those midsummer meetings. Some people expressed discontent but many did not.

[Tigers GM (Alex)]

I'm fine delaying all of these rules until next offseason if that's what people would prefer.

[Deleted]

I agree with Max. Why do something the majority of the league doesn't want? This will make the rich richer and let the poor stay poor. Wait til 2015 in anything too, because teams have already prepped for FA w/ our current rules.