Daily Duties

[slapnutmagoo]

I'm sure this has been asked plenty of times, but I would appreciate it if some of the more experienced members could offer examples of their daily and yearly routines as a GM.

One thing that I can specifically think of that I know I need advice on is the minor leagues - how much time do you spend here? Something I have a lot of trouble doing is making roster cuts and knowing when to release a player. When do I promote players from the international complex? Do most of you control the promotion and demotion of the minors?

Any help you can give is appreciated.

[The Game]

Originally Posted by slapnutmagoo

I'm sure this has been asked plenty of times, but I would appreciate it if some of the more experienced members could offer examples of their daily and yearly routines as a GM.

One thing that I can specifically think of that I know I need advice on is the minor leagues - how much time do you spend here? Something I have a lot of trouble doing is making roster cuts and knowing when to release a player. When do I promote players from the international complex? Do most of you control the promotion and demotion of the minors?

Any help you can give is appreciated.

I let the AI handle my minors as afar as promotions & demotions. I make cuts on draft day for anyone who has no chance of ever playing in the majors. Depending on how many FA and players i have left come the 1st day of free agency I will cut those who have underperformed with 3+ yrs in the minors.
As far as daily duties, depends on your league. I only look at Waivers and trades if i have a need. If i am letting the MGR make lineups i also re-ask when we are struggling or in a slump.

[le receveur]

Minors. I handle my own movement, but I don't mind if guys stay at a level a bit too long,,

Early in season I probably have a look in details weekly, to see if there is any issues, if any guys should be reassigned, if the guys I need to develop are actually being played,,, I did increase roster size by 1 just so I didn't have to move guys due to injuries on a daily basis... as season goes I just make sure all is well.
i'll do promotion sweeps every 6 weeks.. I usually do the release in the off season.

International I usually wait until they are automatically promoted, except if I need roster fillers after the draft in rookie league, and i'll promote some 18/19 y.o

[BIG17EASY]

I handle all player transactions. I set up my minor leagues (for the most part) in January while making note of where my prospects are so I can watch them closely. By the end of spring training, I may need to sign a few minor league free agents to fill rosters of teams that start their seasons in April. Then I sim a day at a time, looking at each minor league team's box score after each sim. I try to only promote guys when I need to fill a roster spot after a player goes on the DL. I keep notes so that when minor leaguers come off the DL, I know who I promoted to fill his spot. Unless that guy who was promoted is playing really well, I'll send him back to his original team. It can get a little tedious, but I find that it's worth the time to keep the AI from juggling my prospects around and possibly hurting their development.

I will promote my prospects if they've proven they are dominating their current level -- usually after 150 at bats or 75 innings for a starter or 20 for a reliever. But that's not a strict rule I follow.

And I set my major league lineups with the 7-day lineups screen because I don't trust the AI's lineup construction. I won't do anything with minor league lineups other than sometimes using the "force start" function to make sure a prospect is playing his main position.

I only release minor league players if they're overmatched at their current level and I either don't have a spot for them at the next lowest minor league team, or they're too old (by my standards) for that next lowest team.

[slapnutmagoo]

Could someone give me a ballpark estimate of how many players you cut a year? I know last year after the draft, one of my rookie league teams ended up with something like 55 players, so I know I must have gone wrong somewhere.

[BIG17EASY]

Originally Posted by slapnutmagoo

Could someone give me a ballpark estimate of how many players you cut a year? I know last year after the draft, one of my rookie league teams ended up with something like 55 players, so I know I must have gone wrong somewhere.

I have roster limits on, so I am forced to cut probably 20-25 players in the offseason in order to get my two rookie league team rosters trimmed down so the players I draft in June have open roster spots. Those cuts, combined with minor leaguers who become free agents, mean that I probably have 35-45 minor league players who leave my organization in the offseason.

[le receveur]

Originally Posted by slapnutmagoo

Could someone give me a ballpark estimate of how many players you cut a year? I know last year after the draft, one of my rookie league teams ended up with something like 55 players, so I know I must have gone wrong somewhere.

I also have roster limit.. I probably cut 20-30 guys a year, and find myself scrambling for MiLB free agents regularly, due to normal attrition. I do this more because I like minor leagues and prospect development more than major to be honest.... I don't think there is any right recipe, it's more what you like...

I have kept career minorleaguers just because he was a nice story (in my head)... currently have a 32 y.o. knuckleballer who has been in system for 11 years. made it to AAA at one point, and bombed... he keeps taking minor league contracts now in AA, gets mop up innings. i'm planning to give him a thank you call up to the bigs this September, and then turn him into a Rookie league pitching coach.

just make sure you keep some control as to who gets cuts, AI can be a bit trigger happy with prospects

[slapnutmagoo]

Are you guys cutting from all levels or just rookie league? There has been times when I have released guys midseason from my AA and AAA just because they were under performing and upset, bringing the moral down. I knew none of these guys would make the bigs, though. So do you guys just do a sweep through the whole minor league system or just stick to the lower levels?

[le receveur]

Originally Posted by slapnutmagoo

Are you guys cutting from all levels or just rookie league? There has been times when I have released guys midseason from my AA and AAA just because they were under performing and upset, bringing the moral down. I knew none of these guys would make the bigs, though. So do you guys just do a sweep through the whole minor league system or just stick to the lower levels?

actually i probably cut more at the top levels... my main clearing once a year, used custom reports with stats, and years of experience. and the ones in the Top service year, with bad results get released...no one gets released before 3-4 years in the system

[Sabres2000]

whats a good amount of prospects on ur rookie squad?

[TGH-Adfabre]

I like 7 SP, 10 relievers, 2 or 3 catchers, 8 IF and 6 OF.
So 33-35. The real reason is for injury coverage. I like 33-35 at each level of the minors so I only need to move or sign players if there is a huge number of injuries.

I sim 1 week (heavy online influence here) at a time except in the playoffs and early FA period-end of winter meetings. Then I sim 1-3 days at a time. I just found out that I can sim from the Dates scrolled across the top of the screen yesterday and I LOVE it.

Pretty much each sim I check messages (I have no options checked to stop the sim, online influence again). Look at my schedule (wish I could sim straight from the calender like MLB '05) maybe check a box score or two. Check my roster for injuries and jump back to the standings to sim again. About once a month I either run through each of my minors or select "Entire Organization" to look at development.

Good luck,
Tom

[Sabres2000]

Originally Posted by TGH-Adfabre

I like 7 SP, 10 relievers, 2 or 3 catchers, 8 IF and 6 OF.
So 33-35. The real reason is for injury coverage. I like 33-35 at each level of the minors so I only need to move or sign players if there is a huge number of injuries.

I sim 1 week (heavy online influence here) at a time except in the playoffs and early FA period-end of winter meetings. Then I sim 1-3 days at a time. I just found out that I can sim from the Dates scrolled across the top of the screen yesterday and I LOVE it.

Pretty much each sim I check messages (I have no options checked to stop the sim, online influence again). Look at my schedule (wish I could sim straight from the calender like MLB '05) maybe check a box score or two. Check my roster for injuries and jump back to the standings to sim again. About once a month I either run through each of my minors or select "Entire Organization" to look at development.

Good luck,
Tom

those roster numbers do u carry those amounts on all rosters or just ur rookies..

[Honorable_Pawn]

Originally Posted by le receveur

... currently have a 32 y.o. knuckleballer who has been in system for 11 years. made it to AAA at one point, and bombed... he keeps taking minor league contracts now in AA, gets mop up innings. i'm planning to give him a thank you call up to the bigs this September, and then turn him into a Rookie league pitching coach.

Awesome stuff there. I'm jealous.

[TGH-Adfabre]

Originally Posted by Sabres2000

those roster numbers do u carry those amounts on all rosters or just ur rookies..

I usually do all, that way I do very little roster movement to cover injuries except at the ML level. I am not a big fan of playing DL Manager.

[ondemonitors]

Originally Posted by BIG17EASY

I handle all player transactions. I set up my minor leagues (for the most part) in January while making note of where my prospects are so I can watch them closely. By the end of spring training, I may need to sign a few minor league free agents to fill rosters of teams that start their seasons in April. Then I sim a day at a time, looking at each minor league team's box score after each sim. I try to only promote guys when I need to fill a roster spot after a player goes on the DL. I keep notes so that when minor leaguers come off the DL, I know who I promoted to fill his spot. Unless that guy who was promoted is playing really well, I'll send him back to his original team. It can get a little tedious, but I find that it's worth the time to keep the AI from juggling my prospects around and possibly hurting their development.

I will promote my prospects if they've proven they are dominating their current level -- usually after 150 at bats or 75 innings for a starter or 20 for a reliever. But that's not a strict rule I follow.

And I set my major league lineups with the 7-day lineups screen because I don't trust the AI's lineup construction. I won't do anything with minor league lineups other than sometimes using the "force start" function to make sure a prospect is playing his main position.

I only release minor league players if they're overmatched at their current level and I either don't have a spot for them at the next lowest minor league team, or they're too old (by my standards) for that next lowest team.

This...exactly...