Cleaning up minors

jofos · 06-05-2015, 11:28 PM

I was just wondering how you guys go about cleaning guys out of you minor leagues? I have some guys that's been around for a while and haven't really gotten any better, I figure just release them and be done with it. But my farm system has a lot of guys and when I start looking at their stats I probably should have cut some lose a long time ago.
So what do you guys do to keep your minors from getting overloaded with players that have no chance at ever developing? I know the easy answer is let the AI handle it but for you guys that actually do it yourself what is you method? When do you cut a guy? Do you just use stats are scouting reports/ratings?
Thanks for any help and advice.

Questdog · 06-05-2015, 11:57 PM

Personally, I keep everybody I can until someone I like better kicks them out of a job. And I don't let anyone older than 26 play in AA, 24 in A, 22 in short A and 20 in Rookie ball.

The Wolf · 06-06-2015, 01:06 AM

I do pretty much what the Dog does. If you haven't got any better than Joe X, you might as well keep Joe X.

Padreman · 06-06-2015, 01:34 AM

Honestly I have some guys since they were 17 and now are 30 and they still there. Sometimes they retire early

The Yurpman · 06-06-2015, 03:47 AM

Basically what Questdog said. Once you're clearly too old to be in X league compared to the other players and you haven't gotten any better, you're gone. Also, if I have a surplus of players at one position I'll dump the oldest, worst ones.

s0ni42 · 06-06-2015, 09:30 AM

I turn on "allow incomplete minors", and do an annual cleanup. I try to clear 4-5 per level each year. I am mainly looking for guys too old at at a certain level that have no potential.

IsaacR · 06-06-2015, 09:57 AM

If a player (according to my scout) has 20/20 potential at age 23+, 20/25 at 25+, or anything below 30 at 27+, I look and see if I can let them go. Sometimes they're hitting or pitching really well and I keep them - making a note in a journal I use to keep track of the 4 or so leagues I play at a time. Their stuff, control, or power ratings may also be high, in which I also keep (usually only for those 25 and younger.) Players described as leaders or having a good work ethic also tend to stick.

'94 EXPOS · 06-06-2015, 10:31 AM

I play MLB with full minors and 35 round draft.

To clean my minors in the off-season I will start with an analysis from the top down. Starting with my AAA team I will promote those worthy. Then move down to AA and A. I look at both stats and potential for promotion.

Once I am done with promotions I go back through each team. I generally run with 13-14 fielders and the same for pitchers. If during the review I find there are too many players on a team I will cut the players that spent the whole season at their current level but did not produce (with some exceptions).

The biggest cuts occur at A ball because that team is being fed by two Short A teams. On a side note, I was very happy a few versions ago when the game was preloaded with two Short A teams. It used to be only one and there was no way to have all of your recent draftees playing. Adding a 2nd Short A team used to feel like cheating.

As the draft and the start of short season leagues approaches I perform the same analysis of my rookie teams. I give some thought to opening lots of spots for the new draft class. I have a personal rule of never cutting a first year draftee. I also promote or cut guys from the International Complex at this time (18 and 19 year olds are who I look most closely at) After the draft and after all my guys have signed (or told me to beat it) I go through the teams again and cut them down to size. I will let my rookie teams carry a few extra bodies if I am loaded at one position.

Other checks I also run are to check the lineups to ensure my top prospects are slotted for their best defensive attributes. For example: if I have two SS (usually way more!) on my rookie team-----one is a low end prospect but is a wizard with the glove, he will get slotted by the AI to play SS over my high end but not as defensively gifted prospect SS. In the long term it is better for me that the high end prospect develops his D at SS so I will make the required changes.

Sometimes before making mass cuts of very young players I will sort through the garbage dump that is the bottom of the Free Agent pool. Here you can compare what you are cutting to what other teams have already cut. Also, while doing this I will often find one or two guys that I end up signing and making even more cuts to my organization.

Finally, before releasing a guy who is not cutting it I check his scouting report to make sure that he doesn't have some potential as a pitcher or vice versa. If they do have reasonable potential at the other position I will switch them and let them have a season or two to see if they develop that way. It doesn't work often but I have had some successes.

Cheers

jpeters1734 · 06-06-2015, 11:54 AM

I usually use a combo of the above methods. I will never keep a player older than 20 at rookie, 24 at A, 27 at AA.

Rather than starting AAA to make promotions, I start at the rookie. It is easier to identify road blocks that way. For instance if I promote 5 guys from A and I only see 2 worthy of promotion from AA, then I will find 3 guys to cut from AA.

I usually don't mess with lineups but I don't have the AI auto them either. I will go through weekly and have the manager set them and I will adjust only if something is off.

I also never have the AI handle promotions as they make some silly moves sometimes.

NoOne · 06-07-2015, 02:50 AM

the minors have a more compact regular season schedule? so, don't be afraid to keep extras. if they have the potential to make it to AAA, i will keep them around, and that tends to cull the heard for the most part. the others fallout when they hit their potential or sooner if space is at a premium - not too often.

i don't worry about age too much unless it's a bonafide everyday mlb prospect (minimum as in 45or50+/80). i want my best prospects to be sorrounded by developed players relative to that minor league level. so, if they are too old, have a low ceiling, and showing no development i don't mind if they are slightly dominating the competition. just don't make morale monsters.

anyway, it helps in numerous ways to have winning minor league teams.

if they cost money, have higher standards for those players, especially if you have a small market team.

jpeters1734 · 06-07-2015, 12:29 PM

Those are great points NoOne

trentaur · 06-07-2015, 12:45 PM

I have a rule that all players below 25/25 I do not resign if they are FAs. Even to MiLCs. I also agree with the age thing. 28 is too old for AAA, 27 for AA, and so on down. If I guy is 24 and still in rookie or short A ball (and below 25/25, he's gone).

Mind you, I am obsessional (to a borderline unhealthy degree) with my farm system. I aggressively fund scouting and development, set lineups and pitching staff for the whole organization.

06-05-2015, 11:28 PM	#1
jofos Minors (Single A) Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 98	Cleaning up minors I was just wondering how you guys go about cleaning guys out of you minor leagues? I have some guys that's been around for a while and haven't really gotten any better, I figure just release them and be done with it. But my farm system has a lot of guys and when I start looking at their stats I probably should have cut some lose a long time ago. So what do you guys do to keep your minors from getting overloaded with players that have no chance at ever developing? I know the easy answer is let the AI handle it but for you guys that actually do it yourself what is you method? When do you cut a guy? Do you just use stats are scouting reports/ratings? Thanks for any help and advice.

06-06-2015, 01:34 AM	#4
Padreman Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2013 Location: Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico (formally San Diego, CA.) Posts: 4,138	Honestly I have some guys since they were 17 and now are 30 and they still there. Sometimes they retire early __________________ Chargers= Despicable Traitors

06-06-2015, 11:54 AM	#9
jpeters1734 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Juust a bit outside... Posts: 6,185	I usually use a combo of the above methods. I will never keep a player older than 20 at rookie, 24 at A, 27 at AA. Rather than starting AAA to make promotions, I start at the rookie. It is easier to identify road blocks that way. For instance if I promote 5 guys from A and I only see 2 worthy of promotion from AA, then I will find 3 guys to cut from AA. I usually don't mess with lineups but I don't have the AI auto them either. I will go through weekly and have the manager set them and I will adjust only if something is off. I also never have the AI handle promotions as they make some silly moves sometimes. __________________ "Cannonball Coming!" Go Bucs!! Founder and League Caretaker of the Professional Baseball Circuit, www.probaseballcircuit.com An Un-Official Guide to Minor League Management in OOTP 21 Ratings Scale Conversion Cross-Reference Cheat Sheet

06-07-2015, 12:29 PM	#11
jpeters1734 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Juust a bit outside... Posts: 6,185	Those are great points NoOne __________________ "Cannonball Coming!" Go Bucs!! Founder and League Caretaker of the Professional Baseball Circuit, www.probaseballcircuit.com An Un-Official Guide to Minor League Management in OOTP 21 Ratings Scale Conversion Cross-Reference Cheat Sheet

06-07-2015, 12:45 PM	#12
trentaur Bat Boy Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 14	I am a farm-system-holic. I have a rule that all players below 25/25 I do not resign if they are FAs. Even to MiLCs. I also agree with the age thing. 28 is too old for AAA, 27 for AA, and so on down. If I guy is 24 and still in rookie or short A ball (and below 25/25, he's gone). Mind you, I am obsessional (to a borderline unhealthy degree) with my farm system. I aggressively fund scouting and development, set lineups and pitching staff for the whole organization.

06-05-2015, 11:57 PM	#2
Questdog Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: In a dark, damp cave where I'm training slugs to run the bases...... Posts: 16,142	Personally, I keep everybody I can until someone I like better kicks them out of a job. And I don't let anyone older than 26 play in AA, 24 in A, 22 in short A and 20 in Rookie ball.

06-06-2015, 03:47 AM	#5
The Yurpman Major Leagues Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 320	Basically what Questdog said. Once you're clearly too old to be in X league compared to the other players and you haven't gotten any better, you're gone. Also, if I have a surplus of players at one position I'll dump the oldest, worst ones.

06-06-2015, 09:30 AM	#6
s0ni42 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 196	I turn on "allow incomplete minors", and do an annual cleanup. I try to clear 4-5 per level each year. I am mainly looking for guys too old at at a certain level that have no potential.

06-06-2015, 09:57 AM	#7
IsaacR Major Leagues Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Bowie, Maryland Posts: 464	If a player (according to my scout) has 20/20 potential at age 23+, 20/25 at 25+, or anything below 30 at 27+, I look and see if I can let them go. Sometimes they're hitting or pitching really well and I keep them - making a note in a journal I use to keep track of the 4 or so leagues I play at a time. Their stuff, control, or power ratings may also be high, in which I also keep (usually only for those 25 and younger.) Players described as leaders or having a good work ethic also tend to stick.

06-06-2015, 10:31 AM	#8
'94 EXPOS Major Leagues Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 317	I play MLB with full minors and 35 round draft. To clean my minors in the off-season I will start with an analysis from the top down. Starting with my AAA team I will promote those worthy. Then move down to AA and A. I look at both stats and potential for promotion. Once I am done with promotions I go back through each team. I generally run with 13-14 fielders and the same for pitchers. If during the review I find there are too many players on a team I will cut the players that spent the whole season at their current level but did not produce (with some exceptions). The biggest cuts occur at A ball because that team is being fed by two Short A teams. On a side note, I was very happy a few versions ago when the game was preloaded with two Short A teams. It used to be only one and there was no way to have all of your recent draftees playing. Adding a 2nd Short A team used to feel like cheating. As the draft and the start of short season leagues approaches I perform the same analysis of my rookie teams. I give some thought to opening lots of spots for the new draft class. I have a personal rule of never cutting a first year draftee. I also promote or cut guys from the International Complex at this time (18 and 19 year olds are who I look most closely at) After the draft and after all my guys have signed (or told me to beat it) I go through the teams again and cut them down to size. I will let my rookie teams carry a few extra bodies if I am loaded at one position. Other checks I also run are to check the lineups to ensure my top prospects are slotted for their best defensive attributes. For example: if I have two SS (usually way more!) on my rookie team-----one is a low end prospect but is a wizard with the glove, he will get slotted by the AI to play SS over my high end but not as defensively gifted prospect SS. In the long term it is better for me that the high end prospect develops his D at SS so I will make the required changes. Sometimes before making mass cuts of very young players I will sort through the garbage dump that is the bottom of the Free Agent pool. Here you can compare what you are cutting to what other teams have already cut. Also, while doing this I will often find one or two guys that I end up signing and making even more cuts to my organization. Finally, before releasing a guy who is not cutting it I check his scouting report to make sure that he doesn't have some potential as a pitcher or vice versa. If they do have reasonable potential at the other position I will switch them and let them have a season or two to see if they develop that way. It doesn't work often but I have had some successes. Cheers

06-07-2015, 02:50 AM	#10
NoOne Banned Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 7,273 Infractions: 1/2 (4)	the minors have a more compact regular season schedule? so, don't be afraid to keep extras. if they have the potential to make it to AAA, i will keep them around, and that tends to cull the heard for the most part. the others fallout when they hit their potential or sooner if space is at a premium - not too often. i don't worry about age too much unless it's a bonafide everyday mlb prospect (minimum as in 45or50+/80). i want my best prospects to be sorrounded by developed players relative to that minor league level. so, if they are too old, have a low ceiling, and showing no development i don't mind if they are slightly dominating the competition. just don't make morale monsters. anyway, it helps in numerous ways to have winning minor league teams. if they cost money, have higher standards for those players, especially if you have a small market team.