Robin19 released [reply 251: New contract - a must read]

[davego]

Just turned 41. Use to have a top-shelf fastball and could really drop the hammer...Now I've reverted to the knuckleball and a straight-change. Can still log innings and get out of the jams; just doesn't look as impressive as it use to.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

It is now official. TWR has signed a 1 year minor league contract with an organization. Before this I was in the Rookie League trying to work on the best way to score runs as a hitter. I consider myself a leadoff hitter type. I have good speed and can get on base and I will probably lead the league in runs scored. I will be reporting to her A ball team effective August 1st. If I can produce and the organization is a good fit a promotion will be discussed. If you want to follow my statistics, I will send you the link to the TWRfan.net Daily Link Report.

[thablingster]

Congrats on the promotion, Rillo. Keep it simple and do everything the team asks of you and you should move up the depth chart in no time. I hear keeping the ballpark clean earns you brownie points with the GM as then they don't have to do it themselves. Don't leave your shinguard and elbow pads lying around in the locker room.

[AmyintheSouth]

I need help from the gentlemen.... when you're working with a GM, how soon is too soon to bring up contract negotiations in the process? I've known this GM (funny, in my league they're all dudes....) for about a year. When we met, he was impressed with my skill set and could tell I could be a 5-tool player, but informed me I would be blocked at my position in his organization by a franchise player he was at the lifetime contract or release stage with. We did stay in touch and the player ended up requesting her release not terribly long ago. I've had a few very successful starts with the team over the past month and while I'm not in a hurry to sign a long term deal, I'm concerned about being on the same page as the GM. I know you have to be careful when following a franchise player and I am okay with the contract negotiations moving slowly. Eventually, though, I'll need to know if this is just a stop-gap solution, but there's not any immediate pressure and I don't want to scare the GM by asking too much too soon.

[DHonks]

Got a question for all those GM-less fellas. I've probably been told roughly 20-30 times that a friend's wife or GM had found a potential opportunity for me to play for another GM. Yet in EVERY case they fell through before I actually met the person, often because the other wasn't interested, wanted to chase a troubled player, or even because I was too good of a person to play for said franchise. How many other brewerfan.net star players suffer from this same issue? It's weird, I'm 26 and know little about dating (only had one GM ever). If I were a car, I'd be considered in mint condition, but as a "player", I'm largely looked past

[DatHoser]

AIS - I"m going on memory as I've been in the majors for over 15 years. I was a draft-and-follow before going into college, but was released in AAA. After that, I had 2 gm's immediately inquire. One was distracted by stadium improvements while the other immediately signed me to rookie ball - quite the demotion. Although I worked up to A ball in no time the team wasn't the greatest. Meanwhile, a third gm came in with a much nicer team and I opted out of the single A contract. I'm still in the majors with gm #3, but still wish gm #1 had kept closer contact so I could've had another contract option. The time span between release and signing with gm #3 was only a half year, so YMMV. But, at least keep in touch and trust your judgment as to when the right time is.

 

EDIT: I forgot to add that GM #1 did contact me again, but after I was already promoted to AA with GM #3.

[thablingster]

Got a question for all those GM-less fellas. I've probably been told roughly 20-30 times that a friend's wife or GM had found a potential opportunity for me to play for another GM. Yet in EVERY case they fell through before I actually met the person, often because the other wasn't interested, wanted to chase a troubled player, or even because I was too good of a person to play for said franchise. How many other brewerfan.net star players suffer from this same issue? It's weird, I'm 26 and know little about dating (only had one GM ever).

I know what you mean. A lot of GM's see me more as a coach or mentor type instead of a player. They'll even go as far as saying that whatever team signs me will be getting a great player, although they never come close to offering me a contract even if I inquire. That sucks for me, because they always end up with some no-talent hack who gets DFA'ed by mid-season while I continue to sit on the bench and wait for my turn at bat.

I've played for a couple organizations, and had a few other brief cups of coffee. I guess the main thing is you can't lose hope or become apathetic about your dreams to make it to the majors or it may never happen. The burden of hitting the mid to late 20's hits hard. I feel like every day I am wasting my prime and I'll eventually end up being that 30 year old guy in rookie ball everyone laughs at.

[jason21nl]

I have played for 5 different organizations and I wanted to retire with the last one I was with. However I was released because they wanted to go in a different direction. Now I'm in the same boat as a lot of other players, looking for a new organization, but having trouble finding one. I'm still holding out hope that I'll get a second go around with the team, like Branyan and Counsell got.

[DHonks]

I know what you mean. A lot of GM's see me more as a coach or mentor type instead of a player. They'll even go as far as saying that whatever team signs me will be getting a great player, although they never come close to offering me a contract even if I inquire. That sucks for me, because they always end up with some no-talent hack who gets DFA'ed by mid-season while I continue to sit on the bench and wait for my turn at bat.

 

thablingster,

that was exactly my situation. I heard so many times, "you're an amazing player that many organizations would love to have....just not my organization." Then they'd sign some fool and it'd leave me in Independent Leagues and scratching my head.

[Ralph Wiggum]

The majority of GMs out there are equivalent to Sal Bando or Chris Wallace. They are good people, but are horrible at making personnel decisions, many of which end up coming back to bite them. I've talked with numerous GMs who have let Hall of Fame-calibur players walk in free agency because of a stupid reason like "they're only a DH," only to look back longingly 12 months later when they are starting players like Kevin Reimer and Derrick May at DH, while the future Hall of Fame player they let go is starring in the World Series.

 

The moral of the story: 99.9% of GMs out there are certifiably nuts, and are always looking for that big "Josh Hamilton"-type risky signing, with the hopes of turning a troubled former 5-tool prospect into a superstar. However, the fact remains, signing Mark Loretta isn't going to make a big splash. It may not even make page 1 of the sports section. But at the end of the day, Mark Loretta is going to be a better bet to make an impact in an organization than the Josh Hamiltons of the world. Yes, there are a few, such as Hamilton himself, who make it back and become stars. However, for every Josh Hamilton, there are 10 Brien Taylors.

 

As for me, after some free agency visits through my teen and early 20s, I hooked on with an organization. After four years of "year-to-year" contracts at the AAA level, I signed a lifetime deal in 2005. I would like to say that my GM is in that .1% of GMs out there that aren't certifyably nuts, but that wouldn't be true. My GM is just as insane as the rest of them. We make it work, though.

[GAME05]

The burden of hitting the mid to late 20's hits hard. I feel like every day I am wasting my prime and I'll eventually end up being that 30 year old guy in rookie ball everyone laughs at.

I'm 31 years old and now I'm depressed.

 

though i don't think there's really a "prime" time for a player, only a dwindling GM pool. I spent most of my 20s as clueless as Branyan being given the bunt sign, and have only recently found my power stroke, so I know I'm a far better player now than I was in my 20s.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

I need help from the gentlemen.... when you're working with a GM, how soon is too soon to bring up contract negotiations in the process? I've known this GM (funny, in my league they're all dudes....) for about a year. When we met, he was impressed with my skill set and could tell I could be a 5-tool player, but informed me I would be blocked at my position in his organization by a franchise player he was at the lifetime contract or release stage with. We did stay in touch and the player ended up requesting her release not terribly long ago. I've had a few very successful starts with the team over the past month and while I'm not in a hurry to sign a long term deal, I'm concerned about being on the same page as the GM. I know you have to be careful when following a franchise player and I am okay with the contract negotiations moving slowly. Eventually, though, I'll need to know if this is just a stop-gap solution, but there's not any immediate pressure and I don't want to scare the GM by asking too much too soon.

I would make sure that you take your time in the negotiations and make sure you work him out daily to make sure he has what it takes to be an everyday player. Sometimes players show a lot at first, but then they wear down by the time September comes around. If this guy is a 5 tool player, I'd really look into signing him into your organization. What are his projections? Could he hit 50 home runs in a year with 50 doubles? That would be hall of fame quality.

[ewizabeff]

Ewizabeff is continuing talks with the NYC prospect, although the state of the economy has prevented either player or GM from traveling for any additional work outs. Although serious contract negotiations seems stalled until another workout can be scheduled, the two have continued to talk on a daily basis.

 

The player is celebrating a birthday in about a week, and Ewizabeff is slightly nervous about how to acknowledge the occasion. Any advice from players/GMs who have had to acknowledge a birthday early on in contract negotiations?

[GAME05]

my thought is that if you've only entered talks about signing this player then you certainly don't have to do anything big. plus guys i don't think put too much into gifts as GMs do, that anything that would say "i've been thinking about you" would do the trick.

 

granted, i'm just a simple caveman.

[ewizabeff]

The NYC prospect has made it clear that there will be no contract signed with a midwestern organization. This would have been good information to know before scouting began. Ewizabeff will keep her eyes peeled for other prospects, although she is disappointed that she spent so much time scouting this one. As the waiver-trade-deadline nears, it seems unlikely that a player will be added to the organization in time for the post season.

[thablingster]

That's too bad, ewiz. Those type of contract negotiations are tough to pull off. Sometimes it is difficult when you find those prospects who don't really know who they want to sign with so they just go with your interest and eventually decide they don't want to sign with you, the lost time is frustrating.

 

However, that knowledge puts you in a better position to put forth maximum scouting effort to find quality players via free agency.

 

A potential GM joined a confidant and I at the Brewers game today. The confidant seemed to approve of the team, but we both were unsure of the team's true interest in offering a contract.

[GAME05]

yeah! I missed this thread. All the best, Beff. You're out there making an effort, and that's all you can do.

[davego]

What's the fine for being under two contracts at the same time?

[DatHoser]

While obviously illegal at the major league level, it depends on the language in the contract at the minor league level. I dug up some old contracts of mine and found two different examples.

 

". . . and if said player is found to have a valid signed contract with another team, ownership will have the right to sign additional player(s) as desired. The aforementioned player's contract may also be terminated if said player is signed to a higher level with the other team(s)."

 

"A player who signs or is currently signed with another team will have his contract deemed null and void, with all rights and privileges forfeit. Player may also be subject to verbal penalties if deemed necessary by ownership."

 

I had a lousy agent.

[JumpinMacFlash]

What's the fine for being under two contracts at the same time?

 

That sounds like a pretty big fine already... http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[DHonks]

ewizabeff,

 

best of luck. Always nice to have some ladies posting on this site. There need to be more of them. What we really need is a dating site put together by Brian to get Brewers fan guys together with ladies that actually dig this game. It was rough on me with my ex GM, and I know is a point of contention with many female-run organizations.

[ewizabeff]

DHonks,

 

It's kind of interesting actually....whenever I date die hard baseball fans the breakups are actually more awkward. They guys dig the sports-based relationship so much they think they can just take the romantic piece out and continue from there. Generally, it doesn't work that way.

[DHonks]

DHonks,

 

It's kind of interesting actually....whenever I date die hard baseball fans the breakups are actually more awkward. They guys dig the sports-based relationship so much they think they can just take the romantic piece out and continue from there. Generally, it doesn't work that way.

That's interesting. I had the interesting relationship where she started out as a Pats/BoSox fan, but over time I found that she was torn on the inside between sports fanhood and being anti-sports. So it was okay to watch sports when it was something she was interested in, but when she wasn't it meant that I couldn't watch something. While I bought flowers at least once a month and took her out for decent dinners, it seemed like all she wanted was to plop down on the couch and watch things like bad sitcoms. After talking about it with a co-worker who recently broke up with her boyfriend (he didn't like sports), we sort of wish we could have gone back a year. We both agreed that while we were dating our significant others, we should have gotten together one night a week for a sports night, since our significant others weren't into sports very much. We both think our relationships might have been healthier had we hung out once in a while.

 

I've never dated a huge sports fan, but always thought it would have been neat to have someone that enjoyed going to a ballgame or wasn't bored out of her mind when I talked sports with a friend. So it's really interesting to hear the female perspective. I know my dad and his investment buddy in Milwaukee always wanted to hook me up with his daughter, and she was a huge sports fan that would take her dad to Brewers games for his bday, so perhaps those relationships sound better on paper than in reality.

[lcbj68c]

My SO is a Patriots and a Brewers fan, but she'll watch games by herself instead of a sitcom when she is at home by herself. She plays fantasy sports and attends all my softball games and used to play co-ed softball as well. She suddenly wants to take up golf. Looks good on paper and reality.

[GAME05]

thought i'd resurrect this.

 

guess just looking for advice. as a FA, once I get the tryout, I like to think I do pretty well. I have home-run power (i'm funny) and have learned the valuable art of silence during negotiations. However, my weakest skill is getting just the first conversation with the GM in the first place. Those with that particular skill set, how do you do it?

 

I go to grad school an hour away, and I think i'll join some clubs or co-ed sports despite the drive/cost. Also there's a church singles group I'll go back to. With no 9-5 job, I do have the advantage of being able to hang out somewhere in the daytime.