The 2019 SB Nation off-season simulation official thread

Ever think “hey, I could run a baseball team better than those clowns, their trades are so clowny, like a clown would run a team”? Well making trades and negotiating with ruthless agents may be a bit tougher than you think. We have a long-running annual project here where we allow fans to run a team, then try to work trades with each other and negotiate with on free agents. Over the next 48 hours, our 30 fake GMs will try their best to do better than professionals with advanced degrees, a wealth of data and scouting reports, and a team of personnel at their disposal. How hard can it be anyway?

You can take a look at last year’s project here.

Here are the ground rules:

• We rewind to the end of the regular season. The assumption is your GM has resigned and been replaced. The new GM is free to set their own organizational philosophy.
• We ditched the “budgets” this year in favor of “notes from the owners”, a few guidelines from ownership that we’ll reveal when the simulation is over.
• We’re not concerned with the 40 man roster.
• Players with no-trade clauses cannot be traded (this includes players with 10-5 rights). Players with limited no-trade clauses can be traded.
• Minor leaguers can be traded, but must be specified. No Players to be Named Later. Cash may be dealt, but the amount must be specified.
• You are free to frontload or backload contracts, although player preferences are for contracts not to be backloaded. Anything ridiculous will not be accepted. You can offer player, club, mutual, and vesting options.
• Top offer will typically be taken, although there may be exceptions if a player has a preference on where he wants to play (big market over small market; older vet may want to play for a “winner.”)
• I am not going to negotiate long-term deals for players that are not free agents.

Here is the schedule:

Sunday 5 ET - Simluations begin

Sunday 7 ET - Clubs, players must decide on contract options, opt-outs

Sunday 10 ET - Qualifying Offers must be made

Monday noon ET - Non-tenders must be made

Tuesday 5 ET - Simulation ends

Each official transaction will be marked “OFFICIAL” in the header by me and will be listed here.