Frequently Asked Questions
1. How much money does this league cost?
There is no cost for the league. We only ask that owners be active and involved in the league. If you choose that you no longer want to be a part of The Franchise League, please just inform us so that we can find a replacement for your team.
There are costs associated with the website and the Strat-O-Matic game disks. If you enjoy the league and would like to make a small donation to help cover those costs, feel free to do so. However, there is no absolutely no obligation on your part to do so. Also, we have placed some ads on the site to help with some of the costs. We will keep the ads to a minimum and place them in areas that they are not a nuisance.
2. Do I have to buy Start-O-Matic?
Nope. Strat-O-Matic is a fun game and you are more than welcome to purchase the game if you wish, but you do not need the game to be a good owner in The Franchise League. You only need to be knowledgeable of baseball and communicate well with the league office.
3. Once we go live, what happens to the unsigned free agents?
We won’t go live until we have 30 owners who appear to be active and involved. At this time, I’m considering that an Owner Profile, posted on the Owners page.
Once we go live, nothing that happens in MLB really matters any longer. Teams will assume those rosters at that point and begin building their own team, in their own way. Any unsigned free agents can be signed by any team under the salary cap. See the Constitution for an explanation of how to sign free agents.
4. Are contracts broken down evenly by year?
Any FLB contracts will be broken down evenly. Most MLB contracts escalate as they mature. Those contracts will remain in the current status that they are. Any contract offered from FLB, will be broken down evenly.
5. Can I release a player and be relieved of his payroll?
All contracts are guaranteed contracts. Any player who is on a long term contract, must still be paid if they are released. Any player, under 6 seasons of service time, can be released with no repercussion only during the offseason. Once the season begins, teams are responsible for all contracts.
Example: The San Francisco Giants could release Barry Zito, but they would still be responsible for his contract. If the Giants released Andres Torres, during the offseason, they would be relieved of his salary because he is not on a long term contract and he has less than six seasons of service time.
6. Can I sign a retiring player?
Any player who has stats from 2010, can be signed for the upcoming season. If Andy Pettitte or Trevor Hoffman elect to retire, you may still sign them and use them for the upcoming season. Same rules for signing free agents apply. If they retire, clearly they will be out of the league after the following season. If you were so crazy as to offer a two year deal, your team would be responsible to pay that salary for the extra season, thus it would only make sense to offer a one year contract.
7. How can a player be used?
Players will roughly be able to be used the same amount they were used the season before. All computer simulations will be based on 2010 statistics. If a player only 25 at bats in 2010, you should not expect to get 250 at bats out of that player. The computer will always bench them or have them injured. Same applies to players who had 250 at bats, don’t expect to use them as a full time player and give them 500 at bats. Same idea applies to pitchers. If you have a player who was part time, or worked in the bullpen last year, you should not count on them for 30 starts and 200 innings.
8. How do prospects develop?
Again, prospects develop at the rate that they do in real life. If they only receive 100 at bats in a season, that is approximately what you can expect from them. I understand you may want to give a player more playing time, but consider that as one of your challenges. To be honest, that’s why they call them prospects—they have potential, but they don’t always meet that potential.
9. Can I change a player’s position?
All position players are eligible at ANY position they played in 2010. Keep in mind, if they only played there sparingly, or they were played out of position once, they will struggle at that position defensively. Players who played multiple positions are eligible at all of them. Players can have their roles changed, assuming it doesn’t greatly wreck their usage (ie, changing where a player hits in the batting order, or changing bullpen roles, etc.)
1. How much money does this league cost?
There is no cost for the league. We only ask that owners be active and involved in the league. If you choose that you no longer want to be a part of The Franchise League, please just inform us so that we can find a replacement for your team.
There are costs associated with the website and the Strat-O-Matic game disks. If you enjoy the league and would like to make a small donation to help cover those costs, feel free to do so. However, there is no absolutely no obligation on your part to do so. Also, we have placed some ads on the site to help with some of the costs. We will keep the ads to a minimum and place them in areas that they are not a nuisance.
2. Do I have to buy Start-O-Matic?
Nope. Strat-O-Matic is a fun game and you are more than welcome to purchase the game if you wish, but you do not need the game to be a good owner in The Franchise League. You only need to be knowledgeable of baseball and communicate well with the league office.
3. Once we go live, what happens to the unsigned free agents?
We won’t go live until we have 30 owners who appear to be active and involved. At this time, I’m considering that an Owner Profile, posted on the Owners page.
Once we go live, nothing that happens in MLB really matters any longer. Teams will assume those rosters at that point and begin building their own team, in their own way. Any unsigned free agents can be signed by any team under the salary cap. See the Constitution for an explanation of how to sign free agents.
4. Are contracts broken down evenly by year?
Any FLB contracts will be broken down evenly. Most MLB contracts escalate as they mature. Those contracts will remain in the current status that they are. Any contract offered from FLB, will be broken down evenly.
5. Can I release a player and be relieved of his payroll?
All contracts are guaranteed contracts. Any player who is on a long term contract, must still be paid if they are released. Any player, under 6 seasons of service time, can be released with no repercussion only during the offseason. Once the season begins, teams are responsible for all contracts.
Example: The San Francisco Giants could release Barry Zito, but they would still be responsible for his contract. If the Giants released Andres Torres, during the offseason, they would be relieved of his salary because he is not on a long term contract and he has less than six seasons of service time.
6. Can I sign a retiring player?
Any player who has stats from 2010, can be signed for the upcoming season. If Andy Pettitte or Trevor Hoffman elect to retire, you may still sign them and use them for the upcoming season. Same rules for signing free agents apply. If they retire, clearly they will be out of the league after the following season. If you were so crazy as to offer a two year deal, your team would be responsible to pay that salary for the extra season, thus it would only make sense to offer a one year contract.
7. How can a player be used?
Players will roughly be able to be used the same amount they were used the season before. All computer simulations will be based on 2010 statistics. If a player only 25 at bats in 2010, you should not expect to get 250 at bats out of that player. The computer will always bench them or have them injured. Same applies to players who had 250 at bats, don’t expect to use them as a full time player and give them 500 at bats. Same idea applies to pitchers. If you have a player who was part time, or worked in the bullpen last year, you should not count on them for 30 starts and 200 innings.
8. How do prospects develop?
Again, prospects develop at the rate that they do in real life. If they only receive 100 at bats in a season, that is approximately what you can expect from them. I understand you may want to give a player more playing time, but consider that as one of your challenges. To be honest, that’s why they call them prospects—they have potential, but they don’t always meet that potential.
9. Can I change a player’s position?
All position players are eligible at ANY position they played in 2010. Keep in mind, if they only played there sparingly, or they were played out of position once, they will struggle at that position defensively. Players who played multiple positions are eligible at all of them. Players can have their roles changed, assuming it doesn’t greatly wreck their usage (ie, changing where a player hits in the batting order, or changing bullpen roles, etc.)
