2018-2019 Offseason Rule Proposal #1

[Drew (Chicago Blue Jays)]

We have had several discussions over the last 2 years about the problem of the Franchise Tag. Scott and Brent have adopted the following as the Franchise Tag Rule for DD5 and we are proposing to use the same for our league.

A player may only be Franchised once. Said player may be retained for 1 to 5 additional years. If that player, on his expiring contract, had an AAS (Average Annual Salary) of less than $15M/year, then the Franchise tag will be at $15M/year. If a player had an AAS of $15M or greater, then the Franchise Tag will be at an amount of 120% of that AAS. For example, if Mike Trout is an impending free agent whose expiring contract was at an AAS of $30M, then the Franchise Tag would have to be at an AAS of 120% of $30M, or $36M

[Deleted]

It looks like this is going to pass, but why, if the players signs a real life contract would you want to have the tag at 120% or that value? One advantage of the tag is to get a discount in those types of guys.

[Drew (Chicago Blue Jays)]

New Franchise rule passes and will take place immediately. TJ, with as far as we are into the league, there are very few real life contracts left (and those guys are so old they are unlikely to be Franchised). Most of these would be guys who signed Diamond Duos contracts.

[Scott (Boston Padres)]

The point of the rule, and this goes back to an argument I had with a former friend/league member, is that the Franchise Tag was not meant to be a discount. It was initially designed as a fair way to retain a very good free agent player. Having someone come off a 1 or 2 year deal at $30M+ AAS (as an example) only to be able to be tagged and kept for $15M is not fair for the health of the league.