Front Office

Four seasons. Two decisions a season. You are the general manager, and every choice on the board is a real mechanic out of the collective bargaining agreement — service time, Super Two, the competitive balance tax, arbitration, the draft pool, Rule 5, qualifying offers.

Most of what you decide will not show up this year. A callup in April of Year 1 arrives as a free agency filing in Year 4. You will be graded on three separate axes, and none of them is the standings alone.

Competitive record

Wins against what your market expected, and whether you pushed when the window was open.

Financial health

Tax management across four years, deferrals left behind, farm grade at handoff.

Front office grade

Whether you understood the rules you were playing with. Luck doesn't count here.