I've usually been an avid DD player, and whenever I've done Franchise I've picked a team, traded the whole farm to win in Year 1 then got bored, or turned money off and just bought the best players. As a Red Sox fan I thought I'd actually do it properly, and see what our GM is working with... an over-priced payroll of aging veterans, with a handful of good prospects but not much else to shout about.
I've thoroughly enjoyed playing around with front/back loading contracts to give myself some financial wiggle room, and getting guys like Eovaldi, JD Martinez and Pedroia off the roster has helped me actually go after some decent players too. Lots and lots of trading (made AJ Preller look pedestrian) has also helped, always trying to max out the 'value' I get from a trade even with mid level B or C rated players knowing I can spin them on for someone I actually want afterwards.
Now in the 2022 offseason having won the World Series in 2020 and 2022, and losing in the ALDS in 2021. Now with a 90+ potential prospect in every position behind an 85+ starter, I couldn't be happier with how the roster is shaping up. Managed to get Bellinger off the trading block (!!) from the Dodgers, albeit had to cough up Max Muncy (who I'd traded for the year before), Benintendi and a top infield prospect to do it, Eloy Jimenez in exchange for Teoscar Hernandez (90 rated at the time) and two years of Chris Sale, and then got Yelich in free agency to create a star studded team.
Have been lucky with a couple of trades I've been offered, I think. Orioles sent me Adley Rutschman for a 22 year old relief prospect, which I doubt would happen in real life given he was the first overall pick, but enjoying properly scouting players and actually trying to make sensible short and long term decisions, rather than just buying the best team and force trading Mike Trout for Jackie Bradley Jr. like I have in the past!