Draft Date

[Sand Gnats (Matthew)]

I run a 30 team league that had a full MLB (22 rounds) and full MiLB (35 rounds) drafts. We started the draft on November 1st and we were done by mid-February, that's 57 rounds of drafting. Time is not an issue, there is no reason to start early, I was in on the planning of this league with the idea of it starting when it was scheduled to start. I've planned according to the schedule that has been set, I really see no benefit to starting early especially with all the new people to this format still trying to figure out all the rules. Yes, I do think when changing schedules for no reason other than boredom it should be a near unanimous decision.

[Deleted]

that's an interesting argument from javelinas. not sure how many FAs will just be low level spec signings (in which timing doesn't matter), but if there are a lot of MLBers... I don't mind the 15/day idea, simply because I like the simplicity of doing exactly half a draft round per day (which probably doesn't matter functionally I know), but i dunno if we run into timezone issues if we do that. we cannot start before 10am because that's already super early, 7am, on the west coast, and that would mean pushing back the last pick to 1am on the east coast which is just as unfair. Maybe we could do half hour or 45min slots or something. If I know exactly what time I'm picking ahead of time, I don't need a ton of time.

[Sand Gnats (Matthew)]

The draft usually goes more picks than the assigned picks each day. When there is a window for each team to pick, if they miss their window they are skipped. Some days will be slower than others and there will be days when we are waiting around for several hours for one person to make their pick, but for the most part if this is as active a league as it appears to be right now, time is not an issue to really worry about at all.

[Javelinas GM (Scott)]

Sand Nats, either I'm missing something or you are. As I understand it, it doesn't matter how quickly the draft goes on any given day since there will be a set schedule of exactly 12 picks a day. It would take almost full cooperation amongst all 30 owners to speed that up as all it would take is for 1 owner each day to hold to his assigned day/time to keep the draft from moving quicker. If someone drafts early it does not start the draft clock of the next player. If that player comes on and drafts at his scheduled time then we are still on the same schedule. My concern Isn't boredom it's a frenzied FA period. Perhaps we could get some clarification from Jimmy and Max on how they invision FA happening this year and how they could fit it into 4 weeks. Unless of course there is some expectation that we fill some of our available 55 slots after the season begins, in which case that's fine but it will impact, for obvious reasons, who we select in the draft to ensure we don't chance having an open scored roster spot to start the season.

[Rawhide GM (Jimmy-LM)]

I will say I think most of you are overestimating the time the draft will take. 12 picks will be the minimum, and I see know reason why we cant be done by January 1st. But either way, we do have plenty of time to get the draft done. That said, Max and I are discussing everything and will make an announcement soon.

[Deleted]

6 owners did not Vote?
Takes few seconds

[Sand Gnats (Matthew)]

Scott it is you that is missing something. As Jimmy pointed out the MINIMUM number of picks each day is 12, there will be days with many more than 12 picks if this league is as active as it appears to be. The MAXIMUM number of weeks needed for FA is 6, but it can be reduced to 2-4 weeks very easily by combining positions, like doing C and CI one week or MI and OF another.  The overall player pools to work with will not be very deep so combining shouldn't be an issue at all if needed. 


There are still some things that need to be sorted out before we draft. Like what do we do with players like Jose Abreu or the Tanaka kid from Japan? They will both will likely be unsigned when the draft begins, do we make an exception and allow either or both to be drafted? Since both are likely to end up in the US next year I would say they get an exemption and allowed to be drafted. Plus, I guarantee there are still new guys to this format who still don't have any idea what to expect with a 30 team draft.

More time to prepare can't hurt, less time to prepare can absolutely hurt. The leagues that fail are the leagues that aren't patient and rush into things. Trust me when I say I speak from experience, anyone who knows me can speak to my credentials.

[Sand Gnats (Matthew)]

There are also ways to speed up the draft if it is lingering. One way is once or twice a week (usually mid-week evening) to have a lighting round of sorts, where scheduled picks have a 10 or 15 minute window instead of a full hour. I have full confidence in Jimmy and Max with the help of the TRP to make the right calls in regards to any time constraints that may or likely may not occur. The league leaders have experience in this format and have a pretty good idea of how things will play out and there are several things that can be done if needed.

[Javelinas GM (Scott)]

Matt, I am fine with that if it is clarified ahead of time. I can only go based on the rules as I see them not on anticipating future changes. If there is a plan in place that will result in more than 12 picks a day then I just need to see it articulated as it obviously changes how quickly we plan and adjust to the draft as it unfolds.

[Sand Gnats (Matthew)]

What happens Scott is people have set time slots to pick, but teams can and will pick early if they see that they are on the clock (OTC). Also, teams will pick in the off-hours after the 12 slotted picks on most days, not all days. There will be days that fly by with a ton of picks, while others will drag on. For instance there will be days where we get 5-8 hours ahead and then have no picks for those 5-8 hours while we wait for one person to get on. Not trying to be a dick or what have you, but this isn't new to several of us, including the men at the top of the totem pole. My best guess would have us finishing the draft in early to mid January, or February the absolute latest and the only way I see us dragging into February would be if we lose a couple of GMs during the draft in which case a delay or pause may be needed. As it is nearly impossible to get 30 active knowledgeable guys to stay together from start to finish. In a league of this size there is going to be GM turnover. 

[Deleted]

I'm ready to draft.

[Deleted]

Gnats - I asked the question about Tanaka and Abreu specifically in the other thread and admins answered no unless they get signed before the draft starts:

"Internationals that do not have a MLB contract before the first pick of the draft is made will be ineligible to be drafted. We will place them in the position to be signed to a signing bonus with the other minorleaguers, since they are new to MLB baseball, but that will be held after the draft."

[Sand Gnats (Matthew)]

I know patience if a virtue often overlooked for instant gratification, people when given the option will almost always vote to start sooner, whether it be the draft, FA or trading. More time to prepare for as many variables as possible is not a bad thing. Of the 5 other people who voted to stick to the original plan, I am sure there are 1 or 2 of them that are newer guys who just need the time to get acclimated to something completely different than any fantasy baseball league they have ever done prior. I know when I first did one of these leagues it took me nearly a full year to grasp the nuances of a league this size.

[Sand Gnats (Matthew)]

Oct 17, 2013 17:31:22 GMT -5 @muspelle said:

Gnats - I asked the question about Tanaka and Abreu specifically in the other thread and admins answered no unless they get signed before the draft starts:

"Internationals that do not have a MLB contract before the first pick of the draft is made will be ineligible to be drafted. We will place them in the position to be signed to a signing bonus with the other minorleaguers, since they are new to MLB baseball, but that will be held after the draft."

That is not unexpected, but I would argue that they are a special case and not the normal international FA. Both are nearly a lock to be playing in the MLB next season as was the case with Darvish and Cespedes at the start of my league a couple of years ago. Knowing that Darvish and Cespedes were near locks to play in the states, I made an exception for them to get them into the draft pool and not leave them for the FA pool and subject to enormous FA money. I certainly think it is worth a debate as they are not your typical international FA. 

[Sand Gnats (Matthew)]

Another issue with starting the draft early is there are some GMs who have already kind of gone MIA and likely will need to be replaced prior to starting the draft. These new GMs like other new GMs to this format will need a little bit of time to get acclimated to the format. The down time between filling the league and the start of the draft is intentional and starting earlier than we had originally planned doesn't help do anything other than cure boredom or scratch that itch to get started.

[Deleted]

Oct 17, 2013 17:35:58 GMT -5 Sand Gnats (Matthew) said:

Oct 17, 2013 17:31:22 GMT -5 @muspelle said:

Gnats - I asked the question about Tanaka and Abreu specifically in the other thread and admins answered no unless they get signed before the draft starts:

"Internationals that do not have a MLB contract before the first pick of the draft is made will be ineligible to be drafted. We will place them in the position to be signed to a signing bonus with the other minorleaguers, since they are new to MLB baseball, but that will be held after the draft."

That is not unexpected, but I would argue that they are a special case and not the normal international FA. Both are nearly a lock to be playing in the MLB next season as was the case with Darvish and Cespedes at the start of my league a couple of years ago. Knowing that Darvish and Cespedes were near locks to play in the states, I made an exception for them to get them into the draft pool and not leave them for the FA pool and subject to enormous FA money. I certainly think it is worth a debate as they are not your typical international FA. 

Yeah, I could see that.  I didn't actually care either way (neither one is a top10 overall pick or anything), because if i want either guy then i can save a draft pick for him or save money for him.  I just wanted to know the answer so I could plan.  So if you want it to appeal that, that's fine too, so long as it's set in stone before the draft starts I'm good.

[Deleted]

I honestly don't think anyone is unfamiliar with the format. Roto scoring has been around since fantasy began.

They just need to get familiar with the depth and minors. If someone like me were to direct folks to the standard resources for such things (ESPN or MLB.com for depth charts, minorleagueball, Baseball America, others for MiLB content) right now, I'm sure it would help speed up that process.

[Sand Gnats (Matthew)]

It's not Roto that people are unfamiliar with, it is the depth or dearth of a 30 team league along with building of a roster with real life MLB contracts within the parameters of salary cap restrictions. 30 team, salary cap leagues are a completely different animal than any other fantasy baseball format.

[Deleted]

Pretty sure that's what I said.

[Deleted]

Jose Abreu signed a contracts with White Sox so the news should make GNATS happy