[USML Announce] Roto Rules

[JHWinick at aol.com]

In a message dated 2/24/2004 9:38:07 AM Central Standard Time, 
RERobbins at itinker.net writes:
In addition to the position scarcity point, I suggest that each of us 
consider an additional facet of the alternatives presented.  Under Kerber's proposal, 
highly touted players that are expected to be on a major league roster on 
opening day would be available in the auction (Joe Mauer, Bobby Crosby etc.).  If 
we adopt the more restrictive approach, those players would not be eligible 
for bidding and could only be acquired in the rotation draft.  How you feel 
about that may depend on where you will pick in the rotation draft.  On the other 
hand, Kerber's proposal will expose a bunch of players to the auction draft 
and people could grab a prospect who would normally only be available in the 
rotation draft.  The price for that will be a running contract though -- which 
diminishes somewhat the value of taking a player that is more than a year or so 
away.  I think I'd rather have too many players eligible for the auction 
rather than too few.

I will stand with Mark Kerber in supporting his original proposal.
I completely concur with Rich and Mark Kerber on this one.  The only other 
point I would add is that there is no disproportionate impact of expanding the 
pool of players that are available in the auction draft as everyone will have 
an equal opportunity to bid on these players.  On the other hand, if we 
restrict the pool and exclude players like Crosby and Mauer, we guarantee a 
disproportionate impact.  Why would we ever knowingly remove valuable players (and 
likely major leaguers) from the pool and establish a closed market for their 
services?  As Rich so succinctly put it - only those who look at the issue from 
naked self interest could possibly defend such an approach.

A word of caution to those who would draft prospects, though.  These players 
will only be eligible at the single position where they played the most games 
in the majors last year.  There are regular instances where a minor league 
players is called up at the end of the season and plays out of position.  Anyone 
who wants to draft a prospect must be prepared to establish the position 
eligibility of the player.  Alternatively, "pure" minor leaguers who have never 
played on a major league roster are only eligible at the position at which they 
played the most games as a minor leaguer - there is no minor league 20 game 
rule.

The bottom line is that drafting after the season starts is a better approach 
and we should try to accomplish that in the future.  But for this year I say 
we adopt the Kerber rules.

Jeff Winick
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