[USML Announce] Serious Rule Change Proposal

Andrew R. Klein anrklein at yahoo.com
Wed Mar 28 12:17:52 EDT 2007


Partial response:

BLJ point (iii):  "Each year is different and no one can predict if or 
how many teams may dump and when they may do so.  The 'marketplace' 
should decide what teams do-- not more rules that react to a prior 
season's events."

This is definitely not a proposal that is reacting to a single year.  
It's reacting to a much longer-term change.  It is true that the market 
drives the value of minor leaguers under our current system, and that 
the market has decided that they are enormously valuable under our 
rules.  This development has removed some of the game's fun for me, 
which is why I made the proposal.

BLJ point (iv):  "The proposal just takes out another element of 
strategy that makes the game so challenging."

I suppose one could look at the way the league handles minor leaguers as 
a strategic element of the game.  But, to me, trading a 19-year old 
prospect for a $40 player in April doesn't strike me as particularly 
strategic or challenging.  On the other hand, it does take strategic 
thinking and creativity to look at categories and make trades that 
require a team to give up performance in one area in hopes of gaining 
more elsewhere (or help other teams leapfrog your competitors).  Doug's 
Mariano Rivera trade last year was a great example.  I would prefer to 
encourage more of that type of activity than Prospect-for-MLB superstar 
trades.

BLJ point (vi):  "I told Andy not to keep Garko, but no...."

Well, that's actually true and only proves that Gammons will beat me 
under any set of rules.  Thank goodness that no one has moved to 
eliminate the Dump-a-Dog rule!

-Andy



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