[USML Announce] Two Rule Proposals

Richard Robbins rerobbins at itinker.net
Tue Jan 22 14:30:38 EST 2008


I'm not sure what would have happened last year if we had a super-majority
requirement in place.  A minority would, in effect, have veto rights.  I
suspect that where we came out last year was, to a large degree,
attributable to a number of the DUMP types willing to accept weaker medicine
as an alternative to a stronger (and more controversial) rule that was
likely to have passed with a slender majority.  Moreover, the timing of last
year's proposal was really poor, which meant that some of us voted for a
rule change just to end the dispute.  If we had a super-majority requirement
last year I'm not certain we would have done anything at all.
 
Our league has not been marked by wild rule changes.  I don't think we've
suffered at all with the majority vote regime.  I see no reason to change
this particular rule now.  Beware unintended consequences.
 
I'll comment more on the NL proposal stuff later.
 
-- Rich
 
  _____  

From: announce-bounces at usml.net [mailto:announce-bounces at usml.net] On Behalf
Of springkerb at aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 2:19 PM
To: announce at usml.net
Subject: Re: [USML Announce] Two Rule Proposals


I might support a super-majority requirement.  I think are rules are pretty
good right now--notwithstanding the majority's strange unwillingness to
embrace the side of truthfulness and light on the issue of NL stats.

Mark
-----Original Message-----
From: jhwinick at aol.com
To: announce at usml.net
Sent: Tue, 22 Jan 2008 10:42 am
Subject: Re: [USML Announce] Two Rule Proposals


Mark,
 
To be fair, I didn't propose a "requirement" of a super-majority for Rich's
proposal.  I merely suggested that it would be a good idea if people
considered the wisdom of making rules changes in the absence of consensus.
You are correct that the constitution only requires a simple majority, hence
my suggestion that we think twice before we push this issue.  I AM going to
propose a requirement of a super-majority for future changes to the
constitution, but, of course, even if successful, that wouldn't apply
retroactively.  And, ironically enough, that change to the constitution
would officially only require a majority vote.
 
My appeal was not directed to a technical reading of the rules and voting
requirements.  It was a request that people consider the consequences of
changing rules in the absence of a semblence of league consensus.
 
As for the pro-rated stats proposal, I don't think its any sillier than
allowing teams to accrue stats from players that switch leagues, but thats
just my opinion.
 
Jeff


-----Original Message-----
From: springkerb at aol.com
To: announce at usml.net
Sent: Tue, 22 Jan 2008 10:29 am
Subject: Re: [USML Announce] Two Rule Proposals


Regarding Winick's proposed requirement of a super majority for this rule
change, that isn't the way the constitution is currently written.  If Jeff
thinks it should be, then he needs to propose a rule change to that effect.
 
Also, the pro-rated stats proposal is sufficiently silly that I'm assuming
it was offered up only for rhetorical purposes and therefore will not
respond to it further.
 
Mark


-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Robbins <RERobbins at iTinker.net>
To: USML Announcements <announce at usml.net>
Sent: Tue, 22 Jan 2008 9:11 am
Subject: Re: [USML Announce] Two Rule Proposals


I understand where you are coming from Jeff.  However, I have a different 

perspective on the bulk of what you're saying.  I'll respond more completely


when time permits and I can check a few facts.



I'm glad that we have the luxury of time for a thoughtful discussion.
That's 

why I believe this is the time for rules proposals and not the eve of the
draft.



Mark Blocker suggested that proposals be circulated before the end of the
month.  

I hope others will stick to that timetable.  Moreover, if you circulate a 

proposal, please suggest the necessary text to implement it.



-- Rich

-----Original Message-----

From: jhwinick at aol.com



Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2008 09:21:40 

To:announce at usml.net

Subject: Re: [USML Announce] Two Rule Proposals





Rich,

 

 I'm not sure I agree that the league acknowledges a "fundamental"
difference.  

Rather, the league arrived at a compromise that provides limited
compensation to 

those who lose a player to the other league.  We stay within the market
system 

established by the draft and free agent bidding, but give the suffering team
a 

little extra FAAB money.  But, even that compensation was recently scaled
back 

so that there is only minimal compensation for reserve round players traded
out 

of the league ($5).  We did that for the very reason that I oppose your
proposal 

- we didn't want teams to get a windfall from a player being traded out of
the 

league.

 

 Turning serious for a moment - the bottom line for me is this - if we can't


reach something approaching a consensus (i.e. 2/3's), we shouldn't change
the 

rules.  It seems to me that if a rules proposal is going to leave nearly
half of 

the league disappointed, its not a change worth making.  And that's true for


every rules proposal - not merely this one.  Last year in the face of 

controversy regarding a proposal to change the rules concerning the trading
of 

minor leaguers, the league arrived at a compromise that, I believe, was 

unanimously adopted.  I thought that was a success and its the way we should


change the rules when we change them.

 

 This proposal is controversial and will either pass or fail in a very close


vote.  That's the way its been for years.  I believe that our current rules 

reflect a compromise position, but I'd be willing to consider alternatives.


Admittedly I don't know what those might be, but I trust Rich to come up
with 

something.

 

 But let's not mess with success.  For the same reasons discussed in this 

message, if the vote on trading FAAB dollars is close, I think we should
leave 

that issue alone as well and I will change my vote to No.

 

 Jeff

 -----Original Message-----

 From: Richard E. Robbins <RERobbins at iTinker.net>

 To: 'USML Announcements' <announce at usml.net>

 Sent: Tue, 22 Jan 2008 5:23 am

 Subject: RE: [USML Announce] Two Rule Proposals

 

 

 

We already recognize that there is something fundamentally different about
being 

traded out of the league and suffering an injury, suspension etc.  That's
why we 

compensate the USML owner by adding back FAAB.  To my mind the only question
is 

whether the compensation is adequate and whether there is a suitable 

alternative.  I think that our current system does not adequately compensate
the 

owner of a player who is traded out of the league and that this proposed
rule 

change offers a superior alternative.  If a player suffers an injury, both
the 

major league team and the USML team suffer without compensation.  If a
player is 

traded out of the AL, the major league team gets whatever they negotiated in


trade, the USML team gets a few FAAB dollars.  

  

This has been a close call in the past -- I think the last time we voted our


then ten owner league split down the middle on the issue. 

  

Thanks for your consideration. 

  

-- Rich 

 

 

----------------

 From: announce-bounces at usml.net <mailto:announce-bounces at usml.net
<mailto:announce-bounces at usml.net?> >  

[mailto:announce-bounces at usml.net <mailto:announce-bounces at usml.net?>
<mailto:announce-bounces at usml.net <mailto:announce-bounces at usml.net?> ?> ]
On 

Behalf Of jhwinick at aol.com <mailto:jhwinick at aol.com
<mailto:jhwinick at aol.com?> > 

 Sent: Monday, January 21, 2008 10:05 PM

 To: announce at usml.net <mailto:announce at usml.net <mailto:announce at usml.net?>
> 

 Subject: Re: [USML Announce] Two Rule Proposals

 

 

 I vote yes to trading FAAB and no to NL stats.  

 

 But if the NL stats proposal passes and stats for players traded to the NL
are 

going to count, I'd like to add the following proposal:

 

 If a player on a team is incapacitated either because of injury, steroids, 

suspension or any other reason far less predictable than being traded to the
NL, 

then that player should continue to accrue pro-rated stats until he returns 

to active major league status.  The pro-rated stats will be calculated by
taking 

that player's stats for the season to date divided by the number of games
played 

by that player to date.  The USML team may continue to accrue stats for that


player on that basis until he returns to active major league status.

 

 Guys....the most predictable of all of the "bad" things that can happen to
a 

player is that player being traded out of the league.  For example, all of 

Oakland's veterans, many of Baltimore's veterans, Paul Konerko, etc. are the


continued subject matter of trade rumors.  They are therefore a bit higher
risk 

than other players.  I have no doubt but that that will be factored into
their 

price.  If they get traded out of the league, the last thing we ought to be 

doing is not only eliminating the consequences of having taken that risk,
but 

adding the lottery factor of a potential bonus associated with the player 

getting traded to a better NL team.  We don't compensate teams that suffer 

injuries.  We don't compensate teams whose players get suspended.  Why would
we 

compensate teams whose players are traded out of the league?  

 

 Should we be changing the rules to safeguard the values of Eric Bedard,
Brian 

Roberts, Paul Konerko and others?  We've certainly never done anything like
that 

in the past and I hope we don't deviate now.  But if we do, I say we
maintain 

philosophic consistency and eliminate as much risk as possible associated
with 

drafting a player:  injuries, suspension and being traded out of the league.
No 

sense merely going half way.

 

 Jeff Winick

 

 Original Message-----

 From: rickgam at comcast.net <mailto:rickgam at comcast.net
<mailto:rickgam at comcast.net?> > 

 To: USML Announcements <announce at usml.net <mailto:announce at usml.net
<mailto:announce at usml.net?> > >

 Sent: Mon, 21 Jan 2008 9:28 pm

 Subject: Re: [USML Announce] Two Rule Proposals

 

 

Greetings; I hereby respectively cast my annual "no" vote for both
proposals. 

Rick -------------- Original message ---------------------- From: 

springkerb at aol.com <mailto:springkerb at aol.com <mailto:springkerb at aol.com?> >
> I think it would be very hard 

to craft a rule that would accomplish that purpose > without skewing the
exiting 

rules. > > > > Mark > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Richard Robbins


<RERobbins at iTinker.net <mailto:RERobbins at iTinker.net
<mailto:RERobbins at iTinker.net?> > > > To: USML Announcements 

<announce at usml.net <mailto:announce at usml.net <mailto:announce at usml.net?> > >
> Sent: Mon, 21 Jan 2008 6:31 pm 

> Subject: Re: [USML Announce] Two Rule Proposals > > > > > > > > > That's a


really interesting idea Jim. I'm very curious about what people think >
about 

that possibility. I'm not sure how I feel about it. My initial thought > is
that 

we should not allow transferred FAAB to balance an otherwise imbalanced >
trade. 

I say that just to be conservative. I offered the proposal merely > because
I 

thought it was interesting and because it might add a fun element to > the
game. 

If it could be used to diminish the force of our existing rules re >
imbalanced 

trades that might be too much. It's an intriguing thought though. > 

-----Original Message----- > From: Jim Barrett <chicagojab at yahoo.com 

<mailto:chicagojab at yahoo.com <mailto:chicagojab at yahoo.com?> > > > > Date:
Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:51:12 > To:USML 

Announcements <announce at usml.net <mailto:announce at usml.net
<mailto:announce at usml.net?> > > > Subject: Re: 

[USML Announce] Two Rule Proposals > > > I'm in favor of the FAAB fund
trading 

but have a question - should/can FAAB > funds be used to help balance
trades? > 

> I'm opposed to the NL stats proposal. > > > "Richard E. Robbins" 

<RERobbins at iTinker.net <mailto:RERobbins at iTinker.net
<mailto:RERobbins at iTinker.net?> > > wrote: > I've got two 

rule proposals. I'll leave it to Packer Fan Mark to call for a > vote at the


appropriate time. > The first is that we permit FAAB funds to be traded
(which 

I'm proposing on a > whim) and the second is to count in-season statistics
of 

players traded to the > NL. > Here is the text to implement each. > Proposal
- 

Permit Trading of FAAB Funds > Proposed Revised Section 12.6 > Trades may 

include FAAB funds (as defined in Section 14.2). Trades involving > FAAB
funds 

shall be reported and become effective in accordance with Section > 11.3. No


trade may be made for players to be named later, Auction funds, > Rotation
Draft 

positions or picks or future considerations of any kind. > Proposal - Count 

Statistics of Players Traded to the National League > In order to implement
this 

proposal, we would delete Section 14.6 and the > references to Section 14.6 

found in Section 15.5 and 16.5. > We would add the following text as a new 

Section or perhaps a stand-alone > Article: > The statistics of a player who
is 

on the Active Roster or the Reserve Roster of > any League team and who is 

traded to the National League during the course of a > season will be
included 

in calculating the cumulative statistics of the League > team that owns that


player as if he remained in the American League. The > player > can be 

activated, reserved, waived or traded by his League team, on the same >
basis as 

if he remained in the American League, except that if he is waived he > may
not 

be claimed on waivers. This Section shall not limit the application of >
Section 

17.1. >_______________________________________________ > announce mailing
list > 

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Attached Message 

 From: springkerb at aol.com <mailto:springkerb at aol.com
<mailto:springkerb at aol.com?> > 

 To: announce at usml.net <mailto:announce at usml.net <mailto:announce at usml.net?>
> 

 Subject: Re: [USML Announce] Two Rule Proposals 

 Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2008 01:26:37 +0000 

I think it would be very hard to craft a rule that would accomplish that
purpose 

without skewing the exiting rules. 



 

Mark

 

 

 -----Original Message-----

 From: Richard Robbins <RERobbins at iTinker.net <mailto:RERobbins at iTinker.net
<mailto:RERobbins at iTinker.net?> > >

 To: USML Announcements <announce at usml.net <mailto:announce at usml.net
<mailto:announce at usml.net?> > >

 Sent: Mon, 21 Jan 2008 6:31 pm

 Subject: Re: [USML Announce] Two Rule Proposals

 

 

That's a really interesting idea Jim. I'm very curious about what people
think 

about that possibility. I'm not sure how I feel about it. My initial thought
is 

that we should not allow transferred FAAB to balance an otherwise imbalanced


trade. I say that just to be conservative. I offered the proposal merely
because 

I thought it was interesting and because it might add a fun element to the
game. 

If it could be used to diminish the force of our existing rules re
imbalanced 

trades that might be too much. It's an intriguing thought though.
-----Original 

Message----- From: Jim Barrett <chicagojab at yahoo.com
<mailto:chicagojab at yahoo.com <mailto:chicagojab at yahoo.com?> > 

> Date: Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:51:12 To:USML Announcements <announce at usml.net 

<mailto:announce at usml.net <mailto:announce at usml.net?> > > Subject: Re: [USML
Announce] Two Rule Proposals I'm 

in favor of the FAAB fund trading but have a question - should/can FAAB
funds be 

used to help balance trades?   I'm opposed to the NL stats proposal.
"Richard E. 

Robbins" <RERobbins at iTinker.net <mailto:RERobbins at iTinker.net
<mailto:RERobbins at iTinker.net?> > > wrote: I've got 

two rule proposals.  I'll leave it to Packer Fan Mark to call for a vote at
the 

appropriate time. The first is that we permit FAAB funds to be traded (which
I'm 

proposing on a whim) and the second is to count in-season statistics of
players 

traded to the NL. Here is the text to implement each. Proposal - Permit
Trading 

of FAAB Funds Proposed Revised Section 12.6 Trades may include FAAB funds
(as 

defined in Section 14.2).  Trades involving FAAB funds shall be reported and


become effective in accordance with Section 11.3.  No trade may be made for 

players to be named later, Auction funds, Rotation Draft positions or picks
or 

future considerations of any kind. Proposal - Count Statistics of Players
Traded 

to the National League In order to implement this proposal, we would delete 

Section 14.6 and the references to Section 14.6 found in Section 15.5 and
16.5. 

We would add the following text as a new Section or perhaps a stand-alone 

Article: The statistics of a player who is on the Active Roster or the
Reserve 

Roster of any League team and who is traded to the National League during
the 

course of a season will be included in calculating the cumulative statistics
of 

the League team that owns that player as if he remained in the American
League.  

The player can be activated, reserved, waived or traded by his League team,
on 

the same basis as if he remained in the American League, except that if he
is 

waived he may not be claimed on waivers.  This Section shall not limit the 

application of Section 17.1. _______________________________________________


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