I've never run a progressive league before, and may need a bit of help on this idea, but I wanted to put it out there to see if there's enough interest. I am open to rules changes that improve the concept, from owners more familiar with progressives.
The idea: A 2012 Franchise Progressive
The point of this league will be to see how well owners can manage teams for the future, as opposed to picking players whose stats are already defined. Because there are fans of almost every team in WIS -- and because it's so hard to get replacement owners for a progressive once teams are thrown in the blender -- I propose that we start with real-life franchise rosters. Further, as rookies enter the league year by year, they will be the property of the real franchise who brought them up. So, the team you root for now will be the team you get to start with … at least until you start signing other free agents, and letting your own players go.
To minimize concerns about fatigue and minimum IP or PA, we'll stick to a 24-team league, with the six teams not represented providing free agents for the rest. A contraction draft before Season 1 should help even things out a bit.
We'd start with a replay of the 2011 season, based on known 2011 statistics, to establish our league and a league-based draft order for 2012. But the draft for 2012 and the free agent pool would be done in March, just BEFORE the 2012 season starts, and Season 2 actually played just after the 2012 players are available from WIS ... so you are guessing on who will perform, and who will be prone to injuries, just like every General Manager in the majors. So, what sort of team do you want? The big market clubs like the Yankees and Boston may start out with an edge, but will it hold up over time? Ultimately, your future results will depend on your wisdom in awarding contracts to your players, and on the home-grown talent produced by your franchise in years to come. You won't be able to use money to correct your deficiencies.
BASICS
Instead of a salary cap or some sort of player-purchase system, the league will employ "contracts" of various lengths to retain players, so there will be a limited amount of turnover each year. For each season, each team MUST have five players signed to 5-year contracts, five players with 4-year contracts, five with three-year contracts, and five with two-year contracts. All other players are on annual renewal.
Rosters won't be limited to 25 players … you will have 25 before the season starts, and then gain whatever rookies become available when the actual season is played out. When one of your players reaches the final year of his contract, BEFORE the start of that season, you must decide either to offer him a four-year contract extension -- putting him into the 5-year contract slot -- or to let him go into the free agent draft at the end of the season about to be played. There will be no re-signing a player during his "walk year" -- any player who isn't re-signed a season in advance will be considered ready to test the waters in free agency. You may also extend other players' contracts after the season, but only extensions to the 5-year level are allowed. You can't keep milking a guy along with a 2-year or 3-year contract forever; you have to commit to some long-term deals, and cross fingers that you made the right choices.
Instead of trying to draft rookies, we'll just make rookies the property of the franchise that brings them up to the big leagues, utilizing the pick-your-own AAA feature to add them to your club. At the end of that season, you'll need to decide how to slot their contracts into your team. Rookies who come up with any of the six teams NOT in the league, will automatically move to the free agent draft for their second season, but no one will get to use their rookie seasons. Players without a contract [because they have never had a contract, or their contract has just expired] are subject to the free agent draft before each new season, where they may be claimed by any other team.
EXPANSION DRAFT - YEAR 1
Prior to playing the 2011 season, we'll take our 2011 rosters and have a sort of contraction draft, where the players from unused franchises can be added to the teams that are playing, and players can be poached from the better teams, too.
Each team may choose to protect up to 20 players, who shall be slotted into contracts from 1 to 5 years. If you choose a 1-year contract for a player, that means he becomes a free agent before the 2012 season … but you may wish to do this, so that you have room to give longer contracts to some free agents.
The draft shall be five rounds, but the rounds will be of varying length. If you've left two roster spots open for 5-year contracts, then you'll get a supplemental pick at the end of round 1, to award another 5-year deal. If you handed out five 5-year contracts to players already in your possession, then you don't get any draft choice in the first round … you'll have to wait until round 2 [or later] before you can draft someone who's unclaimed. This is the same procedure which will be used for Free Agent drafts in subsequent seasons.
PROCEDURE - YEAR 2
So, season one will be a replay of the 2011 season, with rosters supplemented by players from the six defunct franchises, and some poaching at the bottom end of the roster. [If another club leaves someone unsigned from their 20 guaranteed contracts, then he is a free agent eligible for the contraction draft.] At the end of season one, and before 2012 spring training begins, we'll have our Free Agent draft. Real-life contract status will have no bearing on Free Agency, i.e., the Cardinals keep Albert Pujols as long as they are willing to commit to him according to our rules. [And Padres fans wish the league had started last season!] The procedure is as follows:
1) CONTRACT EXTENSIONS - Owners must decide which of their players coming to their last season under contract [or rookies, in subsequent seasons] they wish to extend a new 5-year contract. The rest of these players will still play for you in 2012, but will be free agents after Season 2. You may also extend to 5 years, a player under contract for two or three or four seasons, if you would rather do that than commit to a 5-year contract for a draft choice.
2) UNPROTECTED PLAYERS shall be listed by the league commissioner as available for the draft.
3) A DRAFT LOTTERY will be held for all non-playoff teams from the previous season, with better odds for the first picks given to teams with the worst records. [16 balls for the team with the worst record, down to one ball for the team with the best record that didn't make the playoffs.] After the first pass through Round 1, the draft order will be based strictly on won-loss record from the previous season. So, there shouldn't be much incentive for tanking, but playoff teams are almost NEVER going to get their pick of the free agents, unless they trade up for a lottery pick.
4) There will be five rounds of the draft, with each round corresponding to the length of contract owners wish to offer to a new player. If teams wish to offer five-year contracts to multiple players, and have contract slots available, they will get supplemental picks at the end of round 1, before the beginning of round 2 when four-year contracts must be offered. The draft will continue until all teams have filled out their one-year contract slots in round 5.
PRESEASON ROSTER SHUFFLING At the end of the 2012 MLB season, teams will adjust their rosters before our own 2012 season begins.
NON SIM-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS who have contracts remain an anchor around their owner's neck … that draft slot cannot be expunged except by trade. A replacement for the 25-man roster may be drawn from players in your franchise left unclaimed, but any such players shall be all be eligible for the free agent draft the next season.
ROOKIES will be additional to the 25-man roster, added using the pick-your-own AAA feature.
TRADES can be made at any time, however, the rules about contract length must always be adhered to. If you want to trade a guy with a 2-year contract for a guy with a 5-year contract, you'll have to throw in players with the opposite commitments to keep your team legal, or try to work a three-way trade.
Anyone interested in trying this??
9/10/2011 12:21 PM (edited)