DRAFTS ARE FUN! This league will conduct a 24-person draft, where there are 25 positional "buckets", where each person will pick one player from each bucket. This version of the theme will be a lot simpler than previous versions.
Upon entry into this league, each owner will select one of the thirty franchises. The franchise you select will not directly impact the strength of your roster so there is no advantage to picking early. You are simply determining which players (from that franchise) are being added to the draft pool. The owner of each franchise will submit (in a site-mail to me) a 25-man roster (14 hitters and 11 pitchers). This salary of this roster you submit must not exceed $120 million.
Realistic Team Rule
Please try to draft the best $120M roster you can (i.e., draft as if you were going to have to play this roster in a $120M theme league). Don't roster a bunch of "screw-your-neighbor" type players. Don't short yourself PAs or IPs. Don't roster 1600 innings. As commissioner, I reserve the right to ask you to change a player (or players), if it doesn't pass the smell test. Last round, some folks rostered 1550-1600 innings in a $100M theme... unrealistic.
We are using years 1920-2022.
Initial Roster Build Rules
1. You must select 14 hitters and 11 pitchers. Draft a 25-man team as if you were entering it into a single-season $120M theme league. You may include < $300K scrubs, if you wish.
2. You will select one "starting" 1B, 2B, 3B, SS and 3 "starting" OFs, each of these players must have at least 500 PA/162.
3. You will select one "starting" catcher who should have at least 400 PA/162.
4. You will select one "backup" catcher who should have at least 100 PA/162.
5. You will select any 5 bench hitters. (The 5 Bench buckets will be based on PA)
The only requirement for the bench hitters is they must have <= 350 PA/162. You may select additional catchers.
6. You will select any eleven pitchers. (The 11 Pitcher buckets will be based on IP)
There is no requirement on the split of SP/RP innings, but total innings should total at least 1400 IP/162
Clones:
Since the post 1970's expansion franchises (SEA, TOR, ARIZ, MIA, COL, TB) don't have the same history as the other franchises, clones will be allowed when building rosters for these six franchises.
The salary of this 25-man roster must be no greater than $120 million.
Bonus Players
There are no Bonus Players in this version. It's a 25-round round draft.
The Draft
Once all the rosters are submitted to me, I will post all 25 player buckets. Each bucket will have 30 players in it, one from each franchise. Since there are 24 owners and 30 seasons, I will fill out the rosters for the 7 seasons left over, after 23 people have signed up.
Now, here's the key to drafting --> You cannot roster more than ONE PLAYER FROM EACH FRANCHISE. As the draft progresses, there will be opportunities to skip ahead since those picking in front of you won't be able to draft from certain buckets and/or can't draft from certain franchises. Since there are 30 seasons and 25 drafting rounds, you will have 5 franchises un-represented on your team after the 25-round draft is completed.
The first round of the draft will be determined randomly, but each successive round will be based on lowest cumulative salary. Also, the division alignment will be based on final team salary (the four most expensive rosters will be in the NL East).
Salary cap
There will be no salary cap for your drafted team. Some teams will probably be over $130 million. Some will be near $110 million after the draft.
Getting Stuck
We have 30 choices in each bucket to fill 25 positions, so if you pay attention during the draft, it's unlikely you will get stuck (but not impossible). If somehow you end up getting stuck, and you can't legally make a pick in a bucket, you will simply choose any <300K player from a franchise you didn't already draft. The player must be the same position/bucket that you defaulted at. Default players' salaries will be penalized by $100 million. So even if you have the lowest salary, if you get defaulted, you will most likely get placed in a division with the highest salaried teams.
Other Details
Eligible Seasons: 1920-2022
Salary Cap: None
DH: No
WW: No
AAA: No
Injuries: No
Trades: No
Clones: Yes (you could end up rostering Arizona and Seattle Randy Johnsons)
Ballpark: Must use a park that one of your drafted players played in during that season
Alignment: Based on final team salary (Top 4 salaries in NL East)
When sending me your roster via site-mail, it's easiest to simply copy/paste the entire roster from the Team Center (please - no edits. It makes more work for me).
10/17/2022 11:59 AM (edited)