I'm with Happy. I'm good with however we do it. I do agree with Minnow that having everyone in the same league and the stats correctly kept is a plus either way.

Posted by odalisgagne on 6/22/2021 9:40:00 AM (view original):
DRAFT LOTTERY
The top 4 picks in the 1st round of every draft will be determined by ranked lottery for all non-playoff teams. The initial order will be based on reverse order of regular season record--a team MUST win 40 games by 162 to be lottery eligible.

The lottery (for 16 teams) will consist of 270 "ping pong balls" distributed in ranked order this way [note--i'll update for 20 if we go to 12 team leagues]
1st (34), 2nd (28), 3rd (22), 4th (16), 5th (15), 6th (13), 7th (12), 8th (10), 9th (9), 10th (8), 11th (7), 12th (6), 13th-16th (5)
I will have one owner send me a number between 1 and 270 that will serve as the starting point for ping pong ball distribution. Example, if that number is 121 then the 1st owner will own ping pong balls 121-154, 2nd owner will own 155-182, etc.
A second owner will send me a randomized sequence of 1-270. The first four ping pong balls in that sequence will determine the first 4 picks and then picks 5-16 will revert to the normal draft order. Example: if the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th owners earn the first 4 picks in the lottery, then the 1st owner will get the 5th pick.

Picks 17-18 would be the CL LDS losers. Picks 19-20 would be the PL LDS losers. Pick 21 would be the CL runner-up, Pick 22 would be the PL runner-up, pick 23 would be the CL champion, and pick 24 would be the PL champion.

I don't have a problem with the ranked lottery approach. It helps prevent some of the incentive to tank.

I have some concerns about the overall approach, especially if we don't have any interleague play. Treating a 90 win team in the CL and the PL seems a little heavily weighted toward the PL teams. It seems the worst teams will almost all be, by definition, in the CL. This proposal will seem to make it very hard for the CL teams to compete with the PL teams.

I'd suggest some type of tilt in the draft towards CL teams picking first. How about the 10 teams (or 8 depending) that don't make the CL playoffs plus the teams getting relegated all be put into the ranked lottery, plus then all get the earliest picks? I think this would result in a lot more movement between CL/PL over time.

Anyway, just some thoughts.

so, an 85 win team in the CL should pick ahead of a 70 win team in the PL?

Posted by odalisgagne on 6/28/2021 3:16:00 PM (view original):
so, an 85 win team in the CL should pick ahead of a 70 win team in the PL?

Possibly. If the best teams are in the PL, I'm not sure the 70 win team isn't better. Treating them similarly I think could end up making it difficult for teams that start off slow to ever catch up. I get your point, but in a different extreme, an 84 win team in the PL is likely much better than an 85 win team in the CL and yet would pick earlier. Anyway, maybe it's just something we have to live with and maybe my concerns are overblown. We will see.

Posted by cpmitchno1 on 6/28/2021 3:33:00 PM (view original):

Posted by odalisgagne on 6/28/2021 3:16:00 PM (view original):
so, an 85 win team in the CL should pick ahead of a 70 win team in the PL?

Possibly. If the best teams are in the PL, I'm not sure the 70 win team isn't better. Treating them similarly I think could end up making it difficult for teams that start off slow to ever catch up. I get your point, but in a different extreme, an 84 win team in the PL is likely much better than an 85 win team in the CL and yet would pick earlier. Anyway, maybe it's just something we have to live with and maybe my concerns are overblown. We will see.

I'm sure this has nothing to do with your long-term strategy.

Posted by odalisgagne on 6/28/2021 3:35:00 PM (view original):

Posted by cpmitchno1 on 6/28/2021 3:33:00 PM (view original):

Posted by odalisgagne on 6/28/2021 3:16:00 PM (view original):
so, an 85 win team in the CL should pick ahead of a 70 win team in the PL?

Possibly. If the best teams are in the PL, I'm not sure the 70 win team isn't better. Treating them similarly I think could end up making it difficult for teams that start off slow to ever catch up. I get your point, but in a different extreme, an 84 win team in the PL is likely much better than an 85 win team in the CL and yet would pick earlier. Anyway, maybe it's just something we have to live with and maybe my concerns are overblown. We will see.

I'm sure this has nothing to do with your long-term strategy.

I was actually going to remark to that effect and that's fair. However, it will be interesting to see if my theory holds up over time.

I vote for more playoff teams which includes interleague play. The interleague aspect offsets much of my theoretical draft order concern. Plus, I find owners get frustrated in 20 team leagues with only four playoff teams and I suspect that would be even more so with 24 teams and only four playoff teams. Just my vote, but I'm good either way.