We have one opening in the 5 Year Plan Progressive league. The 5 year plan progressive league will progress 5 years at a time, with the initial season being 1941-1945 and the second season being 1946-1950. Each season you may select which of the 5 seasons you want to use for each of your players. We will be starting season 14 which will be 2006-2010, The 2001-2005 season does not end until June 8 so I am getting a start on finding a replacement owner. One of our original owners, fabulous, is reducing his WIS commitments and has given me early notice. The team available is the Pittsburgh Pirates, who are currently 68-56, 2nd in the 4 team AL West .

The league has only 3 seasons remaining (2006-2010, 2011-2015 and 2016-2020. I plan on starting a Version 2 of this league, starting with the 1961-1965 season. The new owner would only be committed for the 3 remaining seasons in the current league, but will have the option to join the new league. I am pleased to point out that 14 of the current 16 members of the league have enjoyed it enough to stay for all 13 seasons, although two are now leaving for personal reasons

This league is based on an idea originated by Boddicker (who is a member of the league). Boddicker did not feel he had the time available to be Commissioner, and suggested I fill that role..

Full rules for the league are posted immediately below. I will also post a PRELIMINARY keepers list below subject to change by a new owner. If interested, please sign up below or by site mail to dspahlinger. I will also be happy to answer any questions you may have by site mail. or by posting below.

ORIGINAL RULES. We will have an initial draft of players from 1941-45....you take a player and you own him for his entire career.You can keep any and all of your roster to play Season 2, if they are still active, which will be seasons 1946-1950. We will draft all the new players after Season 1.....so you keep who you want, and fill out your roster with players active from 1946-1950 during a pre-season 2 draft....and so on and so on. So as an example, say you draft TED WILLIAMS....maybe you use his 1941 season for SEASON 1....you keep him for SEASON 2 and use his 1949 season....you keep him for SEASON 3 and use his 1954 season...SEASON 4 comes around and you use his 1957 season....his last season is 1960 so he retires before SEASON 5, opening a roster spot on your squad. Unlimited keepers and cuts, manage your team as you see fit.......We will have these seasons to play, one at a time:
SEASON 1- 1941-1945
SEASON 2- 1946-1950
SEASON 3- 1951-1955
SEASON 4- 1956-1960
SEASON 5- 1961-1965
SEASON 6- 1966-1970
SEASON 7- 1971-1975
SEASON 8- 1976-1980
SEASON 9- 1981-1985
SEASON 10- 1986-1990
SEASON 11- 1991-1995
SEASON 12- 1996-2000
SEASON 13- 2001-2005
SEASON 14- 2006-2010
SEASON 15- 2011-2015
SEASON 16- 2016-2020


OTHER RULES- 16 TEAMS/OWNERS, NO WW, NO AAA- average to help with fatigue, especially first couple seasons, 125 MILLION CAP, TRADES ARE OK. NO CLONES.NO DH UNTIL SEASON 7 (prior to season 7 we will vote on whether to have DH in AL only or both leagues..... ONCE WE HAVE 16 OWNERS, WE WILL HAVE A RANDOM DRAFT FOR ACTIVE BALLPARKS. A list of available Ballparks will be posted....THE INITIAL DRAFT WILL BE SERPENTINE (1-16; 16-1), SUBSEQUENT DRAFTS WILL BE IN THE INVERSE ORDER OF FINISH, WORST TO FIRST BY RECORD ( 50 WIN MINIMUM BY GAME 150 TO AVOID A TOTAL TANK JOB)....some interesting strategies will be in play every off-season draft, you can bet on that...and with only 16 clubs, as RL baseball expands, our team salaries will increase. Also, let's shoot for realistic team names, please( city and mascot)......

AS A PRECAUTION AGAINST TANKING in subsequent drafts there will be a random lottery for the first 4 positions in the first round only, with the team with the worst record having 4 chances for the #1 pick, the team with the second worst record having 3 chances for the #1 pick, the team with the third worst record having 2 chances for the #1 pick and the team with the 4th worst record having 1 chance for the #1 pick. If a team fails to meet the 50 win requirement by game 150, they will automatically draft no higher than 3rd, regardless of the results of the lottery.

PRELIMINARY KEEPER LIST FOR THE PITTSBURGH PIRATES (SUBJECT TO CHANGE BY A NEW OWNER):

KEEPERS (19):
C Paul Lo Duca
1B Sean Casey
2B Jeff Kent
3B Ryan Zimmerman, Eric Chavez
SS Omar Vizquel
OF Johnny Damon, Carlos Lee, Jayson Werth, Preaton Wilson
DH/1B Adian Gonzalez
SP Matt Cain, Roy Halladay, Derek Lowe, Pedro Martinez, Randy Wolf
RP Armando Benitez, Alan Embree, Eddie Guardado

Retired (3)
C Charles Johnson
3B Todd Zeile
P Kevin Appier

Cut (3):
IF Damian Easley
OF Sammy Sosa
P Jeff Weaver

Need 6 Draft Picks

I have just had a 2nd opening-the Houston Colt 45's. This team will be a turn-around situation as Houston is 28-47, 4th (last) in the AL West.

Because of the large number of available players, There will be somewhere around 1,000 players available for 16 teams (needing somewhere around 130-150 draft picks). Big changes from season to season in teams fortunes are common. Houston is likely to be a "lottery" team and will probably be drafting no worse than 4th, and may have a chance at the #1 pick in the draft.

I will post a PRELIMINARY Keeper list for the Houston Team early tomorrow morning.

I would be interested the the Pirates.

The Houston team will have a very high draft pick in all rounds, and MAY have a chance at the #1 pick. Houston is highly probable as a lottery team (lottery teams have a chance for the #1 pick in the draft and will have the top 4 picks in all rounds.

Top available pitchers will include Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Cole Hamels, Jon Lester, Adam Wainwright and David Price.

Top available hitters will include 1B Joey Votto, 2B Ian Kinsler, 3B Evan Longoria and Ryan Braun, SS Troy Tulowitzki, OF's Nick Markakis, Andrew McCutcheon, Nelson Cruz and Adam Jones.

This draft is exceptionally deep in good pitchers.