So the Icon Progressive is entering recently wrapped its 16th season (2001). We've been on a bit of a hiatus as I have just moved cross country and have a lot less time on my hands than I used to, but I love the league and we will be back up and running in the next few weeks.

During the last season a lot of discussion went around the idea of relocating struggling franchises that have had high owner turnover. I know owners are often reluctant to take over a perennial loser which they do bot feel invested in. I think relocation would be a great opportunity for new owners to come in and build a team they can call THEIR OWN. We are looking at a 2-4 team relocation and need new owners for the Twins and Padres and possibly the Orioles and Mets (or we may open it to current owners who have taken over teams in the past and want a change of scenery). There are currently vacant stadiums in Tampa, Miami, Colorado, Arizona, Detroit, and Milwaukee.

The nature of the Icon Progressive is that you may only draft players who at one time during their career played for your franchise. Guys who have played their entire career with a single franchise or with a single active franchise and other teams not in the league are also assigned to the active franchise.

That's a whole lot of talent—and possible career keepers/Icons—available to these new markets (Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder, Brandon Webb, Todd Helton, Justin Verlander, Tulo, etc.)

I'm putting out the idea publicly to see if there is interest in the idea. If you are interested, I'll give you access to our private forum to take a look around the league, post some comments, and get feedback from current owners.

Take a look at the plan I've outlined and the current rosters (that you may keep with or without relocation). Thanks for looking!

2 or 3 Teams (3-year transition)

Filling out the roster:

Each team may protect up to 12 players (but no more than $36 mln in salary) from its current roster for 2002, 6 players for 2003. All players must be gone by 2004.

Each team selects up to 7 or 11 players in the expansion draft, held before the 2002 season

Teams will select in the rookie draft based on previous season's record

Relocation draft:

Every team may protect up to four players. These players will not be eligible to be drafted by teams relocating.

Every team must leave at least one eligible player unprotected, or forfeit a 3rd round pick in the 2002 or 2003 draft to the relocating team.

A player who would have been an Icon for a franchise that was defunct at the time of his entrance to the league may not be protected (e.g. Geoff Jenkins, who played 10 seasons for Milwaukee but is currently on the Phillies)

A team may only lose ONE player during the draft. Once one team chooses a player from an active roster, no one else from that team may be selected by either team.

4 Teams (3-year transition) 

Filling out the roster:

Each team may protect up to 12 players (but no more than $36 mln in salary) from its current roster for 2002, 6 players for 2003, all players must be gone by 2004.

Each team selects up to 10 players in the 2-round expansion draft, held before the 2002 season

Teams will select in the rookie draft based on previous season's record 

Relocation draft:

Every team may protect up to four players in the first round. These players will not be eligible to be drafted by teams relocating. Teams may protect an additional two players before the second round.

Every team must leave at least one eligible player unprotected in each round, or forfeit a 3rd round pick in the 2002 or 2003 draft to the relocating team.

A player who would have been an Icon for a franchise that was defunct at the time of his entrance to the league may not be protected (e.g. Geoff Jenkins, who played 10 seasons for Milwaukee but is currently on the Phillies)

A team may only lose ONE player in each round of the draft. Once one team chooses a player from an active roster, no one else from that team may be selected in that round.

Free Agent Draft:

Following the Relocation Draft, a one-round free agent draft will occur in which teams select one player from the pool of players cut by the relocating franchises.

Order of the FA draft will be determined by cumulative monetary value of the players lost in the relocation draft. (e.g. Roberto Alomar, eligible to Arizona, has $7.5 mln total salary from 2002 - 2004)

San Diego Padres 2001 Roster

C Sandy Alomar Jr (CLE, CHW, TEX, LA, NYM)
C Tom Lampkin (CLE, SF, STL, SEA)
1B Derrek Lee (CHC, ATL, BAL, PIT)
2B Keith Lockhart (KC, ATL)
SS Lou Merloni (BOS, CLE, ANA)
SS Rich Aurilia (SF, SEA, CIN)
OF Eric Owens (CIN, ANA)
OF Steve Finley (BAL, HOU, LA, ANA, SF)
OF Terrence Long (OAK, KC, NYY, NYM)
OF Mike Darr (CK)
OF Emil Brown (PIT, KC, OAK)
OF Mark Bellhorn (OAK, CHC, COL, BOS, NYY)
OF Rob Mackowiak
DH Greg Vaughn (CIN)
P Randy Wolf (PHI, LA, HOU, MIL)
P Brian Lawrence
P Bobby J Jones (NYM)
P Joey Hamilton (TOR, CIN)
P Trevor Hoffman (TI)
P Paul Quantrill (BOS, PHI, TOR, LA, NYY)
P Jay Witasick (OAK, KC, NYY, SF, COL)
P Brian Tollberg (CK)
P Jon Garland (CHW, LA, ANA)
P Dan Miceli (PIT, HOU, TEX, CLE, NYY)
P Tim Redding

AAA
SS Donaldo Mendez(CK)
OF Tony Gwynn(CK)
OF Santiago Perez(CK)
P Junior Herndon(CK)
P Wascar Serrano(CK)
P Jose Nunez(CK)

IR
C Michael Barrett(MON, CHC)

Minnesota Twins 2001 Roster

C: Mike Redmond
     Henry Blanco
SS:  Denny Hocking
3B:  Jeff Cirillo
        Mike Lamb
        Corey Koskie (acquired from Blue Jays)
OF:  Rondell White
        Jacque Jones
        Quinton McCracken
        Jason Tyner

P:   Brad Radke
      Kenny Rogers
     Joe Mays
      Eddie Guardado
      Greg Swindell
     Carl Pavano
     Mark Redman
      J.C. Romero

Drafted:  1st:  3B Joe Crede
               2nd:  OF Bobby Kielty
               3rd:   OF Craig Monroe
               3rd     P Joe Beimel
               4th:    C Chad Moeller
               5th:    P Pat Mahomes
               6th:   2B Brent Abernathy

Keepers:

AAA:  P Travis Miller
          2B Jason Maxwell

IR:  C Javier Valentin (till 2003)
       P Matt Kinney (tll 2002)
       P Ron Mahay (till 2003)

C'mon in. This is a fantastic league. The Icon Leagues are my favorite by far and this is a great oppurtunity to get in with a team that you can build up pretty quickly if you chose to move to one the Defunct teams. All the expansion teams are entering some quality years for them and you get quite a few keepers for free. Rays would get Crawford, Upton, Longoria, Rockies get Helton, Tulo, Tigers would possibly get Cabrera and Fielder (Depending on what other teams are selected.) They can all be competitive right away.

Of course if the idea of relocation intimidates you and you would like to take over an established team that has been successful in recent seasons and is likely to continue its success in the future, the two following teams could be available to take over:

Houston Astros: Keepers include Bagwell, Berkman, Beltran, Oswalt, Pettitte
Toronto Blue Jays: Keepers include Delgado, Glaus, Green, Wells, Halladay, Carpenter

Let me know if you're interested in any of our opportunities.

And if you take over the Astros you don't have to agree to move them to the AL. :-)

It's a great league folks. Check it out.

Take the Padres and move them to Florida and you could have a team with Miguel Cabrera, Derrek Lee, Dontrelle Willis, Josh Beckett, Trevor Hoffman and Jose Reyes in no time.

Move to Arizona you hang onto Garland and Steve Finley, add Brandon Webb next season, Chris Young and Justin Upton down the road, and make your move to draft guys like Dan Haren, Orlando Hudson, and Stephen Drew. Build up your team through the relocation draft by adding Shawn Green, Mark Grace, or Luis Gonzalez. You never know.

Awesome. Thanks fabulous. I'll get you added to our private forum right now and send you a sm later in the day to make sure you're up to speed.

If the Mets are available to relocate, I would rather move the Mets to Miami   ( Met fans could stay in Boca)

the Mets are moving to Miami. thanks!

Now all we need is someone to take over the Padres and rebuild them or use the option to move them to Arizona or Colorado.

If it's ok I'll take the Padres and move them to Colorado

mountainjack, great to see you are interested. I have to ask if you're looking to take them over for the long haul. This team has had a lot of turnover and I need to find a committed owner. If so, great! We're full again. I'll get you added in the forum and send you all the details later today. If not, no biggie.