5 Suggestions for Next Season

The following is a list of five things (in reverse order) of suggestions I have for next season. Let me know what your thoughts are by commenting on the post or on the league page. Whatever you like to do best.

***

Suggestion #5: Removing the DH position and adding the Utility Player position.

People seem to want this. I don’t know why. I mean, where else can you find a league where Kevin Millar is valuable? Oh, wait, I see your point.

Suggestion #4: Adding two more active relief pitcher spots, but keeping the roster size at 28.

The idea of this is for these spots not to be filled by closers (though they can be), but to be places where Ron Mahay and Carlos Marmol can thrive (the “hold” statistic would also be added). Additionally, this should reduce the amount of starting pitchers on a team by two, making spot starters more available and reducing starts in general. This is not to say there is not a way to manipulate the system, but I think it is something that will add depth.

Suggestion #3: Write to, call, picket, e-mail, throw things at and kick ESPN in the shins until they allow leagues to separate the point values of a starting pitcher and relief pitchers.

I know there are some complaints about the scoring system for pitchers, but here is the reality: The inability to separate point values for starting and relief pitchers makes if virtually impossible to accurately change the point system. Now, this is not to say the problem isn’t being worked on, but to suggest that until ESPN allows each league to separate the two, it will never be perfect.

Suggestion #2: Allow undrafted players to be kept.

This should be no problem. Here is my current proposal (that is probably going to happen):


A) All keeper prospects will be turned in on a agreed upon date. If an owner sends in a list with an undrafted player on it, they should also send write in a “conditional player” per undrafted player (more on this forthcoming).
B) An undrafted keeper cannot be worth less than a 15th round pick or more than a third round pick.
C) The value will be voted on.
D) The rounds will be determined based on the value of the player, which will be determined by the average ranking the player receives in the ESPN, Yahoo and [yet to be named publication} rankings. That round, plus the round above it and below it will be the three rounds voters have to choose from. (If any of this doesn’t make sense, e-mail me or call me.)
E) All of these votes will be conducted immediately after keepers lists are turned in.
F) After the vote has taken place, the owner who has selected the undrafted keeper has 48 hours to confirm he is keeping said player or choosing instead to keep his corresponding “conditional player.”

Basically the idea is this – we vote on the round the guy is worth, if you don’t like it, you can keep someone else instead assuming you tell me within a couple of days after the vote. Have any questions, additions, subtractions, multiplications or a deeply held grievance? E-mail me.

Suggestion #1: Allow five keeper prospect per team.

Hopefully we can add a keeper slot or two (depending on what we feel is necessary) every year to allow everyone’s team to feel like their own. This also helps make the draft THAT much shorter (which is a good thing).