It hasn't always been easy. I remember my first wake up call came at my first draft. I had taken over a team early in the season the year before, and never had a player with an AB/IP issue. Then, while playing games at the draft the following year, Terry commented that at the rate we were scoring runs, we'd have some at bat issues before the season was over. It had never dawned on me until then that there might be a problem. My whole starting lineup had been regulars the year before and had tons of at bats. But the Warpigs scored a bunch that year, and we did have to eventually rest most of them. I also remember watching Ab's team, with some of his best hitters batting 8th or 9th in the lineup. I thought that was odd until I realized it was to lengthen their seasons because they didn't have a full complement of at bats.
The only time we have openly had an issue with overuse (that I know of), was the Cletes going over on several players the year he won the Series. It didn't help that he had also circumvented the starting pitcher rotation rule that year. So the Cletes were basically shown the door, and the whole episode was deemed a "Clete" problem, and that was that.
But maybe it's time to establish some accountability in this area. One of our teams has announced that, with a dozen or so games remaining, they have run out of at bats at a certain position. We have no consequences in place, but obviously something has to be done. Glenn has addressed this situation, and it is being taken care of, but we need something in place for next time.
So what's the answer? You can't just force them to forfeit the games because when you're angling for draft position, losing games is an advantage. Plus, it's not fair to the teams you faced earlier in the season.
I played in a short-lived league one year where the powers that be said the consequence for overusage was losing the rights to the player the next year. Well hell, if you have Greg Pirkl or Shane Spencer, what do you care about "next year"? I told them I was going to use my "Greg Pirkl" every game and bat him third. They quickly realized that they needed to adjust their rule.
So what's the answer? Garth's other league has a couple of rules I like. One is that each case is considered on its own merit. Was it this owner's first time to have this problem? How many AB/IP was it? Was it a playoff team? Was it accidental or negligence? Questions like those are taken into consideration before fines are levied. Owners have lost draft picks, had their draft picks moved back, been limited as to how many players they could protect, and even lost players (and not Greg Pirkl types, but real players).
Another rule of theirs concerning ABs is that any batter with 550+ at bats on their card is allowed an unlimited number of ABs that season. They don't add 10% like we do, but I love the unlimited AB rule.
The other issue with this brings the "honor" into it. Since we do our own stats, what - besides honor - keeps an owner from just making the stats "fit"? Who among us hasn't, at one time or another, secretly questioned the scruples of another owner?
Is the answer turning in your game files to a central person, who then enters them into a league? Many other leagues already do this. But then, what do we do with the dice games?
Anyway, this is something we probably need to think about and talk about. And it's too big an issue to wait until the draft to bring up. So... I'm bringing it up now. I hope it starts some dialogue, so that by the draft we have a better handle on what we want to do.
What are your thoughts?
4 comments:
As always I prefer leaving things the way they are. A central person entering game files is a lot of work and there would always be missing game files. Just my two cents.
ssws
Perhaps we could have everyone submit periodic stats, including usage reports, at designated mileposts during the season (25%, 50%, 75%). At least this should ensure that everyone is keeping the usage issue in mind. But the "honesty factor" is always going to be there. And if someone is guilty of overusage, I have no idea what we should do about that.
As the one who has already had to inform three people in my SOMNADA league they will be missing a draft pick for overusage, it is not an easy thing, especially when it is only a couple AB's sometimes in our league which has central stats. and as per usual, I can assure you it will be the person who gives the penalty who is blamed, not the person who went over in AB's or IP's. Trust me, I know that answer.
so, I like this unlimited AB thing and possibly IP also. but usually it has been a scrub in our league that some manger didn't take the time to look at his stats, and we post weekly in SOMNADA.
oh well. but I will say this, sure am glad I am the bottom rung on this one.
tm
The I-75 Baseball League (the other league I'm in) plays 160 games. There is no 10% rule. Batters with 550 at-bats are unlimited. Each position has to have 600 at-bats and at least 1 backup active at all times.
Starting pitchers can't start on 3-days rest unless they are a * starter (this is on the computer game -- generally they are guys with 200 innings).
The commissioner has been one who went over in at-bats. Some guy had 2 or 3 over. He put out a penalty for him and the other guy that season who went over (1 inning for a pitcher). It wasn't severe, but it was basically seeing his 5th round pick drop to the 8th, or something like that.
A major difference in our leagues is that I-75 is all computer games. All files at the end of every month go to a central location (clearing house of sorts) and the league file is sent out a couple days later. It works well. Everyone is required to play 20 games and only 20 games a month. No more no less. CM is allowed but a lot of people play Netplay. So....anyway. I think the 550 at-bat rule and 600 at-bat rule is solid. Obviously, this isn't ALWAYS enough at-bats, but it can be.
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