Expansion Discussion Thread

[mstreeter06]

I think that (?2014?) 2015 and 2016 Ammy Draft picks will protected

[LT]

I think that (?2014?) 2015 and 2016 Ammy Draft picks will protected

Makes sense. In that case, I think 30 protected players and no pull backs will work.

[Troyaof]

Everyone under 22 so that should cover a draft class or two.

[BaseballAddict32]

Exactly. If I wanted to win now I would have taken over Illinois when offered. But its one thing to build. Its another to have insignificant number of players to even fill a franchise because we're told teams won't have to allow 60% of their roster or any of their prospects to be picked and then remove 2 more guys for every round. Before long, say 3 or 4 rounds in, there is nobody left to pick from. So based on real math its ok to start a team with 4 picks and maybe 25 unsigned free agents? Please explain where from that one can fill 125 roster spots at 5 levels of teams? Not with super stars, with anyone. Anyone with less than a year of major league service off limits, for some that plus protecting 15 might leave 5-8 guys before they start pulling people back. The math does not work for filling spots.

This is why I embrace Mike's idea of a different player pool that isn't loaded, just solid. That way you fill expansion teams without wrecking current ones.

I like the idea of a 15 round expansion draft - each existing team loses 1 player per round. Perhaps the existing franchises can protect 30 players in their organizations, up front (that should not hurt any of those teams and protect their top prospects), but no pulling players back after each round. This gives each new team 60 players to work with.  It will also move the draft along as the only bottlenecks will be the 4 new team owners.

If we follow that up with a 20 round FA draft, each new team gets 80 players to start their organizations with. We can fill the rest of our lower minors with draft choices in the 2 or 3 years following 2017.

I think this ensures that nobody loses their hard work putting a team together, but will expose some decent second tier talent for expansion franchises (call them 4A players) that can help while they build through the draft.

I am intrigued with the 'Free Agent Option' available now. Maybe we could add some history and create an international league that is separate from AFBL but folds or something and we absorb their players in a FA Draft or similiar? Thoughts?

I'm also all for going with 30 players protected per team and going with a 15 round expansion draft as well with or without the option for current teams to protect additional players.

We can add auto protection of the 2016 draft choices (so they do not count towards the 30 protected players). Still should leave enough players to go around for the new teams and not destroy the existing clubs.

I am good with that. If we get to around 80 its a solid start. A few drafts in you fill the rest out. All I ask is we not be handicapped in terms of numbers. 80 is realistic and solid. Few years of depth and a few years of quality building are fair.

[mikezone13]

Agree, each expansion teams needs 60-80 players to be able to give it a shot at building an organisation.

They shouldn't be winning the league inside 5 years either, but they have to have the building blocks to be able to be competitive in the future.

One other thought to remember, and we debate this in another league I'm in. As it's a fictional league we have to stop thinking that everything "must run like real life" we have our own unique league with our own history and our own rules - so we shouldn't be trying to ensure an expansion team can't win inside 5 years just because it's what we expect from MLB expansion franchises.

[fhomess]

As it's a fictional league we have to stop thinking that everything "must run like real life" we have our own unique league with our own history and our own rules - so we shouldn't be trying to ensure an expansion team can't win inside 5 years just because it's what we expect from MLB expansion franchises.

This is a really good point.  In the end, it's really about how much disruption to existing teams are we willing to tolerate.  This league moves along pretty quickly, but in a slower paced league, 10 seasons to contention could seem like an eternity.  I am in one league that completes less than 3 seasons annually.  I'm good with the general consensus at this point.

[mstreeter06]

I love all the points and discussion. It really is helpful to find the right combination of ideas to get the expansion draft planned out.

Here's what I'm thinking for the timeline of events leading up to Expansion...

-finish 2016 season (regular, playoffs, awards, Ammy Draft)
-roll to 1/1/2017
-relocate AZ to NM & CA to MD; realign AFBL into 4 5-team divisions (FL West, FL East, PL North, PL South)
-push 'Expand league and schedule Expansion Draft' function in the game
-current teams submit Protection Lists
    -30 players protected
    -players that are 22 or younger on 1/1/2017 are auto-protected
    -draft picks from 2014, 2015, and 2016 are auto-protected
    -not sure if we'll have current teams get a chance to protect extra players (maybe for the first 5 rounds?)
-Expansion Draft on 1/5/2017
    -15 rounds to allow Expansion Teams to end up with 60 players, each current team losing no more than 1 player per rd
-Free Agent Draft on 1/15/2017
    -5 rounds with just Expansion Teams picking in serpentine reverse order of Expansion Draft to allow the 4 teams to add 20 additional players to bring total to 80
-sim up to beginning of Spring Training 2017 then back to normal sim scheduel

Any thoughts?

[24Rocks]

We have to be care full because the guy i drafted rookie this year has 4 pro years some how? and the Cali guy who was the 2nd overall pick has 2 ML years and 4 pro years as well but he was a new player this year.

[mikezone13]

We have to be care full because the guy i drafted rookie this year has 4 pro years some how? and the Cali guy who was the 2nd overall pick has 2 ML years and 4 pro years as well but he was a new player this year.

Good pick up - there are some weird things going on with ML service years then for sure. We need to be careful and get protected lists AND lists of those with/without ML/pro service sorted early so any discrepancies can be related back to drafted years.

[mstreeter06]

We have to be care full because the guy i drafted rookie this year has 4 pro years some how? and the Cali guy who was the 2nd overall pick has 2 ML years and 4 pro years as well but he was a new player this year.

Good pick up - there are some weird things going on with ML service years then for sure. We need to be careful and get protected lists AND lists of those with/without ML/pro service sorted early so any discrepancies can be related back to drafted years.

Absolutely. I'll have an official Google Spreadsheet with the protected players before we begin drafting for this reason. This way we can be sure to have the right players protected and available.

[24Rocks]

We have to be care full because the guy i drafted rookie this year has 4 pro years some how? and the Cali guy who was the 2nd overall pick has 2 ML years and 4 pro years as well but he was a new player this year.

Good pick up - there are some weird things going on with ML service years then for sure. We need to be careful and get protected lists AND lists of those with/without ML/pro service sorted early so any discrepancies can be related back to drafted years.

Absolutely. I'll have an official Google Spreadsheet with the protected players before we begin drafting for this reason. This way we can be sure to have the right players protected and available.

And also this might effect some of the players in the future if we decided to go to financial league

[mstreeter06]

That's something that won't happen

[mikezone13]

That's something that won't happen

Agree, while I like the financial aspect, it's actually completely different strategy in a league without it.

[24Rocks]

That's something that won't happen

Agree, while I like the financial aspect, it's actually completely different strategy in a league without it.

Great saves me from worrying aboput it My solo league plaue one online league with money is enough

[LT]

I love all the points and discussion. It really is helpful to find the right combination of ideas to get the expansion draft planned out.

Here's what I'm thinking for the timeline of events leading up to Expansion...

-finish 2016 season (regular, playoffs, awards, Ammy Draft)
-roll to 1/1/2017
-relocate AZ to NM & CA to MD; realign AFBL into 4 5-team divisions (FL West, FL East, PL North, PL South)
-push 'Expand league and schedule Expansion Draft' function in the game
-current teams submit Protection Lists
    -30 players protected
    -players that are 22 or younger on 1/1/2017 are auto-protected
    -draft picks from 2014, 2015, and 2016 are auto-protected
    -not sure if we'll have current teams get a chance to protect extra players (maybe for the first 5 rounds?)
-Expansion Draft on 1/5/2017
    -15 rounds to allow Expansion Teams to end up with 60 players, each current team losing no more than 1 player per rd
-Free Agent Draft on 1/15/2017
    -5 rounds with just Expansion Teams picking in serpentine reverse order of Expansion Draft to allow the 4 teams to add 20 additional players to bring total to 80
-sim up to beginning of Spring Training 2017 then back to normal sim scheduel

Any thoughts?

Weird, I thought I posted this, but cannot find it now. I swear I have not been drinking (yet)...

I don't think existing teams should be allowed to protect additional players following the expansion rounds. I believe that protecting 30 in addition to the under 22s gives everyone a solid base and most teams won't lose anyone of significance to present or future plans.

Using my current roster as an example, I have several decent AAA outfielders who are 25-27 who may or may not get protected. None really factor into future plans, but any could be useful on a ML roster.

I won't fight this point too hard if the majority disagree, but I think the pickings will be slim with the way things are set up (and rightly so).