Rules Vote Results

Rule Vote 1

Roster Format- Pitching Staff (PS)

In 2019 we expanded to each team having 2 pitching staffs. Our league had dropped from 16 to 12 teams over a few years and that was desired since there was enough MLB teams for everyone to have two PS. While we have adjusted the pitching scoring in recent years, the top PS still outscore all position players. A concern repeatedly expressed is we have virtually eliminated the PS free agent pool.

Previously a concern when we only had one PS per team was what score was used for a PS when they are rained out? We used the first available weekday game not used. MLB has really made an effort in recent years to make up any rain outs during the same week or weekend. The days of rain outs being primarily rescheduled later in the season are gone. For reference, last year there were just 3 rain outs for starting PS during the week (all 3 times the starting PS still had enough games to use) and only 2 times on weekends was a sub used. So only TWICE did a PS need a sub all year. That is such a minimal impact it should no longer be a concern. Of course we never know how the weather will actually play out.

If we go back to one PS per team, teams would have the option to roster additional pitching staff(s) in the optional positions. A pitching staff would NOT be eligible to be used as a sub for a position player. This is similar to our football rosters where teams can roster a second QB/DEF if desired, but teams are potentially a sub short if they do so.

If a sub is required for a PS due to rain out a team would use their second optional player on their roster, not the first optional player. The optional players will be designated as such in weekly lineups. In theory for most teams, the second optional player is most likely the "last player" on a roster and the reason for designating as such. While using a position player for a PS is not the most desired, it is the most reasonable solution for the minimal times used.

RULE VOTE 1

A) Keep 2 pitching staffs per team

B) Go back to 1 pitching staff per team, with the option to add additional PS at the optional position(s).

Rule Vote 2

Roster Format- Catchers

We have had the 2 catchers from any team format for years, 2 catchers from the same MLB team before that. The catcher position has really changed over the years. MLB teams have realized the wear and tear on catchers playing 120+ games a season is too much. The majority of MLB teams now use two catchers regularly. In 2022, only 7 catchers even played 120+ games, and many of those games for top catchers were at DH since that is now available in both leagues. Going back to two catchers from the same MLB team would be challenging, as there are multiple catchers who play other positions, especially with the DH, and it would be difficult to manage that. (i.e Toronto has 3 catcher eligible players projected in the top 10

A common feedback is that the catcher fantasy pool is extremely shallow. Teams that draft a top catcher are rewarded appropriately, but after that several issues arise. The drop off after the top 6 or so is pretty drastic. The catcher pool really drops off after the top 10, and the free agent catcher pool like pitching staffs is almost non-existent. Teams are left with catchers that only play 3-4 times a week, and hoping their other catcher's days off are not the same as the starter.

If both catcher's don't play the same day, the team often gets the first optional player as the sub. It has been frustrating for owners to play teams that have two platoon catchers and they get to use an optional sub.

Similar to pitching staffs, the proposal here is to go to one catcher per team. Teams would have the option to roster additional catcher(s) in the optional positions. A catcher WOULD be eligible to be used as a sub for a position player or pitching staff if needed.

If a sub is required for a catcher due to rain out, just like pitching staffs, a team would use their second optional player on their roster, not the first optional player. They will be designated as such in weekly lineups. If a team has their catcher and pitching staff both unavailable, only then could the first optional player be used for a catcher.

While this proposal does not eliminate the potential for position players used for catcher subs, it does address the limited catcher free agent pool and targets a specific sub to be used (i.e. the lesser of two optional players).

RULE VOTE 2

A) Keep 2 catchers per team

B) Change to 1 catcher per team, with the option to add additional catcher(s) at the optional position(s).

VOTE 3

No scheduled weekend games

In 2019 we changed the rule for no weekend games. The current rule is we use the Thursday game if available for the teams involved if they have a scheduled off day on the weekend. In some cases the two teams off on the weekend do not play on Thursday, so a sub is used for those players. MLB has made it more challenging now that there are scheduled off days on Sunday as well.

Here is a breakdown of the 2023 MLB schedule and how many teams are scheduled off weekends:
Fri 4/17 10 teams

It has been proposed to only use the Thursday game in place of a weekend game the first week ONLY. Since so many teams are off the first Friday, it seems appropriate only then. For the other 5 occurrences during the season, teams would use a sub for players not playing on the weekend.

The reason for the proposal is it only happens five times and it is less difficult and confusing to just use a sub. Trying to submit weekend lineups a day early for specific players can be challenging. Keeping track of which players actually play on which day is not always easy. If a player has a good Thursday game it is still most likely used. In addition Fantrax has no way for me to move a Thursday game to the weekend, so the live scoring is not accurate.

RULE VOTE 3

A) Keep the current rule of using Thursday game if available on the weekend.

B) Players get a DNP and use a sub on no scheduled weekend game, the ONLY exception is the week 4/3 where Thursday's game is used for Friday to the 10 teams scheduled off.

VOTE 4

Weekday Mon-Thu Scoring

Our current rule is we use the average of a player's best two games Mon-Thu for a single game. Prior to that we used just the single best game Mon-Thu. A common feedback I receive is that the single game average of two games tends to minimize the impact of players who have a good weekday across the 4 days. The hope here is to more appropriately reward a player and team that has a good four days during the weekday, instead of it just being a single game.

By using the two best games M-Th rather than 2 game average, the scoring difference in weekday games would double. Last year, the majority of week day games were within 10 points. The increased scoring on the weekday would frequently make the battle for total points even more competitive.

It would also more appropriately reward the best players in side pots. I believe it would make the side pots even more competitive as players can make up ground with a big M-Th weekday.

A concern with this change is if a team has a really bad weekday they would have little chance to come back for total points. Last year, in the majority of games that had a greater than 15 point difference during the M-TH weekday, using the best 2 games would have had little impact on the total point win. I could only find a several examples last year where a team lost by more than 15 during the week, and then came back to win total points that would be impacted by the change.

Another positive of this proposed change is it will save me time as Commish as the live scoring on Fantrax would be correct. Fantrax has no way to do weekday averages, so I have manually change every team's Mon-Thu scores. Under this proposed change, I would only have to move games not used to the reserve status. This is similiar to our basketball league on Fantrax, and much less work than figuring out averages and then manually adjusting each team's scores.

NOTE: if this change is adapted, the weekday game would no longer be eligible for the high game side pot.

RULE VOTE 4

A) Keep the current M-Th weekday single game of the best 2 game average.

B) Change M-Th weekday to the best 2 games

Transactions & Lineups

For many years I have rejected the idea of moving the league to a website only format. Our league has so many things that give it our unique personality. Also, owner's didn't like the potential of everyone having the same online resources, specifically lists of free agents and injury status. Reality finally set in that with the ownership group we currently have, there is so much online fantasy info that it really has no impact on the league.

As year's have gone by, many owners are no longer just in the Denver area and then the Covid pandemic happened. Online drafts became necessary. Then Fantrax came along and has really been a positive change.

Fantrax has been a positive for the overall fantasy experience, live scoring has been a huge upgrade, and most importantly it has made my job as Commish much easier. Yes, I still spend way more time managing our league than the average Commish, but I appreciate it not being something that takes up the majority of my free time.

I often get asked about making transactions and setting lineups on Fantrax directly. I have done a lot of research and I believe I can set up our league to process transactions and lineups online with our current format. Please keep in mind it may take a week or two at the start of the season for me to ensure it functions properly.

Another issue commonly expressed is the lack of trades in our leagues. By moving transactions online owners would have the opportunity to propose trades during the season in Fantrax.

Here is how that would work:

1) Transactions would still be processed daily, based upon reverse order of the standings as we do now. I would set a time each day for transactions to run. As is common, I would set it for an early morning time, most likely 2 or 3am. Teams would receive an email from Fantrax with the daily transactions.

2) Teams would set their lineups on Monday and Friday on Fantrax. You would be able to change a lineup on those days up to when a player's game starts that day. Once all games have started on a lineup day, I would then update our league website and send out the league file.

3) Teams would still have to send me a 1 and 2 priority of their two Optional Players. There is no way on Fantrax to do that.

4) Owners can propose trades anytime up to the trade deadline. Trades will still be subject to Commissioner review as we currently do.

These things would save me a significant amount of time, provide consistent daily transaction updates, and allow teams to change lineups at their own discretion.

RULE VOTE 5

A) Keep the current system, transactions and lineups emailed to the Commish.

B) Change to using Fantrax for transactions and lineups.

Team	Owner	#1	#2	#3	#4	#5
		PS	C	WG	MTh	T/L
Beach Bums	Brian	B	A	B	B	B
Destroyers	Jeff Snyder	B	A	B	B	B
Hummers	Tyler/Scott's	B	A	A	B	B
Lumber	Larry	B	B	A	B	B
Oysters	JR/Corey	B	A	B	B	B
Pythons	Al/Eric	B	B	B	A	B
Slim & Bones	Steve/Jack	B	B	A	B	B
Stingrays	Merv/Mike	B	B	B	A	B
The Outsiders	Ed/Jeff	A	A	A	B	B
Trash Talkers	John/Johnny	B	A	B	B	B
U My Bitches	Bob/Chris	B	A	A	A	B
Venom	Jeff Myers	B	A	B	A	B
	Option A	1	8	5	4	0
	Option B	11	4	7	8	12