Dear Santa

[Jerlins]

Here is my wish list for the upcoming holiday season:

1. A fair preseason trade offer. I no longer wish to receive an proposal offering one's garbage (at a position I am obviously in no need of mind you) for the player who obviously was my #1 or #2 pick.

2. A fair in-season trade offer. I no longer wish to receive an offer that would leave me short at a position in order to receive a player that would force me to cut a key player so I many be able to fit the offered player on my team.

3. A "do not" draft list. If I'm playing at Minute Maid and am not able to get Andruw Jones, please don't give me Jim Edmonds as my replacement. Yahoo auto-drafts allow you to put in a "do not" draft list, why can't TSN?

4. A replacement for injury option. I think I'm intelligent enough to know not to put Brad Ausmus in at 2nd, when Jamie Carroll is on my bench for that very scenario when my infielder gets injured.

5. A seeded playoff system. A 103 win team should not be playing a 98 win team in the first round, while two 88 win teams are battling in the other playoff series. And while we're at it, make the first round 7 games as well.

6. A later waiver period time. 5pm EST? Some of us in the community have jobs. Granted, I make it a point to insure I am available at this time, but not everyone has the same luxury. I'd love for everyone to have the same opportunity as myself to pick up players other than the scraps left two hours after post waivers (though I know some folks thrive at the challenge).

Well, thats it for now Santa. I left the list somewhat short in hopes of getting everything on it. I've been a good boy as requested by you.

[durantjerry]

I was going to say 1) and 2) happen to everyone, but since I don't send silly trade offers, I guess it doesn't. I've found the best option is to look at it as a willingness to deal and try a counter offer if applicable. A "Do not draft list" not a big deal to me. You can always try and trade him. The injury thing may be addressed. In ATG, there is some new "lineup depth chart" option that I have not checked into, but I'm hoping this is what it is. Seeded playoffs would be great. I'm indifferent on the waiver thing. I usually always make it, but it shouldn't make or break you if you miss waivers, especially woth experienced guys where no one is cutting loose someone they shouldn't be cutting loose.

[markp65]

These are EXCELLENT suggestions. Of course, as we all know Santa Claus is a cartoonist named Bernie who lives in NYC, so maybe, Virginia, maybe...

Jerlins, I have started a thread on the "Suggestions To TSN" Message Board, with your request items 3-6.

I encourage everyone who likes Jerlins' Santa wishes to chime in on this thread with a "me too." Maybe Bernie can make them happen for the 2007 season!

[b:d26c81944e][color=red:d26c81944e]HEY SANTA!... [/color:d26c81944e][/b:d26c81944e]
http://forums-beta.sportingnews.com/viewtopic.php?p=1370759#1370759[/b]

[Jerlins]

Thanks for the kind words and support. This began as just a thread to vent a little from a few recent trades I've been offered. For example, during preseason, I made available a LH SP* as I had 5, and in my message was very specific I did not want offered a pitcher in return, nor a DH (I had Ortiz in Ameriquest), so of course I get offered Alex Sanchez, and a RH non SP* and RH slant of course for Floyd and Lowry. Hmm, lets see here. Sure, I'll cut Ortiz to make room for Sanchez, open a hole in LF, and add a useless pitcher to my team, but heck, it works for the offerer, so why not? Anyways.......

After I wrote down for the 2 items on my list, I was still on a roll, figured I may as well continue writing what I thought were general improvements to the game, that I'm sure others might be in agreement with. The one I'd like to see more than any other is the "do not draft" list. More often than not, "the next similar priced player" is one totally opposite as to what you are trying to accomplish. The draft at times can be unfair, don't add fuel to the fire by rewarding me with the "next best thing".

To save some folks responding the trouble, I'll write the following to save time, with a respectful response of course :D

1. "Then draft players no one else has on their list"

Now why would I want to do that, when I have a general theory and strategy as how I want my team to look?

2. "Learn to adapt and come up with an alternate plan"

I do that already!!

3. "You can't always have the best, learn to settle for less"

I rarely seek out the best. But in addition to the Edmonds/Jones example, I also don't want J.D Drew in a $60 or $80 league. What's so wrong about having a program that would let me include him in a "do not draft" list? And one of these times I WILL NOT have Scott Baker on my team post draft!!!

4. "Chill out a bit, its only a game."

Trust me, I'm chilled. I love the game, so much so, for the first time in 14 years I was able to walk away from a fantasy baseball league that I really enjoyed. Nothing tops this game, and I prefer my efforts and free time spent playing Strat. It's my little wish list to Santa and I deserve more than coal is all I'm saying.

[cummings2]

When I first read this thread I thought it was all tongue-in-cheek kinda venting, it gave me a good laugh while also agreeing with the points.

Main issue I have with the game right now is the trade etiquette issue, I have played all private leagues this season with some really cool guys so my direct experience is alright but recently I was looking after a friend's team, she's been out of the country for some time and it was her first SOM experience.

I got, not kidding here, 17 trade offers from a certain dude in 4 days. I replied to all of them as promptly as I could (all declines since the offers were terrible) and even took time to answer why I wasn't taking the offers.

What do I get for the common courtesy? 9 more offers the following day. I declined all of them and answered saying I would not make any changes and would leave the team as is.

What do get for that? 4 more trade offers the following day coupled with 2 more messages of how I am putting him/her on by not trading anyone.

That experience was certainly nasty enough that it's put me off the game quite a bit.

...anyhoo, just venting a little here...hope Santa gives that dude all he desires that way he won't pester anyone else with a stalky/predatory kinda league mailing.

[LMBombers]

[quote:3693ac58b4="Cummings2"]I got 17 trade offers from a certain dude in 4 days. [/quote:3693ac58b4]

And some people complain about there being no trade offers made to them. :roll:

Some people want more trade offers and some want less. Some want offers that only benefit their team without giving much in return.

With the wide variety of people playing this game comes a wide variety of opinions as to player values and what constitutes a fair trade offer. Although I am not one that generally makes a bunch of trades I enjoy recieving offers and making a few offers. It is a fun part of the game. Some people enjoy the trading more so than the actual games. Even if they got every player on their AD list they would want to make numerous trades. Anyway, trading is a fun part of the game and there is no way to police the offers as to quantity or quality before you see them. How hard is it to hit decline?

[cummings2]

Not hard to hit decline at all Bombs I should've pointed out that the 17 trade offers were the same offer sent 17 times.

I'll PM you some of the league mails I got so you can see for yourself what I was refering to.

[Valen]

I sympathize with the trade problems. I like trading. I like getting and offering trades. Problem is with most offers the sender has put in no thought toward impact on my team. Worst are ones as mentioned in original post where midseason I would have to cut a good player to make room for the one offered. Or would have to scrounge to replace a huge hole created if I gave up the player requested.

I cannot say that all offers I ever send are going to make both teams better. Hopefully they would. But I can say that every offer I make leaves the other guy under the cap, with a workable lineup after the trade and at least has a reason why it would help both teams. Though on that front if I really understood what helped both teams I would probably build better teams in the first place. :lol:

[the splinter]

Allow for an alternate frenzy time. I have not done a frenzy league in over 3 years because I no longer want to alter my lifestyle to draft a team. Why can't there be a 6 EST and a 12 EST launch for any type of league? It can be an option upon entering a team just like the cap etc. This would serve both coasts and all in between.

[Play By The Rules]

For sure I've offered some of those ridiculous trades, sorry for that. My motto is, it's worth a try, one out of a hundred times it gets accepted... Also, sometimes being biased I don't realize how slanted the offer really is. I only make trades that help me get better, and I expect the same is true with most of you, at least for your sakes I hope so.

Cummings you ought to be glad that someone is even offering you trades at all. I have leagues where I have neither offered a trade nor received an offer throughout the entire season. That's no fun!

Sometimes after a ridiculous offer is sent by me or the other guy, after the inevitable bickering about who sent the more ridiculous offer, we can actually get down to a trade. I say, put the personal stuff aside (feel free to let me know I made a ridiculous offer but don't take it so seriously) and perservere to make a deal.

I love trading. It's one of the funnest parts about this game. Let's make a deal!