Archive of SportingNews.com's old SOM Baseball forum

Hi Bernie,

Thanks for all you do for us.

One thing I'd like to see in the auto-draft is the ability to designate an "intended position" for each hitter.

The reason is best-explained by example from the 2011 Season.

Suppose I wish to draft Jose Bautista (whose primary position per SOM is RF) and use him as a 3B (he's a 3e14 there and talent is thinner at 3B than RF).

Further suppose I don't get him in the autodraft. Per my understanding of the autodraft rules as they exist today, his roster spot would be replaced by an otherwise undrafted RF (as opposed to a an otherwise undrafted 3B).

I propose the "intended position" setting to function as an override... i.e. If I set Bautista as a 3B and don't get him, the autodraft will provide me a replacement 3B.

Yes, I know I would be in a position to get a 3B via the pre-season waivers or frenzy... but the loss of Bautista as my penciled-in 3B would, from a strategic standpoint, require me to use my first waiver pick to find a starting 3B... and that would put me at a preventable disadvantage re: other clubs (who'd be using waivers to upgrade here/downgrade there).

Think about it & get back to us.

Thanks!

Seems like much ado about nothing. In your example, not getting Bautista as your "penciled-in" 3B forces you to get a 3B.

No disadvantage - every team will have a need of weakness after the draft and before the waivers. Adapting to the curves that the draft throws you seems like part of the fun.

From where I sit, it's a pretty small change to the website and the underlying draft logic. And there are dozens of high-dollar players every season where this would have impact... and in 2011 alone: Zobrist, CarGo, Hamilton, Bonifacio.

Better than having a designated position, I suggest that instead of som deciding the replacement for you at that draft spot, you are awarded the next highest ranked player on your draft card. I would much rather fat the highest ranked player at my next position than the replacement of the first position. I think if that were the case the autodraft would not be such a crapshoot

I like the idea of a designated position. To expound on that a bit...

If you draft Bautista intending to use him at 3B you most likely drafted a different player for RF. Getting an RFer as consolation for Bautista means you have 2 RFers and no third baseman. If this requested feature were available you would at least have one RF and one 3B following your draft. Surely this is a preferable result.

Should not be difficult to do and while I can see many not caring do not understand why anyone would be opposed to any manager having this ability.

[quote:2a24f5a4b4]I suggest that instead of som deciding the replacement for you at that draft spot, you are awarded the next highest ranked player on your draft card ... I think if that were the case the autodraft would not be such a crapshoot[/quote:2a24f5a4b4]
I have long wished for just this. Even ran some polls where over half voting supported this change.

I am wondering if those voting no are doing so because they are for whatever reason opposed to being able to designate your intended use of a player or if they are doing so because somehow they think an improvement to the autodraft has to be this or something else.

My point is adding this feature would not prevent adding other features.

I also do not understand if such a feature for designating desired position were added as an option why anyone would be opposed to zonachoke or anyone else from having that ability. To me that is like saying I would not want a red car so zonachoke should not have the option of a red car either.

[quote:37e1005e12]To me that is like saying I would not want a red car so zonachoke should not have the option of a red car either.[/quote:37e1005e12]

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRRTlrfTw0s[/url]

Maybe it's in zonachoke's best interest not to have a red car...

Bill

I voted Yes, but to Valen's point, I think there needs to be much more done to the autodraft beyond just adding an intended position option.

I think the intended position option should just be part of some more extensive changes, discussed on other threads, such as having the option to provide one or two alternatives for each pick (similar to how the "set lineup" is in the game).

Just an intended position solves some issues, but not all. To use the Bautista example - yes, I may want him for 3b with my first pick, but if DON'T get him, I may want Miguel Cabrera at 1b instead, for example. In other words, my next option, if I were there drafting live, would be for the best hitter, not necessarily the best remaining third baseman.

So I think there's validity to Valen saying some may be voting No, thinking this doesn't go far enough to solve some of the autodraft issues.

7 more needed for "Linsanity" 2011 80 mil league. ...and you get to play zonachoke :)

I like the idea zonachoke .....but I hope you didn't try for Bautista !

I've been playing ATG for a long time, it's been a few years for regular SOM. ..and after filling out a draft card last night I get zonachoke's point.

...in ATG there are doezens of alternative options.