BLAST FROM THE PAST REDO THEME LEAGUE, Draft on ILC

Remember those lazy, carefree Summer days when we were kids playing pick up baseball at the park or in the schoolyard? Whenever there was a disagreement (which was not infrequent), instead of spending all day arguing about it or breaking up the game over it, we learned to "do it over". Still echoing in my memory are shouts of "cheater's proof" from the team vindicated by the redo!

Unfortunately, we can't redo life. We can't turn back the clock and catch the girl who got away, take back hurtful words uttered in the heat of an argument, go back to high school and do it right or return to the great job that was lost when the business closed or we left for supposedly greener pastures.

The same is true in MLB. Just ask Bill Buckner or Steve Bartman.

We also can't redo online Strato. We've all had teams that dazzled during the season, but for whatever reason, didn't get a ring. Maybe there was a playoff injury or a playoff slump or maybe the other team just caught fire or maybe the star reliever got shelled or the dice did us in. But for whatever reason, we were left disappointed and/or scratching our head.

We've thought about trying to put the team back together for another run, but that's next to impossible, leaving us to always wonder "what if?"

Until now, with the BLAST FROM THE PAST REDO THEME LEAGUE.

Here's how it works:

* ATG6, $110 mil cap, 12 teams, DH, 10% drop, advanced.

* Team eligibility: Any of your past $100 mil ATG teams that DID NOT win the Finals.

* Player eligibility: At all times teams must maintain AT LEAST 18 players (any version of the player) who were on the final roster of the past team.

* Player acquisition: 24 round serpentine draft run on Diamond Dope with randomizer to determine draft order. In the first 15 rounds teams ARE REQUIRED to pick players who were on the past team during the season. At no time may a team pick a player that is on another past team's final roster UNLESS that player is also on the past team final roster of the team selecting the player in the Diamond Dope draft.

* The clock will be off the first 2 rounds to give people a chance to get situated. Beginning with round 3, there will be a 6 hour clock for draft picks. The clock will run on the weekends, but will be off over night, likely from Midnight to 8:00 A.M. Eastern Time. Exceeding 6 hours puts one at risk to have a pick skipped. The use of proxies is not only encouraged, but is highly recommended, especially during the first 15 rounds, when picks are limited to players from your past team.

* Please make a good faith effort to draft the player version you intend to use during the season to minimize hoarding.

* Division assignments determined by a randomizer after the Diamond Dope draft.

* Diamond Dope player selections to be put on autodraft card. Select a stadium during the autodraft. UNIQUE STADIUMS ARE NOT REQUIRED.

This should be a fun league with very even competition, since it is unlikely that anyone will pick a past team that didn't make the playoffs.

Hit me up with any questions.

Sign up sheet and post a link to your past team below.

This league will probably fill quickly, as there has never before been a league quite like this one, so sign up now. Don't forget to post a link to the past team you are using.

Have fun and good luck!

1. BDWard - http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/244262
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Likely FAQs:

1. Q: Can any of my previous $100 mil ATG teams be used, even if not an ATG6 team?

A: Yes, teams from any version of the ATG series can be used, as long as the team did not win the league Finals. It doesn't matter if the team was from ATG3, ATG4, ATG5 or ATG6. Note, however, that this league will use the ATG6 card set, which incorporates previous sets, although card pricing may be different.

2. Q: My past team used the cheaper version of a player, as the more expensive version did not become available until a later version of the ATG series. Am I stuck with the cheaper version of the player card or can I use the more expensive version?

A: Any version of a player card can be used, as long as it fits under the cap. So, for example, if your past team used the $9.14 mil version of Eddie Mathews, but wants to use the $11.26 mil version of Mathews, it can do so, as long as it fits under the cap. Conversely, a lower priced version of a player can be used. So, for example, if the past team used the $10.93 mil version of George Brett, but the manager is concerned about injury risk, the $9.37 mil version of Brett (or any other version) can be used. Also, using the same named player, regardless of the version of the player, from a past team will count towards satisfying the minimum roster requirement of 18 players from the past team.

3. Q: Why is there a $110 mil cap when the previous cap for all past teams was $100 mil?

A: The ATG cards did not maintain the same card prices for all series of cards, with premier hitter cards being pricier in later versions of the ATG series, so a $100 mil team from ATG4, for example, may be more costly in ATG6 and be unable to fit under a $100 mil cap. The $110 mil cap provides a remedy for that situation. Plus, all of the teams in this league have one thing in common: for whatever reason, they failed to get a ring. Not only does the $100 mil cap take into account price variations across the various ATG sets, but it also allows tweaks to be made to each team that may improve its chances of winning.

4. Q: This is a DH league, but my past team was no DH? Can I still join?

A: Absolutely, but you'll have to make some roster adjustments to accommodate a DH.

5. Q: Quite a few players appear on more than one past team. How is it determined which team gets a player who appears on more than one past team?

A: In the event a player appears on the roster of more than one past team, the team that drafts the player first in the Diamond Dope draft gets him. Note that only those teams that have a player on the past team final roster are eligible to draft that player in the Diamond Dope draft. So, for example, if only one team has Hank Aaron on the past team final roster, no other team can draft him on Diamond Dope, so it would be foolish for the team with the exclusive rights to Aaron to draft him early in the Diamond Dope draft.

6. Q: I had a player on my past team who was drafted by another manager who also had the player on his past team. How soon can I replace that player? Can I replace that player with any player of my choice?

A: The rules require that the first 15 rounds of the Diamond Dope draft be used exclusively for players who were on the final regular season roster of the past team, so the earliest a lost player can be replaced is round 16. Also, the replacement player must be a free agent, i.e. a player who does not appear on the final regular season roster of any other past team.

7. Q: I'd like to upgrade a position on my team. Can I draft in the Diamond Dope draft a different player than the one from my past team?

A: Yes, but not until round 16 at the earliest. Any player drafted to replace a player from a past team must be a free agent, with no other team owning the rights to that player. Plus, keep in mind that at all times your roster must carry a minimum of 18 players from the past team.

8. Q: Are players who were traded or cut during the season for the past team eligible to be counted as part of the 18 past team players minimum roster requirement for the team in this league?

A: No. A player cut or traded by a past team during the season no longer belongs to the past team.

9. Q: Are players who were traded or cut during the season for the past team eligible to be drafted in the Diamond Dope draft by teams as free agents?

A: Yes, beginning in round 16 of the Diamond Dope draft, as long as the player does not appear on the final roster of any other past team.

10. Q: What happens if I'm unable to meet the minimum roster requirement of 18 players from my past team?

A: The goal here is to be able to substantially recreate a favorite team from the past to give it another shot at a ring, while at the same time recognizing that some players may become unavailable due to being on more than one past team and also recognizing a desire to "tweak" the past team to give it a greater chance to win. The only circumstance that would prevent a team from meeting the 18 past team players minimum roster requirement is if there are fewer than 18 players remaining available from your past team to fill the roster spots. In other words, to the extent that there are past team players available to meet the 18 player minimum roster requirement, they must be used to meet the minimum roster requirement of 18 past team players. If no such players remain available, each roster spot under the 18 minimum may only be filled by a player costing $.5 mil, so it is important to fill your 18 player minimum early to avoid having to pick an undesirable $.5 mil roster filler player. The reason for the minimum roster requirement of 18 players from the past team is twofold: a) to substantially recreate the past team; and b) to prevent someone from drafting a team substantially different than the past team.

11. Q: Am i allowed to carry more than 18 players from my past team?

A: Absolutely!

12. Q: Am I allowed to cut or trade players from the past team?

A: Yes, but only as long as your team has at least 18 players remaining from the past team.

13. Q: Do players not taken during the Diamond Dope draft remain the property of the past team?

A: No, they become free agents and are eligible to be taken after the autodraft by any team.

14. Q: Will there be waivers after the autodraft?

A: No. Since there will e 24 players drafted on Diamond Dope, there will be no need for waivers. There will, however, be a frenzy so that rosters can tweaked.

15. Q: Am I required to use the same ballpark used by the past team?

A. No. Any ballpark can be used. Also, unique ballparks are not required.

16. Q: How will the rules be enforced?

A: It's not unusual for inadvertent rule violations to occur during theme leagues, so it is important for everyone to know and understand the rules and that everyone be vigilant to catch any violation, as such theme leagues are self policing. I've never been in a theme league where anyone intentionally violated the rules, so it's important that any violations be caught early when they are most easily correctable.

17. Q: All of these rules, questions and examples are too much to read and are giving me a headache. Why couldn’t this be shorter and easier?

A: If reading this stuff gives you a headache, imagine how difficult it was to write it! It is important to set out the rules in advance to try to minimize any misunderstandings and to avoid having to make up the rules as we go along. Go take some aspirin!

1. BDWard - http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/244262
2. thaibill - http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/338978
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!

1. BDWard - http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/244262
2. thaibill - http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/338978
3.mrharryc http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/me ... am/3795834.
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Harry: Thanks for signing up for the league. You put the wrong link next to your name. The link to the past team you are using for this league should be next to your name on the sign up sheet. The link currently next to your name is another link for the team I'm using as posted on the sign up sheet.

Please post the correct link for the past team you are using next to your name on the sign up sheet. Thanks. - Bernie

1. BDWard - http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/244262
2. thaibill - http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/338978
3.mrharryc
4. andycummings65 - http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/306741
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1. BDWard - http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/244262
2. thaibill - http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/338978
3.mrharryc
4. andycummings65 - http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/306741
5. carr20 - http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/382091
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1. BDWard - http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/244262
2. thaibill - http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/338978
3.mrharryc
4. andycummings65 - http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/306741
5. carr20 - http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/382091
6. AeroDave10 http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/224128
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Does/should our team name have at least some remnants of the original team name?