SMALL BALL KINGS PRE-1920 DRAFTING

Should we just pull the plug on this draft and this league?

Whenever we hit a snag, the draft seems to slow down in the same place.

Rick

Should we just pull the plug on this draft and this league?

I realize that some of the participants in this league do lead extremely busy lives, and apparently are not able to monitor the drafts as others of us are.

That being said, I guess I was under the impression when this tournament started that we would likely have a couple of teams in action at all times, i.e., that once a season began, the draft would the following season would commence, and it would be completed in about four weeks, or midway through the season. Perhaps my expectations were a bit optimistic. So, yeah, the slow pace of the draft has been a bit of a frustration to me.

However, I would not want to pull the pull on this draft. However, I do wonder if it is necessary to have to go through the complete 26 rounds. It would seem to me that after 15 or 16 rounds, the nucleus of your team has been pretty much determined. I would think that we could complete another round or two, maybe allow everyone to select their ballpark, and then autodraft the remaining players. I know there's the possibility that some of the same players could be selected and that someone would then be assigned another player (probably outside of the time era in all likelihood), but then that could be corrected during the waiver period and the open draft period prior to the commencement of the season.

I had the number one draft choice for this current draft, so admittedly this tournament has not been too successful for me. However, I have enjoyed playing in the various leagues, and learning about the various players from each era. You've been a good group to compete against. I've really enjoyed some of the banter on the message board.

So, I would hope that at the very least that we would go through with this particular league, and then perhaps we need to reevaluate what everyone's wishes are for the remaining leagues. I did commit to play this entire tournament, so if the majority wishes to complete the entire thing, then I'll hang in there.

Ken

Guys- as I announced a couple times here I am on vacation for two weeks with my family. That being said I communicated that fact to the group more than once and also take action to check our status whenever I can, at least daily. Now that being said, I am sure there are times when I have held one of our drafts up a time or two previously.

My expectations would be that barring unforeseen circumstances, if you are going to be unable to access the boards for more than 12 hours, that if you realistically see the possibility that your pick will come up in your absence you should communicate with the group regarding your absence, or place proxies with any one of the very willing and helpful group of proxy takers that have often performed this role. Usually if someone has been up for awhile I send a text or an e-mail and that gets things moving again. I admit that my vacation time here has compromised my ability to do that and I am gone until the 24th.

This being said, we are mid-stream in a tournament that was conceived as a certain number of events and we all have significant time invested in this effort. To suggest scrapping the draft or the league is just not palatable to me and I would hope not to others. Sure it would be nice to have the leagues moving right along and that certainly helps hold interest. Slow picks beget more slows picks and delays. But to suggest we scrap it just doesn't sit well with me at this juncture. That is putting it lightly.

The reality is slow drafts do not change the monetary component of our commitment to this league. Our prior leagues have stalled here and there but we have completed a few drafts and leagues and we are through quite a few rounds here. It is also summer and that is busy for most folks I know and a little more challenging with vacations, etc. I would respectfully ask that everyone reach for a little more patience, while at the same time doing our best to keep our commitments to keep the draft moving, using the obove communication guidelines and proxy tools.

I appreciate Ken's suggestion, but that is not what we agreed to up front. If we cannot get this thing moving maybe I will "call it" at some point and we will go with ADing the rest of our teams. But first let's see if we can redouble our efforts a bit here. If it gets too bad and it comes to it, without any reason or explanation, I would look for replacement owners, via either voluntary or involuntary departures. But I am not at that stage yet. Let' see if we can pull it together, understanding that my absence will not help that cause a lot.

None of this will succeed without some patience. When people have slowed the draft significantly it has been for periods of a day or two at the most. That is no fun for anyone, but we all have our moments when this just isn't our top priority for some reason. Though I would prefer a word of explanation in these cases, we have known and played with each other for quite awhile here and maybe our our fellow owners greater considerations from both perspectives. If it cannot be cured I will consider changes.

Thanks,
Dan
The Commish.

Why don't we just skip Gordie for now and let him jump right back in whenever. We're dealing with a limited budget here anyway. It's not like he's not going to be able to spend his $80m.

I'm sure Gordie is just very busy and it sounds like Rich is usually the one who nudges him and he's in Italy.

Whether it takes a month or it takes two...doesn't matter to me. Whatever!

Fellas, I guess this whole issue is my fault for not being patient enough however I think I spoke what most of us were feeling.

Fellas, I guess this whole issue is my fault for not being patient enough however I think I spoke what most of us were feeling.

I have no issue with the frustration, Randy, only with the idea of scrapping the league. If the most do not feel closer to the way Bill does then we may have a larger issue. I think somewhere in between is the balance point. To me the idea of scrapping it based on the last couple days seemed like the nuclear option. I have a lot of effort invested in this whether it seems like that or not, as you do, with the season rosters, etc. But i will freely admit that I have more demands on my time in the summer than I do in the winter.

I do value the group we play with and also value the idea of a repeating tourney format, as was proposed initially. Those work best when the group stays consistent, but changes do take place sometimes. Such competition means more than grouping with a different mix of 12 owners each time.

To me it can be frustrating when the pace of the draft slows, but it doesn't make me question the viability of the league. I am open to other ideas, but especially give the circumstances (vacation, summer,etc.) this is just a speed bump, not an impassible barrier. I have been in other repeating formats with a lot more turnover and similar delays. To me we navigate them, once in awhile rally the troops to the cause and move on.

Fellas, I guess this whole issue is my fault for not being patient enough however I think I spoke what most of us were feeling.

And I said we needed equal parts patience and recommitment to the draft.


And sorry for the typos. Working from an ipad.

Why don't we just skip Gordie for now and let him jump right back in whenever. We're dealing with a limited budget here anyway. It's not like he's not going to be able to spend his $80m.

I'm sure Gordie is just very busy and it sounds like Rich is usually the one who nudges him and he's in Italy.

Whether it takes a month or it takes two...doesn't matter to me. Whatever!

And yes please skip Gordie for now. He will catch up and not a big deal at this stage of the draft. When or if I come up tomorrow please give me the best balanced (low HR, low Si, leaning to Wagner's righty bat) pitcher park available. Thanks. Sorry but cannot sort through them right now.

Good suggestion.

Let's keep picking, and Gordie can get caught up later.

Rick