Suggestions for the 2014 PC tourney-new thread/fresh start!

Also on the subject of ballparks - what do you think about "themed" events - e.g. where certain parks are prohibited for the event. For example, one event could prohibit 6 pitcher parks, while another event might prohibit 6 home run parks. What do you think about this?

I intensely dislike the themed ballpark idea.

I like theme leagues, but not for the PC tournament. In my opinion the PC tournament should be fairly 'normal' league set up. No gimmicky leagues....

If themes are a thought for a tournament, then maybe in the future there could be a Themed Championship Tournament.....but not in the PC tournament. I'd actually play in a tournament like that (just do it separate from the PC tournament).

Thanks.

I'm good with Geoff's proposed point plan. I'll put my vote in for one event being a 24 team $60M. I could go either way with themed events. I'm not in favor of a super reliever penalty - super relievers are available to anyone.

I like Geoff's compromise on the playoff points debate.
I like that $60M leagues are part of the PC

I dislike the idea of an unlimited salary league for PC.
I dislike the "theme" leagues with set or limited ballparks for the PC.

Well, the early returns are that "themed" events, with ballpark restrictions, are not well liked. No problem here, just curious!

For what it's worth, my comments on the main points that have been discussed so far:

1. Playoff Points - I'm OK with the commissioner's decision. I have no problem rewarding managers something for making the playoffs. In the end, this method or J-Pav's suggestion of 1 pt for each playoff win (with no other bonus points) are going to yield very similar results result.

2. No to themed events regarding ballparks. It's an interesting idea, but I share the sentiment of others who say it doesn't belong in the PC tournament.

3. Regarding ballparks, one new wrinkle I'd propose is requiring unique ballparks in each league. I've been in leagues where as many as four teams use the same park. Doesn't matter if they're hitters or pitchers parks, I'd just like to see them be all different, as in real baseball. Obviously, this would involve some sort of "draft" involving parks. This could be done separately from the players draft or in conjunction. The latter would provide some interesting decisions - i.e., what's more important to me, getting Progressive as my home park or getting a Mike Trout or Clayton Kershaw? Do I make my stadium my third pick or my 20th pick? In the case of live drafts, I think the ballparks should be decided first so managers could then draft players accordingly. In an auto draft, it's more of a crap shoot, but I'd still like to know what ballparks I'll be playing in before I draft players.

4. No penalty for "super relievers". As Knerrpool noted, they are available to all.

5. The idea of 24-team leagues for one of the events is intriguing. If done, I'd vote that it should be a $60M cap league.

6. No to unlimited salary cap leagues.

In the end, I can live with just about anything as long as the rules are the same for everybody.

Here’s a strawman idea for an event schedule. I tried to set it up so that each event is at least a little different from all the others (although it starts and ends with basic 12-team, $80 million, DH leagues without unleashed players).

Event One: A “plain vanilla” league – 12-team leagues, $80 million cap, DH, autodraft

Event Two: 24-team leagues, $60 million cap, no DH, autodraft

Event Three: 12-team leagues, $100 million cap, DH, include unleashed players, 2-round (1 unique stadium and 1 player) live snake draft (commissioner randomly orders teams) on message board prior to autodrafting

Event Four: 12-team leagues, $80 million cap, no DH, autodraft

Event Five: 6-team leagues, $120* million cap, DH, include unleashed players, 2-round (1 unique stadium and 1 player) live snake draft (commissioner randomly orders teams) on message board prior to autodrafting

Semi-Finals: 12-team leagues, $80 million cap, DH, include unleashed players, 2-round (1 unique stadium and 1 player) live draft (each round in descending point order) on message board prior to autodrafting

Finals: 12-team leagues, $80 million cap, DH, five-round (four players and a unique stadium) live draft (each round in descending point order) on message board prior to autodrafting.

*For the six-team league salary cap, I looked at the price of the 54 most expensive hitters (9 per team), the 30 most expensive starters (5 per team), the 24 most expensive “pure relievers” (4 per team) then added $18 million to round out 24-player rosters with minimum salary guys. That came to $120.445 million per team. Obviously some teams will choose something other than the “stubs and scrubs” approach, but that seems a salary cap that would allow the vast majority of the best cards to be used in a six-team league.

I agree on not trying to legislate away super-relievers.

Here’s a strawman idea for an event schedule. I tried to set it up so that each event is at least a little different from all the others (although it starts and ends with basic 12-team, $80 million, DH leagues without unleashed players).

Event One: A “plain vanilla” league – 12-team leagues, $80 million cap, DH, autodraft

Event Two: 24-team leagues, $60 million cap, no DH, autodraft

Event Three: 12-team leagues, $100 million cap, DH, include unleashed players, 2-round (1 unique stadium and 1 player) live snake draft (commissioner randomly orders teams) on message board prior to autodrafting

Event Four: 12-team leagues, $80 million cap, no DH, autodraft

Event Five: 6-team leagues, $120* million cap, DH, include unleashed players, 2-round (1 unique stadium and 1 player) live snake draft (commissioner randomly orders teams) on message board prior to autodrafting

Semi-Finals: 12-team leagues, $80 million cap, DH, include unleashed players, 2-round (1 unique stadium and 1 player) live draft (each round in descending point order) on message board prior to autodrafting

Finals: 12-team leagues, $80 million cap, DH, five-round (four players and a unique stadium) live draft (each round in descending point order) on message board prior to autodrafting.

*For the six-team league salary cap, I looked at the price of the 54 most expensive hitters (9 per team), the 30 most expensive starters (5 per team), the 24 most expensive “pure relievers” (4 per team) then added $18 million to round out 24-player rosters with minimum salary guys. That came to $120.445 million per team. Obviously some teams will choose something other than the “stubs and scrubs” approach, but that seems a salary cap that would allow the vast majority of the best cards to be used in a six-team league.

I agree on not trying to legislate away super-relievers.

Very interesting stuff! I like it, although I'd like to do a live draft as one of the 5 events. Any other comments from others on this, or other ideas?

Sorry, I've not been to the Boards in a while. Just seeing all this. Please give me a moment to weigh in:

1- PLAYOFF BONUS POINTS - You gotta have this. I think the most points should be for MAKING the playoffs; as we all know, after that, it's a crapshoot. I'd go FIVE POINTS FOR MAKING THE PLAYOFFS, nothing for making it to the finals, and FIVE POINTS FOR WINNING THE CHAMPIONSHIP. Only giving one point for every playoff game win does not feel right; there have been very good teams swept out of opening round who deserve some bonus love.

2. NO TO BALLPARK THEMES. No need to keep beating this horse. It's dead.

3. UNIQUE BALLPARKS - I love this idea, it's closer to Reality, but it will likely also slow the draft process and the tournament already takes too long. So I guess I'm for it in theory and against it in reality.

4. SUPER-RELIEVERS - I think a 200 inning max is more than fair. I mean, c'mon. It's ridiculous.

5. 24 TEAM LEAGUE - Love this idea for one event, if it's a $60MM cap. Even though every time I"ve played in one of these my team has finished last.

6. UNLIMITED SALARY CAP - No.

7. SIX TEAM LEAGUE - HATE THIS WITH EVERY FIBER OF MY BEING.

8. AL/NL ONLY LEAGUE - Yes. NL would be No DH. Again, not sure how the draft would work (unless it was live), and you would only have one most likely, so people would have to choose, which would likely slow the process down some more. Again, probably a fan in theory, against it in realty unless somebody can figure out an easy way to do it.

9. DH/NO DH - At least one league, preferably two.

10. UNLEASHED - At least one league during the preliminary rounds, makes the most sense for the $100MM league.

There might be more to say, but this seems to hit the key points. The only real deal breaker for me is the six-team league; that just seems like a total cluster#ck. If that actually becomes one of the preliminary rounds when there are so many other more interesting options, I'll plotz.

tws