Bernie, I think I can answer a couple of your questions. I'll leave the rest for Geoff:
BDWard wrote:I've read the rules several times and have some questions:
1. Are players carded to only one team the exclusive property of that team through the autodraft? For example, since Allan Trammell is only carded to the Tigers, does that mean that no other team may draft him in the 5 round player draft and the autodraft?
2. If the answer to the above question is that players carded to only one team are the property of that team through the autodraft, if, using Trammell as an example again, Trammell is not drafted by the Tigers (or is drafted and later dropped), is he a free agent thereafter, or would he remain the exclusive property of the Tigers, even if not on the Tigers' team roster, as he is only carded to the Tigers?
1.
In the 5 round player draft, you can only draft players who were carded to your team, OR players who were carded to the 2 franchises not drafted by any manager.So using your example, that means Trammell is only available to whomever chooses the Tigers.
2.
Your initial autodraft must contain the 5 players drafted in the player draft. These players should be placed at the top of your autodraft order (spots 1-5 on your draft order). The first remaining draft order spots on your autodraft (i.e. 6 and subsequent) must be used first to obtain your 15 required core players for your franchise. Once you have filled up your 15 core players, the remaining spots on your autodraft order can be used for non-core players that you would like to draft as "free agents".If Trammell isn’t listed as one of the first 15 players on the Tigers’ Autodraft list, he can be claimed by anyone. This includes in rounds 16-25 of the Autodraft. So for example I have Boston and if I want I could list Trammel in the #16 spot on my Autodraft list and he would possibly be mine. Last season I had Montreal and was weak at 2B so I listed Steve Sax of the Dodgers in the #16 spot on my Autodraft list, and I got him. It didn’t help as my team sucked anyways, but Sax stayed an Expo all season. However had I released him at any time during the year, he would have been a Free Agent available to anyone who wanted him.
I hope this helps, and I haven’t made it even less clear.