Minor League Madness League (MLML)

I am interested in establishing a new league along the following lines, subject to modifications proposed by managers willing to give it a try.

12-team league that plays at least one 162-game season annually, with no supplemental draft.
Salary cap TBD.

Active rosters of 30 players with MLB experience from which it is possible to meet the minimum roster requirements necessary to field a Strato 365 team. Teams allowed to protect 20 players from active roster prior to the annual free agent draft. All teams required to keep at least 15 players from active roster. Initial serpentine, free-agent draft of 30-carded players from most recent Strato 365 card set. Order of picks to be determine by random number generator.

Key feature: 28-man minor league roster at the time of the league’s creation, expanded to a 40-man minor league roster for all subsequent years.

The following drafts will be conducted, in similar fashion to the initial free agent draft, to populate league “minor league” rosters:
(1) Each team will draft 4 players selected in the most recent MLB draft who have yet to play for their MLB teams
(2) Each team will draft 4 players signed by MLB teams in the most recent international signing period who have yet to play for their MLB teams.
(3) Each team will draft 4 players currently playing at the high-school level.
(4) Each team will draft 4 players currently playing at the college-level.
(5) Each team will draft 4 players who played at A-level in MiLB last season
(6) Each team will draft 4 players who played at AA-level in MiLB
(7) Each team will draft 4 players who played at AAA-level in MiLB.

Draft order in all drafts occurring after the league’s initial season will proceed in reverse order of finish (i.e., games wons) in the most recently completed Strato 365 season, with a random number generator serving as a tie-breaker.

In all subsequent years, drafts #1 and #2 in the preceding list will be conducted as soon as possible following the respective MLB events. Drafts #3 through #7 will be conducted in the same sequence listed above during the offseason.

Each team will be allowed to pick a maximum of two players in each one of these subsequent “minor league” drafts. If such picks would leave a team with over 40 players on its minor league roster, then that team must drop the requisite number of minor league prospects prior to each respective draft such that the 40-man minor league roster cap is not exceeded.

Players remain on each teams minor league rosters until such time as they are traded to another team in the league, they are released outright by a league manager, or they are issued their first card in a Strato 365 card set. Once a player is carded, they can only be retained by being moved to a team’s active roster.

Trades of active players and minor league prospects are permitted, and strongly encouraged, but draft picks may not be traded.

Teams involved in a trade must receive as many players in return as they trade away, but active players can be traded for minor league prospects and vice versa. If a trade leaves a player with more than 30 active players or more than 40 minor leagues, then that player is required to immediately release the required number of players to remain in compliance with the respective roster caps.

All league rules subject to change via simple majority vote.

Minor League Madness League (MLML)
Post by unctarheel » Tue Feb 08, 2022 11:14 am

I am interested in establishing a new league along the following lines, subject to modifications proposed by managers willing to give it a try.

12-team league that plays at least one 162-game season annually, with no supplemental draft.
Salary cap TBD.

Active rosters of 30 players with MLB experience from which it is possible to meet the minimum roster requirements necessary to field a Strato 365 team. Teams allowed to protect 20 players from active roster prior to the annual free agent draft. All teams required to keep at least 15 players from active roster. Initial serpentine, free-agent draft of 30-carded players from most recent Strato 365 card set. Order of picks to be determine by random number generator.

Key feature: 28-man minor league roster at the time of the league’s creation, expanded to a 40-man minor league roster for all subsequent years.

The following drafts will be conducted, in similar fashion to the initial free agent draft, to populate league “minor league” rosters:
(1) Each team will draft 4 players selected in the most recent MLB draft who have yet to play for their MLB teams
(2) Each team will draft 4 players signed by MLB teams in the most recent international signing period who have yet to play for their MLB teams.
(3) Each team will draft 4 players currently playing at the high-school level.
(4) Each team will draft 4 players currently playing at the college-level.
(5) Each team will draft 4 players who played at A-level in MiLB last season
(6) Each team will draft 4 players who played at AA-level in MiLB
(7) Each team will draft 4 players who played at AAA-level in MiLB.

Draft order in all drafts occurring after the league’s initial season will proceed in reverse order of finish (i.e., games wons) in the most recently completed Strato 365 season, with a random number generator serving as a tie-breaker.

In all subsequent years, drafts #1 and #2 in the preceding list will be conducted as soon as possible following the respective MLB events. Drafts #3 through #7 will be conducted in the same sequence listed above during the offseason.

Each team will be allowed to pick a maximum of two players in each one of these subsequent “minor league” drafts. If such picks would leave a team with over 40 players on its minor league roster, then that team must drop the requisite number of minor league prospects prior to each respective draft such that the 40-man minor league roster cap is not exceeded.

Players remain on each teams minor league rosters until such time as they are traded to another team in the league, they are released outright by a league manager, or they are issued their first card in a Strato 365 card set. Once a player is carded, they can only be retained by being moved to a team’s active roster.

Trades of active players and minor league prospects are permitted, and strongly encouraged, but draft picks may not be traded.

Teams involved in a trade must receive as many players in return as they trade away, but active players can be traded for minor league prospects and vice versa. If a trade leaves a player with more than 30 active players or more than 40 minor leagues, then that player is required to immediately release the required number of players to remain in compliance with the respective roster caps.

All league rules subject to change via simple majority vote.

1) unctarheel
2) mlbphan
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Welcome aboard mlbphan! Will be interesting to see who else is willing to give this a try.

Minor League Madness League (MLML)
Post by unctarheel » Tue Feb 08, 2022 11:14 am

I am interested in establishing a new league along the following lines, subject to modifications proposed by managers willing to give it a try.

12-team league that plays at least one 162-game season annually, with no supplemental draft.
Salary cap TBD.

Active rosters of 30 players with MLB experience from which it is possible to meet the minimum roster requirements necessary to field a Strato 365 team. Teams allowed to protect 20 players from active roster prior to the annual free agent draft. All teams required to keep at least 15 players from active roster. Initial serpentine, free-agent draft of 30-carded players from most recent Strato 365 card set. Order of picks to be determine by random number generator.

Key feature: 28-man minor league roster at the time of the league’s creation, expanded to a 40-man minor league roster for all subsequent years.

The following drafts will be conducted, in similar fashion to the initial free agent draft, to populate league “minor league” rosters:
(1) Each team will draft 4 players selected in the most recent MLB draft who have yet to play for their MLB teams
(2) Each team will draft 4 players signed by MLB teams in the most recent international signing period who have yet to play for their MLB teams.
(3) Each team will draft 4 players currently playing at the high-school level.
(4) Each team will draft 4 players currently playing at the college-level.
(5) Each team will draft 4 players who played at A-level in MiLB last season
(6) Each team will draft 4 players who played at AA-level in MiLB
(7) Each team will draft 4 players who played at AAA-level in MiLB.

Draft order in all drafts occurring after the league’s initial season will proceed in reverse order of finish (i.e., games wons) in the most recently completed Strato 365 season, with a random number generator serving as a tie-breaker.

In all subsequent years, drafts #1 and #2 in the preceding list will be conducted as soon as possible following the respective MLB events. Drafts #3 through #7 will be conducted in the same sequence listed above during the offseason.

Each team will be allowed to pick a maximum of two players in each one of these subsequent “minor league” drafts. If such picks would leave a team with over 40 players on its minor league roster, then that team must drop the requisite number of minor league prospects prior to each respective draft such that the 40-man minor league roster cap is not exceeded.

Players remain on each teams minor league rosters until such time as they are traded to another team in the league, they are released outright by a league manager, or they are issued their first card in a Strato 365 card set. Once a player is carded, they can only be retained by being moved to a team’s active roster.

Trades of active players and minor league prospects are permitted, and strongly encouraged, but draft picks may not be traded.

Teams involved in a trade must receive as many players in return as they trade away, but active players can be traded for minor league prospects and vice versa. If a trade leaves a player with more than 30 active players or more than 40 minor leagues, then that player is required to immediately release the required number of players to remain in compliance with the respective roster caps.

All league rules subject to change via simple majority vote.

1) unctarheel
2) mlbphan
3) seanreflex
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Hey tar heel,

I’ve had to step up and commish a couple leagues. I’m going to have to hold off on this. I love your concept though! Thanks.

Sean

Thinking about it. I'm intrigued, but already getting jammed between work and existing leagues. Either way, some suggestions:

- Combine some of those prospect drafts. From a management standpoint, corralling owners to draft in eight different drafts each year seems onerous. The drafts would be fast (likely), so perhaps just stack the drafts to run at the same time?

1. Annual FA Draft in March (dependent on SOMO release) [Up to 15 Rounds]
2. First-Year Player, International Draft, and Pre-Teen Draft (Mid-July after 1st year) [up to eight rounds stacked and/or concurrent; 2 per]
3. Minor League Draft (January? October?) [up to six rounds; no more than 2 per level - maybe sub in Rookie to A-level]


- How about unsigned international? Would they be eligible in the HS, College draft? Would players on non-MLB teams (e.g., Japan) be eligible?

- Tracking could get pretty challenging for the Commish. I know you asked about Google Sheets, and I'd definitely use that, but you'll need to go a bit off script from the standard roster sheets. Cross-referencing which HS players were taken prior to the First Year Draft, etc. will need to be transparent to avoid confusion. Something akin to what Cal set up in the Original 24 TK Prospects tab.

- I know picking prospects is the method to Madness, but I'd also consider just picking teams from which to pick prospects (two per owner) plus a separate undrafted draft.

- Given the draft is max of two players, this likely isn't a big issue, but will drafting 24 HS/College players per year dampen the First Year Draft? It ensures that (more or less) the top 24 prospects will be off the board when that 1st Year draft happens. If nothing else, I'd make sure to space that draft away from the 1st Year draft so there's more variability in ranking.

Thanks for the feedback Rant. I definitely view this as a work in progress and I expect everyone to feel free to propose modifications and changes. I suppose I am in search of the Holy Grail, where teams must think long term and rely more upon trades and scouting than free agent drafts to mold their lineups. I am certainly in no hurry to start this league because I want us to have designed to run smoothly and to survive. I am willing to offer up my services as commissioner of this league since I have no other leadership commitments at present, but I would be equally happy to hand those reins over to someone more experienced with the online game.