In light of Adam's post below, I thought it might be funny to do a census of past ideas I've had for the ICA in the blogging era.
Since it's probably been a while, read these over and try to hold your laughter.
12/20/2007 - Restricted Free Agency Part II
2/1/2007 - Arbitration
5/25/2006 - PGA Championship Blazers for Fuggin Cup Winners
2/28/2006 - No Trade Clauses
2/26/2006 - Turning the ICA Draft into a Circus
2/24/2006 - Franchise Tagging/Restricted Free Agency Part I
Future proposals I intend to submit: a 4' 10" height maximum for all ICA players, disco demolition as the newest ICA category, and of course, the removal of baseball from the ICA.
Hey, we got No Trade Clauses passed!
(By the way, in all seriousness, if someone has an idea for franchise tagging that is neither complex nor seriously threatens the MR system, I think it could really help the league.)
Friday, December 28, 2007
Monday, December 24, 2007
Lyons Proposes Elimination Of Actual Baseball
After spending the past three years introducing incomprehensible rule proposals to the ICA, Walden Warriors owner Tom Lyons has made his most daring proposal to date: eliminating actual baseball from the fantasy baseball world.
Lyons' proposal, which is a 414-page book complete with graphs, flow charts and illustrations, would drastically reshape the ICA. While nobody besides Lyons fully understands the concept, it apparently involves something along the lines of doing away with worrying about the outcomes of actual Major League games, instead determining winners and losers based on predictions made by Bill James combined with the accuracy of that year's Farmer's Almanack.
For example, a player with a HPS/QTEA+Ebitda Rating of 125 and a OPS-ASQ WTF Score of 18 would be worth 915 points if the Farmer's Almanack correctly predicts the September rainfall within 20%. However, that same player's score would fall to 872 if the average corn yield is less than 80% of the expected harvest.
Changes would also be made to the annual draft. Under the proposal, owners would have the right to acquire any player they want, but would have to sacrifice a later round draft pick based on each player's Superba Number. The Superba Number is computed by multiplying the player's Win Shares by his LMFAO percentile, not including his HBP, divided by the number of credits he finished in college. The Superba Number is then put into an envelope and mailed to a designated contact in Kuala Lumpur, who opens it and announces it in the lobby of the Petronas Towers. If anyone in the lobby at the time of the announcement has the Superba Number on his or her driver's license, then the owner in question must give up a pick within the first three rounds, depending on the drafted player's Free Agency Rating. If the Superba Number is not a match, the owner loses a mid-round pick in two of the next seven drafts, depending on order of finish.
"I've talked to some of the other owners about my proposal, and I've gotten lukewarm reaction," said Lyons, who was having coffee with Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis. "I don't know what their problem is. It's a simple enough proposal, and it will surely enhance the quality of the league."
Lyons' proposal, which is a 414-page book complete with graphs, flow charts and illustrations, would drastically reshape the ICA. While nobody besides Lyons fully understands the concept, it apparently involves something along the lines of doing away with worrying about the outcomes of actual Major League games, instead determining winners and losers based on predictions made by Bill James combined with the accuracy of that year's Farmer's Almanack.
For example, a player with a HPS/QTEA+Ebitda Rating of 125 and a OPS-ASQ WTF Score of 18 would be worth 915 points if the Farmer's Almanack correctly predicts the September rainfall within 20%. However, that same player's score would fall to 872 if the average corn yield is less than 80% of the expected harvest.
Changes would also be made to the annual draft. Under the proposal, owners would have the right to acquire any player they want, but would have to sacrifice a later round draft pick based on each player's Superba Number. The Superba Number is computed by multiplying the player's Win Shares by his LMFAO percentile, not including his HBP, divided by the number of credits he finished in college. The Superba Number is then put into an envelope and mailed to a designated contact in Kuala Lumpur, who opens it and announces it in the lobby of the Petronas Towers. If anyone in the lobby at the time of the announcement has the Superba Number on his or her driver's license, then the owner in question must give up a pick within the first three rounds, depending on the drafted player's Free Agency Rating. If the Superba Number is not a match, the owner loses a mid-round pick in two of the next seven drafts, depending on order of finish.
"I've talked to some of the other owners about my proposal, and I've gotten lukewarm reaction," said Lyons, who was having coffee with Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis. "I don't know what their problem is. It's a simple enough proposal, and it will surely enhance the quality of the league."
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Lyons Sucks At Explaining Things in Writing, Barely Better LIve
Remember that last post I made? The one with flow charts and barely adequate language? I'd like another chance. A number of people have told me that that post wasn't so clear...
NFL restricted free agency: When a player is a free agent and can get offers elsewhere, but has to return to his original team if his salary offer is matched by the original team.
NFL Example: Paul Edinger was a restricted free agent. He got a $500,000 offer from Minnesota. He took the offer to Chicago, who has an option to match the offer because of his being restricted. If the Bears don't match, Edinger's a Viking. If the Bears do, he's a Bear. Even if Edinger wanted out of Chicago, he has to find a higher offer or return to the Bears. This clause in Edinger's contract was negotiated when he signed it.
ICA Restricted Free Agency: If you want to make a player you just drafted a restricted free agent for when they're MR, you burn a draft pick within three rounds after you originally took him.
Example: Feigh takes Zambrano at pick 8. Feigh sacrifices pick 44 to the fantasy gods. Now Zambrano is a restricted free agent when he's MR cut.
So, how does Feigh 'match' the offer, like Chicago matched Minnesota's offer on Paul Edinger? When the restricted player is MR cut, you burn a pick within a half round of where he's drafted. Then the player is returned to you, and the drafter is comped a 7th round sandwich pick for moving down a place.
Back to the Example: In the 2012 draft, right after DaFaze cut Zambrano, Zambrano is drafted by Outlaw #10 overall. Lo and behold, Feigh is sitting there with pick 14; right after Outlaw takes Z, Feigh announces he's exercising his restriction power, Zambrano goes to Feigh, Outlaw is back on the clock and is given a 7th round sandwich pick.
NFL restricted free agency: When a player is a free agent and can get offers elsewhere, but has to return to his original team if his salary offer is matched by the original team.
NFL Example: Paul Edinger was a restricted free agent. He got a $500,000 offer from Minnesota. He took the offer to Chicago, who has an option to match the offer because of his being restricted. If the Bears don't match, Edinger's a Viking. If the Bears do, he's a Bear. Even if Edinger wanted out of Chicago, he has to find a higher offer or return to the Bears. This clause in Edinger's contract was negotiated when he signed it.
ICA Restricted Free Agency: If you want to make a player you just drafted a restricted free agent for when they're MR, you burn a draft pick within three rounds after you originally took him.
Example: Feigh takes Zambrano at pick 8. Feigh sacrifices pick 44 to the fantasy gods. Now Zambrano is a restricted free agent when he's MR cut.
So, how does Feigh 'match' the offer, like Chicago matched Minnesota's offer on Paul Edinger? When the restricted player is MR cut, you burn a pick within a half round of where he's drafted. Then the player is returned to you, and the drafter is comped a 7th round sandwich pick for moving down a place.
Back to the Example: In the 2012 draft, right after DaFaze cut Zambrano, Zambrano is drafted by Outlaw #10 overall. Lo and behold, Feigh is sitting there with pick 14; right after Outlaw takes Z, Feigh announces he's exercising his restriction power, Zambrano goes to Feigh, Outlaw is back on the clock and is given a 7th round sandwich pick.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Restricted Free Agency
Another idea from Lyons.
Let's say Adam takes Reyes #1. With this system, Adam can burn any pick he owns within three rounds of said pick to add a "restricted free agency clause" in Reyes's new contract with the Golden Sox.
If Adam outright cuts (that is, not an MR cut) Reyes, nothing happens.
If Reyes is MR cut, Adam can burn a draft pick within four spots of where Reyes is drafted again after being MR cut. The Reyes drafter goes back on the clock and is comped a sandwich 7th round pick, Adam's pick is gone, Reyes is a Golden Sock again.
If Adam trades Reyes before he's MR cut, the new owner gets Reyes with the same restricted free agency privelege.
Some people like pictures instead of words, so here's a paintbrush file I made.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
The Language of Player Evaluation
I've been in a couple of trade chats this winter, and each time I've asked or been asked to rate the players involved in the conversation.
This might be a valuable tool league-wide. No one is forced to disclose their opinion of a given player, of course, but quantifying our opinion may make it easier to understand. It's the same reason that saying a beautiful woman is a "9", as opposed to "hot." Both are good, but they approach the answer differently.
With that in mind, I present to you the Walden Evaluation Metric. I tried to insert some examples, which of course you may disagree with, but the rating system calls for rating a player from 0-100, with guidelines as follows:
98-100: Elite of the elite, crème de la crème. Players that are league-wide recognized as slam dunk #1 overall picks without debate. A guy who has put up Cooperstown numbers for a few years. E.g. Arod, Pujols.
90: Excellent players that are the more typical #1 overall pick, but may carry some debate with them around going #1 depending on the quality of the draft. No debate, though, that they’re a top of the 1st round type of talent. E.G. Peavy, Reyes.
80: Very good players that might typically go mid- to late-first round. Not a really strong candidate for top of the draft, but would only be available if MR’d. E.G. Teixeira, Ca. Zambrano.
70: The loosey-goosiest category. Legitimately good players that would make the bottom half of a good 13-man roster, or would be drafted 3rd roundish if made available. E.G. Harden, Zito, Torii Hunter, most decent catchers, the middle of the pack of ICA SPs .
60: Players that clearly belong on a 22-man team but clearly don’t belong on a 13-man team, even if not MR. E.g. Ryan Garko, young players expected to be immediately good but aren’t yet (like Jered Weaver), Currently great players who are injury risks (like Jim Thome), Nick Swisher, Chien-Ming Wang
50: A replacement ICA player. Bottom of the draft selections, or players who are the best of the unrostered players. A throwaway ICA player. E.g. Casey Blake, Mark Teahen, Doug Davis.
25: A replacement MLB player. MLB players who have no business on an ICA roster, and aren’t much better than a typical AAA callup. E.g. Cesar Izturis.
0: A bad MLB bench player. MLB players who have no business on an MLB roster, and whose organization would be better off with a AAA callup. E.g. Jason LaRue.
My hope is that this gives us a new language when talking deals with one another. Use it if you like, or don't, but when I tell you that Ryan Braun is a 92 in my book, or I ask Curt what he thinks Ben Sheets's Walden Metric is, now you'll know what I mean!
This might be a valuable tool league-wide. No one is forced to disclose their opinion of a given player, of course, but quantifying our opinion may make it easier to understand. It's the same reason that saying a beautiful woman is a "9", as opposed to "hot." Both are good, but they approach the answer differently.
With that in mind, I present to you the Walden Evaluation Metric. I tried to insert some examples, which of course you may disagree with, but the rating system calls for rating a player from 0-100, with guidelines as follows:
98-100: Elite of the elite, crème de la crème. Players that are league-wide recognized as slam dunk #1 overall picks without debate. A guy who has put up Cooperstown numbers for a few years. E.g. Arod, Pujols.
90: Excellent players that are the more typical #1 overall pick, but may carry some debate with them around going #1 depending on the quality of the draft. No debate, though, that they’re a top of the 1st round type of talent. E.G. Peavy, Reyes.
80: Very good players that might typically go mid- to late-first round. Not a really strong candidate for top of the draft, but would only be available if MR’d. E.G. Teixeira, Ca. Zambrano.
70: The loosey-goosiest category. Legitimately good players that would make the bottom half of a good 13-man roster, or would be drafted 3rd roundish if made available. E.G. Harden, Zito, Torii Hunter, most decent catchers, the middle of the pack of ICA SPs .
60: Players that clearly belong on a 22-man team but clearly don’t belong on a 13-man team, even if not MR. E.g. Ryan Garko, young players expected to be immediately good but aren’t yet (like Jered Weaver), Currently great players who are injury risks (like Jim Thome), Nick Swisher, Chien-Ming Wang
50: A replacement ICA player. Bottom of the draft selections, or players who are the best of the unrostered players. A throwaway ICA player. E.g. Casey Blake, Mark Teahen, Doug Davis.
25: A replacement MLB player. MLB players who have no business on an ICA roster, and aren’t much better than a typical AAA callup. E.g. Cesar Izturis.
0: A bad MLB bench player. MLB players who have no business on an MLB roster, and whose organization would be better off with a AAA callup. E.g. Jason LaRue.
My hope is that this gives us a new language when talking deals with one another. Use it if you like, or don't, but when I tell you that Ryan Braun is a 92 in my book, or I ask Curt what he thinks Ben Sheets's Walden Metric is, now you'll know what I mean!
Monday, December 17, 2007
13 Man Rosters from '07 to '08
This is a look at the common players on our 13 man keeper rosters from 2007 to 2008. I found it interesting that the two teams with the worst records last season have the most common players from year to year.
Anything else we can learn from them? Other than I'm bored and I can't wait for baseball to start!
Golden Sox (7)
Berkman, Lance
Fielder, Prince
Helton, Todd
Pujols, Albert
Willis, Dontrelle
Zito, Barry
Zumaya, Joel
Renegades (7)
Cordero, Francisco
Dunn, Adam
Hoffman, Trevor
Putz, JJ
Rios, Alex
Santana, Johan
Young, Michael
Wyoming Pigs (7)
Gonzalez, Adrian
Hamels, Cole
Kazmir, Scott
Mauer, Joe
Renteria, Edgar
Sheets, Ben
Verlander, Justin
Oedipus and the Mamas Boys (1)
Harang, Aaron
Pine Tar Incident (5)
Beckett, Josh
Crawford, Carl
Holliday, Matt
Roberts, Brian
Rollins, Jimmy
DaFaze (6)
Cabrera, Miguel
Martinez, Victor
Oswalt, Roy
Ramirez, Manny
Ryan, BJ
Wainwright, Adam
Walden Warriors (4)
Guillen, Carlos
Hafner, Travis
Lee, Carlos
Peavy, Jake
Outlaw Stars (3)
Halladay, Roy
Jones, Chipper
Nathan, Joe
The American Giants (4)
Francoeur, Jeff
Howard, Ryan
Liriano, Francisco
Ramirez, Hanley
UD Bleacher Bums (5)
Haren, Danny
Morneau, Justin
Papelbon, Jonathon
Suzuki, Ichiro
Young, Chris
Anything else we can learn from them? Other than I'm bored and I can't wait for baseball to start!
Golden Sox (7)
Berkman, Lance
Fielder, Prince
Helton, Todd
Pujols, Albert
Willis, Dontrelle
Zito, Barry
Zumaya, Joel
Renegades (7)
Cordero, Francisco
Dunn, Adam
Hoffman, Trevor
Putz, JJ
Rios, Alex
Santana, Johan
Young, Michael
Wyoming Pigs (7)
Gonzalez, Adrian
Hamels, Cole
Kazmir, Scott
Mauer, Joe
Renteria, Edgar
Sheets, Ben
Verlander, Justin
Oedipus and the Mamas Boys (1)
Harang, Aaron
Pine Tar Incident (5)
Beckett, Josh
Crawford, Carl
Holliday, Matt
Roberts, Brian
Rollins, Jimmy
DaFaze (6)
Cabrera, Miguel
Martinez, Victor
Oswalt, Roy
Ramirez, Manny
Ryan, BJ
Wainwright, Adam
Walden Warriors (4)
Guillen, Carlos
Hafner, Travis
Lee, Carlos
Peavy, Jake
Outlaw Stars (3)
Halladay, Roy
Jones, Chipper
Nathan, Joe
The American Giants (4)
Francoeur, Jeff
Howard, Ryan
Liriano, Francisco
Ramirez, Hanley
UD Bleacher Bums (5)
Haren, Danny
Morneau, Justin
Papelbon, Jonathon
Suzuki, Ichiro
Young, Chris
Friday, December 14, 2007
2008 Draft Breakdown
Updated 2/1/08
Kirby (9) 1, 3, 13, 24, 25, 46, 49, 73, 85 ... Minors 6, 18
Kirby (9) 1, 3, 13, 24, 25, 46, 49, 73, 85 ... Minors 6, 18
Meer (8)
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Trade Update
The Outlaw Stars send their 2008 7th round pick to the Wyoming Pigs for right fielder Brad Hawpe.
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