Minidraft 2023

[Cardinals]

It's a surprise to nobody, but JB is quitting. That leaves his team and Bren's team vacant.

We'd previously discussed the idea of opening a minidraft up to the whole league if a powerhouse quit. JB qualifies.

There's a few details to work out.

1.) Should this be blind entry? I think yes. Meaning, you have to email rosters signaling your intent to join the minidraft. You don't get to know which other rosters are entering the pool aside from Yankees, Tigers.

2.) Timing - when should this all happen?

3.) Signing freeze/ZiPS Bidding. Depending on the timing, do we let the minidraft have access to the free agent pool, too? Does ZiPS bidding stop? Or do the participants get to proceed through the ZiPS bidding process as they normally would?

[Marlins]

1. Yeah I think should be blind and binding. Open it up to everyone but until all emails in, no one knows who is included nor how many teams included.

2. I think we should announce this quite quickly after the WS ends. Would be good to get this done early before too many zips come out. Announce it day after the WS? Emails due a week later, also at which time signing freeze begins. Then give a week or two for research and plan a time all the included GMs can meet online live? I think a live draft for the majority of the draft would be key.

3. As above, signing freeze once teams in. Also feel like all zips bidding should be on hold until the draft completes.

[Guardians]

It's a surprise to nobody, but JB is quitting. That leaves his team and Bren's team vacant.

We'd previously discussed the idea of opening a minidraft up to the whole league if a powerhouse quit. JB qualifies.

There's a few details to work out.

1.) Should this be blind entry? I think yes. Meaning, you have to email rosters signaling your intent to join the minidraft. You don't get to know which other rosters are entering the pool aside from Yankees, Tigers.

2.) Timing - when should this all happen?

3.) Signing freeze/ZiPS Bidding. Depending on the timing, do we let the minidraft have access to the free agent pool, too? Does ZiPS bidding stop? Or do the participants get to proceed through the ZiPS bidding process as they normally would?

1) Set a deadline to enter. Email the roster account by the deadline. Completely blind, so you only know the two rosters (and yours) available coming in.
-Do we cap it or leave open to everyone? Do we care?

2) I think we need to go as soon as possible after the WS. I would announce it now and set the deadline for entry within a week so we can go as soon as possible after the WS. It would be ideal that those teams have full access to zips (which are probably coming in October/November) so if they're trying to compete now they can fill gaps via zips.

3) I would freeze all transactions after the WS. The draft pool for the minidraft should only be those rosters that entered the minidraft. Once the draft finishes, zips bidding rules take over for everyone.

-A note on this: include draft picks as draftable commodities. If you enter the draft and you've got the #5 pick, the #5 pick is in the draft just like Aaron Judge. All in. I think those are important commodities that you put into play if you enter the draft.

[Marlins]

I agree with most this, but I don’t think we should limit their draft pool to those players on the rosters. If we do a signing freeze, we should open up the pool to every FA as well, some of these teams haven’t kept up with their rosters or have guys who are droppable after playoffs (Yanks). Shouldn’t force teams to draft players they’d just drop, just open it up completely. But yes draft picks on these rosters absolutely should be part of the draft.

[Rangers]

1. Yes, blind and good idea on approach. I'm fine with opening it up to everyone. We had good participation this year and there are guys who might not otherwise ever get their hands on a couple of players as good as are on JB's roster.

2. I agree with everyone on getting it done quickly and on a roster freeze - let's announce it immediately as soon as we're in agreement on the ground rules, hopefully in the next few days. I'd be in favor of one week after our season ends or thereabouts for the minidraft. We obviously need to get another new GM in place, but, that aside, getting it done quickly is a top priority imo. Allowing it to go slowly is unfair for someone, either the rest of the league or the participants, depending on who would have access to free agents during the minidraft. Additionally, it's not really fair if someone gets to pick in the middle of the draft just as a Top 10/20/zips list gets posted, so you'd want to limit the possibility of someone gaming the minidraft for that advantage.

3. I like a signing freeze, including the draft picks these teams own as draftable commodities, and allowing them to opt for available players in lieu of guys on the rosters. I disagree with Pat on putting a priority on them seeing zips projections before the draft. It's not that hard to have a general idea of who will help you if you want to try to win right away. If some get posted before they draft, so be it, but I don't think it's necessary. The same is true for BA prospect lists. Then, I'd think immediately after the draft we have a 2-3 day waivers period and then back to business as usual and, as Pat said, normal procedure for zips bidding. Catch up simultaneously on any teams that have already been posted and go from there.

Again, I think that we need to do anything we can to make the draft go fast. I think a live draft - at least for as much of it as possible and even if it's broken up over a couple of days - would be good and I think it would be fun to have it be public to the league so someone can watch if they want. And I think we'd have to use lists or something if we can't finish the draft in a few days, rather than allowing something slow paced. That's really the only negative I see with too many teams joining in.

This goes without saying but the wolves are going to be out after this minidraft. I feel pretty strongly that it is not going to be good for the league for a weaker GM to trade away Tatis, Judge, et al to stacked rosters in lopsided deals. I think we should say publicly that we are going to scrutinize deals involving top assets from this minidraft more closely than usual and guys looking to screw someone over and their victim will need to either get some guidance beforehand or be prepared to have a trade overturned.

Yordan Alvarez is a menace.

[Marlins]

Seems like we have most of the details worked out? And the consensus is to post something sooner? Was chatting with JP that we should do a “WS Start/State of the league/announce JB leaving/announce mini draft and details/relocation” post.

Anyone want to try a draft post? I nominate PG. I can’t write good, in the words of Ralph Wiggum, “me fail English? That’s umpossible.”

[Padres]

I originally was not going to participate in the mini draft but now am leaning towards doing so ... That is why I haven't been active in this discussion. I will simply say I in concurrence with the general direction this is headed.

I recall early in Covid we had an "IBC happy hour" via Zoom I believe. Seems to me that would be a good way to hold a live draft and allow any interested non-participating GM to follow as well.

[Marlins]

I like that idea to allow others not in the draft to watch the draft live

[Guardians]

Seems like we have most of the details worked out? And the consensus is to post something sooner? Was chatting with JP that we should do a “WS Start/State of the league/announce JB leaving/announce mini draft and details/relocation” post.

Anyone want to try a draft post? I nominate PG. I can’t write good, in the words of Ralph Wiggum, “me fail English? That’s umpossible.”

I can compose a skillfully crafted essay that articulates the future state of this fine institution.