IBC

Any suggestions for official draft start time? My own personal suggestion would be Friday january 4th, ust to give folks time to get over New Years and complete any travel they may have to do.
Also in past years we've allowed the draft to start earlier but not applied a clock until the official start time. any thoughts on whether we should do this again?

I would be on board with both of those

Sounds good. I say we make the unofficial draft start as early as possible. Are we doing winter league again this year?

I would say start it unofficially sometime during the MLB Winter Meetings so that we know which Japanese players are coming over for sure via signings or which are being negotiated with.

A little self interest here since I may/likely will be away from January 5th-16th and would be adding international service to my phone to relay the picks which ill wind up doing anyway Im sure, but I'd like to be around for my first rounder. IF nobody picks by January 4, that's fine too, as long as we give the option of starting sometime in December as we always have in the past.

Pirates wrote:I would say start it unofficially sometime during the MLB Winter Meetings so that we know which Japanese players are coming over for sure via signings or which are being negotiated with.

I agree ...

In the past it's just kind of started on it's own once it seemed like the top picks weren't going to move any more than they had or that GM's had solidified who they wanted. I don't think there's a need to set a start date for it

RedSox wrote:In the past it's just kind of started on it's own once it seemed like the top picks weren't going to move any more than they had or that GM's had solidified who they wanted. I don't think there's a need to set a start date for it

so in theory, we could start drafting now? I think that's slightly silly. I would say unofficially we begin on this day (Nov or dec blank) and we will cut off pick trading on Jan 4, the official start date when we wind a draft clock.

I think that's pretty efficient and fair.

In a way we already have started. The first five picks are pretty set. While Dave is shopping #3, his price is ridiculous and I'd be surprised if it moves.

If that's how you feel then whats stopping people from making picks? I think it's a bit premature because it would skew where Fukedome would go if we began now, or other Japanese players. I wouldn't really object to allowing people to pick but I do think it's premature.

Ia gree, i just see it as being more fluid. Setting a start date is fine though, really doesn't matter.

I'm fine with anything. If you (as a collective ExCo you not Bren you) want to say whenever you are comfortable to draft, start it up and make your selections, that's ok with me. I really have no problem other than the fact that I might sit on my pick for awhile if I'm up say next week or whatever.

Keep in mind I still have to create the drafting interface. I'm expecting that to be at minimum a week or 2. Most likely not until Thanksgiving. Additionally, I want there to be a queue, so that's going to take some time to develop. I think we should set a start date for January and allow drafting to start sometime in between Thanksgiving and Christmas, but on the later side of those 2 dates.

Re: the queue- that wont be necessary till 1/4/08. If were allowing early drafting, theres no time limit to the picks.

I think that the main thing that we need to monitor, like JP said, is Fukudome (and if there is another player who might figure at the top of the draft, him). For one, the pre-official drafting is cool as long as no one takes advantage of it and sits on their pick for too long, providing them with substantially more information than those picking before him and creating situations like the Iguchi thing a couple of years ago (but more serious). That just isn't a good situation.

I have no problem whatsoever with someone doing that kind of stalling tactic. If they don't feel ready to make their pick then they should not have to make it until the draft officially starts. If GM's want to start beforehand, that's at their own risk and prerogative.

RedSox wrote:I have no problem whatsoever with someone doing that kind of stalling tactic. If they don't feel ready to make their pick then they should not have to make it until the draft officially starts. If GM's want to start beforehand, that's at their own risk and prerogative.

I think more about those after the staller, but you're right. And those after would, in theory, not have any less of a chance to get a player anyway.

bump

Any objections to letting people start making picks at their own pace starting this weekend? We can just set up a board thread.

RedSox wrote:Any objections to letting people start making picks at their own pace starting this weekend? We can just set up a board thread.

i think shawn's actually on the verge of finishing the drafting mechanism

On the verge...no. End in sight...sure. I'll keep you guys updated. Don't get the train rolling until I'm ready. I would prefer not to start for at least another week after Thanksgiving, given that I won't be around that week afterwards to fix any problems and really need to do some testing to make sure it is all ready to go.

sounds fine to me

No rush at all. Are we planning a winter league this year?

Athletics wrote:No rush at all. Are we planning a winter league this year?

I definitely hope so. This winter league figures to be my first experience in this league with a competitive team. I'm looking forward to it. Szymborski is only about halfway through posting them, so it will be January probably.

We've typically done WL with the prior season stats (i.e. 2007 stats) as I recall.

RedSox wrote:We've typically done WL with the prior season stats (i.e. 2007 stats) as I recall.

Oh we don't use ZiPS? I thought that Pat used that last winter, but I must be confusing it with other winter leagues.