*New* Marvin Miller Mid-season Keeper League-Need 5 to fill!

Hi Guys,

The idea behind this new keeper league is that I want to mimic the effect of free agency in baseball - hence the name "Marvin Miller".

The way that this free agency effect will occur is that when any player changes leagues (i.e. from AL to NL, or from NL to AL) from one strat year to another, **then he will be deemed to be a free agent eligible for the annual free agent draft**. (The league designation will be according to the strat official card designation - not the split year card but the full year 'official' card).

We will be using the unleashed player card set. The league will be 24 teams.

The second main emphasis is that we will hold the annual drafts (including this initial draft) after the MLB trade deadline. The main reason I want to do this is that it doesn't conflict with my own peak work periods, but I think it also adds a unique flair and twist to the whole concept for this league.

In some ways, this league will be similar to the AL-only and NL-only keeper leagues, in the way they mimic free agency through inter-league player moves.

We will do a one round prospect draft each year. If a prospect changes leagues through a trade, he doesn't become a free agent as a result of this. A deemed free agent can only occur when his strat playing card switches leagues from one year to the next. A prospect is any player who has been signed by a MLB club, but who has never had a MLB plate appearance or pitching appearance. Any players who are not drafted as prospects will become available as free agents in the year that they first receive a card in the strat unleashed set. Prospects who receive cards MUST be promoted to your team in the first year in which they receive a card in strat (unleashed set).

Players do not become free agents merely because they do not receive a strat card in a particular year. Their rights remain with the same ball club.

The roster limit, minimum and maximum, is 28. The only situation in which you can carry less than 28 players is a player whose rights you own, but who doesn't have a card. If you have the rights to such a player, you will carry 27 players (or fewer if you own the rights to 2 or more uncarded players). You must be able to field a valid strat team of at least 24 players. You are expected to have all players whose rights you own on your actual strat team when play begins each year, except for uncarded players.

Each "preseason" (just after the MLB trade deadline), each manager must announce their drops. They must maintain a roster of 18 players after their drops - no more and no less.

There will be a 10 round free agent draft each year. **Any players not drafted in the free agent draft remain free agents, and may be picked up at any time after the league frenzy (with an equivalent release/drop executed at the same time)**.

The initial draft (29 rounds, 28 players and a ballpark) will be serpentine, **and will be done on diamond dope**. Anyone not familiar with diamond dope please feel free to ask. It's easy to use, but the website is slow. You may find that it is difficult to use on a smart phone or tablet. I want to use diamond dope because it automatically keeps track of players drafted, and players still available, for everyone's reference and benefit. It remains as a record of players drafted in the initial draft.

The annual free agent and prospect drafts will be done on the discussion boards. The annual free agent draft will not be serpentine.

Note that it is up to the managers to check on the contract status of the players they are drafting. If a player becomes a free agent in real life, and changes teams and leagues (and on his strat card), then that is a risk that the manager is taking in drafting him. Note that this can also happen through trades, so it is always a risk.

We will do the initial prospect draft immediately following the completion of the initial player draft.

We will play just one season each strat card year.

The initial draft orders will be random. In subsequent years, draft order will be in reverse order of regular season finish. All ties between teams will be broken by the previous seasons head to head win/loss records. If this does not break the tie, then we will use run differential, record within the division if from the same division, record against playoff teams, and finally a randomizer. (Go back to head to head once a tie has been broken if more than 2 teams).

Divisional assignments will change each season, based on order of finish.

The salary cap is $200 million. The drop penalty will be 10%.

Draft picks are tradeable.

As commissioner, I may make rulings on fair play and on trades. Please be aware that I intend to use my authority as commissioner very infrequently, except on routine matters and questions. I intend to allow managers a large amount of discretion on the trades that they make. Blockbusters are encouraged! I don't really have a problem with a manager making a decision to "rebuild", or enter a "youth" program. Such trades are rarely balanced in the short-term, and impossible to evaluate in the long-term. Commissioner discretion on trades would be used only in very extreme circumstances.

Ballparks may be dropped from year to year. New ballparks must be picked during the free agent draft each year. Players who have dropped ballparks (only) will pick in an 11th round in the free agent draft. Ballparks may be drafted at any time during the free agent draft.

All rule changes must pass by a super majority – 16 owners or more. As commissioner, I reserve a right to decide which issues will go to a vote, if my feeling is that there is likely to be insufficient support for a proposal after a discussion on the boards, to avoid an unnecessary delay.

To sign up and be part of the league you must send me your email address that way we will be able to say in touch better. Mine is gbrookes@popebrookes.ca.

**

As Page2 wrote about his AL only keeper league, a few years ago:

"I think this will come very close to be the GM of a real team. How high do you draft Zack Greinke (or other pending free agent) knowing you will only have him for (one or) two years, unload him in year two if you need help at the trade deadline? And other decisions that a GM has to look at."

In other words, we're hoping for a super-entertaining, challenging and true-to-life baseball simulation, with lots of scope for interesting player moves!

Sign up here:

1. Geoff Brookes (Commissioner)
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If you would prefer to do this league as a 12 team league (or if we don't have enough interest for a 24 team league), please post here on this signup list:

1.Geoff Brookes
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If you would prefer to do this league as a 12 team league (or if we don't have enough interest for a 24 team league), please post here on this signup list:

1.Geoff Brookes
2. Steve Korte
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Sign up here:

1. Geoff Brookes (Commissioner)
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Welcome aboard Steve!

If we do a 12 team league (as seems likely at this point), how does a salary cap of $140 million sound? (Keeping in mind that there will be 28 players on the roster)?

1. Geoff Brookes (Commissioner)
2. Steve Korte
3. CATom - 12 or 24, doesn't matter.
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1. Geoff Brookes (Commissioner)
2. Steve Korte
3. CATom - 12 or 24, doesn't matter.
4. KarpHenry - fine w/ 12 or 24
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1. Geoff Brookes (Commissioner)
2. Steve Korte
3. CATom - 12 or 24, doesn't matter.
4. KarpHenry - fine w/ 12 or 24
5. WJS6768 - 12 or 24
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bump!