[IBL] Fwd: IBL Off Season Ballot - PLEASE RESPOND

[D]

HI all -

Hope your weekends are going well.  I have not had a chance to fully
consider the below proposals, but thought I'd share initial
questions/impressions in hopes of getting additional perspectives.  I have
shared some thoughts in bolded type below.

*Proposal 1*:

2020-1)  Modify 3.2.3 (Game Appearance and Starting Position Limitations):
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
change:
A pitcher may not start more than twice the number of games started in
the previous major league season.

to:
A pitcher may not start more than twice the number of games started in
the previous major league season.  Relief appearances of 18 batters or
more will be also be considered a start when calculating the limitation.


rationale:
This allows IBL teams more flexibility utilizing pitchers who were used in
a bulk-innings role following an "opener".  Currently it is difficult to
use a guy who pitched primarily in this role because they can rarely start
and by our rules cannot enter the game prior to the 6th unless the pitcher
is fatigued.


*Here I just wondered if the 18 BF threshold threshold separate bulk
relievers who were used to follow openers from those who were bulk
relievers but did not follow openers.    *


-------------------------------------------------------------------------
2020-2)  Modify 3.2.3 (Game Appearance and Starting Position Limitations):
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
add:
Outfield starts in left/right field will be equal to the largest amount
qualified at either position.


rationale:
This allows IBL teams more flexibility in dealing with their corner
outfielders.  People forgetting about starts limitations is the most common
cause of replays/forfeits.  Now that the corner outfield defensive ratings
are the same at both positions this limitation has become obsolete.

Note: this will impact playoff starting eligibility.


*This one I think I am tentatively against, but wanted to ask one question
and hear any thoughts about it.  *


*A couple of questions just to make sure I understand:  *

*I assume that the actual MLB starts in LF and RF are still doubled to
determine "[the largest amount [of starts] qualified at either position?"
So if a guy started 20 in LF and 10 in RF in MLB, the new rule would allow
him to start up to 40 in LF and 40 in RF (vs. the current 40 in LF and 20
in RF).*

*I assume a guy who started 10 games in LF and 0 games in RF in MLB would
under the new rule be allowed 20 starts in LF and 20 starts in RF (vs. the
current 20 in LF and 0 in RF)?*

*Initial thoughts:*


*It seems like this would result in a fairly substantial change to roster
construction.  The current LF and RF start limits have real impacts on both
roster construction and lineups.  With OXY for example, Schwarber and Davis
are both left-fielders, and I'll have to DH one or play Davis at 3B if I
want to play both.  I also need to have solutions ready for RF.  Under the
new rule, I could start both in the corners.  That substantially increases
the value of each of those guys to me, means I need no solution that
depends upon finding guys who had substantial starts in RF in MLB, and
makes roster construction and usage much easier.  It will also, I would
think, have impacts on the need to cut players and sign FAs due to injury,
likely easing the way and diminishing the need to do so.  I am also not
sure why we wouldn't let CFs get corner OF starts then.  Many CFs can
transition to a corner OF spot defensively better than a left-fielder can
transition to right-field.  And wouldn't it increase the value of corner
OFs who played only one corner position in MLB relative to those who
actually played both corners in MLB and, to some extent, relative to CFs.*


*There are, I imagine, any number of permutations that make roster
construction more or less difficult under the proposed rule, both as a
general matter and as it impacts particular rosters, but the implication
seems at first blush to go well beyond saving replays of games affected by
owners forgetting about start limitations (tracking start limitations and
constructing rosters accordingly is itself part of the game).  And because
there are, I think, roster construction and usage implications, I don't
necessarily see that adding defensive ratings in both corners eliminates
the rationale for having corner starts reflect MLB usage.  Assuming a
right-fielder can play left-field about as competently as his primary
position when brought in as a late-inning defensive replacement isn't
necessarily true in real-life, but assuming he'd be a disaster in the other
corner doesn't make much sense either, so assigning equivalent defensive
ratings seems fine.  But allowing a team to acquire four guys who played
left-field in MLB to play FT right-field in IBL is a different sort of
change to team-building.  It makes it easier, but it makes it easier in a
way I don't think I am favor of in terms of the challenges (and fun) of
roster building and in terms of IBL's core as a simulation.*


*Finally, if this change is approved, I'd suggest it go into effect after
this coming IBL season.  Speaking for myself, I may have made different
moves and decisions if LF and RF starts had been interchangeable.*


*I'd love to hear thoughts and counter-arguments to the above.  *

*Thanks much all!*

*- David (OXY)*

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Russell Peltz <peltz38 at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Jan 31, 2020, 5:51 PM
Subject: [IBL] IBL Off Season Ballot - PLEASE RESPOND
To: members <members at ibl.org>


Please read the three ballot items below and send your votes to vote at ibl.org
by February 7.
Each team should return one ballot.  Thank you!


Voting deadline: Friday, Feb 7
Voting procedure: add YES/NO/ABSTAIN to the template below and mail to
<vote at ibl.org>

2020-1)
2020-2)
2020-3)



Ballot Items

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
2020-1)  Modify 3.2.3 (Game Appearance and Starting Position Limitations):
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
change:
A pitcher may not start more than twice the number of games started in
the previous major league season.

to:
A pitcher may not start more than twice the number of games started in
the previous major league season.  Relief appearances of 18 batters or
more will be also be considered a start when calculating the limitation.


rationale:
This allows IBL teams more flexibility utilizing pitchers who were used in
a bulk-innings role following an "opener".  Currently it is difficult to
use a guy who pitched primarily in this role because they can rarely start
and by our rules cannot enter the game prior to the 6th unless the pitcher
is fatigued.

Note: this will *not* impact playoff starting eligibility.



-------------------------------------------------------------------------
2020-2)  Modify 3.2.3 (Game Appearance and Starting Position Limitations):
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
add:
Outfield starts in left/right field will be equal to the largest amount
qualified at either position.


rationale:
This allows IBL teams more flexibility in dealing with their corner
outfielders.  People forgetting about starts limitations is the most common
cause of replays/forfeits.  Now that the corner outfield defensive ratings
are the same at both positions this limitation has become obsolete.

Note: this will impact playoff starting eligibility.



-------------------------------------------------------------------------
2020-3)  Replace 2.1.1 (Schedule), 2.1.2 (Opening Day)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
old:
2.1.1 (Schedule)
The IBL will play a 162-game regular season schedule divided into 27 weeks
of 6 games.  There will be four real-time off weeks during the regular
season where no games are scheduled.  Each team will play 18 games against
the 3 other teams in its division, 12 games against the 8 other teams in
its conference, and 3 games against 4 teams in the other conference. The
Commissioner is responsible for providing the schedule.

new:
The IBL will play a 162 game regular season schedule.  There will be at
least
1 real-time off week during the regular season where no games are scheduled.
The schedule will be imbalanced in favor of intra-divisional games.  The
trade
deadline shall be no later than four weeks prior to the end of the regular
season.

The Commissioner is responsible for providing the schedule.  A schedule
that has been modified from the previous season can be rejected by a
majority vote of league owners.

old:
2.1.2 (Opening Day)
Opening day will be the third Wednesday in March.

new:
Opening day will be no sooner than 1 week after the the Commissioner has
declared the card set final.


rationale:
The schedule is currently hard-coded into the Constitution, which means any
change currently requires a 2/3 vote to pass.  This makes it difficult to
experiment with alternative options that could potentially reduce the
length of the season.  This rule change sets general parameters for the
schedule while leaving implementation details to the Commissioner.  If
there's a significant objection to a proposed schedule it can be voted down
by a simple majority.
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