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Post by Commish_Ron on Aug 4, 2019 11:29:12 GMT -5
Based on some feedback from multiple GMs and my own experience, I believe there is an opportunity to improve PBL. But my recommendations are pretty extreme. I want to get this conversation started well ahead of the annual off season discussions so that we have plenty of time to solicit everyone's feedback and for me to test things out in a sandbox league if we do decide to make some changes.
In my opinion there are just too many bodies in the PBL universe. We currently have about 7,200 players in the minor leagues and another 1,300 free agents. That is 8,500 players competing to back fill openings for 800 active roster spots. I did not run these numbers but my perspective is that maybe as much as 60 to 70 percent are 1/2 star potential guys that have no shot at contributing at the major league level. There is a lot of trash to comb through to find talent. Especially if you are trying to fill out 6 or 8 minor league teams. I feel that this is tedious, unnecessary and does not do much to contribute to competition.
I would like to take the opportunity of the OOTP 20 conversion to implement some changes. I look forward to getting feedback on my ideas as well as to hear some other brainstorms. There is no bad idea in a brainstorming session! Let's throw thoughts out there and see what sticks.
Here are some recommendations I have.
1. Contract minor leagues so that each organization has 4. AAA,AA,A,R 2. <edit, removed> 3. Reduce the number of rounds in the first year player draft to 10 or 15 4. Add a maximum roster size on the minor leagues (35 per team?) 5. Remove 3,000 1/2 star players from the league
I can think of a couple counter arguments to my ideas. Immersion is a thing. It is kind of fun to manage our organizations like an MLB franchise does with all of these minors. There may be a competitive advantage to the GMs that spend extra time and resources working through the tedium. However I have to think that streamlining and clearing out the clutter can't help but to increase activity, excitement and engagement.
Again, looking forward to hearing the leagues reactions and thoughts. Thanks.
Ron (commish)
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Post by Tim_KCRoyalsGM on Aug 4, 2019 11:34:38 GMT -5
I am SO on board for these changes. Way too much personnel to juggle at the minor league level.... I find myself getting paralyzed by the sum of it all.
Yes.
And please.
Tim / KC
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Post by Will - Cubs on Aug 4, 2019 11:54:58 GMT -5
Ron, I am with you on ALL 5 of the recommendations, I think they will all help the league in the long run.
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Post by Tim_GiantsGM on Aug 4, 2019 11:57:12 GMT -5
I support each of the ideas. Strongly.
Even with fewer minor league teams in an organization, GMs still will have to tend to and develop players on four teams. GMs still will be able to manage organizations like an MLB franchise.
Cleaning out the 1/2* deadwood should also reduce file size, which should increase download speed.
Great ideas, Ron.
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Post by MetDaMeats on Aug 4, 2019 12:00:14 GMT -5
2. Reduce the feeder leagues as appropriate (actual numbers to be determined) 3. Reduce the number of rounds in the first year player draft to 10 or 15 I think in general these are good ideas. I have the a concern about 3. Does lowering the number of rounds also lower the number of players generated for the draft? If so, we might theoretically have the same percentage of skilled players for a smaller number of total players, which would then reduces the overall quality of the draft pool. I would have no problem with lowering the numbers of rounds if the number of draftable players generated stayed consistent with what is happening now. Then, if possible, you could discard a certain number of the undrafted players? I have no idea if any of that is possible, I'm just concerned with taking any action that produces a draft worse than, oh let's say, this years. Also, Commish, would you mind defining what the feeder leagues from point 2 are? I'm unsure what you're referring to.
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Post by Commish_Ron on Aug 4, 2019 12:13:59 GMT -5
2. Reduce the feeder leagues as appropriate (actual numbers to be determined) 3. Reduce the number of rounds in the first year player draft to 10 or 15 I think in general these are good ideas. I have the a concern about 3. Does lowering the number of rounds also lower the number of players generated for the draft? If so, we might theoretically have the same percentage of skilled players for a smaller number of total players, which would then reduces the overall quality of the draft pool. I would have no problem with lowering the numbers of rounds if the number of draftable players generated stayed consistent with what is happening now. Then, if possible, you could discard a certain number of the undrafted players? I have no idea if any of that is possible, I'm just concerned with taking any action that produces a draft worse than, oh let's say, this years. Also, Commish, would you mind defining what the feeder leagues from point 2 are? I'm unsure what you're referring to. Good questions. I'm pretty sure we'll see around the same quality (or lack thereof as recent drafts suggest) in the draft rounds we keep. I will reduce the size and generate a couple of draft classes in Sandback and share the results. Also, I just looked at the league set up. PBL is actually not using feeder leagues. I was thinking that is what is used to populate the draft pool but it looks like without them it just generates the players and their stats to date on the fly. So ignore point 2. I will edit to remove.
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Post by NickP_Marlins GM on Aug 4, 2019 12:20:11 GMT -5
Everything sounds great to me as well!
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Post by Sean..Mariners GM on Aug 4, 2019 12:44:08 GMT -5
Absolutely!! Let's do it!
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Post by sansterre - Milwaukee Brewers on Aug 4, 2019 12:44:51 GMT -5
1. Sounds good to me. 2. 3. I'm all for it, though I'd ask for 15 instead of 10. That means it would take 7 drafts to fill the minors instead of 10. 4. I'm fine with that. 5. I'm actually against this. There are definitely 0.5 star players who are legitimate (if below average) major leaguers. I don't know how you'd purge the roster without getting rid of the few diamonds in the rough. I'd rather simply let the teams purge their own minors and let free agency be bloated with extra worthless players until the problem resolves itself (which it will given that the we're dropping the influx of bad players into the league considerably).
If you wanted to expedite the process simply by purging all players that meet certain extreme criteria (contact potential <= 3, control potential <= 3, stuff like that) I wouldn't be against that.
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Post by Ryan_NatsGM on Aug 4, 2019 12:50:31 GMT -5
1. Contract minor leagues so that each organization has 4. AAA,AA,A,R
As someone who pays a decent amount of attention to my minor league system I'm not in favor of this one at all. I completely understand how managing more teams can be a pain in the ass if you're not in to it, but there's the option to let the AI handle those decisions so you don't have to be hands on if you don't want to. Yeah most of the players are roster filler, but that's reflective of real life. With less leagues I'd be concerned with finding a place for all prospects to get competitive ABs, particularly ones fresh out of high school who aren't ready for A- as it is.
3. Reduce the number of rounds in the first year player draft to 10 or 15
Sure, I don't think I've ever drafted anyone off a shortlist after 10 rounds. I'd sandbox this one to find the right point though because if incoming draft picks don't add up to more than the yearly roster turnover you're going to end up signing a bunch of minor league FAs to make up the difference, which doesn't really help lessen the burden of the minors. That and what was said about making sure the quality of the draft class isn't affected.
4. Add a maximum roster size on the minor leagues (35 per team?) I like this one. I think the real rule is AAA and AA are limited to 25 active, A+ and A are 25 active/35 under control, and A-/SS/R are 35 active. Any more than 35 and I find players don't get consistent playing time.
5. Remove 3,000 1/2 star players from the league
I'm all for culling the free agent pool of deadwood.
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Post by Commish_Ron on Aug 4, 2019 12:57:50 GMT -5
5. I'm actually against this. There are definitely 0.5 star players who are legitimate (if below average) major leaguers. I don't know how you'd purge the roster without getting rid of the few diamonds in the rough. I'd rather simply let the teams purge their own minors and let free agency be bloated with extra worthless players until the problem resolves itself (which it will given that the we're dropping the influx of bad players into the league considerably). If you wanted to expedite the process simply by purging all players that meet certain extreme criteria (contact potential <= 3, control potential <= 3, stuff like that) I wouldn't be against that. Yeah, it would not be a random 3,000 1/2 star purge. It would be with criteria. Also it would be done after the minor leagues are extracted and after a few sims passed so that everyone would have an opportunity to raid FA first.
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Post by Mac_Yankees GM on Aug 4, 2019 13:03:02 GMT -5
1. Contract minor leagues so that each organization has 4. AAA,AA,A,R I think we should keep a Short Season A level also. That is a great place to start a player you draft out of college who is too advanced for Rookie ball but you don't want to start them in A ball; I don't think 5 farm teams is too many to manage.3. Reduce the number of rounds in the first year player draft to 10 or 15 15 rounds sounds right to me4. Add a maximum roster size on the minor leagues (35 per team?) 35 is a good number5. Remove 3,000 1/2 star players from the league Let's do it!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 4, 2019 13:03:03 GMT -5
Only two recommendations. For #3, I'd prefer 15, but EASILY and by a country mile, prefer 10 over the 35 we're doing now. For #5, would be okay with reducing by any amount, to be honest. I'd just recommend leaving a "healthy" balance of H and P remaining to make sure with injuries at all levels that there are enough players to back fill R Ball (where these guys would be playing).
But, as is, I'd vote in favor of all 5 recommendations, as-is, today.
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Post by Commish_Ron on Aug 4, 2019 13:16:32 GMT -5
The 3,000 is an estimate. I just calculated that if everyone filled out their minor leagues with the new numbers we could delete around 3,000 and still have 1,000 FAs left.
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Post by RandyP on Aug 4, 2019 13:20:43 GMT -5
Indians old man is in on all ideals
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