Cole Hamels and Being Ethical

[AT]

Is it ethical to offer a trade to the guy who has the number one priority (who happens to be my brother - who I am sure is far too busy with work to know this Hamels guy exists) for a pretty decent player on my roster? I would tell him that he grabs this player and I will offer him a player that is acceptable to him.

It's definitely ethical. I've been trying to do exactly that in one of my leagues. I don't think it's just ethical, it's smart and pretty cool. I offered Ryan Freel since the guy needs bags. In your example I'd offer all of those players but I might think twice about Pierre. I'd still probably offer him if he wouldn't take anyone else.

Start with something like this in the conversation:
If I dropped X player would you pick him up from waivers?
(Start with the player you'd drop first, then move up from there if he says no.)

That's how I did it. The problem is the guy I'm trying to deal with happens to be a big Phillies fan and knows full well about Hamels. When I said that he knew exactly what I was trying to do. Oh well. He wanted Turnbow or Valverde. I think not. 12 team H2H league I have 3 closers (Otsuka too). I'm not about to go down to 2.

[ingov]

Offer Barfield for Hamels,Pierre and Giles would be paying too much, Huff is slightly more than I would want to give up and Winn should be your second option

that would be a pretty sad offer. who is going to trade a #1 waiver pick for the worst player on your team, regardless of whether or not he knows about Hamels?

[kev8821]

Probably going to offer Huff or Win. He needs a starting OF.

[pangbones]

I did this a few weeks ago. I had Willingham and V Mart and was shopping both of them. No one wanted to deal so I had to drop Willingham to pick up a pitcher. Then I get a great offer for V Mart the next day, but I would only do it if I got Willingham back.

I didn't want to risk waiting for him to clear waivers, so I offered the guy with the #2 waiver Kearns for Willingham if he gets him. He accepted and he got him. I don't see anything unethical about it. He burns his waiver, and you give up a player he wants.