change to pitcher settings: is this really a major change?

[jmurphy_j]

I just took over as the new commissioner of a league on CBS. It is a 10 team, 5x5 keeper league, with each team keeping 10 players. Our keepers had already been finalized before I took of as commish.

Last season (the 1st season of this league) the starting positions for pitchers were: 4SP and 3RP.

I found these settings to be very restrictive. It was impossible for anybody to have 4 closers on their team, which seemed to be an unfair restriction. Also, since almost all managers were starting 3 closers, the settings essentially eliminated middle relievers from the mix...and we know there are always a few set-up guys that can not only help your ERA and WHIP but also grab a few vulture wins.

Accordingly, I decided to change these setting to increase flexibility. My goal was to change the settings to: 3SP-2RP-2P. However, CBS doesn't allow this set-up. You can either use "SP" and "RP".......or you can use only "P" position. But you you cannot combine all 3 categories on your starting pitchers.

So I changed the settings from "4SP and 3RP" to simply "7P".

I firmly believe that, in practice, the only real effect this will have on how managers utilize their pitching staff is that a few managers will utilize a 4th closer and a few will occassionally use some middle relievers.

However, at least one manager in the league is complaining that this change is being made after we chose our keepers. He alleges that this rule change "cheapens" pitchers in general and that he would have evaluated his keepers differently if he knew about the rule change. At least one other manager agrees that he might have a point.

I still can't manage to see how this subtle change could possibly effect which 10 players somebody would want to keep. However, before I make a final decision, I want to know what you guys think. Does the manager have a point? Is this change too dramatic to be made after keepers have been set.

One quick side note re: the manager that is objecting: He admits he wouldn't have a problem if we could change the settings to "3SP - 2RP - 2P" (which I don't see as any different than "7P").

[JTWood]

I'd say that you shouldn't have made the change after the keepers were declared.

In my league, that's "New Years Day," and you should never change the rules during the year without unanimous approval.

[Kimbos Beard]

I agree with you that the manager is probably nit picking and I can only see where the change may have effect in extreme situations.

However, you probably should never change settings or scoring categories after keepers have been declared or in a year to year after the draft.

I have had a similar issue before and generally I would put it up to the league saying that unless the vote is unanimous the change will not stand.

[jmurphy_j]

That is a fair point re: rule changes after the keepers have been set.

But, unfortunately, this is a unique situation where I took over as new commish after the keeper deadline...otherwise i would certainly have addressed this issue 1st. The previous commish was a bit lax in his duties (in fact, the winners haven't even been paid yet...though everybody paid on draft day last year) so there is some necessary house-keeping that needs to be done despite that fact that keepers are already set.

Exactly how I handle this situation (and other issues that need to be addressed) depends primarily on how intrusive the potential change is. So please let me know what you think about the change itself...not the idea of changing rules at this time.

[BeanTown]

Accordingly, I decided to change these setting to increase flexibility. My goal was to change the settings to: 3SP-2RP-2P. However, CBS doesn't allow this set-up. You can either use "SP" and "RP".......or you can use only "P" position. But you you cannot combine all 3 categories on your starting pitchers.

So I changed the settings from "4SP and 3RP" to simply "7P".


One quick side note re: the manager that is objecting: He admits he wouldn't have a problem if we could change the settings to "3SP - 2RP - 2P" (which I don't see as any different than "7P").

It's my understanding that you can set it up as 3SP-2RP-2P with just using "SP and RP".
Active SP Min 3 Max 5
Active RP Min 2 Max 4

In this case you have to start 3SP and 2RP. The way its set up you'll have another 2 SP or RP slots set up. I've been having many roster setup issues myself but this is the one setting I'm pretty comfortable is right.

[ABA316]

Agreed to a degree..

Agreed that 7P or 3Sp-2Rp-2P wouldn't have changed this owner's choices.

However it is still a change and maybe someone would have kept a 4th RP.

I would have a league vote on it. 3 choices:

Stay as is.
3Sp-2Rp-2P
7P

[Kimbos Beard]

That is a fair point re: rule changes after the keepers have been set.

But, unfortunately, this is a unique situation where I took over as new commish after the keeper deadline...otherwise i would certainly have addressed this issue 1st. The previous commish was a bit lax in his duties (in fact, the winners haven't even been paid yet...though everybody paid on draft day last year) so there is some necessary house-keeping that needs to be done despite that fact that keepers are already set.

Exactly how I handle this situation (and other issues that need to be addressed) depends primarily on how intrusive the potential change is. So please let me know what you think about the change itself...not the idea of changing rules at this time.

I hear you on the fact that you came into the commish position late and I agree that it is probably a very minor change.

But I think that most commissioners and players would agree that any sort of changes to scoring, positioning etc. must be put to a league vote no matter how minor or unintrusive they seem to be.

Now when you put it to a vote and you want to argue that its such a minor change that you only will need a majority to change the rule, well thats another whole can of worms and would probably take up another thread:). But there should definitely be a vote on the issue.

[Grouperman941]

It's my understanding that you can set it up as 3SP-2RP-2P with just using "SP and RP".
Active SP Min 3 Max 5
Active RP Min 2 Max 4

In this case you have to start 3SP and 2RP. The way its set up you'll have another 2 SP or RP slots set up. I've been having many roster setup issues myself but this is the one setting I'm pretty comfortable is right.

This is correct.

[Curtis Pride]

Just do reiterate, Sportsline lets you do minimums of pitchers.

You just select Min 3 SP; Min 2 RP. If you have 7 active pitcher spots, that makes the other two spots flex spots.

I think having 7 P spots provides a bit too much opportunity to "game" by loading up on middle relievers. Which is a fine and valuable strategy, but just totally boring and lame.

[Trojan Pony]

Yes, switching to just 7 general P spots would, to a degree, devalue starting pitchers, compared to 4 SP/3 RP. Teams would be able to employ a reliever-heavy strategy and cut back on starters.

I think 3 SP/2 RP/2 P is a good compromise. It allows for flexibility in both directions without letting things get overly reliever heavy (as 7 P would do) or reliever stingy (as 4 SP/3 RP did).

On a slightly different note, 7 pitching slots for a 10-team league is a little shallow for my taste. Might just want to consider maybe adding a slot or two... just an idea.