Tradebacks?

[mkultra]

The earlier question about "handshake deals" made me think about a potential situation in one of my leagues-

I'm commish of a 14-team 6x6 dynasty league. I had Moustakis in the minors, and right before Hosmer got called up I traded one for the other. After Hosmer's hot start, I traded him ($1), Bruce ($12), and Markakis ($12) to one of the bottom-dwelling teams for Adrian Gonzalez ($41), Abreu and Torii Hunter (each $2, since dropped). I went on to acquire some other pricey guys I had a good run and was able to fight my way into 3rd place, but now I have to shed salary for next year (each player goes up $3).

The team I traded with has a bunch of good, young, cheap players, but lacks an elite bat (or elite pitcher, for that matter) going into next year. I don't know how keepers are going to shake out next year, but it's probable that most of the top talent is going to be kept. The idea of a trade involving sending back Gonzo for Hosmer has come up, and seems to make sense for both of us in a lot of ways (I shed salary, he locks up a top hitter). The problem is, of course, it makes the earlier trade look like a rental, even though it was not at all intended that way, and both trades could/would stand on their own terms.

Two complicating emotional factors:
- I'm commish.
- This is the first year we're keeping players. There is bound to be some sensitivity around off-season trades as people juggle salaries.

Would that trade come across too weaselly?

[pjalst]

I definetly think some eyebrows will be raised. It also depends on the dynamics of the league. If this is an established long-term league with guys you've been playing with for years, you may be able to pull it off. If the league knows you're character and know your feelings about colusion and "weasly play", they will just see it as a trade to help both teams. If you have a bunch of complainers and no history with these guys, then good luck.

[fast dogs]

So its a $1 Hosmer for a $41 AG? I'd certainly advertise AG to the rest of the league, even knowing you aren't going to get an offer as good as Hosmer it at least "looks better".

[pjalst]

So its a $1 Hosmer for a $41 AG? I'd certainly advertise AG to the rest of the league, even knowing you aren't going to get an offer as good as Hosmer it at least "looks better".

I agree with Dogs, open it up rest of the league. Who knows, you may get a better offer, I've seen stranger things happen. If you go with the original offer at least you can say you put it out there for everyone and he was the only one that bit.

You can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig.

[mkultra]

So its a $1 Hosmer for a $41 AG? I'd certainly advertise AG to the rest of the league, even knowing you aren't going to get an offer as good as Hosmer it at least "looks better".

This is good thinking. BTW, it wouldn't be a straight up 1:1 trade...

[rdd121robroy]

My league has an anti-rental rule in the constitution that states that players involved in a trade between two teams can't be traded back to those teams within 365 days of the initial trade. But the spirit of that rule is really to avoid cellar dwellers selling their stars to contenders at the deadline in lopsided deals and then reacquiring them in the offseason. Hosmer played almost a full year for your LM and both of these trades stand up on their own merit. I'd do as the others have suggested and offer AGone up to the highest bidder. If it's Hosmer then so be it and there shouldn't be any complaints.