Board Members, Let's keep in mind that having an open free agency needs to have CONDITIONS!!. The way it is currently, I see no problem with it, and if a manager needs to make a judgement, that's up to the manager, but the reason for not honoring a player to be released and hook onto another team needs to have a valid reason for not allowing the release. The Board could gather the info and rule on it in a fair manor. Keep in mind, our goal is to make this league overall strong, not the same 1 to 3 clubs that dominate the league. I've always been for the parity of our CDMSBL leagues. Let's get it right guys!!! This is one of the more important decisions that the league will have to figure out.
The only problem with the current policy is that if the player that wants to be released is a talented player, then the manager refuses to release them. The players only option is to sit out a year!!!! I think that it is ludicrous that we pay $200.00 - $250.00 per player to play in this league, and we can't choose what team to play with. It has turned off more than one player in this league and caused them to quit. I personally think that you should be able to sign up with whatever team you choose without releases before the season starts. After the season starts, it would then take a release to move from one team to another. I would like to hear what others have to say about this. If the majority is for it, then the board should bring it up for a vote.
-- Edited by mgirard11 on Wednesday 25th of March 2009 10:07:58 AM
If a player wants to move to another team, for whatever reason, he should be allowed. If I were managing I would want a player who wants to play with me, than a player who obviously doesn't. I think parity starts with teamates who want to play together. Just my opinion. Just an aside, some guys just like to change teams to get a spark or keep the juices flowing. It's kinda cool playing guys that were you're teamates. It brings a whole different dimension to the game.This game is FUN to play- or else why play? signed: A Marlin,Oriole,Yankee,Bluejay.
I'm sorry, but I like the free agency rule the way it is. Limit the movement off established teams.
To simplistically say that anybody should play for whoever they want obviously has never tried to bring a team from the bottom half of the pack each year only to have players jump ship just as you are getting there under the guise of "I want to play with my friends" - wasn't I or someone else on the team a friend when you joined us? Or is my friendship based on our win-lose record compared to the team that you are going to? If you did not want to play for the team you first joined and your friend(s) are on a second team, why didn't you just go to team 2 to start with? Weren't they friends then?
And isn't it funny that all these "friends" appear just as you think you have your roster set?
We have worked hard to bring the A's ahead - without stealing players.
This is a tough subject - I have never stopped anyone from moving, though I have come close. As I said back at the 35 meeting - I would rather lose 1 or 2 guys for a year than a whole team because they are used as feeder stock for the better teams.
Ray, I understand your resistance. You have put a lot of time and effort into your team, and have done a great job building them into a contender. Problem is, other managers "promise" things to players to get them to sign on, and when reality sets in, that player sees a very different picture. What is that player to do? He asks for a release and then the manager gets to say no! That is a scenario that shouldn't be allowed to happen. This is not a league designed for the managers. It is designed for the enjoyment of each and every player who pays his way. (At least tthat is my humble opinion.) I agree that we shouldn't allow this kind of movement in season, or even after the money is due (April 1st). But we need to limit the managers ability to say "no" to just April 1st to the end of the playoffs. I have been approached by two players that would like to play for any other team than the one they are on. I told them to ask for a release, then join our club or any other one that would have them. Their response was that they would love to, but they knew that their manager would not give them that release. I just think that this goes against everything we set up this league for. Yeah we want parity, but at what price?!
As I said before Mike, the rule should stay, and tweak it if necessary. The main thing is here, a manager should have that right to make a ruling (using fair judgement), either a player stays, or a player can move to another club. Let's face it, your club will always welcome a new face, and I'll bet that player will surely have talent. It's a whole different ball game for second tier clubs Mike, and I think we can understand where I'm coming from. I'm open for discussing it further, and I believe that managers should have some say in the vote that will take place. We take on responsibility to run a club, so I feel we should get heard more. I've been in this league for 4 years, and what I've noted is that mostly all the other clubs don't like to rock the boat, so to speak,and not many stand up for there beliefs even though behind closed doors they will vent. I do care about each and every player in our 45 league, and am only looking at overall competitve baseball. Rulings like this are important to betterment of our league.
I understand why you want the rule to stay unchanged, but why should what is good for a manager take precedent over what the paying player wants? The way to keep this league healthy is to make sure that the rank and file are happy and referring their friends to play. When we restrictict a player from leaving a team (for whatever reason) we cause bad blood. I can't think of a good reason to tell a player he can't leave your team, if he thinks he will enjoy the experience more elsewhere. Can you enlighten me and give me even one example? Don't get me wrong, I am as competitive as the next guy, but the league is here for our players to enjoy, not for orur managers to succeed. I just think that there is always a reason a guy wants to play somewhere else. This is not the major leagues. As long as we restrict the free agency period, by giving managers the right of refusal (in season only), then the players should be able to go where they want.
Seems to me that it is a no brainer to restrict movement during the season.............sounds like we all agree on that point.
This is my second year back after a 10 year hiatus while the kids were real little.......i put a post offering to sub two years ago, filled in for the Peppers and stayed with them last year as a member of the Braves.........and despite a 3-15 (or so) record and a torn hamstring i still had a ton of fun.
I will say the day i filled in for the 46 Marlins in a doubleheader and won two games in one day was quite a thrill......and now that i am old enough i look forward to being a full timer with them this year at the 45 level.
In looking at the difference between the two squads the primary difference is of course pitching.......although without a doubt the Marlins play more fundamental baseball......when i watch them back up throws, back up plays in the field etc it is a site i don't see all the time with the Braves.
Having said all that i never once considered leaving the Braves......it is a good bunch of guys and with a couple of roster changes this year we expect to be more competitive......if we manage to land one or two of our pitching prospects we may even win some games.
But ....i feel like if i wanted to leave my team and make a switch i should be allowed to do so.......seems like if the managers are attempting to move the team in the right direction most of the guys would stay......if it just the same ol bs then they should be free to move...
Maybe some sort of compromise with players being able to leave teams but the top few teams not being able to add more than a certain number?......that would allow guys the freedom to move around yet insure that the top teams don't drain all the talent from the weaker ones...
Besides...just imagine how good a feelingit would be to stay on the old team and be competitive!
Our analyzing this free agent rule is a construtive undertaking, and just show's what we feel about our league, and how we ALL can make it better. How about more input from others.
Mike E I agree - let's see some more comments rather than 4 or 5 guys postings!
Mike G I understand what you are saying - and I really wish it were that easy and simple, but both of us know there are other teams, managers and players who would not play for the same, simple pleasure we do. Manipulations, deals will happen - some struggling teams would never have a chance. Heck, when I was Director of Little League in Ballston Spa you would not believe what parents would do to get their kids on the "good" teams!
I used to usher at SPAC for the Special Events. I love to watch the people at the concerts - and got to listen and see them for free. All the concerts had rules as to where you could allow access, where people could sit. When the Dead (or any of their offspring bands) came into town I figured, "Hey, great! They're all mellow and this should be easy!" WRONG! At the concert. the D-Heads would just try to walk around "free" wherever they wanted and tell you "Hey, man - it's all cool - I'm just going to see my friends up front". The problem with that is all of them would be up front trying to get into just a couple seats and everyone else in back of them would get pissed off because they didn't have a chance to see. So they leave. Moral of the story - you let everyone up front, pretty soon that is all you have is the couple who fit those seats because the other people get tired of the not having a view of the front and leave.
You have a chance of losing players at both ends, Mike - not just the ones who want to get up front.
(I know - a long, boring way to get my point across!)
John Great to have you in the league and very admirable of you to help the Braves be better!
I am not against allowing movement - I just don't think it should be completely open. That is why I like the rule now. All this said - I know there is a compromise solution out there somewhere!
-- Edited by rayjdem on Monday 30th of March 2009 12:21:36 PM
Yeah... the solution is called recruit. Not solicit. Get new guys into this league for Pete's sakes, don't just shake the league continuously until the cream rises to the top. It is real easy to to say "let it happen" when you're on top. Funny how you never hear a star in the league say "I have a buddy on the team that finished dead last, I think it would be so much fun to play with them, can I get a release?" How often has that happened? If you are in the league long enough, you wind up with friends on every team, so the old "my friends are over there" can be used as a guise for every situation.
I think it stinks when stars from one team leaves, and it is almost always for a team that is better in the standings.
As always, well put Mr. Class. Although sometimes a little shaking it until the cream rises to the top is necessary here and there.
For a great many of us, this is a very simple subject since loyalty is a fault.....but I have to laugh saying that since I'm on my third team in the last four years. For those of you who don't know, Ray gave me my introduction into the 38's and I was quite happy but decided to go to a new team with friend Jim Bonaparte. Jim was gracious enough to give me my release at the 11th hour last year when the White Sox had some roster issues. Back in Black.
Rather than a limit on movement, perhaps we can introduce some sort of appeals process, where someone can raise an issue for discussion. I'm not looking to open Pandora's Box, but if someone has a problem with a movement or group of people moving, then it gets spit out for discussion and potential vote. The vote could be the Board, or perhaps the remaining managers in that division since they will be impacted the most and also have the most knowledge of the situation.
One thing I came to appreciate quickly in my role as commissioner of the 35's is the passion of the managers to adhere to established rules and limit waivers to them. Make any rule changes in the offseason, and there isn't much mid-season rule interpretation necessary. That makes my job easier.
I'll be happy to add my input to any discussion, but I'm not on the Board or a manager (Thank God). Whatever the rules says is how I'm going to "rule"....OK it took me a while to type that sentence and I'm still not sure I get it.
This may be a record for me, but I don't think I come close to Soapbox Mike for length.
