The discussion about the FA draft order and the issue of teams not trying to win reminded me of an idea I had a while ago.
What if the FA draft order was based on success relative to talent? This would reward owners that got the most from their team, and hurt owners that did not. I'd calculate this by dividing wins by PB value (the week after the trade deadline). For example:
Team A: A team with alot of depth wins 100 games: 100 wins / 100 PB value = 1.0
Team B: A team with less depth wins 95 games: 95 wins / 87 PB value = 1.1
Team C: A team with some talent wins 70 games: 70 wins / 77 PB value = 0.9
Team D: A team overachieves and wins 70 games: 70 wins / 54 PB value = 1.3
Team E: A team tanks with talent: 65 wins / 93 PB value = 0.7
Under my system, the draft order would be:
Team D
Team B
Team A
Team C
Team E
I think this system matches up with "real" free agency, if you equate PB value with payroll. Good teams with relatively lower payrolls can add players - because they have money and they are an attractive team to play for, while good teams with plenty of veteran talent are maxed out and have less flexibility. Conversely teams that have high priced talent but don't win cannot add players as who wants to play for them, even if they have the money. I know its not exactly like this, but you get the idea.
By using PB value at the trade deadline, teams that add players in trades would be hurt for next year much as they are in real life in terms of taking on contracts.
This might also encourage trading, as teams might decide to trade the bench player with a high PB value, either during the year or going into a rebuilding year.
One thing that might have to be added is that a team cannot cut a player during the season (for Trad Leagues), so a team that is out of it can't just cut players at the trade deadline. In RealTime, the PB value could be set the last week of the season, immediately after the monthly FA draft.
MY response is that the above hurts the innocent as well..
I have NOT tanked this year, and have never tanked a game
HOWEVER
38 wins / 46.575 PB points = 0.81 which would place me in CATEGORY E forcing me to pick LAST in the FA draft.
My team is SO bad that everyone beats the hell out of me, EVEN though I try my damnest.
This method CLEARLY does not work as it would penalize owners like me.
I would prefer the draft stay random. I can accept picking last randomly - but I really don't see why teams that legitimitely struggle should be penalized.
RobG
W9 - Port Huron