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Free agent draft change

Posted By Ray Zetts

I am enjoying the RT sim immensely - it's a good game. I am also very pleased with the service
of Mike & Dwight. They are very fair and seem to be doing a very good job of trying to improve the simulation. Their
response to questions and problems has been outstanding. However, I am against changing the
rules during the season. Let me list the reasons why:

1.) I'd probably be more in favor of this draft change if the minor league systems were already in
place. Then I'd have some top flight minor league prospects that I can count on to fill in holes in
my roster. The importance of the free agent draft would be lessened. Right now - with the
preposterous trades that are proposed, it is really hard to improve your team in any way other
than the free agent draft. The free agent draft is incredibly important. To pick at the bottom, due
to the fact that you've done a good job building and managing your team all season, makes it
difficult to improve your team once the games have started. On the other hand, if I had Bruce
Chen, Randy Wolf or Rick Ankiel already in my minor league system, I wouldn't be so worried
about getting pitching in the free agent draft.

Under the proposed change, there is no way that a team that has done a good job in the initial
draft will be able to help it's pitching staff out during the rest of the year. If drafting in the 2nd half
of the draft in the next draft, you will be deciding between Garrett Stephenson & Marc Pisciotta
while the early picks will be deciding between Randy Wolf & Dan Reichert.

2.) Fairness to all teams in the leagues does not seem to be of great importance if this rule is adopted. Building the
lousy teams seems to be of importance. Some teams may already have gained an advantage - I
have drafted 12th & 18th. Some of the teams in my league that had better records at the time,
drafted in front of me and picked up players that are contributing to their lineups. I have added
no one to my lineup and have added 3 lesser prospects (Seguinol, Hairston & Cruz). I am
looking forward to the opportunity of drafting in front of some of those teams down the road and
adding a contributor to my lineup. The rule should not be changed in the middle of the season -
some teams have already benefited over others. All teams should play under the same rules and
have the same opportunity to benefit.

3.) Many of the teams that are not faring so well drafted teams of young "future stars". That was
their strategy and their choice alone (example - someone in our league drafted JD Drew in the
first round - great pick down the road - but not for this year). Since these teams are not doing
well with the young players this year, they will now get the chance to get even more of the young
"future stars" every month.

4.) The gentleman that made the point about the free agent draft being once a year was entirely
correct. If you draft at the bottom of a one time draft, you are assured of at least your 24th
choice . If you draft 24th four times, you would not be getting one of the top 24 players in all of
the drafts.

5.) VERY SELFISH REASON - I'm in the league to win. It's not my job to make sure the
league is even. I tried to do a good job for my team - this season & next - under the set of rules
that were published. I've had injuries to key players and have survived (so far). Just because
other teams don't do a good job in the initial draft - why should they be rewarded each month?
Why should they have the opportunity to get "no brainer" picks four times during the year?

6.) The new system may encourage dumping games. I am not for any system that encourages
teams not to play t