I posted the following in the three traditional leagues I belong to. I'm posting here for feedback and discussion.


I belong to three leagues, and I am posting this message in all three. I am not naming names and don't want to single anyone out. The facts are though that since July, across 3 leagues, I've sent out trade offers or e-mails regarding trade possibilities to about 15 different teams, and I have received all of 3 responses. In other words, whether I submitted a signed deal, or sent an offer to Team X: "Would you be interested in a deal involving player Y?", in about 12 of 15 instances I've received no reply. None of these are "unmanaged teams."

Now, it could just be me, maybe I'm submitting bad offers that don't warrant a reply, but I don't think so. I've been willing to make a trade that I know favors the other team if it gets me something I want (last year I traded Derrek Lee to get Edgar Martinez.....). And, many of the messages are not an offer at all, but questions like "Is so and so avaiable for a deal?" or "Would you be interested in a trade for a thirdbaseman?" Hard to imagine those inquiries ticking somebody off.

And, I also know that some people have more time to devote to this game than others. You'll note that I put "unmanaged teams" in quotes (as in, these were offers to teams that were not unmanaged). In many cases, there were enough overused or injured players on their roster that you could tell they haven't been keeping tabs on their players. And, you can see the percentage of games that are being played now on Tuesdays as an indicator of how many managers are still active right now.

But, even if you're busy, even if you're taking a break from the game, there's time to send a quick reply:
- "Got your message but I don't have time for PB these days"
- "Am not interested in trading right now, ask me again in the winter"
- "I am not sure I am keeping my team, so I don't want to do any deals"
- "I don't like the guy you're offering"
(These are all variations of messages I've received at one time or another.)

To me, it's as much about manners as anything else. But, also about having fun. I enjoy trading and team building as much or more than the games. But, in each league, there might only be 5-8 teams that I can actually expect to get a timely response from.
Many owners will complain about delays from the commissioner's office on approving trades, but even if it takes a week or two, that's much, much less time than many people take even to acknowledge an e-mail. (Although it is the case that the people who complain are often those who do actively manage their teams and will respond to offers.)

This is a good product that can be better with a stronger sense of community. Good manners is a building block for community.