Writing about rules regularly here, I usually stick to a very basic recommendation that the rules should be followed, and if a problem with them ensues, the rules should be changed (starting next season, unless there is an emergency that requires immediate action – and only then, if the league is unanimous in support).
But until then, the rules are the rules.
Last time out, in my article entitled “My Own Medicine Doesn’t Taste Badly,” I shared a recent situation in one of my leagues in which a regular practice was not what the related clause in the constitution stated. As by definition when using the term “regular practice,” there was precedence that governed the case and took priority over the outdated wording.
In the initial article, I did not mention the names of the other owners who brought this forward as I was not trying to pass judgement, but to share a story about not being too rigid that might be helpful to readers.
One of those readers is my friend Rotoman, aka Peter Kruetzer (PK). He also happens to be one of the other owners in that story.
Peter penned a follow on article to mine at his must-read site, AskRotoman, in which he explained the situation from his perspective and that of his co-owner, Alex Patton (AP). Key to their point is that they felt a comparable situation had been handed differently by the league several years earlier, resulting in inconsistent league management. (I had initially told Peter I would cover this background in my article, but it was already running long, so I left it out.)
It is clear that the pair are still stinging from a league ruling made in the fall of 2014, surrounding the death of St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Oscar Taveras, then a keeper on the PK/AP roster.
Our league, the XFL (or Xperts Fantasy League), features 40-man rosters, from which each owner is allowed to keep 15 players from year to year. The league has two drafts, the first of which is held in person in Arizona in early November. This auction draft sets an initial 23-man roster. The secondary draft, in snake format, occurs at the end of spring training, just prior to the start of the regular season. The first drops of the new season can occur at the first monthly waiver draft, in early May.
The Taveras situation occurred when he passed away between the league’s pre-draft roster freeze date and the draft itself. As he was one of PK/AP’s keepers, the pair petitioned the league, asking that they be allowed to drop Taveras, recover his salary and draft another player in his place in the upcoming auction.
The league constitution, of course, had no wording to address what to do about a player who passes away between the freeze and auction. Sometimes there will be situations that are so unique, they require analysis and discussion over what to do. This was such a case.
A fundamental tenet of the PK/AP platform was a plea for fairness and common sense to prevail. Otherwise, they would be stuck with an unplayable asset through the draft and until the first drop period.
Others cited the firmness of the freeze date. Secondarily, noted were the large league rosters, the small amount of money involved ($6 of $260), and the remaining opportunity to replace Taveras at a later date.
There was considerable email dialogue among league members, and while there was plenty of sympathy shown over the misfortune, the majority voted to stick with the freeze, leaving Taveras on the PK/AP roster at least until the first legal drop date. (I voted with the majority.)
However, the rules would be changed for the future to allow a drop after the freeze date if a player death ever occurred again. (I voted in the minority.) Now, the league has a freeze with an exception, a concept I did not and still do not like. While the reality is that this new clause will likely never be needed, the door has been opened and the freeze is no longer solid.
The XFL Phase 1 draft is not only held in auction format, it is conducted with no outside materials involved. The only reference documents owners are allowed are the 30 MLB 40-man rosters, with the keepers crossed out. The keepers are typically at considerably below-value prices, leading to inflation in the 30 to 35 percent range.
As you can imagine, preparation for this draft can be more involved and intense than in other formats.
As we assembled around the table on draft day, the Taveras situation was re-introduced by PK/AP in hopes the decision for that draft would be reversed, but without salary recovery provided. Perhaps the objections to the common sense view would erode in the face-to-face setting.
My personal objection was refocused on the suggestion of making a change to league rules on the fly – just moments before the draft was to begin. From a practical perspective, another outfielder would be taken from the player pool with an impact on budget planning if a change was made.
The original vote was re-confirmed.
Peter’s current take is that there appears to be inconsistency in how the league is dealing with rules matters requiring the application of “common sense”. In his case, he asserts that common sense was disregarded, while in my case, it was not.
My response is that all “common sense” situations are not equal.
In the recent example which affected the future keeper value of one player on my roster only, there was already clear league precedence. This was not the first time a prospect was approaching the rookie limit as the monthly free agent draft approached.
The real problem is that the rules were not updated in the past to reflect the practice. Further, because new ground was not being broken and no new rule was being created, the matter did not need to be taken to the league for a vote.
To his credit, and with my admiration, Peter offered the corrective wording to the constitution, which was accepted and entered into the document.
The difference is that could be no precedence covering Taveras’ situation and no rule would have been drafted in advance. The question became whether fairness and common sense should be used as justification to create a new rule on the fly, one which would enable the unlocking of a frozen roster just prior to the draft.
In my opinion, these two examples of “common sense” are materially different and they reaffirm the old line that one size really never fits all.
As much as I am in favor of following the rules to the letter, some unanticipated cases in which judgement is required are bound to arise. However, that does not mean every situation should be resolved similarly.
In my opinion, in both cases, the league got it right.
Brian Walton was the 2009 National League Tout Wars champion, scoring the most points in the league’s history. He also holds the all-time NL Tout single-season records for wins and saves. His work can also be found daily at TheCardinalNation.com. Follow Brian on Twitter.
