2014 PROPOSALS
Proposal #1 – Change Un-Carded Duration to Four Years for players Drafted in 2015 (TURNED DOWN BY VETERANS COMMITTEE 5-3)
Proposal Reason: “The practical effect of salary arbitration has been to drastically increase the salaries of young players. As a consequence, you often see teams go to unusual lengths to “delay the service-time clock.”
This proposal is to simply increase the length of the Un-Carded duration from three years to four years starting with players drafted in the 2015 draft. All players drafted prior to 2015 would remain under the three year rule so that no team received a benefit or penalty for the rule change.
There has been a reduction in the September call ups over the last couple years as more and more teams attempt to delay the salary arbitration process on their top prospects by waiting to bring up their prospects until May or June of the following year. This has resulted in multiple top prospects seeing extended time in the minors and missing the MWBL three year window by a couple months.
The Astros can’t publicly say the real reason George Springer wasn’t called up last year or why he didn’t make the club out of spring training without feeling the wrath of the players association. The real reason of course is pushing Springer’s free agency from 2019 to 2020.
This practice will only continue if not expand in the coming years and MWBL should adjust the keeper duration to follow the trends in Major League Baseball.
Name: Chris Douglass / Franchise Tempe Tempers
Proposal Name: * Addendum to Proposal #1A (TURNED DOWN BY VETERANS COMMITTEE 5-3)
Proposal Reason: * If we decide we do want 4-year Un-Cardeds, I don’t like the idea of dead-weight prospects clogging up rosters that long, so I would propose the following options if Proposal #1 passes:
A. Maintain current format, but with 4-yearUn-Carded contracts as Chris proposed.
B. Allow any Un-Carded to be cut after three years (players would go back into the draft pool without any Un-Carded contract attached to them).
C. Allow any Un-Carded to be cut after the conclusion of the MLB World Series (players would go back into the draft pool without any Un-Carded contract attached to them).
Name: Casey Hoch / Franchise Fremont Cannons
Proposal #2 – Pitcher Durability and Injury adjustment – Grade 4 and 5 pitchers
MWBL adjusts the MBFs for Grade 4 and 5 pitchers (as well as boosting all grade 1 and 2 pitchers to 3). However, currently the Durability and Injury rating of Grade 4 and 5 pitchers is not adjusted to match the increase in MBF. This essentially has the potential to NEGATE the value of the increased MBF (pitchers will still be prone to LONG injuries and/or slow recovery time..
PROPOSED: Adjust the Pitcher Durability and Injury Rating for all Grade 4 and 5 pitchers (and Grade 4* and 5*) to Durability 2 and Injury 2 (except in the case where the Durability or Injury is 1 – leave then at 1.
This does not apply to Split Grade pitchers where one rating is higher than 5.
NOTE: Current MWBL League Guide Section VIII.A.1.a states: ” All 3 grade pitchers will have their injury rating and durability each set to 2.”
This would be removed and a new section would be added to
VIII.B.1.d which would read:
All grade 3-5 starting pitchers will have their injury rating and durability each set to 2 (unless it is already at 1, in which case that rating will remain). This adjustment will not apply to SPLIT GRADE pitchers where one of the grades is greater than 5.
And a new section would be added to VIII.C.1.c which would read:
All grade 3-5 relief pitchers will have their injury rating and durability each set to 2 (unless it is already at 1, in which case that rating will remain). This adjustment will not apply to SPLIT GRADE pitchers where one of the grades is greater than 5.
Name: Bill Schindel / Franchise Columbus Explorers
Proposal #3 – Draft Pick Playoff (TURNED DOWN BY VETERANS COMMITTEE 8-0)
Proposal Reason: Rather than a draft lottery, it might be more exciting to have the worst four teams duel for the top picks on the field.
Prior to roster cuts and off-season trading, the two worst teams in each league would play a five-game series, with the team with the better record hosting the first two games and the team with the worse record hosting the final three.
The winners of the two intra-league matchups will then play each other in a five-game series with the same format, applying AL and NL rules to the home fields as in the World Series. The winner of this series would be awarded the #1 pick in the draft, while the loser of the series would be awarded the #2 pick. The remaining two teams will be set in draft order based on record along with the rest of the MWBL.
Name: Casey Hoch / Franchise Fremont Cannons
PROPOSAL #4 – Draft & Develop Option
Un-Carded players that are drafted starting with players in 2015 MWBL Draft if kept on your roster for 3 full seasons, and then expire due to usage, by using your next year’s 1st round draft pick or higher, you would have the right to protect this player for one more year (Option). Thus giving him a 1 year Un-Carded contract after his 3 year contract has expired.
Reason for the Proposal: Drafting a player and developing him for 3 years in your minors and having him fall short is a big loss. By passing this proposal if you lose (1) one player you would have the option to spend your 1st round pick or higher to protect this player for one more season.
To Clarify more -Your team’s first round pick, or any higher pick if it has been traded to your franchise may be used to get a one year option
Proposed by – John “Stray” Corrado – Chicago Mobsters