League News

February 2002

Draft Day on Saturday 

BRASSball’s Draft Day is Saturday, March 2^nd.  With its completion we will be almost set to get our eighth season underway.  Here is a list of things to remember in regards to the draft and important post draft deadlines: 

• Protected Rosters due to Paul by Monday.  Please get them to him today if at all possible.
• A trade freeze goes into effect when Paul has all the lists.  Lasts till the draft’s completed.
• Friday evening at 8CST we’ll have another practice chat session. 
• Saturday morning the fun starts.  We’ll promptly begin at 11AM EST.
• No team can have more than 40 Non-Amateurs upon draft’s completion.
• No team can have more than 7 Amateurs upon draft’s completion.
• You can draft unprotected players from other teams.  You assume the contract + a 50K fee is paid.
• You must redraft your unprotected players back if you wish to retain them.
• By March 7^th you need to report the contracts of your recent draftees to Corey.
• Secondary Free Agency will be conducted.  Deadline for bids will be March 13^th.

After the secondary free agency we all sit tight and wait for Dave to get the rosters out shortly after the 15^th.  Also, the 15^th is the deadline for changing your ballpark.  Dave obviously needs this for the roster files.  If you still intend to change your park please pass along your changes to Corey. 

New Manager 

As you all know we have a new manager in David Barber.  David replaced Jack Howard.  He has renamed the franchise the Moline Cutters (good name).  David has managerial experience from other Strat baseball and basketball leagues.  Dave is 30, married and has a nine-month-old son.  He lives with his family in Rock Island, Illinois where he teaches in the sixth grade. 

Draft Retrospective 

In 1996 BRASSball had its first rookie draft.  It was interesting draft to look back on because the previous year we had the Inaugural Draft, which originally stocked all 24 teams.  The interest comes in seeing the quality of players that escaped our genius-like intellects the year before.  What follows is a recap of the drafts of 1996 and 1997.  I figure with five and six years past I could look back and do some analysis. 

1996 First 24 picks then: 

I personally find looking back at these past drafts because you see was the “Flavors of the Month” for a brief period of time.  In 1996 it looked like George Arias would own the Angel 3B job for the next ten years.  Ariel Prieto had successfully defected from Cuba and the press was touting him left and right.  Javier Valentin looked like the whole package behind the plate.  Derrick Gibson was a HUGE man even then.  The thought of speed along with the obvious power was too tempting to resist.  BTW, Gibson recently failed to go to Brewer camp and instead is going to give the NFL a try. 

Best picks by rounds: 

First & Comp A picks:  Andy Pettitte (3^rd) and Mariano Rivera (28^th).
Second & Comp B picks: Mike Sweeney (31^st)
Third:  Todd Helton (71^st)
Bonus:  Rich Aurilia (98^th)
Fourth:  Paul Konerko (110^th)
Fifth:  Shawn Estes (148^th)
Sixth: Mike Cameron (153^rd)
Seventh and later:  Kerry Wood (178^th)

Just for fun: 

“Where have you gone…Steve Gibralter?”  Taken 20^th overall.  I’m not sure I even knew much about him then let alone now. 

For picks 56-60 managers obviously lost their draft lists.  In succession were taken Brian Keyser, Rich Robertson, Marshall Boze, Donnie Sadler and an ancient Candy Maldonado.  

How I’d do the Top 10 picks now: 

1. Todd Helton
2. Mariano Rivera
3. Andy Pettitte
4. Mike Sweeney
5. Kerry Wood
6. Bartolo Colon
7. Shawn Estes
8. Mike Cameron
9. Shannon Stewart
10. Brad Radke

1997 First 24 picks then: 

Hmmmm….Willie Adams had a nice card based on solid second debut with the A’s.  Edgard Velazquez was (is) related to Roberto Clemente, ‘nuff said.  Kevin Orie was the latest in a long line of touted Cub 3B prospects.  When will we learn?  With Hideo Nomo’s success it’s actually surprising Irabu didn’t go higher. 

Best picks by rounds: 

First & Comp A picks:  Brian Giles (12^th)
Second & Comp B picks: Robert Person (40^th)
Third:  Kelvim Escobar (76^th)
Bonus:  Gerald Williams (86^th)
Fourth:  Ramiro Mendoza (118^th)
Fifth:  Ron Belliard (126^th)
Sixth: Aramis Ramirez (167^th)
Seventh and later:  Billy Koch (256^th) 

Once again, just for fun: 

“ Where have you gone…. Ramon Morel?”  Taken as the 42^nd overall pick I once again remember little about Ramon.  I think he had a decent relief card or something. 

This time around I found a four player stretch of picks that has me scratching my head, “Uh?”  Taken in succession starting with pick 87 were Rich Hunter, Dave Hajek, Pat Cline and AJ Sager. 

How I’d do the Top 10 picks now: 

1. Brian Giles
2. Miguel Tejada
3. Matt Morris
4. Aramis Ramirez
5. Adrian Beltre
6. Fernando Tatis
7. Terrence Long
8. Dmitri Young
9. Keith Foulke
10. Billy Koch

In Season Deadlines 

With the season approaching now is a good time to remind all of the in season deadlines, especially given the new LD structure.  On the 15^th your results need to be received by your opponents, the League Statistician (Dave Little) and the statistician backup (Corey).    The 15^th is also the trade deadline.  Keep up the good work of getting these to Corey.  On the 25^th of each month any contract signings and MO/MTM callups must be reported to Corey.  Also by the 25^th your rotation for next month’s games need to be turned in to me.  Finally, the 25^th is the deadline for sending out your instructions for the next month’s games. 

Trades and Roster Stuff 

35.   Glen Allen trades Glen Allen’s 2002 5^th round draft choice to Minnesota for $200,000.

36.   Minnesota trades Darren Lewis, Luis Lopez (Mil) and $1,000,000 to Plaza for Ramon E. Martinez.

37.   Plaza trades Scott Hatteberg and Stanley’s 2002 7^th round draft choice to Racine for Gerald Williams and Racine’s 2003 5^th round draft choice.

38.   Plaza trades Paul Abbott to Columbus for $750,000.

39.   Plaza trades Wilfredo Rodriguez, Larry Bigbie and Brian Simmons to Cook County for $150,000.

40.   Cook County trades Jay Bell and Mark Wohlers to Hessville for Hessville’s 2002 2^nd round draft choice and Hessville’s 2002 bonus round draft choice.

41.   Santa Barbara trades Tim Salmon to Box City for Box City’s 2002 3^rd round draft choice.

42.   Santa Barbara trades Rey Ordonez to Gem City for Adam Kennedy.

43.  Toledo trades Frank Catalanotto to Gem City for Gem City’s 2002 1^st round draft choice.

Upcoming League Deadlines 

March 2nd             WE DRAFT! 

March 7th             Contracts for new draftees need to be reported to Corey 

March 13^th            Deadline for secondary free agency bids 

March 15th      Trade deadline for April action 

March 25^th            Instructions and rotations due out.  SEASON BEGINS! 

Next Issue of “League News” 

Pre-season blowout.  I’ll look at how the teams stack up for the 2002 campaign.