Where Is Jose Fernandez In FAAB?

[Greg Ambrosius]

We are getting bombarded by questions from NFBC owners wondering where Jose Fernandez is in FAAB? Well, he's not legally available according to NFBC rules. If he was not drafted in your NFBC league, then you have to wait until he appears in one MLB game before he becomes available in FAAB. Here's the rules:

"The player pool is deemed closed of new free agents each Sunday at 7 AM ET before the FAAB bidding deadline and a player must have played at least 1 MLB game to be added to the pool at that time."

So why do we have these rules in place. Let me explain:

1. We freeze the free agent pool every Sunday morning at 7 am ET so that you folks can have a life on Sunday. Now you don't need to sit in front of your computer each Sunday to see if any new minor-leaguers will be called up during the day and added to the free agent pool before bids are due at 8 pm ET. Now whoever is in the FAAB pool at 7 am ET is set in stone with no new additions during the day. Enjoy your Sundays.

2. We felt that the criteria of 1 MLB game for undrafted minor-leaguers was the perfect criteria so that there was no confusion as to when a player would be added to the free agent pool. In the past, people would read about his addition to the team on fantasy content sites and wonder why STATS wasn't adding him to the free agent pool quickly enough. Bottom line is that players are often being told they are being added to the MLB roster before the MLB teams actually file papers with the league and there's no way for us to add him until we get the official news from Major League Baseball. So to avoid this confusion going forward, our criteria is 1 MLB game played. Now there is no confusion as to when a player is being added to the free agent pool.

Unfortunately, in the case of Jose Fernandez who actually made the 25-man roster and isn't pitching until Sunday, he was unable to be picked up this week via FAAB because 1) he wasn't drafted in those leagues; and 2) he still hasn't played a game in the majors. He will be a hot pickup this week in FAAB, we're sure.

We hope that explains things. He's not available in any NFBC league via FAAB. Enjoy his start today and then be ready to bid on him next week. Good luck all.

[KJ Duke]

Where is anyone in FAAB ... processing seems to have slowed to half pace from prior years?

[Captain Hook]

Put me in the group that was checking FAAB list, roster grid, transactions - everything and couldn't fine Jose Fernandez.

While I agree that there has to be a cutoff on Sunday Mornings and for players added to the rosters in season the one game played may be fine, I think it is totally wrong not to have ALL players who made ML opening day rosters in the FA pools.

[Outlaw]

Put me in the group that was checking FAAB list, roster grid, transactions - everything and couldn't fine Jose Fernandez.

While I agree that there has to be a cutooff on Sunday Mornings and for players added to the rosters in season the one game played may be fine, I think it is totally wrong not to have ALL players who made ML opening day rosters in the FA pools.

totally agree with this change for next year.

[Wolfpac]

Both of my main events showed alot of love for Jim Henderson as he was the top bid player in both instances...a lot of speculation

[Greg Ambrosius]

Put me in the group that was checking FAAB list, roster grid, transactions - everything and couldn't fine Jose Fernandez.

While I agree that there has to be a cutooff on Sunday Mornings and for players added to the rosters in season the one game played may be fine, I think it is totally wrong not to have ALL players who made ML opening day rosters in the FA pools.

totally agree with this change for next year.

No change on this for next year. While it affected Jose Fernandez this year, it is a very concise rule as to when minor-leaguers are added to the free agent pool. The confusion we had in years past with people reading that a Fernandez was added to the 25-man roster and then waiting for that to officially happen from MLB was much worse than what we saw this week. It doesn't work the other way.

Jose Fernandez is now in the free agent pool. Everyone had a chance to evaluate his first outing. Now let the bids come in.

[mlbbug]

Greg, gotta agree with you on this point. The one game appeared in MLB rule is fine since it levels the playing field for all participants. No more squabbles as to when a player actually was or was not added to an MLB roster.When he appears in an MLB game then you know for sure that he's been added to the roster.