Prong #2 of 3. "Playability"

[Kevin D]

Playability



The necessity of rules doesn’t mean that all rules are created equal. The rule banning Blacks from baseball was clearly a stain on Baseball and humanity(At least I think so.) But it was the RULE! There’s no telling how many Homers Josh Gibson would have smacked against a bunch of White Guys. Hey!! Leigh Montville in his recent tome The Big Bam “The Life and Times of Babe Ruth” infers The Bambino may have been of negroid descent. Thankfully the days of blatant racism are gone for the game.



Take the infield fly rule. It shapes the game and its playability. But if it didn’t exist, the game would still play. It would be DIFFERENT!!! But it would play. Runners would have to play it half way. Hitters would be trying to hit grounders with men on. Steals would be prominent and runners would be looking to take the extra base. Heck!! It might even be more exciting. Both sides of the rule “PLAY” but what’s the better way?



Rules need to be reviewed. MLB mucky, mucks, meet every year to discuss changes/modification to the rules. (See Message Board Post. “Winter Meeting Rule Proposal.)



In the NFBC, which players you are eligible to roster and when is in flux. In the early editions you were allowed to take any player, at any level. This liberal standard might even have let an owner Draft, Charlie Brown, Linus, or Lucy. There’re players!!?!!

In the second renewal year, in a National League Auction on Friday, an owner took a couple Closers early, continued with all hitters, and mixed in a pitcher from the San Jose Bee’s, a single “A” team. Nobody had ever heard of this “Soupbone.” As we got into the end game, the sly one, finished up with $1 pitchers from the lower minors who would be unlikely to see the Majors. The “Closer Only” strategy was born”.

Stealthily applied, I didn’t have a clue what was going on until the deed was done . My partner and I were on the lookout for this Strategy going forward and several forms of this were tried in the Main Event the next day. There wasn’t an innings requirement. The next year the rule changed to a 400 inning minimum. This year it’s 600.

Another rule change was to “Forty Man Roster Only” eligibility. Then, another change, to how it is now. Anyone on Draft day, but 25 man’s after that for FAAB. It’s a convoluted process of eligibility/ineligibility that can result in a Free Agent, eligible to be FAAB’ed one week, can be ineligible for pick up the following week.

Fantasy Guru, exceptional gamer, and thinker, Shawn “Moses” Childs, (He’s a Prophet) has mentioned on these boards, the following. Drafting a few “Edge” guys who will likely start their season in the minors, might be a viable Draft Day Strategy under the existing rules. Then,you could drop them in the first FABB session. That would make them eligible for pickup for the entire NFBC season and disguise any end gamers you might like who could slip through the cracks, grabbing them when you drop the “Edge” guys.” Pretty slick Huh!! You Gotta watch that Shawn!! He’s Tricky!!

The moral of this prong is. Rules often need to be changed but how the new rule could be applied and it’s affect on playability need to be considered.