Rule Changes for 2050

[DOUGHBOYS]

There is no such thing as stupid suggestions. Just stupid suggesters.
With that thought in mind, here are a couple of outlandish rule changes for our contest.

DOLLARS FOR DRAFT PICKS-
With this rule change, we can pass at any time during a draft.....AND GET PAID!
Here's how it works.
Each draft round is worth $25. We can pass on a pick at any time.
For instance, if we were so bold as to pass on a first round draft pick, we would get 30 rounds x$25=$750 in faab money.
This would work all the way down to the 30th round where we can pass and get $25.
We can pass no more than seven times. We still need to field a legal roster.
The benefits of this rule change would mean a larger free agent pool. More strategy in deciding whether money is more important than player.
The drawback would be not having a full bench till the first FAAB pickups.

NO POSITION LEAGUES
The title is self explanatory.
We are not encumbered by position. We simply play our best 14 hitters and nine best pitchers.
Oh, we already do that with pitchers.
The benefit of this league is that Ben Zobrist and Joe Mauer are not more valuable than Josh Reddick.
David Ortiz is a higher pick than Mike Napoli.
FAAB money is also saved in that we are not looking for positional friendly players.
The drawback is that a lot of the strategy is taken out of the game.
A variation of this league could be to limit each team's lineup to six outfielders, one utility, and seven infielders, which includes catchers.

MONTHLY CHANGES
Forget once or twice a week changes.
We are trying to get six starts in a month.
We would only change our roster on the first of each month.
Only one faab period per month as well and that would be on the 30th of each month.
This league benefits the very lazy and those who are not grinders.
The drawback is that boredom could set in during the middle of the month.
Especially when three players rostered are on the disabled list.

SLOW DRAFT CHAMPIONS - ALL PLAY

In this league, we still draft all 50 players, but do not have to set a starting lineup.
All players stats count.
The benefit is again, for the lazy. Not only do we not need a faab period, we don't even set starting lineups.
Another benefit is that it changes our strategy.
Instead of drafting a guy like Ricky Romero who may get torched by the Yankees and Red Sox while we sit idly by and watch the carnage, we may opt for Sergio Romo who may not get a lot of Saves, but at the same time, he won't kill ratios.

FIRST TO- LEAGUES-

This would be interesting. We set goals in each category.
After the first team accomplishes that goal, he is the first place winner in that category. He can then change his lineup to go after other categories. This would be happening in all 10 categories, making things very intiguing.
For instance, a team who has already achieved home run goals and is closing in on rbi goals could drop an Adam Dunn or Ryan Howard and pick up Rajai Davis who has already helped a team accomplish the stolen base goal.
I would love to try a league like this some time.
The benefits are that faab would be more beneficial and that some of the players dropped could really help other teams.
The strategies employeed could be many. I've thought of half a dozen in the past few minutes.
The drawback would be deciding what the goals are and estimating when teams should obtain them.
Which could be a long, drawn out debate.

Just a few thoughts on drafts and leagues that will probably never come to fruition.
Maybe in 2050....

[Glenneration X]

SLOW DRAFT CHAMPIONS - ALL PLAY

In this league, we still draft all 50 players, but do not have to set a starting lineup.
All players stats count.
The benefit is again, for the lazy. Not only do we not need a faab period, we don't even set starting lineups.
Another benefit is that it changes our strategy.
Instead of drafting a guy like Ricky Romero who may get torched by the Yankees and Red Sox while we sit idly by and watch the carnage, we may opt for Sergio Romo who may not get a lot of Saves, but at the same time, he won't kill ratios.

I actually love this idea and would prefer over setting weekly lineups for no-FAAB leagues. It's more in line with the whole idea of draft and play.

[Rainiers]

Yeah Dough, I like this idea a lot, too. I know you sometimes jokingly refer to this hobby as a job...but it doesn't have to be a grind...it could be just fun. Maybe replace the word lazy in your thread above with the words fun-loving and you can kind of get my different perspective on the subject.

A slow draft could be like prepping for a day at the horse track. Get the satisfaction of picking your winners, but once your horses are out of the gate, you just have to sit back and watch. It doesn't mean there would be some exciting races to watch over the season, just that you couldn't alter the outcome after the draft.

I love the idea of a draft-and-play slow drafts without roster moves. Keep it down to 30 rounds and I'd like it even more. Many of us are just using the slow drafts as mock drafts anyways.

[DOUGHBOYS]

Yeah Dough, I like this idea a lot, too. I know you sometimes jokingly refer to this hobby as a job...but it doesn't have to be a grind...it could be just fun. Maybe replace the word lazy in your thread above with the words fun-loving and you can kind of get my different perspective on the subject.

A slow draft could be like prepping for a day at the horse track. Get the satisfaction of picking your winners, but once your horses are out of the gate, you just have to sit back and watch. It doesn't mean there would be some exciting races to watch over the season, just that you couldn't alter the outcome after the draft.

I love the idea of a draft-and-play slow drafts without roster moves. Keep it down to 30 rounds and I'd like it even more. Many of us are just using the slow drafts as mock drafts anyways.

You're right, 'lazy' is a little bit too harsh.
Tough to see this format work with a 30 rounder without faab. This would turn into a war of attrition rather than who drafted the best.
It would bring the luck of fantasy football into our game, in that one real bad injury could torpedo a whole draft.
Perhaps, combining two ideas and making it a positionless, 30 rounder with no lineup changes or faab would better suit a 30 rounder of this kind.
Otherwise, I would think 50 rounds is the way to go.