Different
Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2020 7:23 am
Hall of Fame NFBC player Mark Srebro believes that this past year should have an asterisk next to winners names.
Most, do not agree.
We went into the 'sprint' season knowing what was ahead. Covid had ruined any chances of normalcy.
It even ruined the chances of 'normalcy' of a two month season.
Covid delivered things we had never seen before in the NFBC.
A shorter season.
An interrupted season.
Different rules on the field.
The key word in all this is...different.
It was different than any other year we have ever had.
So different that Mark cries foul for winners.
It's understandable from one view.
The overriding factor is that we all KNEW it would be different.
So holding 'different' against winners is not the right thing to do.
This post is not about last year or the validity of winners however.
I just finished the first 50 round DC of the year.
THAT was difficult.
As the first DC, drafters enter the draft blind to a lot of facts every year.
We don't know where free agents will sign.
We don't know trades.
We don't know long term injury.
We know all those facts going in.
This year is different.
We drafted without minor league play from the year before.
We didn't have any rule 5 facts.
No hot minor leaguers moving from A to AAA.
How do we know where to place former hot minor leaguers who had teams not think enough of them to move up last year?
Such as Matt Manning and McKenzie Gore?
Is Wander Franco the number one prospect by default?
What about pitchers?
No pitcher will throw 100 innings this year.
Will that ruin arms for next year?
Will Starters go back to throwing 200 innings or will teams 'Dodger' them and get them out of games early.
The Verducci Rule will be obliterated this coming year.
And what about the back end?
There are maybe 10 bona fide Closers for their teams this upcoming year.
Some teams have quit using the one Closer approach.
Some teams lose their Closer like Melancon with the Braves, Hendriks with Oakland, and the White Sox with Colome.
Is Kenley Jansen through?
St Louis seems to have seven candidates to Close, none better than the other.
Heck, we don't even know the rules for the coming year.
Will there be a DH in the National League?
Seven inning double headers? (Fantasy folks flip their middle finger at that one)
The three batter rule for relievers?
Schedules?
The worst part hasn't even been mentioned.
Covid.
It hasn't gone away.
It could still effect the upcoming season. Like it or not.
To me, whoever wins this league just completed will need more luck than skill.
Does that deserve an asterisk?
I don't know.
But, it is a little dangerous for our game as a whole.
When our game becomes more luck than skill, I believe that some folks will lose interest.
In this way, we need normalcy. We need things NOT to be different.
If Covid is still around for the coming season, along with all the other factors mentioned, the winners will need more luck than this past season.
Whether calling for asterisks or not, That, would not be a good thing for our hobby.
Most, do not agree.
We went into the 'sprint' season knowing what was ahead. Covid had ruined any chances of normalcy.
It even ruined the chances of 'normalcy' of a two month season.
Covid delivered things we had never seen before in the NFBC.
A shorter season.
An interrupted season.
Different rules on the field.
The key word in all this is...different.
It was different than any other year we have ever had.
So different that Mark cries foul for winners.
It's understandable from one view.
The overriding factor is that we all KNEW it would be different.
So holding 'different' against winners is not the right thing to do.
This post is not about last year or the validity of winners however.
I just finished the first 50 round DC of the year.
THAT was difficult.
As the first DC, drafters enter the draft blind to a lot of facts every year.
We don't know where free agents will sign.
We don't know trades.
We don't know long term injury.
We know all those facts going in.
This year is different.
We drafted without minor league play from the year before.
We didn't have any rule 5 facts.
No hot minor leaguers moving from A to AAA.
How do we know where to place former hot minor leaguers who had teams not think enough of them to move up last year?
Such as Matt Manning and McKenzie Gore?
Is Wander Franco the number one prospect by default?
What about pitchers?
No pitcher will throw 100 innings this year.
Will that ruin arms for next year?
Will Starters go back to throwing 200 innings or will teams 'Dodger' them and get them out of games early.
The Verducci Rule will be obliterated this coming year.
And what about the back end?
There are maybe 10 bona fide Closers for their teams this upcoming year.
Some teams have quit using the one Closer approach.
Some teams lose their Closer like Melancon with the Braves, Hendriks with Oakland, and the White Sox with Colome.
Is Kenley Jansen through?
St Louis seems to have seven candidates to Close, none better than the other.
Heck, we don't even know the rules for the coming year.
Will there be a DH in the National League?
Seven inning double headers? (Fantasy folks flip their middle finger at that one)
The three batter rule for relievers?
Schedules?
The worst part hasn't even been mentioned.
Covid.
It hasn't gone away.
It could still effect the upcoming season. Like it or not.
To me, whoever wins this league just completed will need more luck than skill.
Does that deserve an asterisk?
I don't know.
But, it is a little dangerous for our game as a whole.
When our game becomes more luck than skill, I believe that some folks will lose interest.
In this way, we need normalcy. We need things NOT to be different.
If Covid is still around for the coming season, along with all the other factors mentioned, the winners will need more luck than this past season.
Whether calling for asterisks or not, That, would not be a good thing for our hobby.