Saturday Live Chat: Anyone Want To Talk?

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 10:17 am

I see there are 38 people here on a lazy Saturday afternoon. Anyone have any questions for the NFBC today? I'll answer anything you have until the top of the hour. Thanks.

Leaderboard Sports · Post by **Leaderboard Sports** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 10:20 am

How do we stand on league 13?

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 10:23 am

Still working on League 12. I have lots of leads and four open spots. We are more than halfway full in Las Vegas for that sixth league. 12 full NFBC leagues and three full Auction Leagues would be a grand start.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 10:24 am

Ken, you've been quiet recently. Are you trying to protect that four-star ranking heading into Opening Day?

Leaderboard Sports · Post by **Leaderboard Sports** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 10:24 am

Any good Chicago leads after the nice article?

LB Big Richards · Post by **LB Big Richards** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 10:26 am

Greg,

I posted this yesterday in the chat thread after you left:

Quick question about FA pickups. Last year in the WCOFB, any player who was placed on the MLB DL was not available to be picked up via FA. Case in point, Phil Nevin. Until Nevin was activated in August by the Padres, he was not listed on the FA pool. Same with guys like Sasaki. When the owner dropped Sasaki after he hurt his arm, he was unavailable until the Mariners activated him.

Maybe I missed a discussion on this or it's somewhere in the rules, but will a player on the MLB DL still be an available FA?

Thanks.

Hojin

Leaderboard Sports · Post by **Leaderboard Sports** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 10:27 am

Originally posted by Greg Ambrosius:

Ken, you've been quiet recently. Are you trying to protect that four-star ranking heading into Opening Day? Nah, just been cramming for the draft.

I thought it might be prudent to read up on auction drafts since I picked one for $1250 to bust my cherry on. :rolleyes:

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 10:27 am

Just got a signup from there about 15 minutes ago. Other than that, it's been kinda quiet in the Windy City. Very, very, very surprising overall there with the Cubs being so red-hot. I'd be surprised, though, if Chicago wasn't the best spot for football this September. Next year we'll just have to do a better job there for baseball as we are not abandoning that good city just because of a small debut.

BONGIZMO · Post by **BONGIZMO** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 10:28 am

Greg,

Is it just me or does it seem there is a rash of injuries to key players this Spring? A foolow up to that is how do you typically adjust a player on your lists when an injury occurs?

Lookin forward to Vegas!

Scott

LB Big Richards · Post by **LB Big Richards** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 10:28 am

Ken, quiet? I think he's just bummed that he's in the same league with us in WCOFB.

Leaderboard Sports · Post by **Leaderboard Sports** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 10:30 am

Originally posted by LB Big Richards:

Ken, quiet? I think he's just bummed that he's in the same league with us in WCOFB.

You're going to hate me after that draft Hojin. With me sitting there at 13 and you just 2 picks away.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 10:30 am

Hojin, that's a good question and one I had not planned for. I did not see that question elsewhere as I apologize. So if someone isn't drafted in the NFBC and starts the year on the DL, you're saying he wouldn't be available via FAAB? I would say this year Sasaki certainly wouldn't be available. But my initial feeling is that if Nevin wasn't drafted in an NFBC league and was still on the Padres' 40-man roster, he would be available via FAAB all year long, any week of the regular season.

Am I misinterpreting your question?

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 10:33 am

Spring injuries are interesting and they are no different this year than past years. I've drafted the first week of March since 1994 in LABR and I swear to God that I get a guy for a good bargain each year and a week later he gets hurt in spring training. This year it was Nevin, who got hurt the day after the LABR draft.

I think smart owners can use those injuries to their benefit. Lots of people stay away from anyone who has a sore arm or nagging groin in the spring, when in reality the teams are just being careful. Come regular season, those guys are out there for 154+ games. I use that info to find bargains, not to be scared away from a player.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 10:34 am

Wouldn't that be the shits if you guys got in the same NFBC league, too? I can't rig anything, but I'll tell my nine-year-old to be careful when picking those Las Vegas leagues out of a hat. Nah, with that group, maybe I'll go with the two-year-old.

LB Big Richards · Post by **LB Big Richards** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 10:35 am

Greg, it mainly pertains to players going on the DL during the season. Another example last year was with Hinske. When to went on the DL in April (?), his owner dropped him. As soon as he was dropped to the FA list, Hinske disappeared and wasn't available to be picked up via FAAB. Not until the Blue Jays activated him did Hinske show up back on the FA list.

I want to know if this situation would occur in the NFBC or would Hinske be available immediately after the owner dropped him?

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 10:40 am

I have every intention of allowing Hinske to be picked up right away via FAAB. I think that's part of the FAAB strategy: Do you spend valuable money on an injured player not knowing when he comes off the DL or do you save it for another player? I sure hope people don't plan on cutting guys like Hinske every time they get hurt as that's what your six-man reserve squad is for.

I will certainly watch these cuts carefully as I don't plan on manipulating the league, but I will keep a strong watch over cuts of key players or those who start out cold. We cannot allow the integrity of this contest to be short-changed by a dumb owner who wants to take FAAB out of his league by cutting a superstar who is off to a slow start. That won't be allowed.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 10:43 am

I just want to let everyone know that yesterday when the decision was being made here internally to keep the prize structure as is (thus taking a first year hit for us) or asking everyone to agree to a change, two people here went to bat for this event and hit a home run. They were Dean Listle, our publisher, and Hugh McAloon, our divisional publisher. Dean will be out at the New York NFBC draft next weekend and you can thank him because he was key. And Hugh also knew it made the most sense and would show people how committed we are to this event. By the way, Hugh is the one who got us all of these Pete Rose autographed baseballs as he's good friends with Pete, so enjoy them.

LB Big Richards · Post by **LB Big Richards** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 10:50 am

Thanks Greg. Just wanted to be clear on that.

My question wasn't collusion related. The players were dropped due to long term injuries (i.e. Hinske, Nevin, Hoffman) and/or late season strategy (Sasaki) who just happened to come back before October. Nothing like the Halladay incident.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 10:51 am

10-4. Good, good question and by the end of the year I should be one wise commish!

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 10:55 am

I have R.Castro as my #26 catcher. Do you think that ranking is okay given that he has to play 20 games at catcher during the MLB season to qualify at catcher in the NFBC? Thanks.

Jon_Ashton · Post by **Jon_Ashton** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 10:56 am

Greg, Could you let us know again what is in that Goodie Bag we'll pick up?

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 10:58 am

Originally posted by Leaderboard Sports:

Greg, do actually think there are some people who don't already have Ron's Baseball Forcaster book? I want those guys in my league. Greg, I don't have this book. Is my team doomed? LB Sports seems to think it's important. Thanks again.

Jon_Ashton · Post by **Jon_Ashton** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 11:00 am

Yes, Geeko, your team is doomed. But buying a book won't save you.

Next!

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 11:01 am

Personally, I'd like to see how Castro plays in those 20 games before having him on my active roster anyway. But that's just me talking, not someone who is actually competing for $100,000. Whether you agree with my rule over the Founding Fathers' interpretation of position eligibility is up to you. But at least everyone should understand the ruling now. He was a utility player last year and that's where he deserves to qualify at.

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 11:04 am

Originally posted by Jon_Ashton:

Next! Hey, that's my line. Get your own dammit!