Fantasy Baseball Final gripes

[Emperor]

I just have a few concerns about fantasy baseball playoffs.

 

1. Two weeks for the final game.  In theory this sounds good.  Except for the fact that many teams are out of the playoff picture.  When teams are no longer in the running, they sit their star players.  This happened to Arod and Abreau last week when the Yankees realized they were done.  I am also seeing other of my start players being benched because they ARE in the playoffs and they are saving their stars for these important games.  I would suggest that next year the final playoffs are either a week earlier if we do two weeks or only a week.

 

2.  There should be a cap on the amount of transactions in a week's time.  No way should my opponent be able to unload his entire pitching staff in one day and pick up pitchers that are starting over the weekend to get wins. 

 

 

[SBoydW]

I think it's kinda cheap too... I am ashamed of my brother.  But what I'm more upset about... I would be crushing either of you in this matchup... with out pulling the cheap team dumparoo.

[RobertAlexWillis]

Is it cheap?  Sure.  So is faking a field goal.  So is the "hidden ball" play.  But they're legal, my friend.  Did you think I was just going to lay down?  ;D  Part of being the "manager" is managing ... and knowing how to use the rules to your team's advantage.

 

If the next league institutes a cap on transactions rules (as I understand your football league has done) then great.  Until then, don't whine because someone else knew how to use the rules.

 

You're still winning, Empy, and likely to finish ahead; I can't manipulate the batters like this (and I freely admit that it is manipulation ... sometimes called "managing").  But if I do win ... then its because I knew how to play the game.  Fantasy sports is more than putting in your team and praying.  ;)  Stacking pitchers at the end of the season is an openly advocated "endgame" trick.  Its no different than taking pitchers out to preserve an ERA or WHIP lead at the end of a week.  Its one of the differences between fantasy sports and real sports.

 

In short  ;D  quit 'yer whinin'.  You're still probably going to win, and then you can tell everyone how you spanked me even when I "cheated".

[Emperor]

You are more than likely going to win as you only need one more win to swing the tide.  The game is about managing your team, yes.  I managed the team I played with all year and got me to the finals.  I did not pull a stunt at the last minute.

 

Even if I win, I do not plan on joining baseball next year unless there is a limit imposed on the number of moves a team can make a week.  You are abusing the rules and in essence cheating.  Your team could not beat me fairly so you stacked the deck in order to win. 

 

Yeah I am whining.  I am kind of pissed about it.  If we had played fairly with the team you used to get to the finals, you would have lost (as you should have).  It would be like if there was no trade deadline and switching players with another team in order to stack your team.  I had kind of figured DMers would play with honor and not resort to lowly tactics to win a game.  I am sure glad that fantasy leagues take in account people won't play fairly and make up features to block these tactics.

 

If you win using your tactics, congrats.

[SBoydW]

I agree Empy.  I didn't notice when I set up the league if limiting the pick ups was an option.  If I set up next years I most certainly will include that.

[RobertAlexWillis]

To quote Herm Edwards, "You play to win the game."

 

As long as I have options, within the rules, I'm going to do everything I can to win.  To my mind, in Dragonmount terms, my team is Lan to your team's Ryne.  Ryne was better, but ended up dead.  Why?  "He never understood.  You surrender after you're dead." (NS ch 26)  Its pretty weak that you're trying to use our mutual fanhood to imply that I should just roll over for you.

 

As I already stated, if a transaction limit exists, from the beginning of a season, or by mutual agreement, I have no problem with that.  But if one does not (as is the case here), I'm going to do everything I can, within the rules as they exist, to win.  To me, that is playing fair; the same rules apply to everyone.  In every sport, there are tricks and tactics used at the end of a game that don't make sense at other times, that can help a team overcome a deficit.  The method I'm using doesn't make sense at any other time of the year, since it risks the loss of higher quality pitchers for short term benefits.  But, as Dan Fouts famously said,"Last game of the year, Brent.  Can't hold anything back now."

 

The rules are the same for everyone.  They're not a surprise.  I didn't collude with anyone to create this situation.  To me, having a legal option to win, and not doing the best I can, would be "dishonorable", in the sense that in a competition, you are supposed to try to win.  What you're proposing is that I simply concede.  Well, that would be nice for you, but I'm trying ... LEGALLY ... to win.

 

There are tactics you could have used to block me.  There was a very limited window in which my tactic is useful, specifically, the last three days of the game (since that matches the waiver time).  You had the same options as I did to pick up players, and quite a head start in wins.  If you didn't want to risk your ERA and WHIP lead, you could have picked up half the pitchers I did and then not played them.  In short, its not as if I broke the rules, or even put you in a situation where you had no options to "defend yourself".  Its not like I sat online until the wee hours of the morning to pick up the pitchers the INSTANT they became useful.  You could have beat me to the punch.  Your contention that I'm being "dishonorable" is a cop out.  Really, really weak man.  You got outmaneuvered.  Deal with it.

 

Still, when all is said and done, it think the commissioner can disqualify a person if it is deemed that one party acted unfairly.  Assuming I win, which is still anything but certain, and if you really think its unfair, then take your case to him.  I promise not to wrestle Boyo into submission, assuming he disqualifies me.

[Emperor]

You took over in wins.  Continuing the trend of the week, some of my big hitters were benched to prepare for the playoffs.  This is the main reason my stats have suffered in RBIs and HRs this week.  So I unless someone has a big game, you are going to win. 

 

I do not think you should be disqualified.  You did not violate any set rules for the league.  Congrats on your victory.  I hope it feels good to win like this.

[RobertAlexWillis]

some of my big hitters were benched to prepare for the playoffs

 

I'm not sure why you keep bringing this up, as it has nothing to do with anything I or anyone else can control.  Unless the fantasy season stops as soon as teams start clinching playoff spots, this is bound to happen.  Thats why you have to keep adjusting your team even in the final matchup of the year.

 

As for the rest, if I do win as a direct result of a legal strategy that I employed, yeah, it will feel pretty good.  It would be a win that has to do with my own skill, not just "plug in the same guys and pray".  I really believe all that "never say die" and "its not over 'til its over" stuff.  I looked at the situation, weighed my options within the rules, devised a plan, and executed it.  Your implication that I should have looked at the situation, said "Oh well, Empy's team is just better", shrugged, and walked away, is ... weak, and just a teensy bit condescending.  The team is more than just the players.  It is the manager behind them, too.

 

Complaining about the rule, advocating for a change in future leagues, thats fine.  Taking shots at me, implying that I am not acting with the "honor" expected from "DMers", is not.  What I did was not only legal, it was perfectly fair.  You had every ability I had, in the same time period that I had.  I did not execute something that you had no chance to prevent or no way to deal with.  I detailed your options in my last post.  You could have blocked me; not completely, but enough to ensure your win.

 

What I did was not unfair, it was merely unexpected.  You thought you had it wrapped up, you thought I was going to just lay down.  But I didn't.  When you saw what I was doing on Friday, you could have started countering it; even disrupting just the last day's worth of add/drops would have essentially eliminated my chances.  You could have done it; all your starters were done before today so you had nothing to lose.  If you do end up losing, it won't be because I acted unfairly, it will be because you failed to respond to a changing situation.

 

I guess there's really nothing more I have to say on the subject.  Its not likely to happen again anyway; I didn't get into the Football League this year, so you won't have to deal with my "false, tricksy ways" in the future.

 

PS: I realize this seems like a slight change in position from my first post, in which I said "Is it cheap?  Sure."  I said that somewhat tongue in cheek.  It wasn't cheap.  It was just unexpected.

[Emperor]

Sorry, I played with the team that I had most of the season.  You know, the one that actually got me this far.  I may adjust my team slightly... a move here and there... but replacing your entire pitching rotation daily is a shady move.  But thats my opinion.  You won... so it doesn't really matter. 

 

And I would gladly invite you to Football.  This incident has nothing to do with future invites.  You didn't sign up this year so you didn't get an invite. 

 

I really don't mind losing and will be the first to joke about it.  However this loss feels wrong to me and it really did piss me off.

 

It's just a game though, so I won't hold a grudge nor harp on it more. 

[Segurant]

Wow!  I got third?

 

:o

[SBoydW]

Yeah I ran into the same benching problem Empy did..

[Emperor]

This season is just is a learning experience for next year is all.  Either a one week final is need or just a week earlier before teams clinch divisions.  The same is done in football... we don't have playoffs in the final week as the same thing happens.  The hard thing about baseball is that you don't know who they are going to bench and for how long so you can't prep for it.  Well unless you check your team an hour before they play and even that is not guaranteed.  While I like checking my team daily, I am not usually checking it every few hours for updates. 

 

Great season everyone.  I enjoyed playing with everyone even if I got a little upset with how things ended. 

[Corki]

And I finished 7th! whoot!!! Not bad considering I forgot my team for most of the season! lol!