Hello everyone, I'm Chris.
I participate in the
TSTBL as
J. L. Andercen, president and general manager of the Portland Beavers. I have been taking part in the league since half-way through the first season, and have enjoyed my time with the
TSTBL very much.
For the most part, our current owners tend to be quite courteous, as well as dedicated to the league. I don't say this to simply try to promote the league- the owners that I have had communication with (usually in the form of trade-talks) have been very kind, as well as fun to speak with. When you truly enjoy something, and have an interest in it, dedication merely displays itself as an effect.
Instead of trying to blindly hype our league, as I'm sure happens often around here, I'll give you some examples of why the
TSTBL has been, and will continue to be, so enjoyable for me.
- The commissioner, Mr. Brent Kick, is very enthusiastic and helpful, quick to respond to e-mails and message board posts. His spirit and attitude make the league a great place for both beginners and veterans. He is also quite mature and professional, and has not even taken a team in the league, so as he can better devote his time to the owners.
- I believe that we are currently in the process of expanding and revising our set of rules. We already have some interesting and practical rules in place that are geared toward the fact that our league is in its infancy.
- I was able to make five separate deals prior to the trading deadline this year, including one three-way blockbuster. I can't say that I have always received timely responses from onwers I have mailed trade proposals to, but the successes that I have had have been excellent. It took a myriad of e-mails to negotiate a couple of the mentioned deals, which was particularly exciting. There are a number of owners who I know I can rely on, which makes the entire transaction process lax yet exciting.
- As Driver 8 (the commissioner) mentioned, we have never missed a sim. The sim-schedule is practical, and it's fairly routine as to when the league file is posted.
- The site and message board are clean and easy to navigate. I would say that they're anything special, but they're practical, and get the job done.
I enjoy the league as it is, but it will only be more enjoyable once all the teams are occupied by active owners. In turn, this will only motivate the other owners to be active. Having computer-controlled teams is not particularly conducive to transactions in general, nor does it lend itself to competition. My division is currently being led by a computer-controlled team, and I wouldn't want to see it enter the post-season.
With three more dedicated owners (welcome to Rochester's new owner, by the way), the
TSTBL could start to become truly great. There are few things more magical in the world of simulated/fantasy baseball than an active and complete league. I hope to see you there.
Whether you're a novice baseball fan or a hardcore stat-tracker, the TSTBL has a place for you. Come visit us at http://www.bkick.com/tstbl/main.htm, or at http://tstbl.suddenlaunch.com/ (the message board). If you have any questions, please just ask.
-Chris/J. L. Andercen, president and GM of the Portland Beavers of the
TSTBL
GMandercen@sympatico.ca