Would You Play an Indy Team in an Online League?

nebradska · 05-21-2013, 07:24 PM

Would you play an independent team in an online league with other players in a major league? By this I mean a team with low financials, getting the scraps that the major league teams don't want (of course, competing with other indy teams in your league).

Regardless of your answer, share your thoughts. And if you're on the fence, what rule changes or perks would convince you to try it out?

Tyler87898 · 05-21-2013, 08:02 PM

Sounds interesting.

Cinnamon J. Scudworth · 05-21-2013, 08:07 PM

I know some online leagues do that with foreign leagues, where the foreign leagues basically act as a waiting list for the primary league. Presumably it helps weed out flakes, too.

byzeil · 05-21-2013, 08:38 PM

I would consider it but I'd have to have some control of the players on my team. The best couldn't always just walk without some compensation or something. Maybe if I could find foreign/local talent and there was something like 2 or 3 year free agency in the league or there was a limit to the number of players you could loose each year.

If all/most of the independent teams were player owned and we could trade and such it would help. I think I could deal with a lower talent level across the league because talent is relative to your competition.

I've tried managing in the minors and found it no fun at all because I was just there to get players ready to move up to the next level. My roster just kept changing.

If done right I could have fun with it.

24Rocks · 05-21-2013, 09:18 PM

I would love it cause you could pick up some guy and sell him to a team in need, my team wouldn't be in the main league and I would be a minor team but there are players that one good year and there back in the show.

nebradska · 05-21-2013, 11:46 PM

Yes, in practice you would be an autonomous team and the majors wouldn't be allowed to just pluck your best players away at whim. You would have to agree to any trades.

As a follow up: what would encourage you to value money over winning (as real minor league owners do)? What kind of incentive system could be set up for that?

In line with what Scudworth said, your money accrued could be a heavily weighted criteria for promotion to the majors when a spot opens up, thus giving you incentive to sell your players even if you're having a stellar year.

elfsutton · 05-22-2013, 12:28 AM

If it were a totally independent team with a budget and all that good stuff, it would be fun. The ability to build an independant, lower level team would be great, if you can do what you can to keep your players.

Would the teams be in locations where they could grow if they were good enough so that you might have extra money down the road.

I prefer to win instead of money but then again, you have to have money to help build a winner.

MrDov · 05-22-2013, 12:53 AM

Maybe the Indy owners can save up money to purchase an expansion franchise in the majors (if you don't mind expansion)

CBL-Commish · 05-22-2013, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by byzeil

I would consider it but I'd have to have some control of the players on my team. The best couldn't always just walk without some compensation or something. Maybe if I could find foreign/local talent and there was something like 2 or 3 year free agency in the league or there was a limit to the number of players you could loose each year.

If all/most of the independent teams were player owned and we could trade and such it would help. I think I could deal with a lower talent level across the league because talent is relative to your competition.

I've tried managing in the minors and found it no fun at all because I was just there to get players ready to move up to the next level. My roster just kept changing.

If done right I could have fun with it.

I think you're mixing up indy and affiliated teams/leagues. An indy league team is really independent, there's no affiliation that would allow a team to snatch your players away in midseason without compensation.

Now, if it's done in a way that mirrors today's reality you're probably not going to get talent above a AAAA/journeyman level, and most not that good. Almost nobody's going to sign more than a 1-year deal, so if you have a guy hit .380 with 40 homers he's probably going to leave at the end of the year and sign with an affiliated organization.

flair1239 · 05-22-2013, 11:00 AM

If there were other human players in the major league, I would think this would be super interesting.

nebradska · 05-22-2013, 09:33 PM

Great ideas, guys. Keep em coming.

Another thought was to give minor league teams an extremely high level of creative control over their teams (whereas the major teams are restricted in their creativity under the guise of league standards). Basically have them act as the owner rather than the GM.

24Rocks · 05-22-2013, 10:22 PM

I would be all for a league that was interested in trying this, if I was a GM of a independent team and I got to sign who I could it would be a interesting challenge, I understand what CBL-Commish is saying ya I might be the best team in my league but I wont get all the good players I might get lucky and have some young guy develop while on my team but that's it, the experience would still be amazing. On a side note i am doing this in my own league soon and seeing how have to change how I play.

Tekneek · 05-24-2013, 11:34 AM

I like the idea. It could be used as a proving ground for replacement owners to move into vacant MLB teams, or for MLB expansion. Having enough solid owners to run a full MLB setup PLUS independent leagues would be great (and a lot of fun if done right).

View Poll Results: Would you play an independent team in an online league?
Yes, that sounds like a new and exciting challenge!	7	28.00%
Maybe, if...	11	44.00%
No, that sounds like an exercise in frustration!	7	28.00%
Voters: 25. You may not vote on this poll

05-21-2013, 07:24 PM	#1
nebradska Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Illinois Posts: 229	Would You Play an Indy Team in an Online League? Would you play an independent team in an online league with other players in a major league? By this I mean a team with low financials, getting the scraps that the major league teams don't want (of course, competing with other indy teams in your league). Regardless of your answer, share your thoughts. And if you're on the fence, what rule changes or perks would convince you to try it out?

05-21-2013, 08:07 PM	#3
Cinnamon J. Scudworth All Star Starter Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 1,119	I know some online leagues do that with foreign leagues, where the foreign leagues basically act as a waiting list for the primary league. Presumably it helps weed out flakes, too. __________________ "Sometimes, this is like going to a grocery store. You’ve got a list until you get to the check-out stand. And then you start reading People magazine, and all this other [stuff] ends up in the basket." -Sandy Alderson on the MLB offseason

05-21-2013, 09:18 PM	#5
24Rocks All Star Reserve Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Scarborough, Ontario, Canada Posts: 808	I would love it cause you could pick up some guy and sell him to a team in need, my team wouldn't be in the main league and I would be a minor team but there are players that one good year and there back in the show. __________________ Jonny Former OOTP Online leagues: LOHO: Detroit Tigers ISL: San Diego Padres VSL: Pittsburgh Pirates NPBL: Ohio Raptors/Nova Scotia Fishermen AFBL:Ontario Blue Pirates Check you my YOUTUBE or TWITCH

05-22-2013, 12:28 AM	#7
elfsutton All Star Reserve Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Cadiz, Ohio Posts: 946	If it were a totally independent team with a budget and all that good stuff, it would be fun. The ability to build an independant, lower level team would be great, if you can do what you can to keep your players. Would the teams be in locations where they could grow if they were good enough so that you might have extra money down the road. I prefer to win instead of money but then again, you have to have money to help build a winner. __________________ Pittsburgh Pirates, Cleveland Indians fan Rewriting Cubs History, a Dynasty Report Baseball History, What Might Have Been Rewriting Cubs History Poll

05-21-2013, 08:02 PM	#2
Tyler87898 All Star Reserve Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 794	Sounds interesting.

05-21-2013, 08:38 PM	#4
byzeil Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: NJ, US Posts: 2,006	I would consider it but I'd have to have some control of the players on my team. The best couldn't always just walk without some compensation or something. Maybe if I could find foreign/local talent and there was something like 2 or 3 year free agency in the league or there was a limit to the number of players you could loose each year. If all/most of the independent teams were player owned and we could trade and such it would help. I think I could deal with a lower talent level across the league because talent is relative to your competition. I've tried managing in the minors and found it no fun at all because I was just there to get players ready to move up to the next level. My roster just kept changing. If done right I could have fun with it.

05-21-2013, 11:46 PM	#6
nebradska Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Illinois Posts: 229	Yes, in practice you would be an autonomous team and the majors wouldn't be allowed to just pluck your best players away at whim. You would have to agree to any trades. As a follow up: what would encourage you to value money over winning (as real minor league owners do)? What kind of incentive system could be set up for that? In line with what Scudworth said, your money accrued could be a heavily weighted criteria for promotion to the majors when a spot opens up, thus giving you incentive to sell your players even if you're having a stellar year.

05-22-2013, 12:53 AM	#8
MrDov Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 281	Maybe the Indy owners can save up money to purchase an expansion franchise in the majors (if you don't mind expansion)

05-22-2013, 11:00 AM	#10
flair1239 Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 25	If there were other human players in the major league, I would think this would be super interesting.

05-22-2013, 09:33 PM	#11
nebradska Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Illinois Posts: 229	Great ideas, guys. Keep em coming. Another thought was to give minor league teams an extremely high level of creative control over their teams (whereas the major teams are restricted in their creativity under the guise of league standards). Basically have them act as the owner rather than the GM.

05-22-2013, 10:22 PM	#12
24Rocks All Star Reserve Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Scarborough, Ontario, Canada Posts: 808	I would be all for a league that was interested in trying this, if I was a GM of a independent team and I got to sign who I could it would be a interesting challenge, I understand what CBL-Commish is saying ya I might be the best team in my league but I wont get all the good players I might get lucky and have some young guy develop while on my team but that's it, the experience would still be amazing. On a side note i am doing this in my own league soon and seeing how have to change how I play. __________________ Jonny Former OOTP Online leagues: LOHO: Detroit Tigers ISL: San Diego Padres VSL: Pittsburgh Pirates NPBL: Ohio Raptors/Nova Scotia Fishermen AFBL:Ontario Blue Pirates Check you my YOUTUBE or TWITCH

05-24-2013, 11:34 AM	#13
Tekneek Major Leagues Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: GA, USA Posts: 455	I like the idea. It could be used as a proving ground for replacement owners to move into vacant MLB teams, or for MLB expansion. Having enough solid owners to run a full MLB setup PLUS independent leagues would be great (and a lot of fun if done right).