DRAFT RULES

PURPOSE: A draft is held in order to make the teams as even as possible. It does not permit a coach to stack a team of the best players. In order to make teams in all divisions balanced, a draft is used.

An independent person will be in charge of the draft process. A second independent person should also be available to help out. Anyone that has a connection to a team or player cannot run the draft itself.

Prior to the draft, the commissioner and the head coaches rate the players according to ability and assign a number to every player, 1 through 5. One being assigned to the best players in the division, two to the second best batch of players, and so on to the number 5, which is assigned to the players with the least amount of talent when compared to the players in the division. This process is to be completed prior to the draft, with everyone in agreement to the assigned ratings. A minimum number for team totals will be required prior to the draft. This minimum number will be dependent upon the pool of players and their ratings and will be determined by the independent person running the draft. The minimum number will prevent a coach from stacking his team with 3 #1 rated players, especially when the pool of talent may not have enough #1 rated players for the entire league. THE RATINGS ARE STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL AND ARE NOT TO LEAVE THE DRAFT ROOM. NO PLAYER IS TO KNOW HIS RANKING.

Once the ratings are complete, each team may reserve, or “freeze” two players. This includes the coach’s sons’.  Again, a minimum point total will be required as stated above. The points for these two players are compiled by each team. The team with the highest point total is considered to be the weakest and will have the first pick in the first round. The team with the second highest total is considered the second weakest team and has the second pick in the first round. This continues throughout the round. However, if a team comes in so strong, that they are far and away the strongest team, that team may not have a pick in the first round. (I usually look at the number of #1 rated players remaining in the draft in order to give every team the opportunity to select a #1 rated player.) It could be that the team is so strong they may not get a pick until the last pick in the second round. This will keep a team that “stacks” their team with the best “frozen” players prior to the draft, to continue to pick the remaining top players. It also gives the other teams an opportunity to catch up to the strongest team and does not permit the strongest team to continue to acquire the better players.

After the first round is complete, the totals are added up again. Again, the team with the highest number of points is considered the weakest and will have the first pick in the second round. The team with the second highest points gets the second pick, and so on. This system continues throughout the draft.

An instance may arise where there are several teams with the same amount of points in a round. In that case, pick the team that seems to be the weakest due to a lack of #1 rated players. Should the same three teams have the same number of points in the next round, reverse the order. Example: Braves, Cubs then Dodgers. The order in the next round would be Dodgers, Cubs and Braves.

Also, if a player is drafted and he has a brother in the draft with a lower rating, the team that drafts the better player is required to take the brother at the appropriate time. Example: a player is rated #2 and he has a brother that is rated a #4. When all of the higher rated players are taken, and only fours and fives are available, that team must take the #4 rated brother with his first pick of that round. This is for brothers only. Cousins are not included in this at all.

At the end of the draft, the goal should be to have the teams’ total points, be within 3 points of the strongest to the weakest teams. The draft order from round to round should be conducted so that no team at the end of the draft is considerably stronger or weaker than the other teams.

Finally, a team manager cannot add to his roster. If a player registers to play after the draft is complete, the draft person is to assign the player to a team. If it is a strong player, the weakest team gets him. If he is a weak player, the strongest team gets him. Keep in mind that the number of players comes into this decision. Teams with 12 players will not receive a player until the teams with 11 players are assigned late players to fill out their roster.

The draft is mostly objective with the total points dictating the draft order. It may become subjective when there are several teams with the same number of points after a round. Try to fair by changing the order of these teams in the following round. No one is to win the championship in the draft room.