An Alternate Universe: The Story of the MLB Re-Draft League (Show'18)

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Quote:

The month is January in the year two thousand and eighteen, and the MLB is facing a crisis: almost all of the best free agents have yet to be signed and the MLBPA, lead by Tony Clark, who's working closely with super agent Scott Boras, is pushing back. A strike is imminent, and fans are clearly against the ownership, as they are upset ownership is refusing to sign players like Yu Darvish, Jake Arrieta, and JD Martinez. Large market teams like the Cubs, Yankees, and Dodgers refuse to go over the Luxury Cap. Small market teams are threatening to shut down operation for the '18 season as they'd rather take the year off than pay players. An emergency meeting is called by Manfried that will be attended by Manfried, all GM's, Tony Clark, special reps of the player's union, and important league agents like Scott Boras...and the MLB will come to a shocking conclusion as how to solve the current issue...

This is the alternative universe that I will be working from (I realize it's not the most realistic situation, but in the end, it's hard to figure out why the league would suddenly re-distribute all talent in such a short time, so that's what I came up with haha). My Dynasty will feature a full, MLB re-draft. I will present the league's story, as well as take the helm of one of the 30 teams in the league and guide them through difficult times. The story will be presented in news clippings, tweets, and box scores from my team's games, as well as league information. Below, you'll find my league information, including slider information, difficulty, and which team I'll be taking over.

Please interact, post, and be apart of the league! Feel free to suggest potential story lines. I will take them into consideration! I want to have fun with this, but also have an audience!

Slider Set/Difficulty: Still a work in progress. Right now, I'm playing and tinkering. I'll update this when I settle on one.

Trade rules: I'm going to try to refrain from trades, however, if they happen, they'll be as realistic as they can be, even if I have to take a hit.

Roster Set: With the roster glitch going on, I found a roster set which includes all teams-top-15 prospects. At this point, that's the best I'll get for a bit and I want to start this. So...away we go!

My franchise: Cleveland Indians. I like their new throwback racing-stripe uniform options as well as their "Caveman" look. Will give me multiple looks.

Posting Style/Timeframe: My goal is to update this daily with league stories, game recaps, and news. Some days may get multiple updates, some may get none as I negotiate my life. If this really takes off and there's a lot of interest, I'll keep the updates rolling.

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MLB Faces Accusations of Collusion by MLBPA
January 9, 2018
Associated Press

When the Houston Astros closed out the Los Angels Dodgers in early November, Yu Darvish walked off the field as a World Series loser, but one who was likely to be a free agent winner this offseason. Projections for his potential contract ranged in the 7 year, $150+m range. Darvish wasn't the only player excited about their potential pay day. Two of Scott Boras's clients, JD Martinez and Jake Arrieta, were eyeing $200+m pay days. Players like Alex Cobb, Lorenzo Cain, Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer, Wade Davis and others were players who were looking at pulling in deals of $15m+ annually. Now, a little over one month until pitchers and catchers report to their spring training facilities in either Florida or Arizona, all of these players (and many, many more) sit without contracts for the 2018 season and beyond, but with many questions as to "why?".

Tony Clark, leader of the MLBPA Union, has taken up their cause. Speaking on ESPN's "First Take" last week, Clark cried collusion, claiming that the league was attempting to artificially suppress league salaries in an attempt to subvert the league's Luxury Tax implemented in the most recent CBA. Scott Boras, who is the aforementioned agent of many of these players, agreed in a tweet just after Clark's public interview, stating, "Arrieta one of league's 5 best SP's, yet hasn't received one real offer. #Collusion #PaytheMan".

When pressed on how the MLBPA was able to jump in to help this situation, Clark stated that there were "many things on the able". Going further, Clark said that the MLBPA was already prepared to rent out a location in Jupiter, FL for these players to train at and that if it went long enough, there would be definitive pushback on the players end. While he "wasn't sure" of the legality of a strike, he did say that if there truly was collusion on the League's end, that it would void the CBA and would then allow the MLBPA to strike to protect it's player's financial futures.

Rob Manfried was unavailable for comment when reached out to comment on Clark's interview and Boras' tweets on the subject.

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MLBPA Claims to Have Evidence of Collusion: Threatens Strike
January 16, 2018
Jefferson Smith-Johnson

With time ticking down and rapidly approaching the MLB Spring Training season, the MLBPA now claims to have the evidence they need to pursue a collusion case against the MLB owners. In an shocking interview with Scott Pelley of 60 minutes which is set to release this Sunday on CBS, Tony Clark has claimed to have documentation from league sources that will allow him to show that the league has acted, in unison, to suppress league salaries heading forward.

A source inside one of these teams front offices that reached out to the Washington Post, who asked only to be called "Napoleon", informs us that he has e-mails between two unspecified owners of large market teams that prove this case. "There have been e-mails that have been sent back and forth using encryption devices that explain how this has been in the works for a while. Teams have identified this specific free agent class as the time to act, pretending to not want to spend with the guise of spending next year, to keep themselves from going over the Luxury Tax. Owners fought hard for the Luxury Tax, not to help keep small market teams in a competitive space to keep their free agents, but to suppress the growing league salaries. Now is when they were set to go to the next stage of this".

When asked why this league source came forward, "Napoleon" said that he came forward because, "it's the right thing to do. Players put their bodies on the line and deserve their pay day. Guys like Jake Arrieta have played under a system [arbitration] that suppressed their pay. They get paid nothing in the minors. It's time they get rewarded and I don't think this is fair."

In Tony Clark's 60 Minute interview, he tells Scott Pelley that the MLBPA is looking into potential league action in which they could go all the way to the Supreme Court to prove collusion. If collusion is proven, the player's and the league would be in a situation of a voided CBA and the league in turmoil. A strike would obviously follow. It's quite clear that the 2018 season could very well be in peril.

When the Washington Post reached out to the MLB head offices, there was no return call. The MLB is scheduled to begin in 4 weeks as pitchers and catchers are around one month away from reporting to camps. Tony Clark is currently advising the MLBPA to not report.

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League Set to Announce Fixes to League CBA Shortly
January 28, 2018
Associated Press

The aftermath of the "Napoleon Report" that recently aired on CBS 60 Minutes has sent the MLB League Offices into a scramble. The Washington Post's article which detailed some of "Napoleon's" information, as well as the aforementioned TV spot has put the league's 2018 season in a situation in which major changes need to be made immediately to avoid a potential Supreme Court case involving collusion and salary suppression as well as an anti-trust case.

Sources within the league office have confirmed that many potential fixes have been suggested. The most radical would be an entire league "re-draft" in which players would be shuffled around to create salary parody around the league, which would allow teams salary relief. Players, while not excited about the potential of moving, have pushed for the designated hitter to be allowed in all leagues to make sure that there are 15 more teams who have an extra offensive position to fight for (which would increase these players salary. Teams without the DH are hesitant to sign players like JD Martinez to long term deals because they fear his defensive ability). A potential league-DH would also protect pitchers as there as been concern over pitchers running the bases.

While the "Re-Draft" issue is the most radical, it also doesn't mean it's most likely yet. Other potential fixes include incentives for teams to spend more money and the reduction of the luxury tax, but players suggest that these only put a band-aid on the issue.

Within the next 24 hours, the Rob Manfried is going to address the baseball world and announce the future of the 2018 season.

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MLB Announces Shocking ReDraft
February 1, 2018
Associated Press

In one of the most shocking announcements in MLB history, Rob Manfried has announced that the MLB will have a "Re-Draft". What this means is that literally, every players in the MLB is up for grabs by every team. This has been agreed upon by the MLBPA and Tony Clark. Why? Because it will re-distribute the contracts and the hope is that teams will have more spending ability down the road. There will be a lottery for all teams, given equal weight, that will be announced later.

Other details of the new, revised CBA: All players who move franchise will be given a 15% raise in revenue sharing. the luxury tax has been deleted, and there will be a minimum spending limit by all teams including a higher revenue sharing between teams. Players feel like they've won as they will be compensated fairly and the MLB avoids a potential collusion case brought to them and an anti-trust case.

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