2024 PROPOSALS
| PROPOSAL #1: | PLAYOFF OFF DAYS |
| PROPOSAL REASON: | In the Mid-West Baseball League, reducing days off during the playoffs would significantly alter the dynamics of fair competition.
Here are the reasons why we should consider having fewer days off: Days off would only be in between series, with no off days scheduled between any games of a series. Leveling the Playing Field: Fewer rest days means that the built-in advantage for top-tier teams with dominant 1 & 2 pitchers is diminished. This change encourages more strategic management and gives lower-seeded teams an enhanced opportunity to compete. Encouraging a Robust Rotation: With a tighter playoff schedule, teams are compelled to utilize their 3rd and 4th pitchers more frequently. This requirement for a deeper rotation promotes not just fairness but also showcases the full breadth of a team’s talent. Introducing Realism and Challenge: The no-day-off format offers a truer sense of challenge by simulating continuous gameplay, reflective of regular-season demands. Teams can’t solely rely on their ace pitchers; they must navigate the playoffs with a comprehensive strategy. Testing Team Depth: A relentless playoff schedule puts every team’s pitching depth to the test. Those without a stacked roster will need to demonstrate resilience and tactical ingenuity, which in turn leads to a more exciting and unpredictable postseason. Strategic Opener Limitation: The implementation of this regulation is designed to maintain the integrity of starting pitcher roles within the Mid-West Baseball League Playoffs. It would preclude the tactical deployment of an inferior-grade starting pitcher for the minimal obligation of facing a single batter or two, followed by the substitution of a superior-grade pitcher who is otherwise ineligible to start in the playoffs. By adopting this approach, the Mid-West Baseball League can ensure a more balanced and intriguing playoff series, one where endurance, depth, and strategy are as critical to success as star power. This measure not only ensures the judicious utilization of starting pitchers but also enhances the authenticity and competitive balance of the playoff series. |
|---|---|
| NAME / FRANCHISE: | Stray Corrado / Chicago Mobsters |
| OUTCOME: |
| PROPOSAL #2: | ELIMINATE RULE 5 DRAFT |
| PROPOSAL REASON: | The Rule 5 draft seems unnecessary and strips players from the annual draft. Since drafting coverage players in the annual draft each year becomes harder and harder, allowing the cuts to feed the annual draft will help enrich the pool.
By adopting this approach & Eliminating the Rule 5 draft and allowing all cuts to feed into the Annual Draft. |
|---|---|
| NAME / FRANCHISE: | Steve Cutler / Hollywood Werewolves |
| OUTCOME: |
| PROPOSAL #3: | EXPAND ROSTER SIZE TO REFLECT MODERN-DAY ROSTER MANAGEMENT |
| PROPOSAL REASON: | The dramatic increase in injuries, specialization, shorter DL windows, and other factors have reduced the average workload for individual players and resulted in a major increase in the total amount of unique players seeing playing time in MLB during a single season.
Ten years ago, 679 different pitchers were used during the 2013 season vs. a 21% increase of 863 used during the 2023 season. There were even five different MLB teams that used more unique pitchers in 2023 (39) than we currently have carded spots. It is also likely that 2024 will exceed the 2023 totals. This proposal expands the size of the in-season rosters by 2 – 5 Carded players. If the proposal passes, the Commissioner’s Office & Rules Committee will make the final decision after the 2024 MLB season if 52, 53, 54, or 55 Man-Roster should be the new limit for the MWBL 2025 season. |
|---|---|
| NAME / FRANCHISE: | Chris Douglass / Tempe Tempers |
| OUTCOME: |
| PROPOSAL #4: | ROY Bonus Draft Pick Incentive |
| PROPOSAL REASON: | This proposal attempts to copy the spirit of MLB’s “Prospect Promotion Incentive” by rewarding a team with some extra bragging rights in the form of an extra draft pick if their drafted and developed prospect won the MWBL Rookie of the Year award.
Teams that meet all qualifications are awarded a bonus draft pick in the next year’s draft and a higher bonus pick is awarded to non-playoff teams. Qualifications Examples if the proposal had been applied for the 2023 and 2022 winners: 2023 – Valdosta would have received pick #29 in the 2024 draft for Michael Harris and Chicago would have received pick #86 for Julio Rodriguez due to their 2023 playoff appearance. 2022 – Coconut Creek wouldn’t have received a pick for Chris Flexen because he was previously drafted and played for Tijuana in 2019. Corktown also wouldn’t receive a pick for Bobby Dalbec because he was actually a re-draft in 2020 since Hollywood originally drafted him in 2017. |
|---|---|
| NAME / FRANCHISE: | Chris Douglass / Tempe Tempers |
| OUTCOME: |
| PROPOSAL #5: | TRADE DEADLINE CHANGE |
| PROPOSAL REASON: | Background: In 2018, a proposal was passed to change the MWBL trade deadline to a more realistic date, similar to MLB’s trade deadline of July 31st. The main reason for this change was to reduce the number of last-minute trades occurring one month before the MWBL Playoffs, providing a more balanced and competitive environment. However, this proposal was never processed in the League Guide, and we continue to use the last series in August (per League Schedule in League Manager) as our trade deadline. The 2019 Proposals changed this back to September 1st in League Manager. We never gave this a chance to work.Current Situation: The MWBL trade deadline is currently set for the last series in August, as per the League Schedule in League Manager. This deadline allows teams to make trades up until one month before the MWBL Playoffs, which can lead to an imbalance in team strengths and last-minute trades that may not reflect the true competitive nature of the league. Proposal: We propose to vote on a new trade deadline for the MWBL. There are two options to consider:Last Series in July: The trade deadline will be moved to the last series in July, as per the League Schedule in League Manager. This change will align the MWBL trade deadline more closely with MLB’s trade deadline of July 31st, providing a more realistic and competitive environment.Mid-August (2018 Proposal): The trade deadline will be set at the halfway point of August, approximately August 15th. This option reflects the 2018 proposal that was passed but never implemented. It aims to split the difference between the current MWBL trade deadline and MLB’s trade deadline, reducing the number of last-minute trades and providing a more balanced competitive environment.Back to September 1st (2019 Proposal): While MLB moved their trade deadline back to July 31st and we split the difference with August 15th, players are being waived outright in MLB now and we can’t respond accordingly. We play 1 month ahead of MLB’s real schedule so we should have the opportunity to make decisions based on those waives as far forward as we can. 2 weeks can make a big difference.Rationale: Competitive Balance: By moving the trade deadline earlier, teams will have less certainty about their playoff prospects, leading to more strategic and balanced trades.Realism: Aligning the MWBL trade deadline with MLB’s trade deadline provides a more realistic experience for league members.Reduced Last-Minute Trades: An earlier deadline reduces the number of last-minute trades, ensuring that teams are more stable and competitive as they approach the playoffs. We know well ahead of time the statistics of players (especially relievers) who become traded for way less value if they are having a bad year in the future. This changes the outcomes of many MWBL races down the stretch.Conclusion: We encourage all MWBL members to vote on this proposal to determine our league’s most suitable trade deadline. Your participation is crucial in ensuring that we maintain a fair and competitive environment for all teams. |
|---|---|
| NAME / FRANCHISE: | Stray Corrado / Chicago Mobsters |
| OUTCOME: |
| PROPOSAL #6: | CARRY 3 CATCHERS ON THE TEAMS ROSTER |
| PROPOSAL REASON: | Currently, you can technically get away with two (2) catchers and if at least one stays healthy at all times you can fend off IL stints… However, I feel that catcher is the one area in which we should at least have a mandatory three(3) on the roster. Catcher is the hardest position to convert to and play defensively and we see a lot of injuries at that position. This should not happen & no team should be allowed to just play anyone as a backup catcher and there are no rules to cover him having to add a player from FA. This means he puts in a great bat even with a shitty defense rating when in fact they should take the offense out of his lineup. |
|---|---|
| NAME / FRANCHISE: | John Ausec / Prairie Falcons |
| OUTCOME: |
| PROPOSAL #7: | MAKE PITCHERS USAGE SIMPLE |
| PROPOSAL REASON: | One-third of innings for pitchers, one-third of plate appearances for hitters. ts confusing to track batters faced by pitchers as it’s not shown in Advanced Draft or when playing the game. In addition, there are too many additional rules for qualifying. Let’s make it a simple one-third of MLB use in innings for pitchers and plate appearances for hitters regardless of playing time. This is done in other leagues and takes much less time to manage as you can track while setting up for a series in Advanced Draft as well as playing out the series. |
|---|---|
| NAME / FRANCHISE: | Ken Kuryliw / Selkirk Steelers |
| OUTCOME: |
| PROPOSAL #8: | PROSPECT INJURY INDEMNITY |
| PROPOSAL REASON: | Many teams lose prospects because they lose a whole season, or part of their third season, to injury. This proposal would give an MWBL team the option of keeping a prospect for a fourth year if they lose any whole season to an injury (Tommy John, torn ACL, etc.) or if a player suffers a season-ending injury at any point in their third year. An owner who may have a reasonable expectation that a player would make the leap to MLB in the allotted time should not be penalized for an unforeseen injury. |
|---|---|
| NAME / FRANCHISE: | Jim Craddock / Motor City Muscle |
| OUTCOME: |
| PROPOSAL #9: | HYBRID DRAFT |
| PROPOSAL REASON: | Is it time to change from an all-day event to a hybrid draft? Since so many work for MLB now we haven’t had our draft on the 3rd Saturday in February for the last few years. I feel kind of rushed getting all my draft research and draft prep done by the first weekend in February. It also feels weird to me to start focusing on the next MLB and MWBL seasons before the Super Bowl has been played.
We could have a live draft on Sunday night for 5 or 6 rounds then move to Google Sheets for the remainder of the draft. Over the last 5 years, it has roughly taken 2 hours to draft the first 5 rounds and 3 hours for the first 6 rounds. 2024 5 rounds = 1 hour 55 minutes 2023 5 rounds = 2 hours 6 minutes 2022 5 rounds = 2 hours 5 minutes 2021 5 rounds = 2 hours 6 minutes This kind of draft could have us move back to the 3rd or 4th weekend in February. |
|---|---|
| NAME / FRANCHISE: | Jarl Jackson / Dallas Cougars |
| OUTCOME: |
| PROPOSAL #10: | ITCHY STATUS |
| PROPOSAL REASON: | Would like to limit the use of substitutions during playoffs to relieve a player from itchy status…example a pitcher was going to be itchy if he did not pitch – the team put him in at DH and then immediately put in another player but it eliminated the itchy status without playing at all…the result may not have been impacted but the pitcher will start game 3 fresh instead of itchy which could cause a downgrade… |
|---|---|
| NAME / FRANCHISE: | John Ausec / Prairie Falcons |
| OUTCOME: |
| PROPOSAL #11: | TBD |
| PROPOSAL REASON: | |
|---|---|
| NAME / FRANCHISE: | |
| OUTCOME: |