Playing for Keeps

I think that the UPL is moving in a new direction, at least for basketball and baseball. Keeper leagues. Yahoo is giving us some new features, so starting with this upcoming season's rosters, we'll be using a keeper format.

Basically, the idea here it so promote a longer term perspective for the UPL games. By keeping much of the same roster, you force the balancing of short and long term goals (winning this season, versus building for upcoming seasons). Hopefully this keeps more owners returning, we'll have more of an incentive to play out the entire season, making each season more fun.

The tentative plan for basketball is to expand from a 14 man roster to a 16 man roster, with 10 keepers per season. Baseball would be similar, expanding from a 22 man roster to a 26 man roster, keeping 18. So going into the following season, you'd have your core roster, and your draft would serve to a) incorporate rookies, and b) round out the rest of your roster. Of course, the actual numbers for both leagues are up in the air, but those numbers seem about right, if you want to aim for continuity for the teams, while still incorporating fresh talent.

The draft order is still up for discussion. Do you just go reverse order of finish? Or do you draft in the order of finish? Maybe you try to balance it out and reward excellence, and have the champ draft first, followed by the last place, then the 2nd to last? Or the other way around, and have the 2nd place team draft first, the 3rd place team draft 2nd, except for the champ, who drafts last?

I'm not exactly sure where I stand on that one, actually.

This may allow for interesting possibilities. Maybe someone could trade one of their keeper slots for a player that could help now. And this probably needs to lead to some rules regarding trading players and then giving them back after the season.

In any case, I think that this is a fun direction for the UPL. Comments with regard to roster sizes, the number of keepers, and draft format are very much appreciated.

-Chairman (aka O.N. Thugs)

2008 UPL Baseball Awards

One tradition that I'm bringing over to The UPL Blog are the UPL Awards that I'll throw on the league message boards for discussion at the end of the season.

All-UPL First Team:
C: Joe Mauer (ISSC)
1B: Albert Pujols (O.N. Thugs)
2B: Chase Utley (O.N. Thugs)
3B: David Wright (IAmJabrone)
SS: Hanley Ramirez (Phatsnapper)
OF: Manny Ramirez (Westy's Slugs)
OF: Matt Holliday (IAmJabrone)
OF: Carlos Beltran (Milwaukee Whiffers)
UTIL: Josh Hamilton (IAmJabrone)
UTIL: Ryan Howard (Westy's Slugs)
SP: Roy Halladay (IAm Jabrone)
SP: Tim Lincecum (JimmyDix)
SP: Cliff Lee (Milwaukee Whiffers)
SP: C.C. Sabathia (Phatsnapper)
SP: Ryan Dempster (Black Sox)
RP: Mariano Rivera (ISSC)
RP: Joakim Soria ('90 Reds)
RP: Joe Nathan (O.N. Thugs)
RP: Francisco Rodriguez (Cheeseheads)

All-UPL Second Team:
C: Russell Martin (MudSkippers)
1B: Lance Berkman (Black Sox)
2B: Dustin Pedroia (ISSC)
3B: Alex Rodriguez (Black Sox)
SS: Jose Reyes (Whiffers)
OF: Grady Sizemore (IAmJabrone)
OF: Ryan Ludwick ('90 Reds)
OF: Ryan Braun (Cheeseheads)
UTIL: Mark Teixeira (Cheeseheads)
UTIL: Kevin Youkilis (ISSCC)
SP: Johan Santana (Westy's Slugs)
SP: Brandon Webb (O.N. Thugs)
SP: Dan Haren (O.N. Thugs)
SP: Cole Hamels (Phatsnapper)
SP: Ervin Santana (Cheeseheads)
RP: Jonathan Papelbon (Cheeseheads)
RP: Brad Lidge (O.N. Thugs)
RP: Jose Valverde (Black Sox)
RP: Bobby Jenks (ISSC)

UPL Offensive ROY: Evan Longoria (JimmyDix) and Geovany Soto (IAmJabrone)
UPL Pitching ROY: Jose Arredondo (Benver Droncos)
UPL Comeback Hitter: Carlos Quentin ('90 Reds)
UPL Comeback Pitcher: Cliff Lee (Milwaukee Whiffers)

UPL Offensive POY: Albert Pujols (O.N. Thugs)
UPL Cy Young: Roy Halladay (IAmJabrone)
UPL Reliever of the Year: Mariano Rivera (ISSC)

UPL MVP: David Wright (IAmJabrone)
UPL Manager of the Year: IAmJabrone

As always, discuss away.

-Chairman (aka O.N. Thugs)