Date: 8 3, 2004 7:24:16 AM Asia/Tokyo
To: peterd@pdmz.com
Subject: Keeper League Question for ESPN
I sent this from the page: http://games.espn.go.com/cgi/flb/Request.dll?MAILPAGE
All right. I think I'm in the only AL-Only Keeper League in ESPN. I've been looking at all your help pages, and can't find the answer to my question. I've seen a note that says "Players who have switched leagues during the offseason are not eligible to be kept as keepers." Obviously, in this AL-Only League, I can't keep a player who's playing in the NL. But, what if I keep a player who's traded to the NL now, and then signs with an AL team in the offseason?
To be specific, I have Nomar Garciaparra on my roster. He was just traded from the AL to the NL, making him ineligible for my roster. I don't want to drop him from my Keeper League Team, because there's a 50/50 chance that he'll be playing in the AL next season.
So, my question to you is: Is Nomar Garciaparra disqualified as a keeper for next season in an AL-Only Keeper League?
Thanks,
Peter Martin
Back to Peter's Home Page
ESPN'S RESPONSE
Peter,
Thank you for contacting us.
We have to wait until the end of the regular season before an
qualifications are made. Until then it is all speculation.
Regards,
The Commish
ESPN.com Fantasy Games
MY RESPONSE TO THEIR RESPONSE
From: mistermartin9@yahoo.com
Date: 9 16, 2004 4:58:16 PM Asia/Tokyo
To: [All Members of 2004 ESPN Fantasy Baseball League 4818: Goofdellas]
Subject: Re: Fantasy 2004
9/16/2004
Dear The Commish, ESPN.com Fantasy Games:
We are asking for an immediate and definitive response to a fairly simple question. The answer that we've previously been provided is lame and inexcusable (see below). We have paid several hundred dollars for a well-run league, and we expect more than "We have to wait until the end of the regular season before an qualifications are made. Until then it is all speculation." This is meaningless drivel. Also, you failed to properly spell the word "any" (I'm telling you, those spell-checkers are useless--you need to double-check your own work).
The issue is that two teams in our AL-only Keeper League have not dropped players, namely Carlos Beltran and Nomar Garciaparra, who have been traded to the National League. The reason for this is that there is no clear answer in any ESPN Fantasy Literature that states whether these players would be eligible to be utilized as Keeper players if they are traded back to the American League this off-season, or traded to the American League in the middle of next season (or, for that matter, traded to the American League the following off-season). We demand a clear, definitive explanation of the rules regarding this matter from someone who sounds like he knows what he is talking about (my apologies for ending that sentence in a preposition--I'm angry).
Below, I have attached the three most current messages on our League's Discussion Board. These succinctly describe the problem, and demonstrate our frustration. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Ima Fish
cc: All Members of 2004 ESPN Fantasy Baseball League 4818: Goofdellas
League Message Board is as follows:(emphasis mine; also note that the most recent is first)
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Robert Farley, Oregon Bearded Ducks Wed, Sep 8, 8:19 AM
I asked the same questions, and got the same frustrating set of answers. The "Players who switch leagues" may not apply to those who remain on your roster the entire time, or at least that's what they indicated in one e-mail. At this point, you should just keep Garciaparra or other similar players, since the value of the roster spot is so low.
Andrew Beane, Dolph Herumpfelschmack Tue, Sep 7, 11:03 AM
I believe at the end of the year, the player pool is frozen so that new rookies, like players such as Vlad, can't be claimed off of waivers until the deadline for keeping players has passed.
This certainly leaves players like Garciaparra and Beltran in an interesting situation. I'm a bit annoyed they couldn't give a clear answer- its a simple question. We should demand justice for our $49.95 or whatever.
The League Bulletin Board on November 13, 2004 (pdf)