Suggested Rules Changes for Tout

by Perry Van Hook, mastersball.com

TOUT Wars has a unique but very well thought out set of rules for its esteemed combatants. But as any of you who have played fantasy sports or almost any other game for a while know that while no one wants to change the rules, there are things that eventually need updating. The provisions for players on the MLB DL is one that needs that update so the intent of the rules is upheld but loopholes or the opportunity for players to “game”  the rules are eliminated.

First let’s look at the rules as they currently stand:

DISABLED LIST

A player placed on the major league disabled list is eligible to be placed on his Tout Wars team’s disabled list. The DL will be considered an extension of reserve list; however, there is no limit to the number of players that may be on a team’s disabled list.

When a player on the DL is activated to his team’s major league roster, that player must be activated to his Tout Wars team active or reserve roster by the second transaction deadline following his activation. If an activated major league player is not activated to his Tout Wars team roster by this time, he will automatically be released to the free agent pool.

All DL activations are bound by the roster requirements for the active or reserve lists. Players must be released, traded, etc. to make room for the DL-activated player. Continue reading “Suggested Rules Changes for Tout”

TOUT Rules: What to do about the reserve list?

Tout Wars players were asked for suggestions for rules changes and ways the game could be improved. TOUT Rules will look at some of these issues in the coming weeks.

For the last few years, Tout teams have been able to disable as many players as go on the DL, and also reserve four players. These reserves can be minor leaguers or active players. Minor leaguers not taken in the four reserve rounds can be purchased inseason with a minimum FAAB bid of 1, and must spend one week on the active roster before being reserved.

Everyone has noticed that since the establishment of the “normal” roto roster (14 hitters, 9 pitchers) major league team roster configuration has changed dramatically. Teams in the 1980s often carried nine or 10 pitchers and as many as 15 hitters. The breakdown now is more like 12 pitchers and 13 hitters, and sometimes the reverse. This means that in any given week a fantasy league’s free agent list might include as few as seven position players other than backup catcher, and none with any real potential.

Some would argue that this isn’t a problem, while some argue that it is a glitch that can be fixed. Here are some of the suggested remedies: Continue reading “TOUT Rules: What to do about the reserve list?”

Fantasy League Player Awards

Steve Gardner looks at the season’s top performers and biggest disappointments, from a fantasy perspective. And notes that one of his biggest plusses this year in Tout and LABR, arrived via his reserve list.

We have three winners!

Steve Gardner
Fred Zinkie gets a bath
Fred Zinkie meets Gatorade
Larry Schechter, 2011 draft

The Tout Mixed flag, in a vigorous turn, goes to rookie Fred Zinkie!

The Tout AL title goes to three-time mixed champ Larry Schechter, in his first Tout AL appearance.

The Tout NL winner is Steve Gardner, his first Tout Wars championship. He writes about how his win came about at USA Today.

Well played, fellas! You’ll be receiving your SABR Trophies next March, at the 2012 Tout Wars draft.

Tout Wars Mixed: An incredibly helpless feeling

Maybe this is punishment for having the bravado to attend a Pearl Jam concert in Vancouver on Sunday night, the eve of the biggest three days of my fantasy baseball life. Just as Eddie Vedder and Co. took the stage at the Pacific Coliseum, the Tout Wars FAAB deadline passed, and my competition for the whole shebang in the mixed league landed the pieces that they believed would carry them past me by the end of Wednesday.

Just because you’re paranoid, don’t mean they won’t pass you.

I’ve been dangling from the first spot in the standings for a good portion of the last several weeks. I feel like a carrot, a brass ring, Ice-T in “Surviving the Game.”

WHIPed, stolen … saved? Continue reading “Tout Wars Mixed: An incredibly helpless feeling”

Tout NL: Can’t run out the clock in fantasy baseball

Tout Wars NL leader and USA Today columnist Steve Gardner describes his situation going into the season’s final seven days:

“There’s exactly one week left in the regular season. And without a doubt it’s going to be the longest week of the year.

That’s the feeling you have when your fantasy team is in first place — like mine is in the NL Tout Wars experts league. On Sunday, I had a 10.5-point lead on Mastersball.com’s Brian Walton … but in just a couple days he whittled the margin down to 6.5. I can tell these last few days are going to be absolutely brutal.

It was nerve-wracking last year when I was in a tight three-way battle in the Tout Wars mixed league. But that was different because I was always the third wheel trying to stick my nose in there — and I never really got a sniff of the lead. This time, I’m the one trying to hold on for dear life.

What am I going to be watching most intently? Pitching, pitching and more pitching. Brian is breathing down my neck in three of the five pitching categories.

I lead ERA 3.31 to 3.37.
I lead WHIP 1.21 to 1.23
I lead strikeouts 1070 to 1041

I’m not just wearing one target on my back, I’m wearing three. Because I can still gain ground in wins, I can’t afford to run a bunch of relievers out there to protect my ratios. If any of my starting pitchers have a major meltdown, I could see those leads in ERA and WHIP evaporate in an instant. With Brian there waiting to pounce — and with RotoWire’s Chris Liss between us with a 1.22 WHIP — there’s potential six-point swing in those ratio categories.

With all that said, I really do like the guys I have out there. Madison Bumgarner has been awesome since the All-Star break (8-3, 2.43). Zack Greinke has rewarded my patience with almost-identical (8-3, 2.29) stats over that span. They’ll go next for me on Thursday and Saturday.

The problem with being in first place is that there’s nowhere to go but down. Outside of possibly a point in wins, there’s almost no chance for me to move up in any other category. So in effect, I have to do what never seems to work in pro football — play not to lose.

But since it’s fantasy baseball we’re playing, maybe the results will turn out better.