Thanks to all for a fine draft

It might look different to Andre, who stuck with us for over 90 minutes having sweet candies taken away from him by big bullies over and over. Maybe Andre wouldn’t praise this draft so profusely. In the end he got what might have been his 20th choice, catcher Steve Vogt.

Or Jamie, 500 feet away but unable to attend, who only got Jon Duplantier.  Or Dave, 10,000 miles away, who got no one.

By contrast, Ryan — only 2500 miles away on a birthday trip to NYC — got his first choice, Braden Bishop, at a fraction of what he was willing to pay. I guess it matters whom you ask to be your agent.

Peshastin, present at the draft, also only got one player (Logan Forsythe, $3,000,000) before calling it an evening and heading home. Perhaps some owners should engage agents even if they are present…

On the other hand, Brookland acquired 8 players — including Vlad jr ($5,750,000) and hot pitching prospect Griffin Canning ($1,250,000) —  to jump-start its escape from the EFL cellar.

Fernando Tatis, Jr went to Haviland, his price deflated to $5,000,000 by the hangnail or whatever it was that sent him to the IL.   Pete Alonso cost Pittsburgh $7,250,000, the most expensive player in the draft.

Pittsburgh also stole secret Wolverine target Michael Chavis, although I at least made him pay $4,000,000.

Don’t worry about me. I’m ok. Old Detroit snagged five players, including the two most touted pitchers (Chris Paddack at $5,500,000 and Yusei Kukuchi at $4,500,000)  —  but not the five recorded in the draft record.  Instead of Nate Lowe, the Wolverines added Bryan Reynolds to their roster at the same $750,000 price tag.

Our brave Dave impersonator, Rob Bohall, chained to the role of draft input, fading into exhaustion as the night wore on, deserves our gratitude for his uncomplaining service. He still managed to sign 4 players, including Nationals sensation Carter Kieboom, the next-to-next-to last player drafted.

We all could have gone home a lot earlier if it weren’t for those super-late players drafted after Dwight Smith (#30, to Old Detroit):

That’s maybe half the league. Hmmm.

It might be harder than I thought to get 7 votes for a rule change ending drafts when the Commissioner is done acquiring players.

Wouldn’t it be great?  Everyone guessing when the Commissioner would stand up, signaling the draft’s end. Half the league sweating out when the end would come because they haven’t finished their shopping list.  Such drama!  Every draft a cliff-hanger, tension building from the very start. People would bid higher earlier in the draft. They’d bid higher against the Commissioner, wanting to extend the draft by denying him players. Think of the thrills of panic surging through the league at every Commissioner twitch, especially as the draft wears on!  Such epic, legendary stories we would accumulate. Owners adept at reading the Commissioner’s moods would gain another path to victory.

We might get someone new to run for Commissioner!

Election campaigns! Debates! Mud-slinging! Whole new dimensions to our league!

You have to admit it would be way more humane than the current rule which ends the draft when the last owner has collapsed from exhaustion. It’s tragic we didn’t think of this 15 years ago. All those drafts wasted.

But at least I imposed a Commissioner’s Penalty on Pittsburgh by making him pay $1,000,000 for the last pick in the draft.

Hmmmm… a Commissioner’s Penalty for being the last owner to acquire a player. Maybe only $250,000?  Maybe being shackled with Vice Commissioner for Treats duties at the next draft? This generous compromise has promise.

It’s not as radical as it sounds, this “Commissioner Ends The Draft” rule.  We’ve done this kind of thing before without complaints.  For example,  these posts end when the Commissioner decides they end.

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