Just going to preface all this by saying that I really appreciate your putting in the time to set this up--it's been a lot of fun participating the last couple years, and it's great that somebody's willing to step in and take control. I know from my scant experience of being a fantasy league commissioner how annoying it is to have 11 owners nitpicking every decision you make, and I can't imagine what it would be like dealing with 29 of them.Scoops Bolling said:2) I decided to use the BA Top 3 for AA and AFL player eligibility to make a very select few players available who I knew would fit that criteria, and who I believed would be both A) Highly desired in this draft, and B) Stood a solid chance of playing in the MLB next year. That is why the rule was written in that manner.
3) Now is not the time to be debating eligibility rules. I solicited opinions for that repeatedly in the original thread; you were given a myriad of opportunities to express your opinion, and to debate with those you disagreed with at that time. We are now in the draft proper, and the rules are final.
That said, here's a little nitpicking: I don't see the BA top 3 thing in the rules thread. When someone suggested that we restrict the available minor leaguers to BA top 10's, I, along with at least one other poster, voiced my objection to it. I don't see much support for that idea beyond the one guy who suggested it in that thread, and there was no indication in the thread that even the BA top 10 thing would be part of the rules, much less slimming down to BA top 3. I'm not sure it will end up mattering too much, but it's a silly, unnecessary and as-of-yet-unenforceable (only 20 2014 BA top 10's are available online) rule that will probably end up preventing a few players who will be very productive in 2014 and beyond from being selected, and I would have said as much if there had been any indication that this rule was going to be put in place before the draft started. Also, we're weeks away from anyone even considering drafting an AA/AFL player outside a BA top 3, so it doesn't seem like changing the rules on this point would be a big deal at all.