The league is ready to go. PM me for the sign-up info. In summary: 12 teams, head-to-head, 2 divisions, 8 team playoff skipping the last week of the season, fielding counts, strikeouts count for hitters, walks count for pitchers, LF/CF/RF instead of 3 generic OF positions, and the rest is pretty standard though I made tweaks here and there based on my experiences on past leagues. Here's everything:

Season Type: Full
Draft Type: Live Standard Draft
Draft Time: Sun Mar 28 12:00pm CDT
Max Teams: 12
Scoring Type: Head-to-Head
Player Universe: All baseball
New Players Become Available: As soon as Yahoo! adds them
Max Moves: No maximum
Max Trades: No maximum
Trade Reject Time: 2
Trade End Date: August 15, 2010
Waiver Time: 2 days
Waiver Type: Continual rolling list
Can't Cut List Provider: Yahoo! Sports
Trade Review: League Votes
Post Draft Players: Follow Waiver Rules
Max Acquisitions per Week: No maximum
Min Innings Pitched: 27
Weekly Deadline: Daily - Tomorrow
Start Scoring on: Week 1
Playoffs: Week 22, 23 and 24 (8 teams)
Divisions: Yes (2 divisions)
Playoff Seeding Options: Division winners awarded top playoff seeds
Roster Positions: C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, LF, CF, RF, Util, SP, SP, RP, RP, P, P, P, BN, BN, BN, BN, DL, DL
Batters Stat Categories: Runs (R), Hits (H), Home Runs (HR), Runs Batted In (RBI), Stolen Bases (SB), Strikeouts (K), Putouts (PO), Assists (A), Errors (E), Fielding Percentage (FPCT), Batting Average (AVG), On-base + Slugging Percentage (OPS)
Pitchers Stat Categories: Wins (W), Losses (L), Saves (SV), Walks (BB), Strikeouts (K), Holds (HLD), Earned Run Average (ERA), (Walks + Hits)/ Innings Pitched (WHIP)

My general philosophy is that I HATE the 5x5 league format where Jack Cust and Adam Dunn are way more valuable than they are in real life since K's aren't counted, or that Ryan Braun playing atrocious 3B defense isn't factored in, or that high K pitchers on crappy teams who also walk a ton are more valuable than a late-career Maddux type because losses and walks aren't counted. I try to make fantasy baseball managers think more like REAL managers when devising their team.

I'm not sure how crazy I am about those stats. Too much emphasis on fielding, and the inclusion of holds, especially.

Fielding is only 25% of the stats, batting and pitching are still way more important even taken individually. And holds means that non-closer relief pitchers are of a little more merit than they would be otherwise. Real baseball utilizes more relief pitchers than just closers, and in many cases the holds guys BECOME closers, so if you don't draft well in closers you can get a good holds guy that can become a saves guy down the road without wasting a bench spot on him.

You can ignore defense AND holds and still win every week if you take 11 out of the 15 remaining point categories!

I'm thinking of doing east vs. west for the makeup of the two divisions, dividing line the Mississippi River (or otherwise depending on who signs up), what do you think?

Also, if enough people are against the playoff format I'm willing to change that. I like throwing out that last week in football since it's "garbage time" for a lot of teams that are guaranteed in or out of the playoffs by that point, so I figured I'd give it a shot here. Sucks to decide a fantasy league championship on A-Rod's backup because the Yanks won 2 weeks ago and he's playing less due to a hammy issue or whatever. I prefer not to have byes so that everybody's involved every week of the league too.

I just like to think outside of the box a little bit with leagues like this since you can go join a 5x5 league anywhere, nice to do something a bit different here and there.

Never used field% before but it does seem interesting though I do like using Holds. I've never done a standard 5x5 in my life.

who let this guy be commish??

jk dude...but i'm still skeptical on the holds/fielding etc.

also, divisions are gay as shit..I am currently in a hockey league that I'm missing the playoffs from because it's a 5x5, two division league, and I'm in 4th in my division with a better record than the guy in 1st in the other division. only four teams make it..the division winners and the next two best...screws me over, where if this league was based on no divisions I'd be in the playoffs..

not saying divisions don't work and that I'm completely opposed to them, but I just hate them for this league i'm in right now

i'm honestly more worried about the fielding...idk about everyone else, but Idk everything about every starter for all 30 teams...i know the best and worst fielders, but that's about it

I think it adds too much, but I think we can discuss it more once more people sign up

but seriously, thanks for stepping up at least and doing the commissioner job..at least you stepped up for it

Holds are good, I'm telling you. I understand the fielding skepticism and will address that below.



Well, there's 8 playoff teams in this setup, so 4 out of 6 from each division get in. The Red Mosquito leagues tend to be fairly competitive and evenly matched from topped to bottom (not a lot of past champions vs. first timers/casual), so if you get 5th you probably don't deserve to go to the playoffs.

Honestly, I prefer roto to head to head anyway, but I know that doesn't fly around here so I didn't even bring it up.



I do not make any primary decisions based on fielding. Here's what I do - when I'm torn between two guys in the 6th round of the draft or whatever, lets say James Loney vs. Billy Butler, I will look at the fielding stats and if one has a significant advantage, that makes my choice easier (I should note that I don't know if either of these guys are significantly different in fielding). You can also use your Util position to goose putouts (1B) or assists (SS, 3B, 2B), OF help less and DH are useless for defense stats. Combo IF/OF guys are even better, if there's a SS with LF eligibility and his offense is tolerable, you're going to get a ton more assists than a guy with a real left fielder in (like using Pablo Sandoval as a catcher last year for the offensive numbers). These are the cases where it's less like real baseball, but my biggest point is to get you to THINK about defense.



No problem, I don't mind doing it, and I don't plan on being commish in any other leagues this summer so no biggie.

Anyone who uses the phrase "gay as shit" is not someone to be taken seriously.

As an update, we're up to 4 teams so 8 slots left!

Where's the link to register and shit?

Send me a PM and I'll respond with it.

Except that's actually you.

and your picture, you, friend.

Lol except no. That pictures GAY AS SHIT BRO.

good try, pal

Oh Peter, I could spend hours making fun of you, but quite frankly I don't have the time. You're an amusing little weirdo though.

hahaha @ this guy.

I didn't start it pal. and I'm glad you think making fun of people for hours is fun for you. GO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL!!! woo hoo!

seriously, what real adult makes fun of people??

What real adult uses the phrase "gay as shit?"