Benchwarmer News

6/25/09

• Teams received an extra 1 million in cash during the Week 12 transactions (last deadline in June...another million handed out during the last transactions of July).

6/18/09

• First round draft picks now added to the player list.  Use the "Other" filter on the player lists to find them.

6/17/09

• 2009 Payment Deadlines established.  Due to my own employment situation, I've wanted to spread out the 2009 season payments rather than get them all at one shot.  However, we should start clearing this all up as we near the halfway point of the season.  Please consider these payment guidelines for 2009:
  • If your team is not yet paid, you will see the link "Check your team payment for next season" on your team roster page below the team changes link.  If the link is not there, your team is paid.
  • You can also view your overall payment information for all teams
  • All packages are paid in one payment for the whole group.
  • Payment deadlines below refer to receiving payment.  Credit card payments are most convenient and provide archived records, but if you're mailing a check, please allow time for receipt.
  • Payment Deadlines and Restrictions (these are the updated dates from the BWB rules)
    • July 15: Teams not yet paid will be unable to make roster changes (adds/drops/trades/extensions).
    • July 30: Teams not yet paid will be unable to change lineups
    • Aug 15: Teams not yet paid will forfeit ownership to the BWB league office.
  • One of the main points of setting the deadlines is to try to clean out teams with absentee owners so that we can salvage a little bit of the season and make the teams competitive.  The August 15 deadline is really too late to accomplish this in a meaningful way.  I ask that if you have not yet paid for your team and you don't intend to do so, please let me know NOW rather than just letting the deadline come around so that we can find a replacement owner in a timely manner.

6/10/09

• We're 1/3 through the season.

5/29/09

• All teams received an extra 1 million Benchwarmer Bucks (another 1 million will be awarded during the last transactions of June and July).

5/26/09

• Orphan Teams.  Prices for orphans are now reduced to $20 for the balance of the season.  Email us if interested.

5/17/09

• Some observations on some things I'm seeing in transactions and lineups - you may want to take a look:
  • In a repeat of a note last made here on Feb. 20, but should also be evident on your transaction index page:  Putting someone on Injured Reserve is a season-long move.  It's like the NFL version of the IR, you can cut or trade the player, but you can't put him back on the active roster until next year.  Use the "Taxi Squad" as our version of a temporary disabled list.
  • Noted in February - time to look at it again - if you are unfamiliar with contract extensions (or even if you are), please read this blog entry for some reminders before you submit any extensions.
  • Noted below on May 7 - Please use the "Cut" lineup designation rather than storing extra guys on your taxi squad or minor league roster.
• John Murphy - repeating - maybe someone who knows him can tell him: the email you used to sign up does not appear to accept any email - you're not getting any messages from us or anyone else in your league.  (Please update your personal information).

5/10/09

• Recently read at our Experts Links... (and check out the latest at the Experts League)
  • Dan Massey looks at some underrated catchers
  • Doug Anderson writes about the biggest disappointments so far...plus some guys headed the other direction on The Deep End at RotoExperts
  • Brad Berreman explores Dodger life after Manny, Angel pitchers nearing a return, and reviews his Benchwarmer record so far at BBSportswriting

5/9/09

• Are you getting web errors - like unable to connect?  Slow connections?  Timeouts?  Unable to update transactions or lineups?
  • There have been enough instances (and I'm hit by it too when I try to do updates) that I'm considering switching web providers - but it's unlikely that I can make that change mid-season.
  • Until then - some simple advice - if you're hitting problems, step away for awhile and try later.  Since you usually have 5-6 days after transaction processing to make your next changes, this shouldn't be too much of an issue.  In a perfect world, I'd say avoid waiting until close to the weekly deadline (I guess try that as much as possible). 

5/7/09

• "Cut" and "Inj" lineup designations...reminders:
  • Please, please, PLEASE, don't store cut players any longer as a 3rd taxi squad player or 13th minor leaguer.  You make me very grumpy because I have to change the designation for you to make your roster legal.  Release the player in your transactions and then go to change the lineup and you'll find the "Cut" option available.
  • You still need to be able to fill your roster for a given week.  The "Cut" or "Inj" option is a workaround to make room on your weekly active roster for someone on your taxi squad or minor league roster to replace a guy you're getting rid of or putting on IR a week earlier than normal.  But, if you're cutting your 5th bullpen pitcher for example and don't have anyone to replace him in the current week (it takes another week for your newly-signed replacement to be active), you need to keep him in the lineup.

5/6/09

• Are you off to a slow start?  Perhaps some good news - you now get to play teams outside your division for the next several weeks.
• New to BWB and having a little trouble on the timing of lineup changes?
  • In reality, you're trying to hit a moving target.  BWB is a game where you need to think ahead as much as possible.  Like many fantasy games, you're setting your lineup for a week at a time (and not changing every day).  What sucks (and I'll admit it) is the lag time between setting your lineup for a week and when those games are actually played.  But if you're waiting 2 weeks after a guy hits the DL to pull him out of the lineup...well, by the time you take him out he might actually be coming back to active duty.
  • Basically though - right now for Friday night you're setting your lineups for Week 5 - for what most players will be doing in MLB next week - you just won't see the results until about 5-7 days after that.
  • You also need to think ahead because it takes a week for new signings to be available for your lineup.  As Dave Regan puts it, you need to have a "fairly all-weather lineup" able to withstand a few injuries, etc.  Check out a new feature on Dinks and Dunks called "BWB Newbie School" for more hints.

See the News Archive for older headlines.