Blockbuster Trade Cap Off Winter Meetings

NORFOLK, MA --  The 2012 Winter Meetings are in the books and owners can now look forward to preparing for the upcoming season.  One trade was made, but the groundwork was laid for many more to follow.  The aforementioned trade involved the defending champion Metalheads and the Boston Pilgrims.


Metalheads send 3B Ryan Braun to the Pilgrims for 3B/RF Jose Bautista

There was discussion about league business including a few items that will be added to the offseason ballot for rules changes.  Although adjustment of keeper rules and/or restocking of the draft pool and moving to an FAAB style blind bid waiver system failed to gain traction the following items seemed to have potential:

• Expansion of the playoff field.  Likely from 6 to 8 teams, thus eliminating byes.  The rationale is that it would keep most teams into the season longer, reserving the annual firesales to the truly poor teams.  If ratified, this could be enacting for the upcoming 2012 season.
• A motion was called to eliminate the "Reverse Serpentine" draft.  Gil will roll in his grave, but the logic would be that non-playoff teams have earned the right to have an advantage in every round based on previous performance.  If ratified this would be a 2013 item, due to the fact that there is value already tied to the 2012 picks set by current rules.
• The idea was expressed to eliminate pure Free Agency and move to a perpetual waivers system for add/drops.  This would mean that every player is on waivers all of the time.  Teams would make their claims every day and claims would be honored the next day based on waiver priority.  It would eliminate the first come first serve method of free agency and place a little more value and strategy to the waiver position.  If ratified this would be enacted for the 2012 season.

Feel free to comment, question, or expound upon any of these items.

Other news:

• The Yellow Stars announced that they are conducting a world wide search for a co-GM for the 2012 season.  When a hiring is announced, details will be reported.

DIVISION REALIGNMENT
RAW
1.  Boston Pilgrims
2. Yellow Stars
3. Team Lewis
4. Thunderlips
5. Irish Labatt
6. Chin Music

SMACKDOWN!
1. Melrose Warriors
2. DC Dynsty
3. Multiple Scorgasms
4. SS Sluggers
5. Fenway Flats
6. Metalheads

DRAFT LOTTERY RESULTS
1. DC Dynasty
2. Yellow Stars
3. Multiple Scorgasms
4. Team Lewis
5. Chin Music
6. Irish Labatt
7. SS SLuggers
8. Fenway Flats
9. Thunderlips
10. Metalheads
11. Melrose Warriors
12. Boston Pilgrims