The postseason awards have been handed out and the snow is
now on the ground. That means only one thing in the JLB — it’s trading season.
I’m sure Jerk has locked his phone in a closet. Those texts
from Choo are so tempting.
He’s so panicked after the last couple years of offseason
trading, he’s not even cooking the turkey tomorrow. He’s eating it straight up
cold.
Still, he’ll be thinking, “Should I trade Taijuan Walker?”
One thing everyone should be thinking about is there
keepers. Yes, I know it’s early, but I want to remind everyone about the
process so we’re not in March arguing over positions and minor league
eligibility.
First of all, Baseball Reference has updated it’s “service
time” for all the players on the database. You can tell because next to service
time it reads in parentheses “01/2015.” So make sure your players fall into the
requirements for minor league eligibility.
Second, make sure their position is still available. Great
example right now is Justin Upton, who was RF and LF last season because of his
prior years of experience. But in 2014, he played solely in LF, which means
he’ll lose that RF tag. It takes 20 games at a position to keep it for the next
year. You can find the breakdown in the “Quick Facts” box on the right hand side
of the player’s EPSN bio (playercard). When you get to the page, scroll down a
bit and you’ll see the “Quick Facts.”
Also, remember, you can petition for a keeper position
eligibility if it’s clear a player will play a position they’re not eligible
for. Perfect example — and strangely, one from the same guy I used before but
now for a new position — is Hanley Ramirez. I just read that he’ll play LF in
Boston, which is crazy. Nevertheless, if we go into spring training and that’s definitely
the position he plays, he’ll be the kind of guy to earn a Slammer Selig
exception.
Also, remember, you can trade draft picks at this point, but
they’ll have to be verbal agreements. We can make the deals in February when
the game reboots after the Super Bowl.
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