Massive Fraud

[Hitmen]

This is just intense.. It is hard to swallow that we were all let on by this tool. Like many, I too had a winter meeting deal in place with the fraud which will just result in me extending a player I initially wasn't going to. So I wasn't hurt too bad, but I will deal with it just fine. I am thrilled Matt and others have been able to do so much research so quickly to try and get things under control. While it will be bumpy, like John I still believe the future is very bright.

[Matt]

Oh wow, I still think we'll recover, but, that'll be alot harder... How does one even get satisfaction doing this? Honestly I think most of the fun comes in trying to improve your team (Even if that means losing) rather then simply winning.

Edit: And thats ridicolous how determined he must've been. To keep creating personalities to run the LRS. I really liked him too...

That's the thing. If he was just running HYA he was a great addition to the league. One can only hope he eventually gets the psychiatric care he so desperately needs.

[Leones]

I think my preferences align with what Ron's stated. Understanding it's still early going yet; but that the input might be useful to the board when deciding what they want to pursue. :)

[Matt]

Yes. To state current preferences:

1. Keep LRS as it is and find new owners, perhaps look at helping Kure and Kawaguchi with a small energy boost of some kind. This may take some time.
2. Contract the LRS to keep it's LRS-ness, then expand again as we can find owners.
3. Merge LRS teams into PEBA and let us take our lumps as we grow
4. Put vacant teams on computer control
5. Disband LRS and have interested LRS owners grab PEBA expansion franchises as they become available

#5 should only happen if all others are just not workable.

Let me throw some honest thoughts out there, mostly the same thoughts I shared with the Board. No need to be secretive about it.

Here is what I told the Board.

Before we go too far, I think it's important to remember how we got here.

Last offseason, with a lot of openings, I was forced into a position of taking on GM's who normally would not have been considered. With recent developments, it was shown I batted about .200.

I have been trying to find an owner for the Ghosts for weeks, without even a nibble. Well, except that 'Charlie' had a friend, who I outright rejected for the Ghosts.

I'm back in the same position again. I need 4 owners for the LRS, and the options are to let teams sit dormant until I can find qualified GM's, which could take months, or take the warm body approach. Neither of these are good options.

It's my fear that issues filling the LRS openings will be a continuing issue that detracts from the enjoyment of the game by the LRS GM's, and even for the PEBA GM's, which leads to even further attrition.

We can't escape the fact that this is a continuing headache. If there is one thing that will burn me out in this position, it's the headache that is the LRS. And the sad part is, some of our best contributors are in the LRS.

All things considered, I think it's time to end it. But I have a proposal that will not leave any of our LRS GM's behind.

Roll the 4 strongest LRS teams into the PEBA. I will work out the specifics in short order.

Move the expansion I proposed up to this year for those two teams. Brian and I will turn over our present teams to LRS GM's.

That covers 6 of the LRS GM's.

The 7th GM takes over Charleston.

That leaves us with one LRS GM out in the cold. Jonas Pine. But there may be an option there too, to be determined.

In 4 seasons, we expand the PEBA by two more teams, bringing us to an even 32, which is where we will cap it. Done.


This is where I am at. What happened with Charlie was only a small part of it. The nail in the coffin. It has been a continuing issue that I don't think I am capable of rectifying.

I don't want to lose any of our fine LRS Gm's. At the same time, it is just too difficult to provide the most rewarding gaming experience when recruiting is such an issue. I think the proposal I have outlined keeps all of our fine LRS members in the community and we move forward from there. It's the best I can come up with at this moment.

[Borealis]

Can I throw another idea out there? We still keep the LRS as a CPU league, as it originally was, adding teams as need be so the PEBAverse stays 'intact'?

[Matt]

Can I throw another idea out there? We still keep the LRS as a CPU league, as it originally was, adding teams as need be so the PEBAverse stays 'intact'?

That is sort of part of the plan if we go that route. It's a detail to be worked out. First I need to know where everyone else's heads are at on this.

[Steel Dragons]

All things considered, I think it's time to end it. But I have a proposal that will not leave any of our LRS GM's behind.

Roll the 4 strongest LRS teams into the PEBA. I will work out the specifics in short order.

Move the expansion I proposed up to this year for those two teams. Brian and I will turn over our present teams to LRS GM's.

That covers 6 of the LRS GM's.

The 7th GM takes over Charleston.

That leaves us with one LRS GM out in the cold. Jonas Pine. But there may be an option there too, to be determined.

In 4 seasons, we expand the PEBA by two more teams, bringing us to an even 32, which is where we will cap it. Done.


I am in favor of this 100% This past few years we have seen the LRS become something it is not. We were a brotherhood and with the GMs coming and going it was less fun nd nothing like the brotherhood we were. I have not written a lot this year mainly because of school. I have a folder of ideas that I want to write. When I have time I would rather get school assignments done early instead of Writing. This not only Hurt me as I love the LRS to death but it hurt the LRS and the creativity of the league as a whole. I think the best move and only move is to finally put the nail in the coffin. I will bring the Hammer. The LRS has always been the step sister of the PEBA. When I reached out to people to GM they asked why and that they would rather GM a real team. That hurt. Because LRS is real baseball as much as PEBA but not many GMs liked the challenge. This effects recruiting Quality GMs and the fact that team will stay empty for a long long time. As Matt said we took short cuts and we all take the blame equally he didn't bat .200 himself. We are a team and we all fell short. We should not try to plug a whole the size of the titanic and see how long we can keep her afloat. That is not fair to the board or the Members at all. The legacy of the LRS will be known for many years. It is time to set sail for America. This is my vote even if you didn't ask lol. If it means we take a month to figure it all out then we do it. But I know PEBA is the only option.

[Transmitters]

While i am personally not too huge on that idea, that is probably the best route to go for the league.

[roncollins]

I hate the idea of two established owners losing their teams.

[Matt]

I hate the idea of two established owners losing their teams.

We wouldn't be losing our teams, we would take on expansion teams. We would just turn over our existing teams to LRS GM's. The expansion was something I was hoping to do anyway. As the simmer, I have no desire to run a winning franchise. I would rather work with an expansion team for a few years.

Brian and I are running ideas back and forth. The cleanest solution is for the PEBA to absorb 6 LRS teams, expand also by two more franchises, and that would get us to 32 teams. 8 divisions of 4 teams.

Beyond that, I don't know. The debacle of the last two days has drained my enthusiasm. Looking at keeping the LRS on life support for several more seasons is not an enticing option to me.

[Leones]

This has been a bit draining. Thanks to Matt, the Board and the treat of you guys for all the work you're putting into this.

Absorbing 6 LRS clubs sounds interesting. It'd be great if Edo could make the cut. I've been working hard the past 3 seasons to try and get them back into fighting trim, a few note seasons of struggle wouldn't be the end of the world for the franchise. Frankly it was fun trying to rebuild a club.

Perhaps PEBA could expand by starting up some spanking new clubs in the Caribbean? I'm still jones-ing to run a Cuban club. :)

[Evas]

I think a merger with PEBA is likely the best option at this point. The LRS is likely too specific and too niche to survive on its own in its present form.

I have my own thoughts on how to do it that I'll post tomorrow (have to head to bed now).

Suffice it to say that I think we can do it in a way that will be fun and will preserve a large portion of LRS history and continuity.

[Mike Dunn]

The debacle of the last two days has drained my enthusiasm.

Matt, I can imagine you're exhausted and dismayed by this. Maybe you (and everyone) should take a couple of days off -- or a week -- to recharge about this. Big decisions need to be made, but there's no reason you, Dan and the board can't take a breather. Just my two cents.

[Leones]

The debacle of the last two days has drained my enthusiasm.

Matt, I can imagine you're exhausted and dismayed by this. Maybe you (and everyone) should take a couple of days off -- or a week -- to recharge about this. Big decisions need to be made, but there's no reason you, Dan and the board can't take a breather. Just my two cents.

Sounds like a great idea. It's got my vote.

[Akira]

My first thought was: No way should we allow a scammer to shut down the LRS. We can fight through this. But seeing how hard this has been on Matt, along with his recruiting difficulties for the LRS the last year, I will say that if the Board decides to fold the LRS- or return it to computer run- then I would support that decision. I've always had a secret desire to join the PEBA anyways (assuming I was invited). I will have to admit it will be difficult to let go of the team I've spent so much time with, though.

As for the departed scam artist, I was always ambivalent about him and his tactics. A constant board presence and league involvement is always an asset but someone who is constantly trading always raises a red flag with me. At some point you have to stop and let your team develop but he came across as someone who couldn't sit still for one minute, getting a thrill out of dealing but not from watching his team grow. I felt he wouldn't have the patience to last through our league's slow and steady pace. Of course, now we know why.

And it's true, filling all our vacancies will be difficult. What will keep the PEBA universe running at a high level is a stringent vetting process for new GMs. (And I'm now convinced of the need for a trading probation period for new GMs.) That will make filling teams even harder, although it will be worth it in the long run. That could make the enthusiasm in the LRS wane. PEBA expansion is an interesting idea. Put me down as someone who is willing to stick this out in the LRS, regardless of how long it takes to restore it's vibrancy. I completely understand, though, if Matt and the Board feels we should go in another direction.