[USML Announce] I'm Out

Sun Aug 4 14:46:19 EDT 2013

At PNC park in Pittsburgh today.
On Aug 4, 2013 11:35 AM, "Richard Robbins" <rerobbins at itinker.net> wrote:

> Not sure if we discussed it in the past.  I suspect that one of two things
> would result, either the likelihood of meaningful ill feelings or that it
> would not be effective at all because owners would be inclined to support
> all trades lest someone seek retribution for a "no" vote when the shoe is
> on the other foot.  From a practical stand point, I don't want to be
> bothered with trying to get my head around the nitty gritty of each deal
> that owners make and I sure don't want to need to plead my case each time I
> make a deal.  I could be in the minority.
>
> I made peace with trade activity of all stripes a long time ago because
> our league ownership is very stable and I trust each participant to do what
> he believes is best for his team.  I'm not going to second guess anyone.
>  I'm not that smart.  I can't count the number of times I was sure someone
> made a bad deal only to find that a few months later I was wrong.  I don't
> believe that owners collude either.
>
> Our asterisk rules and salary cap and floor provide meaningful limits on
> what teams can do.  So, even if a team is able to amass a ton of talent,
> it's hard to actually deploy all that fire power.  For example, to
> accomodate the trades I made with John F, I now need to bench Verlander and
> Wieters.  If I want to activate either, I will need to bench Cabrera or
> some other collection of high salary guys.  I guess what I'm saying is that
> trades can't be viewed outside of the complete context in which they are
> made.
>
> Just my two cents.  Probably not worth that either.
>
> -- Rich
>
>
> On Tue, Jul 30, 2013 at 3:23 PM, Rick Gammons <ricklgammons at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> Gentlemen;
>>     Should we bring up the feasibility of league voting for all trades,
>> or would that create a possibility for ill feelings?  Did we ever discuss
>> this in the past?
>>  Rick
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Jul 30, 2013 at 1:26 PM, Jeffrey Winick <jwinick at harriswinick.com
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> Guys,****
>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
>>> I’ve spent 48 hours trying to come to terms with the weekend trades
>>> involving the Brats.  I can’t.  ****
>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
>>> The trade with Rich effectively ended what should have been a great
>>> finish to the season.  There were 5 teams with at least a shot to win this
>>> year in what was the tightest race in the history of the USML.  Now we have
>>> a runaway winner crowned not because of great strategy or foresight, but
>>> because one team was prepared to turn the season on its head one week
>>> before the trading deadline.****
>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
>>> Dump trades happen every year and they are always upsetting to one team
>>> or another.  And unbalanced trades, even absurdly unbalanced trades happen
>>> on occasion.  I get it.  It’s entirely conceivable that a dump trade could
>>> have been completed this last weekend that would have put one of the teams
>>> in the driver’s seat to win this year.  But when a DUMPING team trades away
>>> four legitimate keepers (Joe Mauer ($16), Raul Ibanez ($2), Anibal Sanchez
>>> ($20) and Omar Infante ($6)), I’m left to wonder why I’m playing this
>>> game.  I am not and I REPEAT, I am not, suggesting that there was any
>>> wrongful intent involved in this weekend’s transactions.  But I honestly
>>> can’t understand them and I have made a concerted effort to do so.  ****
>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
>>> I’ve been really angry for 48 hours thinking about these trades.  That’s
>>> ridiculous.  I haven’t slept well for two nights because of my frustration
>>> about what has now happened to this season.  That’s nuts.  ****
>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
>>> So I’m going to do the responsible thing and stop subjecting myself to a
>>> game that is supposed to make me happy but is instead making me miserable.
>>> I’m out.  I’m not going to dump my team, although I’ve considered it.  Even
>>> were it possible (and it isn’t), I’m not going to try to duplicate the type
>>> of ridiculously unbalanced trades that just took place.  I’m just
>>> essentially going to stop playing this year.  In that way I hope to
>>> minimize the impact on the rest of the teams in the league while at the
>>> same time moving on from this set of circumstances.****
>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
>>> I’m sure that with 4 months to cool down I’ll be ready to give it
>>> another go next year.  But in fairness, I’m not presently prepared to make
>>> that commitment.****
>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
>>> Jeff****
>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
>>> ****
>>>
>>> Jeffrey H. Winick**
>>>
>>> *Harris **|** **Winick LLP***
>>>
>>> 333 West Wacker Drive
>>> Suite 2060**
>>>
>>> Chicago,* *Illinois* *60606**
>>>
>>> Tel: 312.662.4600* **|** *Fax: 312.662.4599****
>>>
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>>>
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>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
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>>> ** **
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>>
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