Should bad teams in a keeper league be allowed to tank a season?

Question

I'm the commish of a league and someone has a team that is .500 and will most likely not make the playoffs. He started tanking so he can get a better draft pick (it's a keeper league). Do you think this is acceptable? There's nothing saying this can't be done in our constitution but it's important that we play in a competitive league. He is still filling out a lineup (not leaving spots empty) but he's doing things like starting Orlando Cabrera instead of Jimmy Rollins and start David DeJesus instead of Josh Hamilton. As the commish, how do I handle this? Is it just a strategy or is it unfair to the other teams in the leauge?

Answer 1

I think it depends on your keeper rules. In my league we split the players into 6 groups depending on their ranking at the beginning of the year and we pick one from each group. I think this helps avoid people completely tanking the year to get first draft pick. But it also allows teams who have no chance to trade top players to contenders for prospects just like in real life. I would say its a little early to start doing stuff like he is doing but I don't know if I would penalize him.  

Answer 2

You could go to a randomized draft. That would solve the problem.  

Answer 3

Here is how I handle this in a 10 team league, the top 4 teams are in the playoffs, the bottom 2 teams are done & 5-8 go to the Consilation or Loser Bowl. the winner of the Loser Bowl gets 1st pick next year & then we let the last place team pick. this way the guys play it out to stay off the bottom.

Answer 4

i have had this issue in my leagues as well. With football sometimes someone will tank his team .... i didnt appreciate it.

i started looking at the rules, and to the best of memories, if you sign the YAHOO! rules guidelines ... (as in the little check box at the beginning?), it says something on the lines of "every move has to benefit your team".

and most every form of tanking does not benefit your team.

but what you do is up to you.  

Answer 5

I run a keeper league....and I've tried to offset that problem by:

Doing a lottery for draft spot/selection for the teams that don't make the playoffs.  Basically...All the teams that don't make the playoffs get their names in a hat, so many times depending on where they finish.

7th  - 7

8th  - 6

9th  - 5

10th -4

11th -4

12th -5

(not sure if those are the exact odds we use, but it's along those lines)

You can either draw for what pick they get, or what I do is draw for what order they get to pick their own draft spot.

It's obviously not flawless, but at least it gives people reason to keep trying (and it actually has worked decently well).

Since he's not breaking any of your stated rules, it's hard to do anything...but I think it hurts the integrity of the league...especially when teams will get easy wins against him, which hurt other teams battling for position. I think it'd be best for you to implement something for next year.

Answer 6

Tell him that the league will take a vote on whether he is allowed back next season due to his actions.

Answer 7

its completely acceptable if its in the constitution

i wouldn't let him back