I am the commissioner of this very stable and competitive league. I have been in it since 1989, a few founding members are still with the league, most have been in at least a decade, and the latest new owner has been in the league four seasons, maybe five.

I will regret leaving the league, but not our Minnesota winters. I'll be moving to the mid-Atlantic area and seeking a new AL-live auction league, or trying to form one.

I would like to give someone the opportunity to partner with me this year (50% stake in the $100 team fee), and then take over the team in 2018. The current co-commissioner will help me with the draft this year.

It is a live-auction draft, and although we have looked at Facetime as a way for me to participate in 2018 and beyond, it wouldn't be the same. I'll only do it if we do not have a replacement, which is why I think the introductory year partnering with someone would be good for both the league and the prospective team owner, who if deciding against joining the league, would be fine. I also would not mind retaining a stake in the team, although my involvement would be long distance.

When and where we meet
The auction is held on Opening day, Monday, 4/3/2017 this year. It generally runs from around six to nine or nine-thirty, depending on the size of pool to be drafted. We use the lunch/break room in an office building near France and I-494, and it has worked out great for more than a decade. We usually have a "Winter Meeting" to award prizes at Joe Sensors, to congratulate and commiserate, and eat bar food, which also in that vicinity of town.

Everything during the season is done online. We have used onroto.com as our stat service for years, and they have been very accommodating to our requests.

The Rules
The rules are fairly standard, but have been liberalized to enable teams to better build and manage their rosters. For example, you can draft off the 40-man roster, and you do not have to call up a rookie until he reaches the MLB rookie eligibility limits, 130 AB or 50 IP. Our dumping rule is that only $65 total salary can be traded during the season to a single team.

14 hitters (1 catcher, 2 UT); 9 pitchers (1100 IP requirement).
Hitting cats: OBA, TB, RBI and SB. Pitching cats are the standard four: wins, saves and ratios.

Replacing, cutting and adding players is done by weekly blind auction using onroto's bidmeister tool, and other tasks using their change lineup tool and trade center. In August players can reserve one player, otherwise players can be reserved for all MLB authorized absences from the Active Roster. The last Sunday in August is the trading deadline and roster expansion. The last transaction period is two weeks before the end of the season.

After expenses and deducting the fifth place price of $26, prize money is divided 50/25/15/10.

The Team

Due to my trying to be the first in the history of the league to three-peat, and mistakes and misfortune befalling me, I went into rebuild mode mid-season, statistically eliminated from doing better than fourth, I ended in seventh after many trades, so there is work to be done in figuring out the freeze list.

Note: I would like to have the prospective team owner on board by March 1, at the latest, as we allow trades until the freeze. The deadline for the freeze list is the second Thursday before the draft, 3/23/17.

Between eight and 15 players can be kept from the list below, plus three rookies as Farm players. A Long-term salary is $5 added for each additional year added to option-year player contracts (Opt), and there are some players worth optioning.

C MWieters FA (2nd 2)
1B VMartinez Det (2nd 8)
1B LMorrison FA (2nd 5)
2B JLowrie Oak (2nd 9)
2B WMerrifield KC (2nd 5)
2B RRefsnyder NYY (2nd 5)
2B JWendle Oak (Rookie 5)
SS FLindor Cle (Opt 1)
SS/3B MDuffy TB (2nd 5)
3B/OF JGallo Tex (Rookie 1)
3B/OF JMarte LAA (2nd 5)
3B RNunez Oak (Rookie 1)
3B/OF JoRamirez Cle (2nd 3)
3B/OF MSano Min (Opt 1)
OF ABenintendi Bos (Rookie 1)
OF HDozier KC (Rookie 5)
OF CFrazier NYY (Rookie 1)
OF CGomez Tex (2nd 36)
OF AHicks NYY (2nd 5)
OF JDMartinez Det (2017 11)
OF SMoya Det (Rookie 1)
OF DPompey Tor (Rookie 5)

P CBedrosian LAA (2nd 1)
P MBoyd Det (2nd 5)
P DBundy Bal (2nd 5)
P ACobb TB (2nd 3)
P CDevenski Hou (2nd 5)
P NEovaldi FA (2nd 1)
P SDyson Tex (2nd 17)
P SManaea Oak (2nd 5)
P DOverton Oak (1st 5)
P BRondon Det (2nd 5)
P DSmyly TB (2nd 7)
P DTate NYY (Rookie 1)
P ATriggs Oak (Rookie 5)
P YVentura KC (2nd 5)