The Dave Ramirez Issue: The Final Chapter

For those of you who were here for S3 the name "Davey Ramirez" has become all too well-known. In fact, some of you may never want to hear the name again, at least alongside the word "controversy", "issue" or "scandal." Why, the new members ask? Because the name has come to stand for a violation of rules, cheating, and simply more league drama! But most of all the name stands for a huge waste of one team's salary! Seattle's salary! $13 Million of which they paid last year just to have Ramirez play for another team. And $45 million more that would be of more use hanging on toilet paper rolls around the Safeco Field bathrooms, unless Ramirez makes it back to Seattle.

This article is written with the intent to clarify "once and for all" the rules that led to the violation which are still in use. And also, to explain why Davey Ramirez must be allowed back to Seattle. And lastly, to explain the issue and put it to rest!

The Rule: Don't confuse the hell out of this! Its simple.
At the start of Season 3 Seattle's previous manager (Sheirbon), a well-respected manager, extended Davey Ramirez a contract via the free agency. In looking at his contract you will notice that he was offered a 4 year deal: $13 Million for S3, $14 Million for S4, $15 Million for S5, and $16 Million for S6. In regard to "Single Season Player Salaries" the Roy Hobb's Rules (Found at the bottom right on this blog under Hobb's Rules) reads as follows:

• Seasons 3 and 4 = Any year of the contract will not exceed 14 million (includes bonus)
• Seasons 5+ = Any year of the contract will not exceed 16 million (includes bonus)

There are two interpretations to this rule: (1) The wrong one: That the salaries for S3 and S4 may not exceed 14 Million, and the salaries for S5 and S6 may not exceed 16 Million, and (2) The right one: that with any contract extended in S3 and S4 "Any year of the contract" may not exceed the specified amount. (i.e. A contract given for S4 may not include any year of the contract that is more than 14 Million.). Sheirbon simply interpreted this the "wrong way" and construed the contract accordingly - not to exceed 14 Million in Seasons 3 and 4, and not to exceed 16 Million in Seasons 5 and 6.

Accordingly, for this season (S4) the rules are such that no contract can be extended that include a sum of more than 14 Million. In other words, Even if you offer a 10 year contract, the 10th year MUST be no more than 14 million and that includes bonuses. (i.e. 1 million signing bonus + $14 Million salary = Violation)

The reason such rules are in place is to avoid team sabotage. In particular, by way of extending enormous contracts which tie up team salary for several years. This is especially hard to overcome for managers who take over teams when the players are absolute bums! All we ask is that you read the rules and if you have questions to ask them. Contact StNick44 or Palet99 or leave a post on the league chat. This entire ordeal could have been avoided. Which brings us to WHAT exactly that ordeal was!

The Davey Ramirez Issue: For those that want to know the details. They are ALL right here!
Naturally, when a league rule is violated a penalty must follow. Otherwise, blah! We all know this. Sheirbon was a model owner and just made an honest mistake. However, because rules are rules he was required to abide by the following "penalty" (Also found on the blog, bottom right). Note, again, that this rule and penalty is being explained because they still apply.

• 2.a "Penalty" if an owner is in violation of guideline #2 the player with illegal contract will be suspended for 40 regular season games and not elligible for playoffs in each year of the contract. Members have the option of voting player out of the league the following season.

As a result of the violation, commissioner Squirrel1014 required that Sheirbon waive Davey Ramirez in order to drop him into the minors. This way he did not take up a roster spot just sitting on the ML lineup. The league was told NOT to claim him while on the waiver wire and they were specifically warned that if they did so they would be booted from the league. The league was also informed that this was to preclude Ramirez from participation in 40 games AND the playoffs. So, an apologetic but obedient Sheirbon did so. A stupid and moronic Montrealexps claimed him. (For this reason and others "Montrealexps" was banned and became the posterboy for what a "Monty" now represents!) So the plot then thickened! We now had to figure out a way to get Ramirez back to Sheirbon and his Seattle team, which was especially difficult since Montreal appeared to have a learning disability and had a bad reputation to begin with.

Sheirbon made the offer as instructed only to have it sit for nearly 10 days while the commissioner attempted to get "Monty" to accept it. Finally, after the functional equivalent to pulling teeth the trade was accepted sending Ramirez back to Seattle. However, by then Sheirbon had disappeared! Til this day, thanks to a WIS upgrade, I can see sitemails that have gone unopened regarding this issue months ago. But, the problem was that he was not around in order to assign Davey Ramirez to the team; after 10 days Ramirez automatically fell back into the Free agency pool leaving Seattle stuck with the entire 4 year contract, and the $45 Million left to be paid. At this time our second "violator," Yankeejoe, snatched him up from the free agency for virtually nothing. He then assigned him to his ML team the Witchita Yankees (now the Louisville Sluggers), where he was placed onto the playoff roster and played despite - perhaps in spite of - our specific instruction not to. In fact, he outright told us during the playoffs to check his roster....to see who was still on it. (For this reason Yankeejoe is no longer around).

The Bottom Line: This is all you really need to know!
Last season we had a couple of ding dong owners who broke the rules, which is why there were a few more openings than usual. This is not to say that a broken rule will always result in termination. Sheirbon, for example, would have and would still be invited back even though he violated the rule. Those who were banned from the league were with good reason. All of this, in all its glorious detail is Theeeeee "Davey Ramirez Issue".

Essentially it concerns a very good player who is now set to play for the next 3 years for the Louisville Sluggers but whose salary is paid by the Seattle Mariners. That said, in fairness to the new owner of Seattle we have decided that it is in the leagues best interest to have Davey Ramirez returned. As management, Palet99 and I have promised the league that we would see that this was done. Louisville Sluggers's manager (kybucki) has agreed to make the trade in order to send Ramirez back to Seattle where he belongs. The trade will appear one-sided. However, his compensation in exchange for letting Ramirez go comes in form of a free season.

We have asked the two teams to make this one of their first priorities. That is, making a trade to get Ramirez back to Seattle. We have left the details (who is involved) of that trade up to them. Most likely you will see a very average, even below average minor leaguer with a fairly insubstantial salary demand being traded for Davey Ramirez, a very good player. Manager kybucky is losing the services of a great player in Ramirez but he is being compensated with a free season for doing so. We all win! He is assisting us with cleaning up this mess, he is getting a free season, and the_Oat is getting the services of Davey Ramirez. We also, hopefully, get a commitment from kybucky to be around for that 2nd season. So, as for the trade, we would appreciate your help with that in allowing it to go through.

The End: And they all lived happily ever after!
Lastly, on behalf of the league I apologize for having to deal with this even before the season started. And granted, some of this is really unnecessary but a league is a league and leagues run into issues from time to time. The quality of the league however is not gauged on whether they have these issues, but how well they deal with them. This is our dealing with them. Very lastly, in the future player's who are found in similar violations will by no means ever leave that team. He will sit on the roster!!!!!

Thanks for your hour and a half, all of you. -StNick44-