free drops and adds?

this is a team in a league I am in:

http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/1383899


notice that the Initial Cap, Total Current Value, and Roster Value are all $140,000,000

But, there is also a free transaction Andy Hassler was dropped. so his drop should have deducted SOME %age from the roster value

am I just ignorant of a league setup option that allows $0 drop penalty for some period of time (or as a season-long option)?

sounds like there might be a glitch-
think a couple of people have mentioned this happening in a league.

Hassler only has 2/3 of an inning. A single appearance. Most likely on the Monday when league started he changed his mind last minute and dropped Hassler. The web page was still showing preseason so there was no cap penalty. But if he made the transaction after the cutoff time for locking in lineups Hassler would be locked in for that nights games and whomever he picked up would not. A very minor thing that is nothing sinister to worry about.

Nightly progression is.....

9 pm system locks lineups and starting pitchers for the 3 game series.
Limbo
10 pm Games are played.

During that limbo period you can make transactions but they will not be reflected in the lineup and pitching assignments for the games played that night.

Cap penalty does not commence until AFTER the first games are played. Emphasis on that. Cap penalty does not begin when the lineups and pitching assignments are locked. Cap penalty begins AFTER the games are played.

So say for example at 9:01 he dropped Hassler and picked up Nahem. Hassler would be locked in at 9 as a member of the bullpen. Hassler would be used those first 3 games because he was on the roster when lineups/pitching was locked in. But there would be no cap penalty because the transaction occurred before any games had actually been played. Nahem would not be available for those first 3 games because he was not on the roster when lineups/pitching was locked in.

This is not worth losing sleep over. Debatable even if maneuvered intentionally whether one could gain any competitive advantage, not even a small one.

Valen,
I disagree with you that this is not used intentionally to gain advantage. I think this happens frequently.

One way it could be used (I have only seen this once that I recall). - A team has the $ to keep the expensive Pedro Martinez on his squad, but uses the cheaper but more effective non* Pedro in game 1. They drop him and replace him with the most expensive Pedro at 9:01 eastern. Then use him to start game 4.

Another way I see used frequently -
A team "Hordes" several specific players on their team in extra roster spots (such as the scrub version of Hugh Duffy) to limit access to these guys. Then at 9:01 eastern time there is a flurry of drops with a preplanned add. This does keep others from using these players in the preseason and forces the drop penalty on anyone who wished to pick them up. It could still be done at 8:59 eastern time I suppose....but it bugs me every time those managers are not charged a drop penalty.

I really wish Strat would implement a Roster lock at least 2 hours before game time on opening day to remove this issue.

Hackra is correct. I have seen this pattern as well. It is intentional and games the system. Managers who employ it are jerks at best - the loophole needs closing.

Valen,
I disagree with you that this is not used intentionally to gain advantage. I think this happens frequently.

One way it could be used (I have only seen this once that I recall). - A team has the $ to keep the expensive Pedro Martinez on his squad, but uses the cheaper but more effective non* Pedro in game 1. They drop him and replace him with the most expensive Pedro at 9:01 eastern. Then use him to start game 4.

Another way I see used frequently -
A team "Hordes" several specific players on their team in extra roster spots (such as the scrub version of Hugh Duffy) to limit access to these guys. Then at 9:01 eastern time there is a flurry of drops with a preplanned add. This does keep others from using these players in the preseason and forces the drop penalty on anyone who wished to pick them up. It could still be done at 8:59 eastern time I suppose....but it bugs me every time those managers are not charged a drop penalty.

I really wish Strat would implement a Roster lock at least 2 hours before game time on opening day to remove this issue.

I actually think it would make it worse to "close the loophole" relative to how it is now. Right now with the limbo period after 10 Eastern, people have to drop players they are hoarding, e.g. Hugh Duffy, shortly after 10 or risk having them on their team or pay the drop/add penalty. If there was a hard cutoff of say, 8 PM, then these same managers would do their drops at 7:59 and effectively burn these players for the rest of the league.

I had a guy in my division in a 140M league who was playing in a lefty park with a bunch of lefty starters. He carried Gehrig and Bagwell throughout the preseason and dropped Bagwell at 9:59 on Monday night. He became very irked because I was able to pick him up in the limbo period after 10:00.

If the issue is the limbo time the I can say
that I both had this happen to me and also did it- although not purposely-

Ive come home after 10 on a monday when I had intended to make a switch earlier and got distracted. The extra 30 minute window isn't a terrible thing-
as has been pointed out some will take advantage of whenever the hard cut-off is.

I would have no real problem with this as long as the drop times were known to everybody. Just put the times in the rules. As long as everybody is playing on a level playing field then it's hard to complain.

But if some players are "in the know" and others are not then it is wrong in my book, even if there is no major competitive advantage. Creating the perception of an unlevel playing field should be avoided.

Example that happened awhile back....Guy in a righty park on the road opening night vs an all lefty line-up in a lefty park...he dropped his 3 righty Sps just before the 10PM deadline, inserted 3 hard leaning lefty Sps just to face his opponent...immediately after 10pm he dropped the lefties, picked his righties back up, all in the matter of a few minutes and done without penalty. A bush league move and poor sportsmanship at it's best IMO.

I horde players in the preseason all the time, not because I want to keep others from getting them but because I can't make up my mind between a couple of players. I always release the guys with at least many hours to go before opening day giving others a chance to pickup my castoffs. I do not see a problem with that at all.... However, changing starting pitchers in the limbo period is a bit suspect..