Post by ex-Pittsburgh Pirates on Jul 20, 2022 10:58:05 GMT -5
It's been a while coming, but I'll take the opportunity now to announce my intention to retire from Cashman effective no later than the last week of the 2022 season. (If you find a replacement owner sooner, I will happily retire earlier!)
It's scarcely believable to me that I've been involved in this league for 15 years. That's a freaking long time. Mat (Twins) was there, the only other inaugural owner still around. A quick look at my 2008 team reveals some long forgotten names like Chad Billingsley, Ryan Church, Chris Iannetta, Billy Butler... I could go on. I finished in 13th place that first season, ahead of only the Phillies. (Finishing ahead of the Phillies would become a tradition.
) Nobody was sure if this league with the crazy rules was going to survive more than a year or 2. But I decided to play the long game anyway, stockpiling cap space and draft picks until finally winning the title in Year 3. 12 years later the league is still going strong!
Over the years we've had many controversies and changes. For many of those early years, I spent all of my free time developing and updating the spreadsheets that became the backbone of the league. I also spent all of my patience and emotional energy reining in the old White Sox and talking the rest of the league out of rage quitting when some controversy or another popped up. (Yeah, and maybe sometimes I provoked a controversy or 2!) For a while it seemed constant turnover was inevitable. Eventually, the White Sox left and I inherited the job of commissioner. Personally, I found it was impossible to be commissioner and to fully compete in the league. As a regular owner, I was able to push boundaries, take advantage of the rules (and other less knowledgeable owners!) and never have to worry about 'playing nice.' As commissioner, it was the opposite. I always tried to treat everyone fairly (feel free to disagree!) and put the league ahead of my team. (And the Pirates' results showed!) Eventually we found a good, knowledgeable, committed group of owners and the league seemed to stabilize. I've been out of the business of running Cashman for quite a while now, so I am sure it will last long into the future.
That said, now seems like the perfect time to make this announcement and finally step away. I'm no longer able nor willing to run a Cashman team. The league deserves someone who will. I won't abandon you mid-season. Lineups will continue to be set. I'll make the occasional bid to replace an injured player and I'll advise anyone who wants to take over the spreadsheets. Lastly, I certainly will pop into my PMs to reject your ridiculous trade offers. (Side-eye glance at the Twins.)
Thanks to everyone who has made this league a fun escape from reality. Special thanks to the guys doing the grunt work... we all know who they are. I'll see you around.
It's scarcely believable to me that I've been involved in this league for 15 years. That's a freaking long time. Mat (Twins) was there, the only other inaugural owner still around. A quick look at my 2008 team reveals some long forgotten names like Chad Billingsley, Ryan Church, Chris Iannetta, Billy Butler... I could go on. I finished in 13th place that first season, ahead of only the Phillies. (Finishing ahead of the Phillies would become a tradition.
) Nobody was sure if this league with the crazy rules was going to survive more than a year or 2. But I decided to play the long game anyway, stockpiling cap space and draft picks until finally winning the title in Year 3. 12 years later the league is still going strong!Over the years we've had many controversies and changes. For many of those early years, I spent all of my free time developing and updating the spreadsheets that became the backbone of the league. I also spent all of my patience and emotional energy reining in the old White Sox and talking the rest of the league out of rage quitting when some controversy or another popped up. (Yeah, and maybe sometimes I provoked a controversy or 2!) For a while it seemed constant turnover was inevitable. Eventually, the White Sox left and I inherited the job of commissioner. Personally, I found it was impossible to be commissioner and to fully compete in the league. As a regular owner, I was able to push boundaries, take advantage of the rules (and other less knowledgeable owners!) and never have to worry about 'playing nice.' As commissioner, it was the opposite. I always tried to treat everyone fairly (feel free to disagree!) and put the league ahead of my team. (And the Pirates' results showed!) Eventually we found a good, knowledgeable, committed group of owners and the league seemed to stabilize. I've been out of the business of running Cashman for quite a while now, so I am sure it will last long into the future.
That said, now seems like the perfect time to make this announcement and finally step away. I'm no longer able nor willing to run a Cashman team. The league deserves someone who will. I won't abandon you mid-season. Lineups will continue to be set. I'll make the occasional bid to replace an injured player and I'll advise anyone who wants to take over the spreadsheets. Lastly, I certainly will pop into my PMs to reject your ridiculous trade offers. (Side-eye glance at the Twins.)
Thanks to everyone who has made this league a fun escape from reality. Special thanks to the guys doing the grunt work... we all know who they are. I'll see you around.
