So, yeah, this is easily my most unpleasant task of the year, but I also come bearing some good news that might help soften the overusage blow for a few managers, so read this entire post. But first, a quick recap of how I interpret overuse and apply equitable penalties:
Simple math. If a player exceed 100% (or 110% for CAS and BRK, since HAL chose not to pre-calculate those teams on the league file) the player was automatically scrutinized.
If I determined that the player's overuse could have easily occurred during a normal midweek gaming session, the player was excused of any penalty, as this type of usage is totally allowable. Many players, on almost every team, fell in to this category.
If the player didn't meet the threshold in #2, I considered other explanations, such as a miscommunication, personal hardship, CM foul-up, etc. A few players were relieved using this criteria.
Was the overuse an isolated incident, or more of a pattern?
The remaining cases were determined to be extreme enough to warrant the penalties as outlined by last year's Overuse Committee.
Unfortunately, the following teams forfeit their 3rd round pick in the 2023 draft:
BERLIN: Brooks Raley (+151%, 28 IP) and Corbin Martin (+215%, 21 IP)
VANCOUVER: Aaron Hicks (+187%, 104 AB), Ryan Thompson (+148%, 18 IP) and Reese McGuire (+125, 54 AB)
Note to all Groundouts: third-rounders for 2023 can now be traded.
Now, for the good news!
Another committee has studied and enacted an Amnesty Opportunity. If the managers listed above manage to have zero overuse in 2023, they can each earn back a 3rd round pick the following year, to be placed at the end of the round in reverse order of record. Let's keep up best usage practices this upcoming season—I'll be cheering for Paul and Jeremy to win back their lost picks!