Gauging interest on a potential new 20-year progressive league centered around the all-time leaders in 6 categories (3 pitching, 3 hitting). The hitting categories will be HRs, hits and stolen bases, and the pitching categories will be wins, strikeouts and saves. We will draft the top 48 players in each category (2 players per team)*, and these 12 players will serve as the core of our rosters for the entire duration of the league**. These players will be drafted from their rookie seasons and stay on the same roster for the entire 20-year span.

*If there is an overlap between players, we will simply move down the list to the next available player. For example, Alex Rodriguez is in the top 48 in both hits and HRs. If he was already drafted for the HRs category, we would skip over A-Rod in the hits draft and move down to the next player on the list in that category (in this instance it would be Brooks Robinson).
**If you draft first in one category (i.e., HRs) then you will draft last in another category (i.e., hits). I will balance out the draft orders so everyone has an equal weighted draft position.

Each season, there will also be a 2-round draft (one hitting, one pitching) where we will draft single-season leaders in a given category. These rounds will change every season. For example, in the first year we may draft the top 24 single-season HR leaders and the top 24 single-season strikeout leaders. The next season might be single-season bWAR and single-season WHIP. The draft order will be determined in reverse order of the previous season’s standings. After this single season is used, it will be blacklisted and be ineligible to be used in any following season.

This gives us 11 remaining players to fill out the rosters. You can fill out your roster any way you wish with these 11 remaining spots. However, there will be an overall salary cap of $140M. This is aimed to ensure that each team has a chance at a championship each season, no matter how good their 12 man “core” is. Theoretically, this should simulate a real-life MLB free agency.

This league is designed to follow the all-time leaders as they search for career milestones such as 500 HRs, 3000 hits, 300 wins and 3000 strikeouts, while also promoting competitive parody each season. While the core of your team will remain the same from season to season, the “free agents” that you draft each season will ultimately play more of an impact in deciding a championship than the legends you initially draft.

If you are interested, please make a note of it in this thread. If there is enough interest in this concept, I will go ahead and formally create this league. Also, please reach out with any questions about this format. I tried to make it as clear as possible, but I am sure it will still be a bit confusing initially.

I would play

I'm looking for a new progressive, but letting each team add 11 players of their choice is a dealbreaker for me.

I think you are right on that one. I will think of ways to modify that rule so we have both less players to fill and a uniform way to add players each season. This was my first attempt at a blueprint for this concept, and I would also love recommendations for how to improve this idea.

I think I have found a solution to the 11 free agents that will ensure the spirit of the league stays true to itself:

The league will start with the year 1990. Everyone will choose a franchise. They can choose any two players from that franchise's history, and start with their rookie seasons. They will progress one year at a time like the rest of the players. These players cannot be changed out unless the player has retired.

We will then have a 3 round draft each season, in which everyone can improve their team with "free agents" from the season we are in. For example, if we are in 1990, we will select only 1990 seasons that currently have not been drafted. These players are on one-year "contracts" and will be returned to the draft pool the following season. This draft is meant to level the playing field and increase competitive parody from season to season. The salary cap will still be in effect, and players must be wary of the cap when drafting.

Finally, everyone will choose 8 players from their chosen franchise that were on the roster for the given year we are in (starting with 1990). Those players can change each season to ensure you stay below the salary cap. These players are mainly meant as filler players, as the "core" of your team is still the 12 original draftees plus your two other franchise legends.

Let me know your thoughts on these rule changes, as well as other thoughts to improve the concept of the league.