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Viva Murillo!

This is the week that you're likely to receive some last-minute draft invitations. Some owner dropped out, or the league is expanding, or it's just a new group that someone formed two days ago. Whatever the reason, you'll be asked to accommodate one last draft.

I encourage you to just say no.

Basically, only two types of leagues hold their drafts so close to the regular season: Very good ones, and very bad ones. The very good ones know that it's better to select your players after most of the cuts have been made, the starting spots have been won and the pre-season injuries have occurred and been evaluated. It would be a great league to join…except that they don't normally have any openings. If they did, they already would have filled them. The really good leagues don't usually wait until the last minute.

That leaves the really bad ones, and those are the ones that are likely to want your participation—and your money.

I know it's tempting to take part in another draft—to enjoy filling out another roster, to psychologically correct mistakes you made in other drafts, or just put all your off-season preparations to good use again. But really, it's almost always a bad idea. These leagues need somebody. Not you, just somebody; it just might as well be you. The qualifications are usually someone who a) can pay the entry fee, and b) can show up to the draft. That's all it takes to be the 12th man.

Look for these warning signs that suggest you should probably pass up that tempting offer.

* You Don't Know Anyone in the League. Even the guy who invites you to join is just "a guy at work" (in some other department) or "a neighbor" (way down the street) or "my wife's friend's brother" (you've never actually met). It's not a friend; not someone you'd hang out with in other circumstances. You don't know the other members, either. You'll shake some hands or say hi on the online chat, but that's about it.

Now, I'm not saying you have to be best friends with every member. But you should know a couple of them and have some kind of working relationship. Workmates are fine, because at least you know who they are.

* You Don't Know the Scoring System or Roster Requirements. You'll find out before the draft, of course. You might even inquire about the details after you've accepted. But the most important factors were your availability and your wallet. The other petty stuff—like how to play—is secondary. That means they're offering (and you're accepting) an invitation for the wrong reasons.

* You Rationalize it By Saying 'This One is Just For Fun'. Aren't they all for fun? If not, why are you playing? Is it work? In reality, "for fun" is code for "I don't really care." And that's the wrong attitude to take into a new league.

I know it's not your main league, but it's probably somebody's main league. Maybe they don't know as many people as you do, or they're not as good as you are, or they don't have enough money to participate in a number of leagues. This league is all they have. Are you really going to devote enough time to field a competitive team, make trades, watch the waiver wire and be an active participant? If you can't be the kind of owner you expect in your main league, don't accept.

* You Expect To Win the League. Hey, it's easy money, right? Those idiots don't know what they're doing, so that title is in the bag. Well, that's one of the worst reasons to join a new league. Who wants a cocky new owner who just sees a paycheck? Why would you want to waste time with incompetent strangers? It's a bad fit all the way around. Besides, with so much luck determining the champion, you might find yourself congratulating one of those "idiots" at the end of the season.

Now, that doesn't mean you should never accept a late invite. Even good leagues have unexpected openings, and the people involved might think you're a good fit. In that case, go for it. But you have to explore that option carefully and make sure it's worth your time and effort to participate. Otherwise you'll be stuck with a boring league and they'll be stuck with an unenthusiastic owner. You can do better.

If you've received a last-minute invite, feel free to share your decision and rationale below. You can also reach Michael Murillo at vivamurillo@gmail.com.

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