League Rules

LEAGUE DESCRIPTION

There are multiple divisions within the League, but only the highest division teams are in the running for the World Series title, while the others are fighting for promotion. Teams are rewarded with a higher payroll for being in a higher division. After the conclusion of the season, a handful of teams will be promoted and relegated. Details are below.

This system allows for more teams to have 'something to play for' all season long. Teams are not only fighting for playoffs and a championship, but also to avoid relegation during a down year. Other teams are jostling to get promoted. In essence, while the big-picture goal of winning a World Series is always in mind, there are secondary goals that can make each season successful in its own right.


ROSTERS AND CONTRACTS

Each team is allowed 35 players on the roster -- 25 in the majors and 10 in the minors. Each team may have as many as 20 players under contract. Contracts have a 10-year maximum, no increase, and are not renewable.


DIVISIONS

There are currently three divisions -- Divisions 1, 2, and 3. Only the teams in the highest division play for the World Series, while the other teams are playing to be promoted.


SCHEDULING

All teams play a 162-game schedule over the course of 180 days. Each team has 18 off days during the season. The schedule breakdown is as follows:

23 league teams x 6 games (3H, 3A) = 138 games
3 rivals x 8 additional games (4H, 4A) = 24 games

For scheduling purposes only, all teams are separated into four-team pods of rivals. These are created by grouping teams that are geographically close. These rivals play each other fourteen times a year, instead of just six times.

Rival pods:
USA, Mexico, Costa Rica, Jamaica
Dominican Republic, Brazil, Peru, Venezuela
Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Spain
Russia, Croatia, Greece, Egypt
New Zealand, Togo, Australia, South Africa
India, South Korea, Mongolia, Japan


SEASON CALENDAR

Days 1-10
Waivers turned off; Free Agency turned on
Days 11-90
All-Star Break (3 days off)
Days 91-150
Trading, Drops, and Free Agency deadline
Days 151-180


OFF-SEASON CALENDAR

After the playoffs have finished, teams will be promoted and relegated, and their budgets will be adjusted appropriately. Teams will then have a brief window to finalize contracts. (This is especially important for promoted teams with a cash influx.) Rosters will then be cleared, players advanced accordingly, and drafts executed.

Overview:
* Regular Season finale
* Playoffs
* Promotion/Relegation
* Budget adjustments
* Trading turned on
* Finish signing contracts
* Free Agent and Rookie draft (4 rounds, worst-to-first)
* Quick draft to 23 players
* Supplemental draft (4 rounds, worst-to-first)
* Drops and Waiver wire open
* Opening Day

As the schedule progresses, the Commish will keep everyone aware of real-time dates for each item. As the regular season hits the dog days, the sims will accelerate. As crucial deadlines arise, the sims will slow/stop to allow everyone adequate time to participate at each step.


DRAFT ORDER

Draft order is based on winning percentage in the Regular Season, and is set before the playoffs. Tie-breakers are described below in the Playoffs section.


PLAYOFFS

Each division conducts its own playoffs. Only the winner of the highest division is deemed the World Series champions. For each division, the top six teams make the playoffs.

Rankings are based solely on Regular Season performance. Rankings are based on winning percentage. For two tied teams, the tie-breakers are first head-to-head record and then run differential. If still tied, a one-game playoff will be played, with the site determined by coin flip. For more than two tied teams, the tie breaker is run differential.

Round 1: 2-2-1 format
Round 2: 2-3-2 format (Divisional Semifinals)
Round 3: 2-3-2 format (Divisional Finals)

Round 1: #6 seed @ #3 seed; #5 seed @ #4 seed
Round 2: lowest remaining seed @ #1 seed; other remaining seed @ #2 seed
Round 3: lowest remaining seed @ highest remaining seed

There will be a two-game break before the first round. There will be a one-game break between rounds. There will be a one-game break for 'travel' days.


AWARDS

Awards are given to:
* World Series winner
* MVP
* Cy Young
* Other awards just for fun at the Commish's discretion


PROMOTION / RELEGATION

After the conclusion of the season, teams will be promoted and relegated. The last-place regular season team in each division will be relegated to the division below. The first-place regular season team in each division will be promoted to the division above.

If the winner of the divisional playoffs was not the regular-season first-place team, they will also be promoted, meaning two teams will be promoted. In such a scenario, the two lowest-ranked teams from the above division will be relegated.


TEAM BUDGETS

The base budget for each division is as follows:
Division 1 = $150
Division 2 = $125
Division 3 = $100

Budgets are adjusted annually based on performance as follows:

Promotion to a higher division +$25
Relegation to a lower division -$25
Divisional playoff runner-up +$5 (if not promoted)
Win World Series +$10

[To clarify, in Division 1, the WS winner gets +$10 while the WS loser gets +$5. In other divisions, the divisional playoff winner gets +$20 for being promoted, while the divisional playoff runner-up gets +$5 and stays in the division. However, if the #1 seed, the regular-season divisional winner, is the divisional playoff runner-up, they get the +$20 for promotion.]

Relegated teams whose payroll is over their adjusted budget will not be penalized. They will simply be unable to make any additional signings. (E.G. A team is spending $110, but is then relegated. Their new salary cap budget is $100, making them $10 over budget. There is no penalty, but they will not be able to sign any other players.) It may be strategic for a team to sign up to their limit if relegation is likely.

Budgets will revert to the starting budget after every 10th season. (E.G. After season 10 is played, the budget adjustment will move all teams back to their respective divisional standard.) As with relegated teams over-budget, no penalty is enacted, but further signings will be impossible. Consider this as part of ongoing strategy as season 10 (or 20 or 30) nears.

Owners who do not spend a minimum of 50% of their salary cap will be deemed inactive and will be subject to being booted.


NEW PLAYERS, AGING, PROGRESSION, AND REGRESSION

New players will be added each year and will be available through the Free Agent draft.

Players will progress until age 28, and regress at age 32. Players will retire at age 40, unless under contract.


FREE AGENT, QUICK, AND SUPPLEMENTAL DRAFTS

A 4-round Free Agent Draft will be run first, based on Draft Order as described above, in top-to-bottom (worst-to-first) fashion. This player pool will include any unsigned free agents, as well as new players added.

The first round of the Free Agent Draft is a "slow draft," in which each owner will have 12 hours to make a pick. This generally lasts for a few days and allows everyone to settle in and rank players.

The second, third, and fourth rounds of the Free Agent Draft are a "fast draft," in which at approximately between 9-10 AM (Eastern) every morning, the Commissioner drafts twelve picks right in a row (half of a round). During the day, owners have 3 hours to make a pick upon their turn (excluding overnight hours). If they have ranked players, the Commissioner may auto-pick for them to speed things along.

This accomplishes a few goals for this draft: avoid a "live draft" for which most people can't be present, keep things moving relatively quickly, and still allow each owner to have a good measure of control over their picks.


After this draft, the Quick Draft is then run, bringing rosters to 23 players, if necessary. (Between contracted players, trades, and draft picks, a team may already have 23 or more players.)

The Supplemental Draft will be run for 4 rounds. It will be run in top-to-bottom (worst-to-first) fashion. Owners who do not pre-rank players will not receive a player.

This will bring the rosters to 27 out of 35 players. Free Agency (via Waivers), Trading, and Drops will be allowed after the Supplemental Draft and before Opening Day.


WAIVERS, FREE AGENCY, AND TRADING

Free agents may be claimed via waiver wire. Waivers will run after every game for the first 10 days. One player may be added at each waiver deadline, for a maximum of 10 players picked up via waivers. Waiver order is based on draft order.

After Day 10, waivers will be turned off and free agents may be signed on a first-come, first-served basis. Free Agency, Trading, and Drops will be turned off after Day 150.


EDITING TEAM DETAILS

It is good to have consistency from year to year regarding team names and cities (countries), so owners are not allowed to edit team details on their own. Requests must be made to the Commish by owners who have completed a full season.


TRADING

All trades are reviewable and subject to being overturned. Owners who engage in unbalanced trading are subject to being booted.

Trades may involve draft picks. The commissioner must be notified of such trades.


OTHER SETTINGS

Endurance is turned on.
Injuries are turned on (max of 20 days).
Slump Buster is turned off.
5-man rotations.


EXPECTATION OF BEHAVIOR

This is meant to be fun! Keep the Chat Room encouraging and light-hearted and clean. Treat each other with respect and charity. Email the Commish with any problems, questions, or suggestions.

Stay active by logging in every week and by signing players.

Owners will be booted for violating any of these expectations for behavior or inactivity.

League Settings

Year Range of Stats	2018 - 2018
Roster Size (Majors)	25
Roster Size (Minors)	10
Keepers	(20 keepers)
Change Stats Allowed
Free Agency
Drops
No-Drop List
Player Fatigue
Batter Injuries	(20 games max)
Pitcher Injuries	(20 games max)
Use Pitcher's HR Allowed Stats
Allows Max Surprise Bunts
Min Batters Pitcher Must Face	0
Slump Buster
On Fire	Classic
User Sims