League Rules

Welcome to the League of Controversy! We are so excited to launch this league that includes new ideas with the good ‘ol days of PC classic franchise leagues. We hope to introduce some new ideas without making the league crazy complicated or difficult to keep up with. Please take a look at the introduction for some general guidelines to the league.

Thank you all for your interest in LoCo! We hope you have as much fun participating as we did setting it up!

Best of luck,
Your Commissioners, egankelly8, bragankelly11, and jglamb

Special Thanks:
Founder of League - (Bragan) bragankelly11
Special thanks to goldencane for providing us with our first FA system, and ritzcards for a temporary system that led us to the final FA system that we use today.

Table of Contents

100 - New Owners / Introduction
200 - Spring Training / New Season Start
300 - Regular Season
400 - Postseason
500 - Offseason
600 - Player Transactions & Movement
700 - Finances
999 - Index

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100 - New Owners / Introduction

110 - Activity & Participation

Stay active, or notify the commissioners if you will be inactive. If you need to step away temporarily, we will do our best to maintain your strategy and keep your team competitive while you’re gone. Owners are expected to manage their teams responsibly. At minimum, you must:
- Set lineups at the beginning of the season
- Maintain a legal roster
- Sign free agents as needed
- Participate in the draft

120 - Professionalism & Conduct

Keep things professional. This league exists for fun, and nobody enjoys unnecessary drama.
If an issue arises with another owner or league matter, contact the commissioners first so we can attempt to resolve it.
If a resolution cannot be reached, your options are:
- Stay and suck it up, or
- Leave.

No one is forced to remain in the league.
Lighthearted trash talk and banter are welcome. Be respectful and mindful if someone takes offense.
Owners who create ongoing disruption may be removed at the commissioners’ discretion.

130 - Competitive Integrity

This league strictly prohibits tanking. There is no rigid definition of tanking; however, you must be able to articulate the strategic reasoning behind roster decisions if asked. Actions considered tanking include, but aren’t limited to:
- Intentionally manipulating team settings to create a disadvantage (such as keeping worse pitchers in and removing better ones prematurely),
- Not playing top players (excluding < 90rk minor leaguers),
- Forcing steals regardless of player skill,
- Pinch hitting strong hitters with weak ones.

The league reserves the right to request explanation for decisions at any time to preserve competitive integrity.
Tanking penalties will be handled case-by-case and may include:
- Loss of draft picks
- Removal from the league

140 - League Structure & Governance

Rules are subject to change over time.
The league reserves the right to adjust a player’s potential to preserve league integrity.
The PennantChase “free year” contract feature is not used in this league.

150 - Community & Affiliation

While participation via PennantChase alone is possible, the league operates heavily through Discord. We strongly encourage all members to join. Contact the Commissioner Team for an invite.

160 - New Owner Contract Forgiveness

To provide new organizations with a clean slate, a new owner may select one contract to be completely eliminated from their books. The chosen player must have been on the roster from the moment the new owner took control of the team. This request is only available until the conclusion of the owner's first official offseason in the league. Once the first full league year turnover occurs, this privilege expires. Once the contract is eliminated, the player is immediately cut and enters the Free Agent pool.

170 - The "Spirit of the Rules" Clause

While this attempts to be as comprehensive as possible, it is impossible to account for every possible scenario. The absence of a specific rule does not constitute automatic permission. The league reserves the right to intervene and take corrective action if a team makes a clear effort to circumvent the intent of the rules or exploit a technical loophole that undermines league integrity. In all matters where the written rules are silent or ambiguous, the Commissioner Team holds the final authority to issue a ruling that aligns with the competitive spirit of the League of Controversy.

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200 - Spring Training / New Season Start

210 - League Year Turnover

The official transition to the new league year occurs following the conclusion of all offseason programs.

220 - Spring Training Schedule & Simulation

Spring Training schedule consists of 28 intraleague games, with two games played against each league opponent. Sims are conducted by the CPU or User every 2 hours.

230 - Injury Settings

Injuries are disabled for Spring Training to allow for roster evaluation without injury risks.

240 - Roster Deadline

Prior to Opening Day, all owners must ensure their rosters have no more than 25 Major League players and 15 Minor League players. Failure to meet this deadline will result in action by the Commissioner to bring the roster into compliance.

250 - Stat Leveling

To ensure accurate leveling across the league, multiple test runs may be performed prior to the start of the "official" Spring Training period.

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300 - Regular Season

310 - Opening Series

The regular season commences with a special 2-game Opening Series held prior to the standard Opening Day. This series may be played at international locations or neutral venues outside of the participating teams' primary home stadiums. For accounting and scheduling purposes, both participating teams are credited with one "home game" during this series.

320 - Regular Season Schedule & Simulation

The regular season consists of 162 games. Sims are conducted by the CPU or User every 6 hours throughout the day.

330 - Midseason Break

The midseason break occurs typically around Day 120 of the league calendar, coinciding with the trade deadline. This period reflects the 2038 transition from the selection of traditional All-Stars to the selection of an All-LoCo team.
During the midseason break, teams are granted 5 days off.

340 - Trade Deadline

The official Trade Deadline is integrated with the Midseason Break. This serves as the final cutoff for all transactions between organizations. Once this window closes, no further trades will be recognized or processed until the conclusion of the extension period. During the Trade Deadline period, sims will be paused to allow for final negotiations and roster management.

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400 - Postseason

410 - Qualification

A total of 12 teams qualify for the postseason, consisting of six teams from the American League (AL) and six teams from the National League (NL). In each league, the field is composed of the three division winners and three wild card teams.

420 - Seeding

Seeding within each league is determined by regular-season winning percentage, with the following priority:
- Seeds 1-3: Reserved for the three division winners.
- Seeds 4-6: Reserved for the three wild card teams with the next best records.

The two division winners with the best overall records in each league receive a first-round bye. The remaining four teams per league compete in the Wild Card round as follows:
- The third seed (the third division winner) hosts the sixth seed (the third wild card).
- The fourth seed (the first wild card) hosts the fifth seed (the second wild card).

430 - Series Formats & Hosting

Postseason series are conducted under the following structures:
- Wild Card (WC): Best-of-3 series. The higher seed hosts all three games.
- League Division Series (LDS): Best-of-5 series. Format is 2-2-1.
- League Championship Series (LCS): Best-of-7 series. Format is 2-3-2.
- World Series (WS): Best-of-7 series. Format is 2-3-2.

440 - Scheduling & Rest Days

To manage player rest, scheduled days off are granted as follows:
- One day off prior to the start of the LDS, LCS, and World Series.
- One day off following Game 2 and Game 4 of the LDS.
- One day off following Game 2 and Game 5 of the LCS and World Series.

450 - Roster & Pitching Requirements

During the postseason, teams will utilize a 4-man pitching rotation.

460 - Playoff Tiebreakers

In the event of identical regular-season records for playoff seeding, the following tiebreakers are applied in order:
- Head-to-Head Record
- Intradivision Record
- Intraleague Record
- Power Rankings

470 - World Series Homefield Advantage

Homefield advantage for the World Series is determined by regular-season win-loss record. If teams are tied, the following tiebreakers apply:
- Head-to-Head Record
- Regular Season Run Differential
- League of last year's champion

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500 - Offseason

510 - Awards & Honors

511 - Stage 1: All-LoCo & Individual Awards
The first stage of the awards process determines the premier performers across the league and establishes the final roster for the All-LoCo American League (AL) and National League (NL) Teams. Following the regular season, owners vote for a position breakdown of: 1 C, 5 IF, 4 OF, 4 SP, and 2 RP. Pitching Awards are derived directly from the All-LoCo results.
- Cy Young Award: Awarded to the Starting Pitcher (SP) with the highest vote total.
- Mariano Rivera Reliever Award: Awarded to the Relief Pitcher (RP) with the highest vote total.

During this stage, owners also vote on Individual Awards:
- ROTY: Best performing rookie (subject to service time limits).
- Breakout Player: Player with the most significant year-over-year improvement.
- Platinum Glove: Best overall defensive performer.
- Manager of the Year: Awarded to the owner for over-performing seasonal expectations.

512 - Stage 2: The MVP Ballot
The MVP ballot is composed of the top vote-getters from Stage 1. Candidates include:
- The highest vote-getting Catcher (C).
- The highest vote-getting Infielder (IF).
- The highest vote-getting Outfielder (OF).
- The Cy Young Award winner.
- The Mariano Rivera Award winner.

520 - Player Retention & Extensions

Following the World Series, a designated Extension Period allows teams to retain players slated for Free Agency. By the end of this period, any player without a contract or tag becomes a Free Agent.

530 - Contract Classifications

531 - Rookie Contracts
Free contracts for draft picks and fictional prospects (zero cap hit). Players remain on these until they reach 150 AB (hitters), 75 IP (SP), 35 IP (RP), age 27, or a 90 rank. Tags are removed all at once during the Extension Period for players surpassing these thresholds.

532 - Entry Level Contracts (ELC)
Available only to players graduating from Rookie Contracts.
Format: $3/$4/$5/$6 over 4 years ($18 TCV).

533 - Bridge Contracts
Available only to players coming off an ELC.
Format: $10/2 years ($20 TCV).

534 - Franchise Tag
A one-year, two-year, or three-year contract ($16/1yr, $21/2yr, or $26/3yr). Teams are limited to one Franchise Tag per offseason. A player coming off a tag cannot be tagged again.

535 - Compensatory Tender
Automatically applied to all players entering Free Agency. If a tendered player signs elsewhere, the original team receives a compensatory draft pick (placed after the 1st Round) if the new deal's TCV is $60 or higher.

540 - International Amateur Free Agents (IAFA)

541 - Classification
International players aged 16–22. 16 and 17-year-olds are automatically IAFAs; 18–22 are designated at Commissioner discretion. IAFAs follow all standard rookie guidelines, including eligibility for rookie contracts, participation in minicamp, and progression through Entry-Level Contracts (ELCs), and Bridge Contracts.

542 - Bidding Process
The IAFA bidding process will occur prior to the start of free agency. Only players officially designated as IAFAs are eligible to be bid on during this period; standard IFAs will not be included. IAFAs will be awarded to the team that offers the highest one-year loan to the player, which functions as their signing bonus. This bonus will be treated the same as any other team-issued loan within league financial rules. A team’s salary cap may not be reduced below $130 as a result of IAFA bidding. The winning signing bonus amount will be subtracted from the team’s salary cap before the free agency period begins.

550 - Free Agency

551 - Auction Mechanics
Conducted as a rolling auction via Google Sheets. A player signs if a bid remains high for 48 hours. Bids are evaluated by Total Contract Value (TCV).
Average Annual Value (AAV) Guidelines:
- 1 yr ($2+)
- 2 Yrs ($1+)
- 3-4 Yrs ($5+)
- 5-6 Yrs ($12+)
- 7-8 Yrs ($17+)
- 9-10 Yrs ($25+)
Maximum raise/deduction is $5.

International Pool: At least 3 IFAs (Asian, European, or Latin American) are added annually.

552 - Closing Procedures
On the 14th day, the sheet closes. A 24-hour "blind bidding" period follows for all remaining players.

560 - Amateur & Supplemental Drafts

561 - Amateur Draft
The amateur draft is a 2-round slow draft. Round 1 utilizes a 16-hour timer per pick. Round 2 utilizes a 12-hour timer. The Commissioner reserves the right to adjust timers (e.g., to 8 hours) to ensure the draft concludes prior to the start of Spring Training. The draft order is determined by the reverse order of the regular-season standings. If two or more teams finish with identical regular-season records, the tie is broken by the standings of the previous year (worse record picks higher). Auto-picking in the Top 5 may result in league removal.

562 - Undrafted Free Agents (UDFAs)
Following the draft, MLB clubs may sign any remaining UDFAs until the beginning of Spring Training. These players will be given a rookie tag, and be free to develop until they turn 27, same as drafted rookies. However, if a UDFA remains unsigned, or is cut at any point, their tag will be removed and they will be given veteran status, free to sign 1/$1 contracts from FA.

563 - Supplemental Draft
Following the Amateur Draft, a one-round Supplemental Draft will be held, allowing teams to sign undrafted free agents (UDFAs) and other free agents (FAs) to 1/$1 before the open free agency period begins. The draft method will be similar to the Amateur Draft, in which teams submit a ranked list of their desired players. Teams will receive the highest-ranked available player based on their draft rankings. Following this single round, open free agency will begin, with all remaining undrafted and unsigned players being available on a first-come, first-served basis. The draft order is the same as the amateur draft order, and these picks are not traded. Teams may choose not to participate in this.

564 - Anti-Tanking Penalty
To promote competitive balance and deter intentional losing, no organization is permitted to receive a Top 5 overall pick in the first round for three consecutive seasons. If a team’s natural draft position (based on standings) falls within the Top 5 for a third consecutive season, their selection is automatically demoted to the 10th overall pick. If multiple teams trigger this penalty in the same season, they will be slotted starting at the 10th pick and ordered according to standard draft tie-breaking procedures. If a team originally slotted at #6 or lower moves into the Top 5 solely because a penalized team was dropped to #10, this "promoted" pick does not count toward that team's consecutive Top 5 streak.

If a team trades a first-round pick that is subject to the three-year penalty, the pick remains demoted to the 10th slot. The acquiring team inherits the pick at its penalized value. Draft picks acquired via trade do not count toward the acquiring team’s own consecutive Top 5 streak. The restriction only applies to a team's original draft position.

570 - Offseason Programs

571 - Program Overview
Owners are permitted to utilize a variety of offseason programs to improve their rosters. All fees associated with these programs are deducted directly from the team’s salary cap. Consequently, no combination of offseason program requests may reduce a team’s available salary cap below the $130 minimum threshold. These programs must be requested during the designated window and are processed prior to the start of the new league year.

572 - Rookie Minicamp
Teams may send one prospect to rookie minicamp for a fee of $10 (this amount is returned to the team’s budget the following season). The designated prospect receives an extra "C" progression. A player may attend this camp multiple times provided they meet all of the following eligibility requirements:
- Age 22–25
- Sub-60 rank
- U/F progression
- Currently on a Rookie Contract

573 - Position Switches
Owners may request one position switch per offseason for a $2 permanent fee.
Fielding Transitions:
- Moving a position player to a secondary position. If the secondary is listed as IF or UT, a specific position must be chosen; switching to a general "IF" or "UT" designation is prohibited.
- Errors increase by approximately 25%.
- Fielding percentage (FLD%) typically drops between .001–.010.
- dWAR drops by 40x the FLD% drop (e.g., a .003 FLD% drop results in a 0.12 dWAR decrease).



Pitching Transitions (SP to RP):
- This switch is only available to starting pitchers aged 35 or older.
- Stamina decreases by approximately 50–70%.
- WHIP decreases by approximately 10–15% (higher WHIPs may see more improvement).
- Innings Pitched (IP) decrease by approximately 50%.
- BB/9 decreases by 0.7–1.0; K/9 increases by 1.0–1.5.
- CG stats zero out; W, L, and ERA are adjusted as necessary.

574 - Stadium Renovation
For a $2 permanent fee, teams may change their stadium profile by one degree. For example, adjusting "LH Batters" from a "Big Boost" to a "Mild Boost" constitutes one degree of change.

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600 - Player Transactions & Movement

610 - Trading

The trading window officially opens following the conclusion of the Extension Period and remains open until the Trade Deadline. There is no cap on the number of trades a team can complete in a season. All trades must include assets moving in both directions.
- Players, cap space, and draft picks are eligible for trade.
- Picks can be traded up to 3 drafts ahead, including the current season.
- Transactions involving three or more teams are permitted.
- A trade cannot result in a team’s salary cap exceeding $175 or falling below $130.

620 - Waivers & Player Release

621 - Irrevocable Waivers (Standard)
The standard waiver system operates on a 24-hour cycle and is irrevocable for both the waiving and claiming teams. Once an action is initiated, it cannot be rescinded. A team placing a claim has two paths:
- Negotiate a trade with the waiving team.
- Claim the player outright and assume 100% of the remaining contract and salary.

If a player clears waivers without a claim, they are cut from the roster. The waiving team remains responsible for 50% of the remaining contract for its duration.

622 - Revocable Waivers (Post Trade Deadline)
For a 3-day window following the Trade Deadline, a Revocable waiver system is utilized. A team placing a claim has two paths:
- Negotiate a trade with the waiving team.
- Claim the player outright and assume 100% of the remaining contract and salary.

Both the waiving team and the claiming team reserve the right to revoke their actions during this period. If no claim is placed, the player remains on the original team's roster.

623 - Waiver Order
Priority is determined by the reverse standings of the current season (or the previous season if in the offseason). This order is fixed and does not reset upon a successful claim.

624 - Releasing Players
An owner may choose to release a player directly without utilizing the waiver wire. The team must pay 50% of the player's salary until the original contract expires. To prevent teams from circumventing high-value contracts, a released player may not be re-signed by their former team until the following offseason. If a high-stature player is released, the league may host a one-time auction to determine their next destination.

630 - Open Free Agency

Following the conclusion of the Supplemental Draft, all remaining unsigned players enter a "first-come, first-served" pool. Outside of the auction period, free agents are available for a 1yr/$1 contract. Once the playoffs begin, the free-agent pool is locked.

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700 - Finances

710 - The Salary Cap

The "Salary Cap" represents an organization's total authorized annual budget. This budget determines the upper limit of what a team can spend on player salaries and league activities. A team's adjusted Salary Cap must remain within a maximum of $175 and a minimum of $130. Teams are permitted to maintain a total payroll below the $130 threshold; however, they may never reduce their total available cap space to an amount less than $130 through trades, penalties, or IAFA bidding.

720 - Budgetary Adjustments & Trading

721 - Cap Space Trading
Teams may exchange Cap Space as a trade asset. Permanent trades involve an indefinite transfer of the cap adjustment to the receiving organization, while temporary trades have a fixed duration of up to three seasons, after which the adjustment returns to the original team.

722 - Performance-Based Bonuses & Penalties
A team’s total Cap for the following season is adjusted based on the previous year's performance. (Note: A team may only receive one of these adjustments per season).
- Bonuses: World Series Winner ($4); Pennant Winner ($2); Division Winner ($2); Wild Card Series Winner ($1); Win total increase of 30+ games ($1).
- Penalties: Last in Division (-$1); 100+ Loss Team (-$1); Win total decrease of 30+ games (-$1).

730 - Compliance & Enforcement

731 - Opening Day Deadline:
Any team exceeding their adjusted Salary Cap by Opening Day must place the player with the highest current-year contract (not TCV) on irrevocable waivers. This process repeats, moving to the next highest contract, until the team is compliant. If the waived player clears waivers, they are cut.

732 - In-Season Compliance
If a team exceeds the cap during the regular season, they have until the Trade Deadline to return to financial compliance.

740 - Contractual Liabilities

While active roster contracts are fixed, owners gain flexibility upon the termination of a contract. If a player is released or clears irrevocable waivers, the team is responsible for 50% of the remaining TCV. Owners have full authority over the payment plan for this 50% liability (e.g., lump sum or amortized over the remaining years), provided the total year-end spending remains under the team's adjusted Cap.

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999 - Index

100 - New Owners / Introduction
Activity & Participation
Professionalism & Conduct
Competitive Integrity & Anti-Tanking
League Structure & Governance
Community & Affiliation (Discord)
New Owner Contract Forgiveness
The "Spirit of the Rules" Clause

200 - Spring Training / New Season Start
League Year Turnover
Spring Training Schedule & Simulation (2-hour cycle)
Injury Settings (Disabled)
Roster Deadline (25 Major / 15 Minor)
Stat Leveling & Testing

300 - Regular Season
Opening Series (Special 2-game series)
Regular Season Schedule & Simulation (6-hour cycle)
Midseason Break & All-LoCo Transition
Trade Deadline

400 - Postseason
Qualification (12-team format)
Seeding Priority & First-Round Byes
Series Formats (WC-3, LDS-5, LCS-7, WS-7)
Scheduling & Mandatory Rest Days
Roster & Pitching Requirements (4-man rotation)
Playoff Tiebreakers (H2H, Intradivision, Intraleague, Power Rankings)
World Series Homefield Advantage

500 - Offseason
Awards & Honors (Individual & All-LoCo)
Player Retention & Extension Period
Contract Classifications (Rookie, ELC, Bridge, Franchise Tag)
Compensatory Tender Rules
International Amateur Free Agents (IAFA) Bidding
Free Agency (Rolling Auction & TCV Guidelines)
Amateur, UDFA, & Supplemental Drafts
Offseason Programs (Minicamp, Position Switches, Stadium Renovation)

600 - Player Transactions & Movement
Trading Regulations (Reciprocity & 3-Year Pick Window)
Waivers (Irrevocable vs. Revocable)
Open Free Agency (In-Season $1 Contracts)

700 - Finances
The Salary Cap ($130 Floor / $175 Ceiling)
Budgetary Adjustments (Cap Trading & Performance Bonuses)
Compliance Enforcement (Opening Day Waivers)
Contractual Liabilities (The 50% "Cut" Provision)

League Settings

Year Range of Stats	2021 - 2021
Roster Size (Majors)	90
Roster Size (Minors)	15
Keepers	(25 keepers)
Change Stats Allowed	(not allowed while under contract)
Free Agency
Drops
No-Drop List
Player Fatigue
Batter Injuries	(8 games max)
Pitcher Injuries	(15 games max)
Use Pitcher's HR Allowed Stats
Allows Max Surprise Bunts
Min Batters Pitcher Must Face	0
Slump Buster	(unlimited days)
On Fire	Classic
User Sims	(every 8 hours)