League Rules

NCAA Baseball
I have been in other College Style leagues. There will be a number of similarities. But I hope this has enough unique aspects to make it interesting.

Format:
A college format means we are dealing with 18-21yo players. Once they have played their 21yo (Senior season) they are "retired" from our league. As in College Sports, High School athletes WANT to play for the best teams. So NCAA champs have 1st crack at recruits.

League Size:
I am starting with 24 teams. I will be happy to have 24 different owners. But I want only owners that are willing to put some effort into the team. While I am OK having owners control two teams, if we don't have a decent nucleus of owners, it will get boring very fast.

Typical Season:
Like most College sports, we start with a handful of "non-league" games, followed by a heavier league schedule. The season is much shorter than MLB. With our current setup of 4 divisions of 6 teams, we would play 12 games against the opposite league, 18 games against the opposite division and 30 games against our own division. College seasons typically play Fri-Sun series...We will use a 3 man rotation during league games...We may play 4 games a week during non-conference games.
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(2/16): Yearly schedule: [NC = non conference, OD = other division, DIV = Division, off = day off]
Weeks 1-7: (NC, off, OD - 3 game series, off) = 28 games
weeks 8-14: (NC, off, OD - switch home/away, off) = 28 games
Weeks 14-25: (Div - 3 game series...Weekend only) = 42 games
**As you can see, this will take a 4 man rotation. However, the 4th SP likely does not come into play during Division play.**

Post-Season (adjusted year 2 for 24 teams)
Division leaders get automatic bid to the CWS. Next 4 as ranked via PC power rankings to fill the final 4 playoff spots.
This leads to an 8 team double elimination tourney for NCAA championship.

Teams 9-20 play in the NIT tourney. Seeds 9-12 get top seeds. 13-20 play best 2/3 for remaining 4 seeds.
Then it becomes an 8 team double elimination.

Bottom 4 teams in a mini consolation tourney.

College WS winner = $4M NIL...plus 1st overall choice in recruitment
College WS runner-up = $2M NIL...plus 2nd overall choice in recruitment
NIT winner = $2M NIL
Bottom 4 winner receives an extra redshirt! **New to year 2...to promote future parity**

**NEW to year 2** Overall recruitment rankings (other than 1-2) will be determined by power ranking AFTER postseason.

Tie-Breakers:
Head to Head, Division record, Conference record, Run differential, Coin Flip

Recruitment:
3 round non-snake "draft" with the top team choosing first. Followed by 1 round of a reverse order draft. Auto-draft enabled
This is followed by TWO supplemental rounds. Auto-draft NOT enabled

Rosters:
To expedite the inaugural process, each team has been seeded with a full roster (24) of 18yo "walk-on" players. As non-scholarship athletes, these players may be shown the door at anytime. (They also carry an F potential)
Recruited athletes (draft) have scholarships and may NOT be cut. ALL recruits come in with C potential.
Rosters will expand by 2 slots in season 2. (26-4)
Player may earn S or A potential through NIL money (Name/image/likeness). See below

NIL $$:
Teams will be seeded with a starting amount of NIL money. They may "earn" more NIL money based on meeting activity goals. (Engaged ownership draws more fans to games, sells more hats, makes more money)
(2/4/25):
NIL money is designed to reward and recruit star players....with that in mind, I will start laying groundwork for what this looks like:
Spending:
>All new recruits start with a C potential.
>promote to S potential = $10M
>promote to A potential = $5M
>promote a walk-on from F to C = $3M
>Sign a player from transfer portal = $1M-$5M (max) **See transfer portal rules**
Earning:
> All teams will start with $10M per year to spend. (rollover up to $4M)
> Make picks in recruit draft live OR announce you are ready for pick to be made in your absence = $1M per pick. (3 rds per year)
>>>>This is because recruits want to be cared about, communicated with...If you let the clock run out, you don't really have the players best interest in mind?<<<<
> Vote in year end polls (player awards) = $1M per voting option
***Possibly more, numbers may be adjusted as details are added...A spreadsheet will be available for all to see when constructed***

Special player options:
Teams may issue ONE redshirt per season. This tagged player may NOT play ANY games and will not "age" during progression.

Transfer portal:
Players today choose to opt away from teams where they are not getting the playing time they feel they deserve.
At the end of each season a list of players that have "entered the portal" will be posted. These players will consist of underclassmen that have a starting player in front of them that has not yet graduated. (This means non-starters may enter portal).
Current teams MAY lure them back by giving them a potential boost based on NIL money listed above.
Teams may then "blind bid" on transfer players with NIL money they have in the bank. ($1M min, $5M max).
Teams will only accept the offer if they are moving to a clear starting situation.
If multiple teams make offers to a player, the higher seeded team wins. (just as in real life).
Regardless of bid amount, a team that loses a player to the portal will GAIN $1M in NIL money as compensation.

Post Season awards:
Golden Spikes = "Baseball version of Heisman": -- player gets free potential upgrade: C>A>S (if not an S already)
Pitcher of the Year : -- player gets free potential upgrade: C>A>S (if not an S already)
All American: -- Cost to upgrade player is cut in half ($5 for S, $3 for A)
**Awarded in this order...meaning, you can't pay a discounted rate for an all-american AND THEN get the free upgrade**
All Conference: -- Bragging rights, sorry...lol


I think that about covers it. Details will be laid out as we move closer to filling teams.

League Settings

Year Range of Stats	2024 - 2024
Roster Size (Majors)	26
Roster Size (Minors)	6
Keepers	(32 keepers)
Change Stats Allowed
Free Agency
Drops
No-Drop List
Player Fatigue
Batter Injuries	(10 games max)
Pitcher Injuries	(10 games max)
Use Pitcher's HR Allowed Stats
Allows Max Surprise Bunts
Min Batters Pitcher Must Face	0
Slump Buster	(1unlimited days)
On Fire	Classic
User Sims