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. As always with the rules, here is some generic do’s and don’ts that have to be stated up front.

Disclaimers:
-Do stay active or let the commissioners know you won’t be active. If you need to leave for a short period of time, chances are we'll take your strategy down and help keep your team kicking while you’re gone.

-Do keep things professional. Everyone on here comes for a variety of different reasons. Let’s keep it real though, nobody likes drama and stress. If we feel that you are becoming a problem, we have no problem removing you. If you have an issue with someone or something, let the commissioners know first. If we can’t resolve your issue in a manner you would like, you have two options:
1. Stay and suck it up or
2. Leave.
Nobody is forcing you to stay. We aren’t trying to be harsh, but this is for fun and we’d like to keep it that way.

- Light hearted trash talk and banter is welcome. Just don't be a dick, and be understanding if someone takes offense.

-Do take care of your team. We understand everyone runs their teams differently, but you need to at least set lineups at the beginning of the year, sign free agents to fill your roster, and either draft or set a supplemental draft list.

- Tanking in this league is forbidden. Tanking penalties will be handled on a case by case basis, which will include loss of picks and/or removal from the league. There is not a strict definition in this league of tanking, but as long as you are able to articulate a reason you are making a decision, we will most likely be okay with it. We reserve the right to ask what your strategy is behind any decision at any time for the sanctity of the league’s rules regarding tanking.

Notes:
-Note: Rules are subject to change over time.

- We do not use the "free year" that PennantChase contracts have in this league.

- While it is possible to play, and compete, in this league only participating on PennantChase, we also have a very active discord where most conversations and events happen that makes the league what it is. We heavily encourage everyone in the league to be in the discord. You can message the Commish Team for a link.

- This league is the baseball sister league to the PC basketball league The Association
We encourage as many people to be in both as possible, let us know and we can invite you to the other/put you on the waitlist.

- The league reserves the right to adjust a player's potential to preserve the integrity of 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 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.

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LEAGUE SCHEDULE

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SPRING TRAINING
28 intraleague games, with two games against each league opponent.
CPU/User sims every 2 hours
Multiple test runs may be done prior to 'official ST', this ensures accurate leveling.
Injuries will be turned off during Spring Training.

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REGULAR SEASON
162 games
CPU/User sims every 6 hours
Injury Length - 50 Days

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MIDSEASON BREAK (Formerly the All-Star Break)
Following the elimination of All-Stars in 2038 in favor of an All-LoCo team, the "All-Star Break" was shifted to coincide with the Trade Deadline. This typically falls around Day 120.
There will be 5 Days off given

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TRADING
Picks can be traded up to 3 drafts ahead
- Trade Cap- No maximum
- 3+ team trades ARE allowed
- Trades must include assets going both ways

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PLAYOFFS
Playoff Format (Adjusted in 2035):

Two best division winners receive first-round byes
Wildcard teams: fourth, fifth, and sixth seeds
Third seed (third division winner) hosts the sixth seed; Fourth seed hosts the fifth seed
Tiebreakers:
1) Head-to-Head Record
2) Intradivision Record
3) Intraleague Record
4) Power Rankings
Best of series formats: WC-3 (Higher seed hosts all three games); LDS-5 (2-2-1); LCS-7 (2-3-2); WS-7 (2-3-2)
4 man pitching rotations
One day off will be granted prior to the start of LDS, LCS, and WS
One day off will be granted after G2 and G4 of LDS; G2 and G5 of LCS and WS
Homefield for World Series determined by Regular Season W-L.
Tiebreakers:
1) Head-to-Head Record
2) Regular Season Run Differential
3) League of last year's champion

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CAP SPACE (Adjusted during 2024 Offseason)
Maximum is $175 and minimum $130.
Cap space can be traded for. When traded, it can either be permanent or temporary (max of 3 seasons if temporary)
Teams are free to spend below $130 but cannot reduce their cap space to less than this amount.

Cap space can be won and lost via bonuses and penalties:
WS winner: $4
Pennant winner: $2
Division winner: $2
Wild Card winner: $1
Last in Division: -$1
100+ loss team: -$1
If win total drops by 30+ games: -$1
If win total increases by 30+games: $1

(You can only receive one of these per season)

If a team is over the cap by Opening Day, they will be forced to place their player with the biggest current year contract (not total contact) on waivers. If the waived player clears waivers, they will be cut from the team. This process will be repeated until the team at fault is back under the cap.
If a team goes over the cap during the regular season, they will have until the trade deadline to get back under. (This rule is courtesy of ritzcards)

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WAIVERS - IRREVOCABLE
Waiver System - 24 hours on the wire - If a team claims a player on the waiver wire they have two options;
(1) try to work out a trade with the team that waived the player
(2) Claim the player outright and assume all remaining salary
This system is irrevocable on both fronts. Both the waiving team and the claiming team cannot revoke their action. If nobody claims the player, the player will be cut from your team. The waiving team will be responsible for paying for 50% of the remaining contract over the remaining duration of that contract
The waiver order will be reverse standings for the current season (or past season if in offseason). This order does not reset

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WAIVERS - REVOCABLE
Trade Waiver System - 24 hours on the wire - For 3 days following trade deadline - If a team claims a player on the trade waiver wire they have two options;
(1) try to work out a trade involving only minor leaguers/other waiver wire
(2) Claim the player outright and assume all remaining salary. This system is revocable on both fronts. Both the waiving team and the claiming team can revoke their action. If nobody claims the player, the player will remain on your roster

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RELEASING PLAYERS (Adjusted during 2024 Offseason)
Releasing a player- If you decide to release a player without placing him on waivers, then he will be cut from the team while having to pay half of his salary until it expires. A cut player may not be signed by that player's former team until the next offseason. (If in the offseason, this means one season away. If in season, this means the closest offseason). This will prevent teams from cutting players, then immediately signing them as a free agent for 1/$1
Note: If a player of enough stature is released, a one time auction may be hosted

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AWARDS
Voted on during Playoff Prep. 5 Candidates will be chosen by the Commish Team for each award
Winning players will have +1 fire added to real stat line
MVP
Cy Young
Mariano Rivera Reliever Award
Platinum Glove
ROTY
Breakout Player
Manager of the Year

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ALL-LOCO TEAM
The official All-LoCo Team will consist of one team for the American League and one for the National League. Following the conclusion of the regular season, owners will vote to select the members of each team. The position breakdown for each team will be as follows:
1 Catcher
5 Infielders
4 Outfielders
4 Starting Pitchers
2 Relief Pitchers
To be eligible for a vote, a player must meet the following minimum performance requirements: 502 plate appearances for hitters, 162 innings pitched for starting pitchers, or 81 innings pitched or 30 saves for relief pitchers. All players who win will be awarded an extra Fire Point, and the final team will be stored in the Pennant Chase All-Star feature.

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EXTENSION PERIOD
Following the World Series, there will be a period for teams to retain players destined for FA

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ROOKIE CONTRACTS
Draft picks and fictional prospects are eligible for Rookie Contracts
These contracts are free; as long as a player is on a Rookie Contract, they do not cost you any cap space
Players on their Rookie Contract can stay on that contract until they reach one of these CAREER thresholds:
* 150 ABs (hitters)
* 75 IPs (SP)
* 35 IPs (RP)
* 26 years old (By the end of 26 y/o season, a new contract must be signed, or player becomes a FA)
* 90 rank

Teams can freely move players up and down their farm system without notifying anyone
During the Extension Period, tags will be removed all at once for any player that surpassed one of the above thresholds
By the end of the Extension Period, any player without a contract or tag becomes a Free Agent unless they are signed to a new contract
Off a Rookie Contract, the player can sign an Entry Level Contract, or receive a Franchise Tag/Compensatory Tender

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ENTRY LEVEL CONTRACTS
ELCs are available to the following:
Players coming off of Rookie Contracts after hitting a threshold
Any new player (drafted or fictional prospect) age 26 or younger
ELCs are ($3/4 years (+$1) = $18). ($3/$4/$5/$6)

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BRIDGE CONTRACTS (Added during 2024 Offseason)
Bridge Contracts are only available to players coming off an ELC
Bridge Contracts are ($10/2 years = $20)

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FRANCHISE TAG
Franchise Tag- A franchise tag will be a contract that your player automatically signs. There are three options for the tag:
($16/1 years = $16), ($21/2 years = $42), or ($26/3 years = $78)
Players coming off a franchise tag cannot be signed to another
Teams get one Franchise Tag per offseason

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COMPENSATORY TENDER (Adjusted during 2024 offseason; again before 2033 offseason; again before 2037 offseason; finalized in 2038)
Compensatory Tenders are automatically applied to any player entering free agency, making them all eligible for compensatory draft pick consideration. Teams may receive multiple compensatory picks in a single offseason. Compensatory-tendered players enter the standard open bidding process, where any team, including the original team, may submit offers. The former team must compete like everyone else if they wish to retain the player. If a comped signs with another team during free agency, the original team will receive a compensatory pick in the upcoming amateur draft, based on the Total Contract Value (TCV) of the new deal. These picks may be traded and are awarded as follows:
- Contracts with a TCV of $60 or more will result in a compensatory pick after the 1st round.

Note: There is little downside to using the Compensatory Tender. All teams are encouraged to take advantage of it.

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INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR FREE AGENTS (IAFAs)
IAFAs are international players between the ages of 16 and 22 who are eligible for rookie contracts under league rules. All 16 and 17-year-old International Free Agents (IFAs) will automatically be classified as IAFAs, while players aged 18-22 may be designated as IAFAs at the league’s 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.

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IAFA BIDDING PERIOD
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.

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FREE AGENCY
FA will be a rolling auction
Bids will be automatically updated via google forms and sheets
If no one exceeds the top bid for 48 hours, that player will sign with the top bidding team
Bids will be considered by total contract value (TCV) as opposed to average annual value (AAV)

Contract Guidelines (AAV)
No Free Year
1-2 Years - $1+
3-4 Years - $5+
5-6 Years - $12+
7-8 Years - $17+
9-10 Years - $25+
+$5 Maximum Raise
-$5 Deduction Maximum

There will be 3 International Free Agents added to the FA pool each offseason
Class will vary among Asian, European, and Latin American players

Entering the 14th* Day, the sheet will be closed to the public. All players not won can still be bid on for 24 hours
The last *Day of FA will be blind, with the remaining current high bids of all FAs on the homepage

Free Agents signed during the season will be given a 1/$1 contract, to play out the season

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AMATEUR DRAFT
The amateur draft is a slow draft and will consist of 2 rounds (down from 3 starting 2028.)
Round 1 is set to a 16-hour timer; round 2 is set to 12 (can be adjusted to 8 to speed things up.)
The order is the reverse order of the previous year's standings. If two teams finish with identical records, the previous year's standings of the two teams is the tiebreaker, with the team having a worse record receiving the higher pick.
Any pick in the top 5 that is auto selected will result in the user being removed from the league.

Following the draft, MLB clubs 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

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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.

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FREE AGENCY OPEN ADDS/DROPS
From after the Offseason Program Request Period until the beginning of the playoffs, free agents can be signed to veteran minimum 1/$1 contracts using the Free Agents tab in the PC navigation bar

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OFFSEASON PROGRAMS
There are a number of offseason programs that owners are allowed to utilize to improve their team:
Rookie Minicamp ($10, returned); Position Switches ($2, permanent); Stadium Renovation ($2, permanent)

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ROOKIE MINICAMP
Teams have the option of sending 1 prospect to rookie minicamp for $10 (returned the following season)
Said prospect will receive an extra C progression
There is no limit to the number of times a player can attend this camp, so long as they meet the requirements
Eligibility Requirements (prospect must meet ALL requirements):
Aged 22-25
Sub-60 rank
U/F progression
Rookie Contract

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POSITION SWITCHES
$2; limit one position switch per offseason

Move position player to secondary position:
(If secondary position is IF or UT, you must may only pick one position. You may not switch to IF or UT.)
Errors will increase by ~25%
(Range FLD% drops is between .001-.010)
dWAR will drop 40x FLD drop.
(Example: .989 FLD drops to 0.986; dWar drops 0.12)


Move SP to RP (must be age 35+):
Stamina will decrease ~50-70%
WHIP will decrease ~10-15% (worse WHIP’s could improve more)
IP’s will decrease as needed (~50%)
BB/9 will decrease ~0.7-1.0
K/9 will increase ~1.0-1.5
Stats like CG will zero out; W’s, L’s, and ERA will drop as necessary

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STADIUM RENOVATION
$2 fee to change either side of your stadium one degree
For example: to change LH Batters from Big Boost to Mild Boost would cost $2

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ROSTER DEADLINE
Before opening day, rosters must be at most 25 in the majors and 15 in the minors

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CUT PLAYER BIDDING
Following the roster deadline, there will be a 24 hour bidding period on all players that have been cut since the beginning of Free Agency. It will be a blind process, but with no rebidding or matching, simple high bid wins. Any ties will be broken in private messages. Any player not bid on will join the free agency free for all. Only teams with under 40 total players at the beginning of bidding will be eligible to bid

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NEW OWNERS
New owners will be allowed to eliminate one contract of their choosing. This player must be on the roster when the new owner takes over. This request is only available until their first offseason in the league. Cut players will go into the free agent pool

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ANTI-TANKING RULES
To promote competitive balance and deter tanking, a team is ineligible to receive a top 5 pick in the first round for three consecutive seasons.
- If a team’s draft position falls within the top 5 for a third consecutive season, their selection will automatically be reassigned to the 10th overall pick.
- If a team originally slotted outside the Top 5 (e.g., #6) moves into the Top 5 solely because a penalized team dropped to #10, this does not count as a Top 5 season.
- Picks acquired via trade do not count toward a team’s consecutive top 5 streak; the restriction applies only to a team's own original pick.
- The penalty applies to the pick itself based on the original owner's history. If a team trades a pick subject to this penalty, the pick drops to the 10th slot, affecting the new owner.
- If multiple teams trigger this penalty in the same season, they will be seeded starting at the 10th pick based on the league's standard draft tie-breaking procedures.

League Settings

Year Range of Stats	2016 - 2016
Roster Size (Majors)	25
Roster Size (Minors)	15
Keepers	(40 keepers)
Change Stats Allowed
Free Agency
Drops
No-Drop List
Player Fatigue
Batter Injuries	(50 games max)
Pitcher Injuries	(50 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