League Rules

Start of League Information

-This league will begin gameplay during the 2018-19 offseason
-All MLB players stats will be inputted based on a combination of 2018 projections (ZiPS/fantasypros) and 2018 performance. If a player exceeds projected stat levels, their real stats will be better than the projections and vice versa.
-Players that did not play during the season will be adjusted.
-Players that have not played professionally yet (whether just drafted or signed) will have stats created based on scouting reports. Obviously scouts are not always correct, but this is the best option available for prospects stats.
-Each team will get their top 30 prospects from their respective farm systems
-Players start with their full contracts as of the 2018 season. Teams will have payrolls reflecting the highest payroll in team history (only exceptions are the Dodgers and Marlins; both are lower than the highest because of their ownerships direction). All no-trade clauses, contract options, 10-5 rights, and some other clauses will be utilized.
-All start of league contract details team owners should be aware of are located in the ?team notepad? section of the ?my team? page. I have copied and pasted each of those notepads so an owner who deletes their notes will not prevent me from knowing about any unfriendly buyouts or clauses :)

League Schedule (Spring Training to Offseason)

Spring Training -- 30 games over 4 days
PC and Commissioner Power Rankings revealed
MiLB Preseason top 100 and MLB farm system rankings revealed
Opening Day -- Game time(s) will be announced beforehand -- only 1 game simmed on the first day
Day 2 through 103 -- TBD sims per day
Day 104-107 -- Atlantic League All-Star Break (game played on day 105
Day 110 -- MLB All Star Break
Two weeks to negotiate extensions, tender qualifying offers
After one week, QO announcements
After a week and a half, all remaining free agents moved
Free Agency (lasts a while, usually 3-4 weeks)
On same day, Awards begin to be released
Spring Training (30 games, 10 Sims/day)
Regular Season Begins
First Year Player Draft (Day 65)
All-Star Break (Day 100)
Trade Deadline (Day 120)
Rosters Expand (Day 150)
Regular Season Ends/Playoffs Start/AFL Starts
Contracts Cleared/Award Ballots Announced

Roster Management and Contracts

Rosters

During the regular season from days 1-150 and postseason games, you MUST adhere to having at most 25 men on your MLB roster (Any team with a two-way player may have 26). In addition, you must have at least 5 starters at all times (yes, even Tampa). Relievers may be given starter classification to accomplish this. During spring training and when rosters expand you may have up to 40 players on your MLB roster.

Promotions

You can NOT just randomly promote rookies throughout the season. You must have an open roster spot on your MLB roster to do so. This can be accomplished in a multitude of ways: (1) A trade in which you send out more players than you receive (2) Demoting a player eligible for demotion (3) Designating a player for assignment...

Designation for Assignment

In order to clear space for a player on the 40-man roster, you must designate a player for assignment (DFA). When a player is DFA?d, the other 29 teams will have 48 hours to claim him. If claimed, the player is moved to the claiming team?s roster and they take on the remaining dollars and years left on the contract. The player will be placed on the Waivers Holding Team for the duration of the process.

Waiver claim order will be in reverse of the standings at the time of the DFA. So, the last place team gets first dibs on any player if they choose to claim them. After the 48 hour window, the team with highest waiver priority to submit a claim will be awarded the player. You can only claim a player on waivers if your team is under budget and you have enough roster space to accept the player. You can make room for a claimed player by DFA'ing another player. Once a player is claimed, the team that claimed the player will be moved to the back of the waiver claim order.

If a player goes unclaimed on waivers, the team will need to either release the player or demote him to their AAA roster. If a player is successfully demoted, their contract will be converted to a $1/1 year minor league contract for the remainder of the season. However, the full amount of the contract must be paid.

Any contract that has $15M or less left on it MUST be paid for the rest of the year.
Any contract that has $16M+ left can be deferred for a maximum of three years.

Once the full amount of the contract is paid off, the full amount of money will go back into your payroll.

Disabled List

A separate disabled list can be used in order to call up a healthy player.

There are two types of disabled lists that players can be placed on: the 10-day DL, and the 40-day DL (replacing the 60-day DL since there is no option to have 60+ day injuries). Players on the DL will be moved to the disabled list team, and you may call up a player from your minor leagues to replace them. When the player is healthy, you must bring him back to the MLB roster or DFA him.

Players must be injured for 10 days or more to place a player on the 10-day disabled list. You are not required to place players on the 40-day DL at any point, however a player must be injured for at least 30 days (said player will have to stay on the DL for 40-days).


Trades

General Trading Rules

All trades of five or more players, or trades involving cash must be processed through the main commissioner. Each team must message the commissioner the exact same details of the trade before the trade gets processed. Four players or less can be traded freely without limitations, although any blatantly unfair deals are subject to being overturned.

Drafted players cannot be traded until after the World Series following the season they were drafted.

The only draft picks that can be traded are Competitive Balance Picks. These picks go to the 14 teams with the lowest amount of revenue (cap space). Competitive Balance Round A will constitute picks 31-38 (following round 1), while Competitive Balance Round B will entail picks 69-74 (after round 2). These picks will be announced following the World Series, and the only restriction on dealing them is that cash cannot be involved.

If any trade includes a player that cannot be traded (no-trade clause), the trade will be voided be the commissioner. The no-trade clause must first be waived by one of the commissioners. Please check all player tags and contract details before finalizing a deal without commish approval.

Trading Cash

Cash can be traded both as a loan (for a player contract) or permanently.

No Trade Clauses

If a player has a no trade clause on his contract, the owner must message the agent assigned with the player (see 7. Free Agency) and ask about waiving the no-trade clause. If the agent agrees to waive the no-trade clause, you and the agent must message me to confirm this (unless the agent is me).

10-5 Rights

Players who have accrued 10 years of Major League service time and spent the past five consecutive years with the same team are awarded 10-and-5 rights. Under these circumstances, a player can veto any trade scenario that is proposed. In essence, 10-and-5 rights function as a full no-trade clause.

Three (+) Team Trades

Three (+) team trades are allowed. All details must be sent to the commish.

Trade Deadline

The Deadline (Day 120) is the absolute final day that trades can be made. Sims will continue as normal, so there will be no stoppage of play. Once Day 120 is simmed, no more trades will occur until after the playoffs.


First Year Player Draft

The rookie draft will be held every season on Day 65. Draft order will be in order of the previous year?s standings, from worst to first. The player pool will likely contain real prospects for at least the first two drafts. However, after that point fake players may have to be used.

The draft is 2 rounds long, with Competitive Balance Picks and QO Picks factored in. It will potentially be stretched over two days.

Day 1

Round 1
QO Picks (largest contract signed goes first)
Compensatory Balance Round A

Day 2

Round 2
Compensatory Balance Round B

As noted above, drafted players cannot be traded until the offseason.


All-Star Break

All-Star Voting (same as MLB)

The two all-star teams will be managed by the previous season?s pennant winning GM?s. They must set up their respective starting lineups using the league-voted starters, but they can select the starting pitcher.

Each league will be allowed 32 players on their roster, including 20 position players and 12 pitchers. The composition of said rosters gets filled in three parts. Within our league, all AL owners will vote for their starting 9, while the NL will do the same with NL players. The top 3 vote getters will start in the OF, since outfielders are voted on as a group and not separated by position. The commissioners office will then select the next 10 position players and all 12 pitchers for each league. The final position player in each league will be decided by the ?final vote? in a league poll. 5 players will be chosen by the MLB commissioners to be eligible for that vote. At least one player from each team will be selected. Any injury replacements will be made as necessary. One day off will be granted before the game and two days off after (emulating real life).

An All-Star game MVP will be announced following the game.

Atlantic League Voting

Atlantic League all-star rosters will consist of 22 players (13 positional and 9 pitchers). The division?s owners select the starting 9 position players and 4 pitchers, and the commissioners office fills the rest. The previous years division champion winning managers will manage their divisions roster. They can choose the starting pitcher and set the batting order based on the starters voted in.

Futures Game

A U.S. team and a World team, each consisting of 25 top prospects, will be selected to play in the Futures Game. Invites will be sent out to teams who have players that are selected. A team may choose to hold a player out only by promoting him or (unless he?s currently injured). At least one player from each team will be selected. Any injury replacements will be made as necessary. This game will take place after the second off day is granted.

Schedule

Day 105 22nd Atlantic League All-Star Game // Day off for MLB
-----Day off-----
SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game
-----Day off-----
-----Day off-----
90th MLB All-Star Game
-----Day off-----
Season Continues


Arizona Fall League

AFL gameplay will begin shortly after the end of the MLB postseason. This differs from real life (where the MLB postseason and the AFL overlap) but that it done to avoid confusion while increasing offseason interest. There will be 30 games followed by the Championship contest between the winners of the East and West divisions. The East division will consist of the Mesa Solar Sox, the Salt River Rafters, and the Scottsdale Scorpions, while the West will include the Glendale Desert Dogs, the Peoria Javelinas, and the Surprise Saguaros. The affiliates for each team are as follows:

Solar Sox - CHC, DET, HOU, OAK, WAS
Rafters - ARI, BAL, COL, MIA, MIL
Scorpions - CIN, LAA, NYM, NYY, SF
Desert Dogs - CHW, CIN, LAD, PHI, PIT
Javelinas - ATL, BOS, SD, SEA, TOR
Saguaros - KC, MIN, STL, TB, TEX

Each AFL team receives 6 prospects from each affiliate and will be managed by the owner of the team with the best record of the 5. A Fall-Stars game will take place after the 20th game with the best players from the East and West.

Awards

The awards in this league are meant to be extensive to offer many opportunities for player/owner recognition. The release schedule is meant to emulate the real MLB.

Schedule (in the week following the World Series)

After World Series - Willie Mays World Series MVP
Day 1 - Gold Glove Awards
Day 2 - Silver Slugger Awards
Day 3 - Edgar Martinez Award
Day 4 - Mariano Rivera/Trevor Hoffman Reliever of the Year Award
Day 5 - Comeback Player of the Year
Day 6 - Rookie of the Year
Day 7 - Manager of the Year, Atlantic League Manager of the Year
Day 8 - Cy Young, Atlantic League Pitcher of the Year
Day 9 - MVP, Atlantic League Player of the Year
At conclusion of AFL - AFL MVP

Contracts

Agents

The two commissioners (Vecix and Cambayana) will each act as agents for one league. American League teams should message any contract/options etc to vecix, while the NL should do so to Cambayana.

Vecix is more experienced and a better person, so message him with any questions or concerns. The league took a while to set up, and there were thousands of number sets inputted, so if you come across any errors please let us know right away.


Player Contracts / Team Control

Rookies (minors)

When a player is drafted, he will be sent to a teams minor leagues and given a rookie tag. This tag can remain with a player for up to 7 years. If a player is not called up to a MLB Roster within 7 years, he will become a free agent.
Rookie Contract (40-man, majors)
Once a player surpasses rookie thresholds (130 AB?s or 50 IP), his contract will change into a pre-arbitration MLB contract, starting at $1M/3yrs.

This will be the player?s base contract for the first three years of his career. You can sign a player to a normal extension while they?re under a rookie contract if you choose to do so.

Arbitration Eligible

Once a player has accumulated 3 years of MLB service, the player is able to go to arbitration. To avoid a tedious arbitration process, the two commissioners will assign contract values based on MLB precedent for the player?s skill and experience level. Be aware that must arbitrators tend to use counting stats such as wins, saves, and home runs as opposed to dWAR or WHIP, so that may play a factor in the contract assigned. As always, you may attempt to bypass arbitration with an extension, whether it be for one season or long-term.

Non Tenders

When a club "non-tenders" a player, it declines to give that player a contract for the upcoming season, thereby immediately making him a free agent. This means that you can release a player free of cap charge at this point in the offseason, potentially opening up a roster spot for a rookie or incoming trade asset.


Normal/Free Agency Contract

Once a player reaches the end of arbitration or his extension, he will become a free agent. Numerous factors will come into play for a player whilst making a FA decision, such as:

Money
Playing Time
Team Success
Ring Chasing


Contract Options

Player Option/Opt Out Clauses

When a player is offered a player option or an opt out, that means that they have the option of opting into the remainder of the deal at the set price or exploring free agency. Agents will decide whether to opt out or in, or ask for a raise to avoid opting out (such as Justin Upton did with the LA Angels).

Club Option

When a player is offered a club option, that means that when the contract is over, the team has the option of opting into another year in the deal at the determined price. Team owners will message the commissioner with their decisions.

Mutual Option

When a player is offered a mutual option, that means that when the contract is over, the player and team have the option of opting into another year in the deal at the set price. Both parties have to opt in or the player becomes a free agent.

Vesting Option

A vesting option is an optional year at the end of the contract that becomes guaranteed if the player reaches a certain performance incentive threshold. Vesting options are typically based on playing time incentives such as plate appearances, innings pitched, games started or saves.

Luxury/Competitive Balance Tax

The Luxury Tax only applies to teams that have budgets that exceed the tax set. If a team finishes the regular season over the luxury tax threshold for their team's budget with or without going over their maximum team budget, they will incur a luxury tax. If a team goes over the tax, they will have 20% of the amount they are over deducted from their budget. If a team goes over again in the following season, they will pay 30% of the amount over. If a team goes over 3 or more consecutive seasons, they will pay 50% of the amount they are over. A team can ?reset? their tax penalty by being under the tax for one full season. Any deductions will be reinstated to the teams budget if the penalty is reset. No penalties incurred during 2018 will be instituted here, in order to allow owners to start fresh.

2019: $206 million
2020: $208 million
2021: $210 million

Additionally, if any team exceeds $237M in salary, their first round pick will be dropped 10 spots, unless it is top 6, then the second round pick will be dropped. (based on MLB rules)


Pre-Offseason/Offseason/Free Agency

Extensions

During arbitration or when a player is about to become a free agent, a contract can be renegotiated. Same rules will apply for how a player and agent will make their decision.

You may offer a QO, but you will be asked to retract your extension offer and forced to stop negotiations with that player.

Qualifying Offers

Clubs wishing to receive a compensatory draft pick for the loss of a free agent can make a one-year qualifying offer worth the mean salary of MLB's 125 highest-paid players, to their impending free agents prior to the onset of free agency if:

1. That player has never received a qualifying offer previously in his career
2. That player spent the entire season on that team's roster

Should a player decide to accept the qualifying offer, he is signed for the following year at the predetermined rate. If a player rejects the qualifying offer, he is free to further explore the free-agent market. Any team that signs a player who has rejected a qualifying offer is subject to the loss of one or more Draft picks. While a team's highest first-round pick is exempt from forfeiture, any Competitive Balance picks are eligible.

A team that signs a player who rejected the QO will lose its second round pick. If such a team signs multiple qualifying offer free agents, it will lose any potential Competitive Balance picks.

If a qualifying-offer free agent's previous team is over the luxury-tax threshold, said team will receive a compensation pick after the second round has been completed. If a team did not exceed the luxury tax in the preceding season, their pick will come after the first round has completed.


Free Agency Process

Players can sign major league deals all year long. Just remember that anyone signed after Day 150 cannot play in the postseason.

In offseason free agency, teams can not back out of bids once they are signed. If a team wins a player in free agency, they cannot back out of the deal, even if the deal causes the team to exceed its budget or luxury tax. However, you can retract an offer before it is accepted if you feel the need to do so.

Teams will submit contract offers to their respective agent. The agent will message owners numerous times on their FA targets so they can be aware if they need to move on to other players. A player can choose to sign a contract immediately or choose to wait out the process, based on what the agent says.


Atlantic League of Professional Baseball

If players are unable to secure deals with MLB clubs, they may choose to sign with one of the eight Atlantic League clubs. Their season will begin on Day 30 and lasts for 126 games. The top two teams in each division will play for the division championship, with the winners facing each other for the league championship. Each series is a best of 5 in the 2-2-1 format. Atlantic League All-Star status will be awarded after stats are archived to avoid mixups with the MLB all-star teams.

MLB teams can purchase an Atlantic League player?s contract if they can negotiate a price with the player?s team. This entails taking on the contract at full value while paying the player?s original team that sum in cap space. For example, if Rafael Palmeiro?s $2/1 year deal is purchased, then he will keep that same deal with his new team, and the new team will lose whatever amount is agreed to in cap for the remainder of the season. This cap will be reinstated following the season. The Atlantic League team will gain that cap space in order to sign a replacement player. If there aren?t enough free agents, the commissioner reserves the right to create some real Atlantic League players to equally fill each team.

(Not sure who is going to manage these teams yet)


International Free Agents

International Amateur Free Agency

Foreign professionals -- defined as players who are at least 25 years of age and have played as a professional in a foreign league recognized by Major League Baseball for a minimum of six seasons -- may choose to come over to the MLB during the offseason, whether from Asia, Korea, or Cuba. Posting fees and young players will not be included in this league. MLB free agents in this league can sign overseas if they are unable to come to terms with an MLB or Atlantic League team.

Expansion

Sometime down the line, we may have an expansion draft. More specific rules will be sent out in advance of such an event.


Miscellaneous Rules/Info

Progression/Stats
All players in this league have U potential, to emulate real life. This means they generally won?t progress/regress as quickly as in normal leagues. It?s pretty random though.

Starting stats are 2018 projections adjusted based on 2018 performance. Players with little to no experience or no projections have been adjusted based on scouting reports and minor league stats.

The Draft Class

The draft class for the first few seasons of the league will have a vast majority of real players. Their high school/college stats will be adjusted to fit their MLB potential. Eventually, fictional players will have to be used in the draft. :(

Team Rewards/Deductions

Besides the other ways mentioned, you can have your budget increased or decreased in two other ways:

Team Record

If your team wins 10 or more games than in the previous season, you automatically get a 0.25% bonus to your budget. (Easily calculated by multiplying budget x 1.025)

If your team loses 10 or more games than the previous season, you automatically get a 0.25% deduction from your budget. (Same process except x 0.975)

Postseason Bonuses

Making the wild card game will warrant a .125% bonus.
Division Titles will warrant a .25% bonus
World Series Win will warrant a .5% bonus
(Postseason bonuses are not cumulative)

Bonuses and deductions will be rounded.


GM Expectations

Over Budget

Going over budget is allowed to a certain point with the following representing the ?soft cap.? As long as teams are within this range no penalties will be given (unless a team is over the luxury tax).

Small budget soft cap (less than or equal to $110M): $5M over
Medium-Large budget soft cap ($110M>): $3M over

If a team exceeds the soft cap, the following penalties will occur:

First season Over: 30% budget deducted from how much they went over
Second Season Over: 75% budget deducted from how much they went over
Third Season (and up) Over: 100% budget deducted from how much they went over

During the offseason going over budget by larger amounts is acceptable, as long as the team gets back within its limits before the season begins. Penalties will be given out at that point.

Tanking

Tanking is permitted with regulations. Playing guys out of position or having less than 5 SP?s can lead to an owner being booted. This is pretty much a ?no tolerance? policy because it can potentially delegitimize all of the realism the commissioners worked hard to create.

Position Changes

Position changes can be requested at anytime. The only changes that won?t be accepted are illogical ones such as moving a catcher or first baseman to shortstop.

When a player's position is changed, his real life stats at that position will be used. The season's fielding stats will be changed to match. Otherwise, the player's fielding statistics will drop a little (or a lot depending on the case).

As for pitching changes, any SP can be changed to a RP with a boost in stats. However, a change from RP to SP is on a case by case basis.


If you have any questions regarding anything in the rules or about pennantchase in general, feel free to ask. I?m always willing to help out.

-vecix
Head Commish

Rules are subject to change depending on any future pennantchase updates or problems that arise. Thanks for joining!

League Settings

Year Range of Stats	2019 - 2020
Roster Size (Majors)	25
Roster Size (Minors)	40
Keepers	(50 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