Commissioner: Mike Glander
Grand Poobah of Transactions:
Jeff Paulson
Usage Nazi:
D.J. Shepard
Schedule Guy: Tony Chamra
Lord of Contracts:
Tony Chamra
God of WAR:
Ian Hartner
Czar of Ballparks & Graphics:
Mike Stein
Auctionmaster General:
Tony BadgerNote: This is the official rulebook of the BDBL. Any
discrepancy between these rules and those published elsewhere shall be overridden by the
rules posted on this web page.
Last updated: 11/26/23
Changes made: Removed 11.8(c) (no longer valid), added 11.8(e),
modified 18.9(b) and 14.9 as per league vote.
Last updated: 10/23/23
Changes made: Added 14.2(e)
Last updated: 8/22/23
Changes made: Added 11.8(d)
Last updated: 10/12/22
Changes made: Modified Rules 13.1 and 5.2 as per league vote.
Rule 14.3(a) (Wildcard game) removed retroactively.
Last updated: 12/6/21
Changes made: Modified Rules 9.8, 9.9, and 21.3 due to the
retirement of VORP by Baseball Prospectus.
Last updated: 9/27/21
Changes made: Modified Rules 21.2, 14.1, 14.6, 10.2(b), 5.2, 14.18 as
per league vote. Added Rule 9.9 as per league vote.
Last updated: 10/7/19
Changes made: Modified Rules 14.1, 8.4, and removed 7.16, and 7.18, as per
league vote.
Last updated: 10/30/18
Changes made: Modified Rules 7.18 and 7.18(b) for clarity.
Last updated: 10/8/18
Changes made: Modified Rules 14.10, 6.11, 14.3(a)-14.5, 9.8, and
5.4 as per league vote. Rule 14.8 removed as per league vote.
Last updated: 12/14/17
Changes made: Modified Rule 11.14, added 11.14(a) and 11.14(b) as
per league vote.
Last updated: 10/17/17
Changes made: Added Rule 11.6 and 14.20 for clarification.
Last updated: 9/28/17
Changes made: Altered Rule 7.18 per league vote.
Last updated: 12/20/16
Changes made: Clarified Rules 18.13 and 7.18(a).
Last updated: 5/1/15
Changes made: Rule 6.10 altered for crystal clarity, Rule 6.11
added for even more clarity. Rule 11.4 removed, as it is no longer
relevant.
Last updated: 12/11/14
Changes made: Rules 6.4, 20.1 clarified. Rules 6.6(b) added
for clarification. Modified Rules 15.1 and 21.2 per league vote.
Removed Rules 15.3, 15.7, 15.9 per league vote. Added Rule 15.10
per league vote.
Last updated: 11/1/13
Changes made: Rule 14.9 clarified.
Last updated: 10/7/13
Changes made: Rules 6.6, 6.7 and 6.7(b) clarified. Rule 6.7(a)
removed, as it no longer applies due to new rule passed on 11/30.
Last updated: 5/15/13
Changes made: Added Rule 18.13(b) per the Commissioner's
authority granted by Rules 2.1 and 2.2.
Last updated: 12/4/12
Changes made: Removed Rule 7.19 for the sake of clarification.
Last updated: 11/30/12
Changes made: Rules 6.6, 6.7 and 9.8 modified as per league
voting. Rule 18.9(b) added per league vote.
Last updated: 6/1/12
Changes made: Rule 7.17 renamed as Rule 9.8.
Last updated: 1/15/12
Changes made: Rule 5.7 reinstated.
Last updated: 9/12/11
Changes made: Rule 7.5 changed by league vote.
Last updated: 8/29/11
Changes made: 21.8(a) added to clarify Rule 21.8.
Last updated: 12/2/10
Changes made: Added Rule 11.15, and revised rules 14.9, 7.18,
7.18(a) and 13.1, as per league vote. Added 11.8(c) to take
advantage of new feature in v10.
Last updated: 8/19/10
Changes made: Added Rule 7.18(b) for clarification.
Modified Rule 1.1.
Last updated: 1/15/09
Changes made: Added Rule 7.18(a).
Last updated: 12/27/08
Changes made: Added Rule 2.9, 2.10; removed Rule 5.7,
7.3, 7.15, 9.6, 10.6, 11.13, 17.7; modified Rule 7.2, 7.2(b), 7.5, 7.6,
9.1(a), 9.1(b), 9.5.
Last updated: 9/28/07
Changes made: Added Rules 7.18, 7.19, 18.18 and 15.9; modified
Rules 7.16, 7.5, 18.16, 15.6, 14.13 and 6.10; and removed Rule 14.11 as
per league vote.
Last updated: 10/11/06
Changes made: Removed Rule 16.1(a), and modified Rules 7.17, 17.7
and 21.2 as per league vote.
Last updated: 7/14/06
Changes made: Updated Rule 14.6 to reinstate the clause
concerning post-season roster eligibility.
Last updated: 7/11/06
Changes made: Modified Rule 14.9 and added Rule 14.9(a) to close Condrey-type
loophole.
The Goals of this Rulebook
The Big Daddy Baseball League was originally created
specifically for owners who have little free time on their hands. Our expanded schedule,
as well as several of the rules listed below, were specifically designed with this concept
in mind. This rulebook was constructed in such a way as to: a) allow enough time for a
busy owner to fully manage his franchise, b) simulate the tasks of a major league owner, GM
and manager as closely and realistically as possible, and c) to allow every team a
realistic opportunity to compete within a reasonable amount of time. League owners are
encouraged to submit their ideas for improving these rules. Rules that pertain to the
operation of the league from an administrative standpoint will be amended by the
Commissioner. All other rule amendments will be voted upon at the end of each season.
1.0 Membership Requirements
1.1 All members must have a LEGAL copy of the most recent
version of Diamond Mind Baseball as well as a
LEGAL copy of the most recent DMB player disk. Note: the Commissioner will check with
Diamond Mind Baseball before the start of each season to ensure all owners have purchased
the required products. As of the 2011 season, the BDBL currently uses DMB
Version 10.
1.2 All owners are responsible for playing their AWAY
games (managed either by themselves or the computer manager) when scheduled and e-mailing
the results of these games (along with all necessary series files) to the Commissioner by
the deadline stated under "Important Dates" on the home page. All owners should
read and/or download the "Series
Instructions" file listed on the Downloads page.
1.3 All members must agree to play the game fairly and
honestly following the rules described in this rulebook.
1.4 All members are encouraged (but not required) to
contribute to the league's web page, contributing news items, game
summaries, essays, a team logo or anything else remotely interesting.
1.5 All members are responsible for creating and
maintaining a manager profile as outlined in section 12.0.
1.6 All games will be managed by the VISITING team's
manager (or by the computer if this is not possible.) Members may play games against each
other either in person or head-to-head using the game's netplay feature.
1.7 Owners are required to meet all deadlines. Most
importantly, the deadlines for pitching rotations and series results must be met or the
owner will be penalized or replaced. (See Rules 11.9 and 11.10 for
specific penalties.)
1.8 The Commissioner may waive a penalty
or penalties against a team/owner in special circumstances (such as
illness or other personal issues.)
2.0 The League Office
2.1 The Commissioner oversees the operation of the league.
He is responsible for ruling on any differences between league members and shall be the
final authority on interpretations of league rules. He is responsible for maintaining the
league's web site, conducting and scheduling the drafts, dispersing the league's data
disks and updating and revising the rulebook as necessary.
2.2 The rulebook may not be altered once the season begins
(regular season or playoffs), except in rare and unavoidable
circumstances (as judged by the Commissioner.)
2.3 At the end of each season, owners are encouraged to
suggest any changes and/or clarifications to the rulebook. The Commissioner will determine
all rule changes based upon the fairness and betterment of the league. Those
suggested changes will then be voted upon by the league. A majority decision
(currently 13 votes) is needed to pass any amendment to the rules,
although in certain cases more than 13 votes may be required for
passage.
2.4 The Commissioner will rule on any situation not
covered by this rulebook.
2.5 The Transactions Secretary is responsible for
collecting transactions from all members of the league at the deadline and assigning free
agents to teams based upon the rules stated below. All free agent issues and/or questions
should be directed toward the Transactions Secretary.
2.6 The Contracts Secretary is responsible for collecting
all contract decisions by BDBL GM's, ensuring these decisions meet the rules and
guidelines stated herein, and reporting these decisions to the Commissioner by the
appropriate deadline. The Contracts Secretary is also responsible for maintaining
the master list of contracted players, and ensuring that all trades made during the season
comply with Rule 9.6. All questions and/or issues regarding contracts should be
directed toward the Contracts Secretary.
2.7 The Usage Secretary is responsible for reporting any
violations of our usage rules. Any appeals to these violations should be directed toward
the Usage Secretary.
2.8 The Rulebook Secretary is
responsible for ensuring that the league rulebook remains relevant as
new rules are passed and new advances are made in the game and/or
software. The Rulebook Secretary should also be available to
answer any rules-related questions by the owners of the league.
2.9 The WAR Czar is responsible
for tracking all mid-season trades and alerting the league to any trades
that violate Rule 9.8.
2.10 The Czar of Ballparks and
Graphics is responsible for tracking and updating all changes made to BDBL ballparks, and providing league-related graphics for the web site
on occasion.
3.0 Dues and Fees
3.1 League dues are currently $10 per team and are
completely voluntary. League dues help defer some of the cost of running the league
web site and are greatly appreciated. Dues should be paid by the first of the year
and can be paid via PayPal (using the link at the bottom-right of the home page) or by
check. Contact the Commissioner for his mailing address.
4.0 League Structure
4.1 The BDBL is comprised of 24 teams divided into two
leagues (the Eck League and the Ozzie League) and three divisions (Higuera, Person and
Hrbek Divisions in the EL and McGowan, Benes and Griffin Divisions in the OL) within each
league of four teams per division. The assignment of teams within a division is subject to
change from season-to-season.
5.0 Franchises
5.1 Each owners is responsible for selecting a name for
his team. Keep it short (preferably ten characters or less), simple and preferably
amusing. The owner's home town should be the first part of the name (ex: the "Salem
Cowtippers.")
5.2 Each team consists of a 26-player active roster, a
9-player reserve roster, and a 20-player farm team.
5.3 The active and reserve rosters must contain players
who appear on the DMB player disk or players who are currently under BDBL contract.
5.4 The farm team may consist only of
players who have fewer than 350 career major league at-bats, 125 career MLB innings
pitched (for pitchers that have started at least half of their MLB appearances) or 50
career MLB innings pitched (for pitchers that have not started at least half of their MLB
appearances) as of the BDBL's Opening Day. The farm team may consist of any player from
any level of competition (amateur or professional) who meets the above criteria.
Players who meet the above criteria, but own a salary of more than $100,000,
are not eligible to be farmed on Cutdown Day. Once Cutdown Day has
passed, such players may move freely to any roster spot for which they
are qualified.
5.6 A player may play at any position during a game,
regardless of whether or not he is rated at that position. However, a player's
defensive performance may suffer if he is played at a position at which he is not rated.
5.7 Any player who qualifies only at the
DH position on the Diamond Mind disk will be automatically assigned to
the position he most recently played in the MLB, and will be given a
range rating of "Pr" and error rating of 300.
6.0 Maximum Player Usage
6.1 No pitcher may be used during the regular season for
more than 110-percent of the number of innings he pitched during the prior MLB season.
6.2 No hitter may be used during the regular season for
more than 110-percent of the number of plate appearances he had during the prior MLB
season.
6.2(a) Any hitter with fewer than 450 total PA's during
the prior major league regular season is limited to 125-percent of the number of PA's he
had against left- and right-handed pitchers during the prior major league season.
6.3 The above rules (6.1, 6.2 and 6.2(a)) are strictly
enforced. Playing time percentages will be displayed on the "Status Reports"
page, and will be monitored at the end of each chapter by the Usage Secretary. If a player
exceeds the limits outlined above, that player will be immediately suspended for the
remainder of the regular season and his team may be fined. (See
Rule 6.6.)
6.4 Any player listed on the
Transactions page as "suspended" must be removed from the active
roster by his manager and placed on reserves. If a hitter or pitcher is close to the
maximum limit during the team's home games, instructions should be left with the visiting
team's manager to disable said player. No excuses!
6.4(a) Usage rules may be enforced by
opposing managers as well. If a team uses a suspended hitter, the
opposing manager may force his opponent to use a pinch hitter. If
a team uses a suspended pitcher, the opposing manager may force his
opponent to use a reliever. (Or, if the pitcher is not allowed to
leave the game, because he has not faced one batter, the opposing
manager may force his opponent to issue an intentional walk.)
6.5 Player usage applies during the entire regular season.
Therefore, if a player is released or traded, the statistics accumulated by his old
team(s) carry over to his new team. If a player has exceeded the maximum number of plate
appearances or innings pitched defined by the rules above, he may not be activated by any
team (until the playoffs.)
6.6 If a player's total PA's or innings
exceeds 110-percent of his major league PA's or innings, or if a
limited-usage player (defined in Rule 6.2(a)) exceeds 125-percent of his
lefty/righty splits, at any time during the regular season, the player's
team will be fined a total of $500,000 against the cap. This amount will
be deducted from the offending team's salary cap at the next draft.
6.6(b) Once a player exceeds his usage
limit for the season, he is suspended from the Division Series. If
the player meets the requirements of Rule 6.7(b), and his team pays the
penalty defined by that rule, he may be reinstated for the Division
Series.
6.7 If a player exceeds the limits
defined by Rules 6.1, 6.2 and 6.2(a) by more than seven innings pitched
or eight PA's, that player will be ineligible for the first round of the
playoffs (a.k.a. the "Division Series."). That player may be reinstated
after the division series provided the owner pay $1 million fine per
player. This penalty would be subtracted from the team's salary cap the
following year and would only be accepted at the discretion of the
Commissioner.
6.7(b) If a batter finishes the season eight PA's or less
over the maximum limit defined by Rule 6.1, or if a pitcher finishes the season seven
innings or less over the maximum limit defined by Rule 6.2, or if a hitter finishes the
season with eight PA's or less over the maximum limit defined by Rule 6.2(a), that player
may be retained on the Division Series roster if his owner pays a penalty of $1 million
per player. This penalty would be deducted from the team's salary cap the following year
and would only be accepted at the discretion of the Commissioner.
6.8 If an owner uses a suspended player at any point
during the regular season after the player has been suspended, the owner's team will be
fined $500,000. This fine will double with each additional offense.
6.9 Section 6.0 usage rules do not apply to PA's by
pitchers or innings pitched by hitters.
6.10 Hitters with fewer than 75 PA's,
and pitchers with fewer than 20 IP during the previous MLB season, are ineligible for the
active roster. Pitchers with 20-39.2 innings may only be used
in relief.
6.11 Only pitchers with a rating as a
starting pitcher, or who started at least five games in MLB, may be used as a starting pitcher.
7.0 Free Agent and Farm Team Drafts
7.1 The rosters of all MLB teams are available for the
BDBL draft. Only players appearing on the Diamond Mind player disk are eligible to be
drafted during the free agent draft.
7.2 The draft will be conducted via the league message board,
immediately following the auction. Time slots will be posted for
each team for each round of the draft. Teams are responsible for
selecting a player (or passing) after the prior team has selected and
before their time slot expires. If a team fails to select a player
before their time slot expires, their pick will be passed, and the
following team will select. Teams that miss their pick may pick at
any time afterward. Owners that know they will not be available
during their time slot should leave a short list of players with another
owner.
7.2(b) The farm draft will usually begin on January
2nd and
will be held via the the league message board. Only farm-eligible players that do
not appear on the DMB disk are eligible to be selected in the farm draft.
Time slots will be provided for each team in each round (see Rule 7.2
for details.)
7.5 The
order of the free agent draft will be descending winning percentage from
the prior year for all non-playoff teams, followed by the playoff teams
in ascending order of winning percentage. In the case of a tie, the
winning percentage from the year prior to last will be used to determine
the tie-breaker.
7.6 The order of the farm draft will be
ascending winning percentage from the prior season. In case of a tie, previous season's win totals will
be used as the tie-breaker (with the lower number winning the
tie-breaker.)
7.8 Both the free agent and farm drafts will proceed in
the same order for each round until the draft is completed.
7.8(a) An owner may pass during any round of the draft,
but must eventually fill all 35 roster spots (while keeping his total salary under the
cap.) For example, if you don't believe any player is worth $10 million (or you can't
afford a $10 million player), you'll probably want to pass on any bidding for players in
Round One.
7.9 The free agent draft will continue for as many rounds
until all teams have filled their rosters.
7.11 Each owner is responsible for keeping track of his
team's total salary during the draft. Once the draft is completed, all salaries will be
summed. If any owner exceeds the limits specified by Rules 16.1 and/or 5.2, that owner
will lose the fewest number of players necessary to get under that maximum limit. For
example, if an owner goes $200,000 over the cap, he will lose two $100,000 players. If he
goes $1 million over the cap, he'll lose one $1 million player. The last player(s) chosen
in the draft at the required salary range will be the first player(s) released.
7.12 Any player automatically released due to the
infraction described in Rule 7.11 above may not be re-acquired by the same owner as a free
agent during the remainder of the season. The salary of any such player
will remain the same as it was when he was drafted.
7.13 If a new owner inherits a team from an owner who
incurred salary cap penalties for any reason, those penalties will be eliminated.
7.18(a) When a
new owner takes over an existing franchise, all penalties or bonuses
unrelated to Rule 7.18 will be removed. If a new owner takes control of
a franchise prior to Cutdown Day, the owner will be rewarded/penalized
for the performance of his team that season. If a new owner takes
control of a franchise after Cutdown Day, he will not be rewarded or
penalized for his team's performance that season.
7.18(b) The bonus/penalty applied in
Rule 7.18 cannot exceed $7.5 million. This cap will be reduced to $6
million in 2019 and $5 million in 2020 and thereafter.
8.0 Roster Moves
8.3 Farm players may be promoted to the 35-man roster only
if they appear on the DMB disk. Players may be demoted to the farm only if they qualify
for the farm team as specified in Rule 5.4.
8.4 Players may be moved
between the active, reserve and farm rosters prior to each series
(assuming they qualify to be moved) as long as roster limits are not
exceeded.
8.5 Rule 8.4 does not apply to any player that
has reached 80%
of his usage limit (either split or overall.)
9.0 Trades
9.1 The deadline for all trades each
chapter will be posted on
"Calendar" section of the home page. Any trade made after
this deadline will not become official until the following chapter.
9.1(a) The trading deadline for the season is the end of
Chapter Four. This date will also be posted under the "Calendar" section of the
home page. No trade may be announced from this date until the end of the playoffs.
9.1(b) Any trade that is made during the
draft will not become official until the conclusion of the draft.
9.3 Any trade may be voided by the Commissioner if, in his
judgment, the trade violates the "best interests of the league."
9.4 Players may be traded for other players only.
The exchanging of draft picks, money (real or fantasy), "players to be named" or
other such gimmicks or loopholes will not be allowed.
9.5 Both managers involved in a trade must establish
confirmation of their trade by notifying the Commissioner
(in-person, by phone, e-mail, message board post or PM) prior to the deadline.
9.7 Teams may discuss trades at any time after the
established deadlines. However, the league asks that no trades be announced publicly
during the playoffs.
9.8 A team may not add more than 11 WAR
points through trades during the course of a season, nor may a team
trade more than 11 WAR points during the course of the season (defined
as the time between Cutdown Day and the final trading deadline.) Note:
Players with negative WAR will not be counted toward this total. Any
trade in violation of this rule will be nullified immediately.
9.9 When a new owner joins the league
mid-season (i.e. from the end of the previous regular season to the
final trading deadline of the current season), the midseason WAR
trading cap defined by Rule 9.8 is reset to zero.
10.0 Free Agents
10.1 Any player that does not appear on any team's 50-man
roster is considered to be a free agent.
10.2 All free agent selections must be entered into the
Transaction Form posted by the Commissioner before the deadline. A link to this form
will appear on the home page. These transactions must be received by the
deadline listed under the "Calendar" section of the home page.
10.2(a) Unlimited 35-man free agent pick-ups are allowed
at the beginning of every chapter.
10.2(b) Free agents that are farm-eligible
(and not on the DMB disk) may only be
acquired at the conclusion of Chapter Four.
10.3 Free agents will be awarded to teams based upon
reverse order of winning percentage according to the standings at the end of each chapter.
In case of a tie, the team with the greatest disparity between runs allowed and runs
scored will be awarded the higher draft position. If a tie still exists, the
Transactions Secretary will flip a coin.
10.4 Before each deadline, each owner should submit a list of players to release from his
roster along with a list of several players to acquire as free agents (major and minor
leaguers) in order of preference. If an owner's turn for free agent selection comes up and
no players remain on his selection list, the owner will not receive any more players (and
the player(s) the owner attempted to release will remain on the roster.) This free agent
selection process will occur following the transactions deadline and will be reported
on the forum or through the Transactions page as soon as
possible. Any owner who fails to submit a list by the deadline forfeits his participation
for free agent selection in that chapter.
10.4(b) Free agents that are not on the
DMB disk and are not
eligible for the farm are not eligible to be acquired.
10.5 There is a 24 hour period directly following the
transaction deadline where owners may appeal to the Transactions Secretary regarding any
free agents who were or were not received. After this deadline has passed, no free agent
decisions may be appealed.
11.0 Game Play
11.1 The regular season will consist of 160 games.
11.2 The season will be divided
into six "chapters," each consisting of approximately six weeks. The following
is a time table for the beginning and end dates for each chapter:
Chapter 1: February 1 - March 15
Chapter 2: March 16 - April 30
Chapter 3: May 1 - June 15
Chapter 4: June 16 - July 31
Chapter 5: August 1 - September 15
Chapter 6: September 16 - October 31
11.5 Injuries apply only to games played during
each series. Managers are instructed to select "Reset usage" before the start of each series. This fully rests any
injured players and resets all stats. NOTE: When teams play
back-to-back two-game series, injuries and rest should NOT be reset
after the first two games.
11.7 Weather effects will be used for all games.
11.8 Bullpen warm-up rule WILL be in effect for all games.
11.8(a) Clutch ratings will be turned ON for all games.
11.8(b) Box scores should be saved and formatted in
EXPANDED format. Game summaries should also be saved as well.
11.8(d) The DH will, unfortunately, be
used in every game by default.
11.8(e) The three-batter minimum option
will be set to on.
11.9 The deadline(s) for turning in
game results for each chapter will be posted under the "Calendar" section of the
home page. The schedule calls for approximately 13 games to be played in approximately 40
days. This should allow more than enough time for even the busiest owner. Any games not
mailed to the Commissioner by the final deadline will be automatically simmed using the computer
and both teams' manager profiles. Visiting teams will be fined $1 million per
unplayed series. If this offense occurs more than once in a year (without a valid
excuse), the offending owner may be replaced.
11.10 The deadline for pitching rotations will be posted
under the "Calendar" section of the home page. These rotations are submitted
through a "Rotation" link on each team's page. Owners will be fined $100,000 per
day for every day after the deadline their rotation is not completed.
11.11 Pitchers must be given at least three days of rest
between starts. This requirement only applies within each chapter and does not extend from
chapter to chapter. (In other words, a pitcher is allowed to start the last game of one
chapter and the first game of the next.)
11.12 Any team failing to complete the pitching rotation
form after one week has passed since the deadline will be fined $1 million. The
Commissioner will then assign that team's rotation for that chapter. If this happens more
than once, the owner may be replaced.
11.14 Managers
may not use a pitcher (defined as any player who is given a pitching
durability rating by DMB on the current season disk) as a pinch hitter
unless: a) there are no other hitters available on the bench, and/or b)
the manager attempts to bunt. This rule is policed and enforced by the
opposing manager.
11.14(a) If a pitcher accumulates 150 plate appearances or more in the
prior MLB season, that pitcher is excluded from the Rule 11.14 mandate
to bunt.
11.14(b) If (and only if) a pitcher accumulates 150 plate appearances or
more in the prior MLB season, that pitcher must comply with the same
usage rules for hitters under Section 6.0.11.15 Any pitcher
who is allowed to bat while listed at a position other than pitcher --
while true position players remain on the bench -- will be treated as a
position player and will be subject to the same rules that apply toward
position players, including Rule 6.10. This rule must be enforced by the
opposing manager.
11.16 The pitching
rotation submitted at the start of each chapter must be followed
throughout that chapter. The pitcher listed in the rotation must be the
starting pitcher for the game he is assigned. If, for any reason, that
pitcher has been excluded from the active roster, that pitcher must be
added mid-series and another player must be demoted. The player farmed
must be one that was not used during that series and is legally allowed
to be demoted. If no such player is available, then it is up to the
discretion of the non-offending manager to select the player to be
demoted.
12.0 Manager Profile
12.1 Each manager is responsible for creating and updating
his own manager profile for home games. This profile consists of batting lineups,
substitution preferences, bullpen usage and managerial preferences. This profile should be
created using the Diamond Mind software, and should be exported and sent to the opposing
team via e-mail if necessary.
12.2 It is the home team's responsibility to get an
updated MP to the visiting team's owner at the start of a chapter if the game is not to be
played head-to-head.
12.3 In addition to the profile, managers may wish to
leave game- or series-specific instructions with an opposing manager. This should be
transacted through e-mail directly with the opposing manager. If instructions were
received late, the game still counts as an official game. However, if instructions were
ignored or forgotten, the series must be replayed. (Note: all owners should make a habit
of contacting all opposing owners before each chapter.)
12.4 Each owner on the Teams page is listed with a
designation of either "MP" or "Head-to-head." These are the
default managing designations for these teams. Teams may change their default
designation at any time. "MP" teams may play certain series head-to-head,
and "Head-to-head" teams may play certain series against the MP.
12.5 "MP" owners should send an updated MP (if
necessary) to all opponents in home series at the beginning of each chapter.
12.6 Once an MP has been received by an opposing owner in
an away series, "MP" owners may begin playing those series immediately.
After five days have passed since the start of each chapter, MP owners should begin
playing ALL of their away series.
12.7 "Head-to-head" owners should begin each
chapter by checking the default managing designation of each of their opponents.
12.8 If a "head-to-head" owner has a home series
against an "MP" owner, the "head-to-head" owner may send an updated MP
to his opposing owner if necessary. If not, nothing needs to be done.
12.9 If a "head-to-head" owner has a series
(home or away) against another "head-to-head" owner, the two owners should
contact each other via e-mail and set up a date and time for their series.
12.10 Five days into each chapter,
"head-to-head" owners should begin playing all away series against
"MP" owners (unless that owner has contacted you, requesting a head-to-head
series instead.)
12.11 Five days into each chapter, if a
"head-to-head" owner has not received a response from a head-to-head opponent,
that owner should begin playing this series if it is an away series. If it is a home
series, that owner should send an updated MP (if necessary) to this opponent.
12.12 If the home team "head-to-head" owner
attempts to contact a visiting team "head-to-head" owner, and two weeks has
passed since the attempt was made, and a response has not been received by this time, then
the home team "head-to-head" owner should begin playing this series against that
owner's MP. An e-mail should be sent to both the visiting owner and the
Commissioner, alerting both parties that this series is being played in this manner.
12.13 If an injury occurs during a
series in which a manager is opposed by an MP, and that injured player
is lost for one or more games, the MP should decide the injured player's
replacement and lineup position.
13.0 Schedule
13.1 Each team will play all other teams within its
division sixteen times each, all teams outside of its division (but within its league)
eight times each and each team in the opposing league four times each.
13.2 Chapters One, Two, Five and Six will consist of
28 games each.
Chapters Three and Four will each consist of 24 games.
14.0 Playoffs
14.1 The team with the
highest winning percentage in each division shall proceed to the
playoffs. The team with the highest winning percentage in each league
among the teams that did not win their division will be declared the
wildcard team. All playoff teams will be seeded in the playoffs by
winning percentage, with head-to-head record, followed by runs
differential, as the tie-breakers.
14.2 Should two teams finish in a tie for
the wild card or division, these teams will play a one-game playoff to determine the winner. The home team
for this game will be determined by regular season head-to-head record. If a tie
exists in this category, the team with the greatest disparity between runs scored and runs
allowed will be awarded home field advantage. If a tie still exists, the
Commissioner will flip a coin to determine home team. This game does NOT count
toward the official records. Therefore, usage rules do not apply. All other
settings for this game (including injuries) will remain the same as the regular season.
14.2(a) If three or more teams tie for the
division or wild card, the teams will be seeded according to disparity
between runs scored and runs allowed. If any teams tie in this
category, a coin flip will determine the higher seed. A
single-elimination tournament will then be held to determine the wild
card winner. If an odd number of teams are tied, the
highest-seeded team will receive a "first round bye" in this tournament.
The remaining teams will then be paired, with the highest seed paired
with the lowest seed. The winner will advance to the next round
until only one team remains with no losses. Usage rules are not in
effect for this tournament. However, this series will be treated
in the same way as a Division Series. Therefore, all rules for the
Division Series (including fatigue, injuries, etc.) will be followed in
the same manner.
14.2(b) If two or more teams finish the regular season
tied for the division lead, and a playoff game or tournament (as defined by Rules 14.2 and
14.2(a)) involving these teams is necessary, the official "Division Champion"
will be determined by the winner of this game or tournament.
14.2(c) If two teams finish the regular season tied for
the division lead, and no playoff game or tournament is necessary (since both teams make
the playoffs uncontested), the official "Division Champion" will be the team
with the greater head-to-head record. If a tie exists, the division winner will be
the team with the greatest disparity between runs scored and runs allowed. If a tie
still exists, the two teams will be declared co-champions.
14.2(d) If three teams finish the season
with the same winning percentage and one team will be a division winner
and another will be the wild card, the games will be played as follows:
The two teams tied for the division lead will play the one-game
tie-breaker (with the team with the better head-to-head record, or the
team with the greater runs differential if tied, getting the home field
advantage), with the winner being declared the division champion. The
losing team will then play the club from the other division for the wild
card (with the team with the better head-to-head record, or the team
with the greater runs differential if tied, getting home field
advantage.)
14.2(e) If more than one one-game
playoff is necessary to determine which teams participate in the
postseason, there will be no reset of usage between games, and there
will be a one-day cushion built in between each game.
14.3(b) The first round of the playoffs (a.k.a. the
"Division Series") will be a best-of-seven playoff series. The team with the
best winning percentage in each league will play the team with the worst (regardless of
division), with the better team getting home field advantage in games one, two, six and
seven. A division-winning team will always receive the home-field advantage over a wild
card team. In case of any tie in regular season winning percentage, the team with the
better head-to-head record would receive home field advantage. If a tie still exists, the
team with the larger discrepancy between runs scored and runs allowed would receive home
field advantage. If a tie still exits, the Commissioner will flip a coin.
14.4 The second round (a.k.a. the "Championship
Series") will be a best-of-seven series between the two winners of the Divisional
Series. The team with the better regular season record (regardless of division title) will
get the home field advantage in games one, two, six and seven. In case of tie, the team
with the better regular-season head-to-head record would receive the home field advantage.
If a tie still exists, the team with the greater disparity between runs scored and runs
allowed will receive home field advantage. And, if a tie still exists, the Commish
would use a (you guessed it!) coin flip to determine home team.
14.5 The final round (a.k.a. the "World Series")
will be a best-of seven series. The home team for games one, two, six and seven will be
the team with more wins during the regular season. In case of a tie, run
differential will be used. If a tie still exists, the previous season's win totals
will decide home field.
14.6 26-man playoff rosters shall be set prior to any
playoff games taking place. This roster may be changed once before each series (i.e. once
before the Division Series, once before the Championship Series, once before the World
Series.) Only players who were on a team's 35-man roster at the
beginning of Chapter Five are eligible for the playoffs.
14.7 Injuries shall be set to "none" for
all playoff series.
14.9 For hitters
with fewer than 450 PA's, and starting pitchers (defined as any pitcher
who started at least half his MLB games) with fewer than 110 IP, and
relief pitchers (defined as any pitcher who did not start at least half
his MLB games) with fewer than 30 IP, these players may not exceed 8% of
their overall MLB PA's, 12% of their split PA's and 8% of their IP's per
playoff series (whichever comes first.) Once a player has reached
his limit, he may remain on the bench, and may be used so long as he
does not exceed his PA/IP limit. An additional 1% (both split and overall) will be
allowed for every six innings of extra-innings played per series.
14.9(a) Any pitcher who starts a game in
the playoffs is subject to the same usage and eligibility restrictions
as a "starting pitcher."
14.10 Any pitcher with a minimum of 40
MLB IP may pitch as a starter in the playoffs. Pitchers with fewer than
75 IP are limited to two innings per start and two starts per playoff
series.
14.12 Any hitter that accumulated less than 75
PA's
during the prior Major League season is not eligible for the playoffs.
14.13 Any pitcher that accumulated
fewer than 20 innings during the prior Major League season is not eligible for the
playoffs.
14.13(a) The usage rules outlined in rules above must be
policed by the opposing manager in any playoff series. There is no penalty for breaking
these rules; however if a manager reports to the opposing manager that a violation of
these rules is taking place, the opposing manager must comply by removing the player from
the game immediately. Owners cannot force a "do-over" if one of these
rules is broken.
14.14 Owners are encouraged to play all playoff games
head-to-head. If this is not possible, the HOME team will manage each game against the
opposing team's manager profile.
14.15 Fatigue (for both pitchers and catchers) remains in
effect across series. So, for example, if you start a pitcher in Game Seven of the
Divisional Series, he will most likely still be tired for Game One of the Championship
Series.
14.16 Off days for the final three playoff series will be as
follows: one off day between Game Two and Game Three and one off day between Game Five and
Game Six. In addition, there will be one off day between each round of the playoffs.
14.17 Maximum usage limits do not apply to any one-game
playoff or tournament as defined in Rule 14.2. Suspensions, however, do apply.
14.18 All playoff teams must submit
their 26-man playoff rosters via the message board prior to the start of
each series.
14.19
Playoff rosters must include at least two players rated at catcher,
three players rated in the middle infield and three players rated at
corner infield positions.
14.20 The playoff rosters are policed by
the opposing managers. If a player appears on an active roster that was
not included in the official roster posted to the forum, the opposing
manager has the option to force his opponent to make the changes
necessary to adhere to the official roster.
15.0 Parks
15.1 Each team will construct a home park using
an existing MLB park or the "Neutral" park as constructed on the Diamond
Mind season disk.
15.2 A team must play in the same ballpark a minimum of
three consecutive years unless it qualifies under Rule 15.4. (Note:
one-time exception in 2015 to accommodate new rule.)
15.4 If an owner's model park no longer exists, Rule 15.2
will be waived for that owner.
15.5 Weather effects for each park will be the same as the
region where the franchise is located, and will be assigned by the
Ballparks Secretary.
15.6 Owners may change the cover (dome, open
or retractable), turf type and foul ground of their ballpark at the
beginning of any season.
No factors may be changed during the season.
15.10 At the end of each season
(beginning in 2016), owners have the option of retaining the ballpark
factors from the prior season, rather than adopting the factors from the
new Diamond Mind Baseball player disk.
16.0 Salary Cap
16.1 A strict salary cap shall be
set at $63.5 million for each team (plus or minus any bonuses or
penalties assigned during the prior year(s)). A team may go above this cap during the season, but
must be at or below this cap following the completion of the draft.
16.2 Farm player salaries do not apply toward the cap.
17.0 Protections and Cutdown
Day
17.1 A team must protect a minimum
of fifteen players on the 35-man roster on Cutdown Day.
17.2 If a team is unable to protect the minimum number of
players as defined by Rule 17.1, that team will be penalized $2 million from the salary
cap for each player under the minimum.
17.3 Any player whose contract has not expired must be
protected (except as allowed by Rule 18.11.)
17.4 Any player who no longer qualifies for the farm (see Rule 5.4), and who appears on the DMB disk, must either be released or
protected.
17.4(a) If a player no longer qualifies for the farm, and
does not appear on the DMB disk, he must either be signed to a contract, traded or released.
17.5 Any player that carries a salary
greater than $100,000 must either be protected on the 35-man roster, traded or released.
17.6 The date for "Cutdown Day" will be posted
under the "Calendar" section of the home page. Rosters must be trimmed to the
number of players and total salary defined by Rule 17.1 on Cutdown
Day. All contracts are to be announced by this date or these decisions will be made by the
Commissioner and the owner may lose his rights to the team. Cutdown decisions will
be made using a form provided by the Commissioner.
18.0 Contracts and Salaries
18.1 A player's salary is initially set depending upon the
manner in which the player was acquired.
18.2 Players acquired through the free agent draft are
assigned an initial salary as follows:
Round 1: $10 million
Round 2: $7.5 million
Rounds 3-5: $5 million
Rounds 6-10: $3 million
Rounds 11-15: $2 million
Rounds 16-20: $1 million
Rounds 21-25: $500,000
After Round 25: $100,000
18.3 There are three types of players on
every roster: a) contracted players, b) option-year players and c) farm
players. Contracted players are players who are currently under
contract. Option-year players are players whose option year(s)
have not yet expired. Farm players are players who qualify
for the farm.
18.4 Players acquired as non-farm free agents during the
season -- who have not already been assigned a salary -- are assigned an option year salary
of $500,000.
18.5 Players acquired as farm players are assigned a
salary of $100,000 once they are promoted to the 35-man roster on Cutdown Day.
18.6 A player's option year salary expires after he has
played a full BDBL season during which time he was NOT eligible for the farm. At which
time, his owner has three options: a) release the player and return him to the free agent
pool, b) sign the player to a one-year contract at the same (initial) salary, or c) sign
the player to a multi-year contract (defined below.)
18.7 Players signed to a contract will be automatically
released once their contract expires.
18.8 Multi-year contracts may be issued for as many years as
the
owner desires.
18.9 The salary of a player with a multi-year contract of
no more than four years will increase $1 million per year for every year after the first.
For example, if a player's initial salary is $500,000, and he signs a four-year deal, his
base salary for the next four years will be $500,000 in the first year, $1.5 million in
the second, $2.5 million in the third and $3.5 million in the fourth.
18.9(a) If a player is signed to a multi-year contract of
five years or more, his salary will increase by $1.5 million for each year after the
first. For example, if a player making $500,000 is signed to a five-year deal, his
salaries for the next five years will be: $500,000, $2 million, $3.5 million, $5 million
and $6.5 million.
18.9(b) When a player's option year
expires, and that player is signed to a contract of five years or more,
his team has the option of declaring him to be a "franchise player." The
salary of a franchise player increases $1 million per year for each year
after the first, up to the limit defined by Rule 18.10. Franchise
players may not be traded at any point during the term of their
contracts until their final year under contract. Once a team has paid
the player's salary for that final year on Cutdown Day, he may be
traded.
18.10 Salaries at or above $10 million will not be
increased in any following year under contract. Therefore, players with an initial salary
of $10 million or above may be signed for as many years as desired at the same salary.
(For example, signing a player with an initial salary of $5 million to a 7-year deal would
result in salaries for that player of: $5, $6.5, $8, $9.5, $10, $10 and $10 million over
the course of the contract.)
18.11 An
owner may only release a player under contract if: a) the team pays a
penalty equaling half of the player's total
salary over the life of the contract, not including the current season (note: this penalty would be deducted from the cap at
the next draft), or b) the player in question accumulated fewer than 75
plate appearances, 40
innings pitched (for starting pitchers defined as any pitcher who started at least half of
his appearances) or 20 innings pitched (defined as an pitcher who did not start at least
half his appearances) during the prior Major League season. For example, if an owner
wishes to release a player who does not qualify under the minimum at-bats or innings
clause, and who has two years remaining at salaries of $4 and $5 million, the owner may
release him by paying a $4.5 million penalty.
18.12 Players retain their contract statuses upon trade.
18.13 Any new owner who inherits a team from another owner
may release any player without penalty. These players will be
immediately released into the free agent player pool. This applies only to players
on the new owner's team at the time the new owner takes over. New owners have seven
days in which to make this decision.
18.13(b) Any player released by a new
owner under the provisions of Rule 18.13 while a season is in progress
will become ineligible to be re-acquired as a free agent during the
remainder of that season. All such players will become free agents
at the end of that season.
18.14 Any player that is playing under his initial salary
(and is not under contract) will retain his initial salary through the end of the year
(regardless of whether or not the player has been released to the free agent pool.)
18.15 The salary and contract status for any player not
occupying a spot on a team's 50-man roster at the end of each season will be reset. No
player acquired through the January auction or draft will have a prior contract or salary attached to
him.
18.16 Any player with an initial salary of more than $5
million must be signed to a minimum of a two-year contract at the end of the current
season. (Note: these players are called "Type H" players.) Once a
"Type H" player plays three years under the same contract (his options year, plus
the first two years of his contract), he is no longer considered to be a "Type H"
player.
18.17 A "Type H" player may be released if he
qualifies for the Rule 18.11(b) escape clause. A team may also release a "Type
H" player if a penalty is paid that equals the player's total salary.
18.18 A "Type H" player may not be
traded from the time he is signed to the final (Chapter Four) trading
deadline of the season in which he is signed.
19.1 At the beginning of the sixth chapter, teams may
expand their active rosters up to 35 players.
20.0 Expulsions
20.1 Intentional disregard for the
rulebook, blatantly abusing or violating the rules, and/or repeated
incidents of missing deadlines will result in penalties or expulsion from the BDBL,
as determined by the Commissioner.
20.2 Intentionally throwing games for
any reason will result in a $1 million penalty against the
cap, a loss of between five and ten positions in the draft and possible expulsion from the
league. Acts which would be considered intentional disregard for the outcome of games
include (but are not limited to) batting pitchers in the leadoff spot of the batting order, benching stronger
players with no usage issues and starting players out of position when other options exist.
21.0 Auction Draft
21.1 The free agent auction will begin on January 1st
and will be held on the league web site using the customized "d-day" auction
draft system.
21.2 The top-50 free agents
will be determined by a voluntary three-man panel to be named by the
Auction Chair, with no member repeated from one year to the next. This panel will be overseen and coordinated by the Auction
Chair. Each member of the panel will submit a list of 50 names to be
included in the auction. Any player who appears on all three lists will
automatically be included in the auction. Following debate, a second
round of voting will occur. Any player unanimously selected will be
added to the auction list. If 50 players still have not been selected,
then the Auction Chair will select from among those players who received
two votes. Finally, if the auction list still has not reached 50, then
the Auction Chair will add those who received one vote, until 50 is
reached. This final list of 50 must be submitted to the Commissioner
within three days from the end of Cutdown Day.
21.3 These 50 players will be broken up
into ten lots of five players each using a combination of weighted WAR
ranking and the committee's discretion. For example, the players in Lot #1 will
include the following rankings: #1, #11, #21, #31 and #41, but may be
substituted with players from other lots, depending on positional
clustering.
21.4 Each day, from January 3rd through January 12th, the
auctions for five new players will expire. All auctions expire at 10:00pm ET.
21.5 The team with the highest current bid when a player's
auction expires wins the auction and receives the player at a salary equaling the current
bid price.
21.6 Teams place bids by entering their maximum bid
amounts into the "d-day" system. The system then determines the current
bid prices according to the maximum bids entered by all bidding teams. These maximum
bids are kept a secret. Only the owner entering the bid knows the maximum amount he
has entered.
21.7 The current bid price will be set at either the
second-highest bidder's maximum bid or $500,000 more than the second-highest bidder's
maximum bid, depending on the tie-breaking values of the two bidding teams (see below.)
21.8 Tie-breaking rules are as follows: 1) previous
ownership of the player (note: this rule will not be in effect until the 2004 draft), 2)
prior year's wins, and 3) prior year's run differential. The team with the highest
number of wins or highest total run differential wins the tie-breaker.
21.8(a) If a team releases a player,
they lose the right of "previous ownership" mentioned in Rule 21.8.
21.9 As with all drafts, each owner is responsible for
keeping track of his own spending limits. Violations will be handled accordingly
(see Rule 7.11). The d-day system will not accept current bids that surpass the
total remaining salary. Any bid placed that exceeds a team's total allotted salary
will be cancelled.
21.10 A team may not retract any bid at any time.
21.11 A team may increase a bid at any time prior to an
auction's deadline. Bids may never be decreased.
21.12 The opening bid for all players is $1 million and
may increase in increments of $500,000.
21.13 All players in the d-day system that did not receive
any bids, in addition to those free agents on the DMB disk that ranked outside of the top-50
in VORP, will be eligible for the free agent draft that will immediately follow the
auction draft.
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