World For Life is heading towards Season 5
This is a very unique and challenging world in that its intent is to have teams built from the ground up and have players remain with their franchise "For Life".
To that end, the league specific rules are as follows:

-- Team names: They must be the same as they have been from previous seasons and are all major league franchises (except one -- Charlotte, which is a minor league franchise as there weren't 32 to choose from.... actually two, but the other is the Montreal Expos, so a former ML franchise)
-- Free Agency: The intent of the league is for players to stay with their franchises "For Life" so there is no signing of Free Agents from other franchises until the "Open" Free Agent Period that will be set and put out by the Commisioner.  In Season 4, our "Open" Free Agent Period began the day before the Rule V Draft (so at the end of the traditional Free Agency Period), and we plan on maintaining that in the future.
-- Trades: There are no trades allowed.
-- Waiver Wire: Waiver Claims are not allowed.
-- Released Players: Released players are "Fair Game" to be signed by anyone at any time. This includes Arbitration Eligible Players that are released. You can tell that a player has been released (as opposed to "Left Via Free Agency") by looking at the transaction page on his player card.
-- Rule V Draft: No Players may be taken in the Rule V Draft.
-- Prospect Payroll: There is no limit to what an owner may set or transfer into their prospect payroll.

You must be willing to agree that non-compliance with the set rules will result in your willing removal from the league, to be replaced by an owner willing to play by and respect the rules. There will also be no excuses tolerated for missing out on signing your own players in time, etc. The point here is that we're all adults. We shall play the game as such. Much like WiS policy, there will be no helping out in case of "user error".

Our Confirmed Openings for Season 5 Are:
Florida Marlins:

 Hardball Dynasty – Fantasy Baseball Sim Games - Florida Marlins Franchise Profile


If you are interested in joining, post here or send me a sitemail. The World Series just ended and we should be rolling soon.
Wait List:
1. the_stig- Colorado Rockies
2. gerald007- Oakland Athletics
3. dodgerfanatc- Los Angeles Dodgers
4. mjrobinson- Toronto Blue Jays
5.
6.

I would be interested in the Texas Rangers.

Posted by bobkordecki on 4/5/2012 1:22:00 PM (view original):
I would be interested in the Texas Rangers.

Added to the list.

Ranked World #18 in dmurphy's recently released World Rankings System!

http://www.whatifsports.com/forums/Posts.aspx?TopicID=453920&TopicsTimeframe=30

Can you claim a "Released" player on Waivers or do you have to wait until he has passed through waivers?

Also if a player is "designated for assignment" to free a 40 roster position (which problably will be unlikely with no rule 5 draft) what is his status?

Are you allowed to bid on players in Free Agency before the cycle they would sign in, as a way of keeping the salary demands up?  (who would every sign a future free agent IF they are going to drop their demands? ( I would think the time to open up free agency is when a players demands start to drop, keeps the original franchise Honest))

To sign a released player, you have to wait till he passes thru waivers.

Designated for assignment is useful, because it automatically clears a spot on your 25 man roster immediately.

If I'm interpreting your third question right, I think you are asking if you are allowed to bid on free agents before the world wide free agency begins, and with the exception of your own free agents, the answer is a definitive no.

@ griv

As Shobob said, no waiver claims of any kind are allowed (released, waived, or designated for assignment players).

No offers of any kind are allowed for any player that was a member of another franchise, AND NOT RELEASED by that team, on the free agent market PRIOR to "Open" Free Agency.  It was discussed early on that a player could make an offer and withdraw it to "artificially" keep player demands high.  If it appears this is occurring, I will ask WIS to look into it and the owner making those offers will be removed from the world.  The result of lower salaries due to our unique Free Agency rules is part of the game in the world.  We have moved our "Open" FA period to mid-day on the last day before the Rule V draft last season, which helped in keeping from salaries getting "too" low.  Previously "Open" FA had been after Spring Training.

To clarify a little, if a player was released, they are fair game on the Free Agent market at any time for any team... this includes arbitration eligible players that were released.

As shobob also said, you can make offers to your own Free Agents at any time (although it generally behooves you to wait until late in the Free Agency period).  One note on waiting, though, I found last year that waiting until the last possible cycle could be dangerous, as even at that point, I had a player not sign on the first cycle, but the 2nd one after I made him an offer late (I think I made him an offer two cycle before open FA, and he signed the cycle that open FA began)

Sounds like an interesting league - though more like a special rules fantasy than running a major league franchise, but one thing that would worry me is this:

"-- Released Players: Released players are "Fair Game" to be signed by anyone at any time. This includes Arbitration Eligible Players that are released. You can tell that a player has been released (as opposed to "Left Via Free Agency") by looking at the transaction page on his player card."

I take this to mean that "first to the trough" (so to speak) would land a desirable player.  I would hate to give an advantage to the nerd who sits at his computer all day (and night) over someone who has a life.  It also appears to me that this could seriously open the door to possible collusion (I tell my buddy I'm releasing player X at 230am, he tells me he's releasing player Y at 231am - and we effectively make a trade).

Still though, it does sound interesting.

The arb eligibles become free agents that you can bid on, so they don't just go to the first taker.  As for other released players, they tend to be turds, and don't make a difference competitiveness wise.   Released players who aren't arb eligibles have to pass through waivers first (in which nobody can make a claim), before they are fair game, and I'm not saying that I've paid attention to every single transaction, but I don't think any non-arb released player has been worth a damn in 4 completed seasons.

Besides all that, if people try to game the rules in this world, they will be found out, and booted.

I have interest in Los Angeles or Pittsburgh. 

Looking to return to HBD.  I have reviewed the rules posted.  It sounds interesting.  I have interest in any of the teams.  This would be a long term commitment.

Posted by ripnsnort on 4/17/2012 6:44:00 PM (view original):
I have interest in Los Angeles or Pittsburgh. 

Sitemail sent

Posted by amberjack34 on 4/17/2012 8:56:00 PM (view original):
Looking to return to HBD.  I have reviewed the rules posted.  It sounds interesting.  I have interest in any of the teams.  This would be a long term commitment.

Sitemail sent

Kudos to kcden.  I don't think I've seen someone work so hard for a quick rollover besides myself!

I'd be interested in the Oakland franchise.