Rules
Pick two franchises - one from 1963 and one from 1993 - then pick a 25 man roster + 5 player AAA squad from the two rosters. This will be a 20 team league, though if there is interest could target 24 in 1969/1999 (with future expansion rules posted). League is progressive, and you keep at least 25 players going into the next season. You get to keep all rookies from next season's squad (or cut them). There will also be a (assumed brief) draft in the new season for any non-owned teams rookie players, and any cut players.
If player played for two teams in their rookie season (or in 1963 or 1993 inaugural season) then team player played for at the start of the season gets ownership. This will go by the first game played with a team in a season as per baseball-reference.com.
Ideally no DH for a 20 team dual league, but we can vote on that. No waiver wire, trades encouraged, and balanced schedule with interleague play. If there are 20 teams, there are 4 division winners advancing; if we make 24 teams then standard 6 division winners plus 2 wild card winners make the playoffs.
Note: Once 20 owners have posted their starting franchise (either 1963 or 1993), then we will do a reverse order for drafting the second franchise. Note - if your first franchise is 1963, then your second franchise is 1993 or the reverse.
Fairly standard rules. Twenty teams, two leagues, 4 divisions. Four Division winners make playoffs. No DH, No Waiver Wire, Trades encouraged, vetoes by 6 teams. Can call up AAA until trade deadline; Injuries allowed.
To start you pick 30 players from your two franchises rosters (the 1963 team and the 1993 team). 5 players are in your AAA squad. You cannot use non drafted AAA players. Penalty is one win per non drafted AAA player use gets deducted. Also if player was on two teams in the inaugural year (63/93) they go to the team with which they played their first game that season (as per baseball-reference.com). Commissioner gets final say on eligibility as Team Rookie.
There is no draft in the initial year (to keep it simpler) unless there is overwhelming outcry! The twenty 1963 teams will all be taken, but there will be Eight Non-Owned 1990s teams, whose players will be available for draft, but in the next season. You must keep at least 25 players going into the next season from your 30 players progressing plus any rookies, and can keep maximum 30 players. Exception would be if many players retired that year (could appeal to commish). This can include team rookies from eg. 1964/1994 but does not include IR players to the total. Remember, ownership of rookies goes to the team with which they played their first game that season.
There will then be a five round draft for all free agent players from non-owned 1994 teams and non-kept players from 1964 and 1994. If you keep 30 players though you don't draft. Keepers must be posted by game 135 and draft order is based on reverse win total at the season's end. If you don't post by game 135 you are at risk of losing your team for the upcoming draft. There will be a lottery (Random.com) for the bottom four teams for draft order in round 1 only. There is no win minimum, but shenanigans would be discouraged (don't place your catcher at shortstop!).
Note - any discrepancies over what team someone played their first game for a season (in which they have WIS stats) will be settled via baseball-reference.com. Commissioner gets final say in disputes.
Your team must play home games at one of your two franchise's stadium options from the seasons we are playing (ie: Cards can't play at Robinson Field, even if they like Roller Coasters for the Outfield Wall!). There is no salary cap -- so lots of star hitter and pitchers. Assignment of teams to divisions and alignment will be on geographical terms, where possible.
Field your best team at all times and play hard, but play fair!
There will be a poll over whether we include DH in AL only, both or neither league. If we go for AL only AL teams would be at first all 1993 AL teams; if there are less than 10 1993 AL teams, then would request 1993 NL volunteers. Consensus was for DH in AL and no DH in NL.
Note - even if your teams player was traded or has stats with two team that season, you must use the combined stats for that player.
For the first season only, you can use non-drafted AAA Catchers. This is to compensate for the AAA glitch affecting entry of players with low salaries onto the AAA roster. WIS informed me they are working on this, and it should be fixed for next season. However, even if you couldn't enter a player onto your AAA roster, you can still keep up to 5 of your posted AAA players on your roster list.
Note for this league - the players rookie season (and "Optional Keeper Status") is the players first game played in our league. ie: If a player had WIS stats in 1963 or 1993, then their first game with WIS stats indicates the team with option to keep that player. If that player is not on that team's roster then they are deemed a free agent, and can be drafted by any team when we hold the next free agent draft (season 2: 64/94). Similarily, if a player was on IR in 1963 or 1993 and did not have WIS stats that season, but then came back in 1964 or 1994, then the team with which they had their first WIS stats that season (1964 or 1994) would hold the "Optional Keeper Status" for that player. Otherwise that player becomes a free agent.
Examples for my teams (63 Astros and 93 Rangers) would be Jeff Frye 2b, who was on IR in 93 but came back and had stats with Rangers in 1994. I plan to "keep" Jeff Frye for my Season 2 roster. However, Oddibe McDowell had no '93 stats but came back with Rangers in 1994. I do not plan to "keep" Oddibe McDowell so he will become a free agent in Season 2. Also note that teams are responsible for sorting out who would become and "Optional Rookie Keeper" coming back from IR.
You can make as many trades as you want, but can only trade draft picks one year in advance.
Draft Order is based on reverse order of wins at season's end, with bottom four teams in a draft lottery for the first round (by Random.org). Ties will be settled by how well teams did vs. expected win percentage (worst goes higher), followed by Runs for - against, followed by head to head record, followed by coin flip. I sent out an email about this once the league started and no one had an issue.