This league makes any franchise a contender, and a better group of owners can't be found on the site. There is much good-natured banter in the draft thread and the league chat, so bring your sense of humor. The rules are simple:

1. Each owner chooses a franchise. Franchise draft order is in inverse order of win percentage from the previous season. New owners will be assigned the draft position of any previous owners who are not returning, with the first to sign up receiving the highest slot, and so on.

2. Each owner chooses five players he/she wishes to protect from that franchise (1969-2009) and submits that list via sitemail to me. Those players are the exclusive property of their respective owners.

3. After all lists are submitted, they will be posted and a three round modified Rule V draft will be held, with draft order being inverse order of franchise win percentage from 1969 through the end of 2009 (the worst teams pick first). Each owner selects one unprotected player from any active franchise but their own (player seasons for franchises that were not chosen are not eligible). That player is also theirs exclusively. No more than two players may be taken from any one franchise in any one round.

4. At the end of the first and second rounds, each owner will choose an additional player they wish to protect. You will end up protecting seven in all, while drafting three. These ten players must appear on your roster. The rest of the roster is filled by players from your franchise during the given time period (1969-present day).

$120 Million Cap
No trades
No WW
No DH
6/2 Avg. AAA

No clones (same player, same franchise - if a player played for more than one franchise, he is available once for each franchise)
If a player split time between multiple teams in a season (as listed at WIS) his full season is available once for each team
SLL limited to current series
Stadium must have been used by your franchise for at least one full season between 1969 and 2009
Tiebreaker for draft positions will be runs scored from the previous season, higher number picks first

For those new to the Rule V fold:

There is much good-natured ribbing during the draft (we try not to be too player-specific, so as not to influence the draft, but sometimes the temptation is too much). Do not take it personally. Pick a draft strategy and stay the course, regardless.

Glossary

He Who Must Not Be Named (HWMNBN) - A former player/manager/dirtbag for the Cincinnati Reds (and later, Philadelphia Phillies and Montreal Expos) who defiled the grand game of baseball. No Rule V team has ever won a title with him, so heed jose's warnings about karma. I would imagine Lady Karma grows weary from teaching the same lesson over and over, as the ruler with which she raps offending knuckles seems to grow with each passing season.

The Single Most Overrated Pitcher of All Time (TSMOPOAT) - Nolan Ryan

Vegas - jose can u c - Our Rule V Prediction King

Winning pct. from 1969-2010

Tampa Bay Rays                              .426   - Robin4 *  
San Diego Padres                            .462  - DoctorKz *
Seattle Mariners                                .471  - shaybee *    
Milwaukee Brewers                          .475  - jstewart281 *    
Colorado Rockies                             .476  - tridentric * 
Montreal Expos/ Nat's                       .476 - spikeboots *        
Florida Marlins                                   .478  - Cheno5 *     
Texas Rangers                                  .482  - Disco Dogs *   
Kansas City Royals                          .483  - moneybonn *          
Detroit Tigers                                     .484  - pugs *     
Cleveland Indians                            .485  - marlowe *
Chicago Cubs                                   .486  - moneymen *    
Pittsburgh Pirates                             .491      
Minnesota Twins                               .495  - georgedeer *    
Toronto BlueJays                              .496        
Philadelphia Phillies                         .498  - mussopini23 *     
Arizona Diamondbacks                    .499
Chicago White Sox                            .500
New York Mets                                   .501   - sinfonian *   
California/Anaheim Angels              .502     
San Francisco Giants                        .507   - newarkwilder *
Houston Astros                                   .512   - specsman *    
Baltimore Orioles                                .515  - llcoach *   
Atlanta Braves                                     .515   - Blue911 *      
St. Louis Cardinals                             .520  - jose can u c *      
Cincinnati Reds                                   .520       
Oakland A's                                          .521   - mllama54 *     
Los Angeles Dodgers                         .534  - spoonfed *     
Boston Red Sox                                   .543  - holleybard *      
New York Yankees                              .560  - ff09 *      

Franchise draft order

1.    DoctorKz         -  San Diego Padres
2.    shaybee          -  Seattle Mariners
3.    spoonfed         -  LA Dodgers
4.    georgedeer     -  Minnesota Twins
5.    jstewart281     -  Milwaukee Brewers
6.    tridentric          -  Colorado Rockies
7.    Disco Dogs     -  Texas Rangers
8.    spikeboots      -  Montreal Expos / Wash Nats
9.    mllama54        -  Oakland A's
10.  holleybard      -  Boston Red Sox
11.  specsman      -  Houston Astros
12.  sinfonian        -  NY Mets
13.  llcoach            -  Baltimore Orioles
14.  moneybonn   -  KC Royals
15.  newarkwilder - SF Giants
16.  marlowe         -  Cleveland Indians
17.  Blue911         -  Atlanta Braves
18.  ff09                  -  NY Yankees
19.  Cheno5          - Florida Marlins
20.  jose can u c   - St. Louis Cardinals
21.  mussopini23 - Philadelphia Phillies
22.  pugs                - Detroit Tigers
23.  Robin4            - TB Rays
24.  moneymen     - Chicago Cubs

email list:

mussopini23; newarkwilder; moneymen; specsman; Cheno5; jstewart281; Robin4; ff09; Disco Dogs; pugs; sinfonian11; mllama54; moneybonn; holleybard; Marlowe; llcoach; tridentric; Blue911; jose can u c; georgedeer; DoctorKz; shaybee; spikeboots; spoonfed

SAVED FOR ALIGNMENT  / PROTECTS

NL East: Mets, Phillies, Braves, Expos/Nats
NL Central: Brewers, Astros, Cardinals, Cubs
NL West: Giants, Padres, Dodgers, Rockies

AL East: Red Sox, Yankees, Orioles, Rays
AL Central: Twins, Royals, Tigers, Indians
AL West: Mariners, Rangers, A's, Marlins

Robin4 (Rays) –  James Shields, Evan Longoria, Randy Winn, Carl Crawford, Julio Lugo, JR Richard-HOU,  BJ Upton, Fergie Jenkins-TEX
 

SAVED FOR PLAYER DRAFT RD'S 1-3

RD. # 1                                                                                                                                                   Off the Board
1.   Robin4 (Rays) -                           JR Richard - Astros
2.   DoctorKz (Padres) -                    Tim Lincecum - Giants
3.   shaybee (Mariners) -                  Mike Piazza - Dodgers                                                            
4.   jstewart281 (Brewers) -             Bob Gibson - Cardinals
5.   tridentric (Rockies) -                   Kevin Brown - Dodgers                                                          Dodgers
6.   spikeboots (Expos/Nats) -        Mark McGwire - Cardinals                                                    Cardinals
7.   Cheno5 (Marlins) -                     Roberto Alomar - Indians
8.   Disco Dogs (Rangers) -            Zack Greinke - Royals
9.   moneybonn (Royals) -               Rico Petrocelli - Red Sox                                                     
10. pugs (Tigers) -                            Larry Gura - Royals                                                                 Royals
11. marlowe (Indians) -                    Randy Jones - Padres                                                           Padres
12. moneymen (Cubs) -                   John Valentin - Red Sox                                                        Red Sox
13. georgedeer (Twins) -                  Sid Fernandez - Mets
14. mussopini23 (Phillies) -            Kevin Brown - Padres
15. sinfonian (Mets) -                        Bobby Murcer - Yankees
16. newarkwilder (Giants) -              Teddy Higuera - Brewers
17. specsman (Astros) -                   Michael Young - Rangers
18. llcoach (Orioles) -                        Bernie Williams - Yankees                                                   Yankees
19. Blue911 (Braves) -                      Bobby Abreu - Phillies
20. jose can u c (Cardinals) -          Kevin Millwood - Braves
21. mllama54 (A's) -                          Javy Lopez - Breaves                                                             Braves
22. spoonfed (Dodgers) -                 Lance Berkman - Astros                                                       Astros
23. holleybard (Red Sox) -                Mike Norris - A's
24. ff09 (Yankees) -                            Sam McDowell - Indians                                                        Indians

RD. # 2
1.   Robin4 (Rays) -                            Fergie Jenkins - Rangers
2.   DoctorKz (Padres) -                     Don Wilson - Astros
3.   shaybee (Mariners) -                   Fred Lynn - Red Sox
4.   jstewart281 (Brewers) -              Carlton Fisk - Red Sox                                                            Red Sox
5.   tridentric (Rockies) -                    Orel Hershiser - Dodgers
6.   spikeboots (Expos/Nats) -          Dennis Eckersley - A's
7.   Cheno5 (Marlins) -                       Mike Boddicker - Orioles
8.   Disco Dogs (Rangers) -              Hideo Nomo - Dodgers                                                           Dodgers
9.   moneybonn (Royals) -                Ellis Burks - Rockies
10. pugs (Tigers) -                              Phil Niekro - Braves
11. marlowe (Indians) -                      Fred McGriff - Braves                                                            Braves
12. moneymen (Cubs) -                     Nolan Ryan - Astros                                                               Astros
13. georgedeer (Twins) -                    Miguel Tejada - Orioles                                                         Orioles
14. mussopini23 (Phillies) -              Bret Saberhagen - Mets
15. sinfonian (Mets) -                          Ted Simmons - Cardinals
16. newarkwilder (Giants) -                Fritz Peterson - Yankees
17. specsman (Astros) -                     Yadier Molina - Cardinals                                                      Cardinals
18. llcoach (Orioles) -                         Mariano Rivera - Yankees                                                     Yankees
19. Blue911 (Braves) -                       Bob Ojeda - Mets
20. jose can u c (Cardinals) -            Joe Nathan - Twins
21. mllama54 (A's) -                            Ben Zorbist - Rays
22. spoonfed (Dodgers) -                   JJ Putz - Mariners
23. holleybard (Red Sox) -                Lenny Dykstra - Phillies
24. ff09 (Yankees) -                             Mark McGwire - A's

RD. #3
1.   Robin4 (Rays) -                               Odalis Perez - Dodgers
2.   DoctorKz (Padres) -
3.   shaybee (Mariners) -                      Pedro Guerrero - Dodgers                                                   Dodgers
4.   jstewart281 (Brewers) -                 Johnny Damon - Royals
5.   tridentric (Rockies) -                       Jose DeLeaon - Cardinals
6.   spikeboots (Expos/Nats) -             Darrell Evans - Braves
7.   Cheno5 (Marlins) -
8.   Disco Dogs (Rangers) -                 Pablo Sandoval - Giants
9.   moneybonn (Royals) -                   Kevin Mitchell - Giants                                                          Giants
10. pugs (Tigers) -                                 Don Sutton - Astros
11. marlowe (Indians) -                        Roger Nelson - Royals                                                          Royals
12. moneymen (Cubs) -
13. georgedeer (Twins) -                     Ken Singleton - Orioles
14. mussopini23 (Phillies) -                Gary Sheffield - Braves                                                        Braves
15. sinfonian (Mets) -                            Tom Gordon - Yankees
16. newarkwilder (Giants) -
17. specsman (Astros) -
18. llcoach (Orioles) -
19. Blue911 (Braves) -
20. jose can u c (Cardinals) -
21. mllama54 (A's) -
22. spoonfed (Dodgers) -
23. holleybard (Red Sox) -
24. ff09 (Yankees) -

I'm in!

Back for more

Doc is up, and can pick his franchise at any time

Padres for me..

Hey Guys...am I missing something??? or I am just smoking something that no one else has access too...PADRES? as the#1 Franchise...are we suppose to pick the worst team possible?

I'll take the Mariners!  First chance to use them in about 12 tries in this league!

I reluctantly take the Los Angeles Dodgers

LA is due for a bounceback season.  schwarze led them to the title two legs ago, and I foolishly took them last time when they were due for a down year.  Still won 84 games, but the pieces were there for a much better year.

Posted by spoonfed on 7/30/2010 9:21:00 AM (view original):
Hey Guys...am I missing something??? or I am just smoking something that no one else has access too...PADRES? as the#1 Franchise...are we suppose to pick the worst team possible?

Biggest plus for the Padres is that they'll draft first (unless someone takes the Rays).  I should add that they only missed the wildcard by a couple of games last leg and finished ahead of my Dodgers in a very tough NL West.

Posted by spoonfed on 7/30/2010 9:21:00 AM (view original):
Hey Guys...am I missing something??? or I am just smoking something that no one else has access too...PADRES? as the#1 Franchise...are we suppose to pick the worst team possible?

Franchises are exclusive to whoever picks them. I have the Padres, only I can use them. Once we complete the franchise selection, we'll protect  5 players, and you'll be able to use any season from 1969-2010 that they played for your franchise. Then we'll hold a draft. The draft order is based on your franchises w-l record from 1969-2010. The worst record franchise goes first. So if no one picks the Rays, I'll have the first pick in each of 3 rounds. We'll also protect one additional player after rounds 1 and 2. When I draft, I am allowed to draft any player from any of the other franchises picked by the other 3 owners. It can only be an unprotected player from that franchise. The draft is such that the lower and less well stocked rosters get to pick the better unprotected players, and the good teams get raided more, this does a pretty good job of evening talent levels out. There are tough decisions as to who to protect, and who not to.

Franchises can lose not more than 2 players per round. After that they are off the board, all other players from that franchise are off the board for the remainder of that round...