League Rules
This is a progressive league playing dual eras. We will keep those eras completely separate (except for interleague play). We will play each era simultaneously, one in the NL starting in 1921 and one in the AL starting in 1951. In effect, we are playing two progressive leagues separated by AL/NL league boundary. Players can only be on teams in their real life timeframe.
Stadiums will be owned for the life of the league, unless you appeal for a stadium change. Stadiums will be exclusive and may only be used once in the league.
Team names will begin with the city (or state) of your stadium, followed by a nickname of your choice (can be the real nickname or a different one, if you prefer). For instance, if you selected Wrigley Field upon joining the league, your team name could be: Chicago Cubs, or Chicago River Rats, etc. It can’t be Don's Dingers, or Tallahassee Tigers, etc. No duplicate names, please.
Each team may carry over as many players as it likes to the following season (standard progressive). For instance, the team who had 1923 Babe Ruth in 1923, would have 1924 Babe Ruth in 1924.
Inaugural Draft. There will be separate inaugural drafts for 1921 and 1951. Each will be snake style (1-12, 12-1 etc.).
Subsequent Annual Drafts. Each following season, the two eras will have separate non-snake rookie/free agent drafts to fill out rosters. A drafted player will be owned by its drafting team until that player is traded, is cut, or he retired in real life. The draft for each league will be based on the inverse order of finish after 162 games, except that, for the 1st round only, there will be a random lottery (using random.org) for the first 3 positions (bottom 25% of the league). The team with the worst record will have 3 chances, the team with the second worst record will have 2 chances, and the team with the third worst record will have 1 chance to get the best available pick. Thus, a 50% chance for the worst record, 33.3% chance for the 2nd worst team and 16.7% chance for the 3rd worst team.
Ties in the inverse order of finish will be broken by run differential during the regular season (runs scored less runs allowed). The team with the worst differential will draft highest among tied teams. The run differential tiebreaker will also be applied to lottery teams for the purpose of determining the 50%/33.3%/16.7% pre-lottery positions.
One game playoffs for postseason berths will be considered regular season games for the purpose of a draft tiebreaker between those two teams unless another team had the same record as those teams after 162 games, in which case the run differential convention will be applied for each team’s draft position.
Two teams with the same record will draft AB in the first round per the tiebreaker outcome. In subsequent rounds they will draft BA, BA, AB, AB, BA, etc. In the case of a three-way tie, after the ABC first round the order in subsequent rounds will be CBA, BCA, ACB, CAB, BAC, and then start again at ABC. This rule is necessary because one tied team shouldn’t get a better pick than the other, or others, in every round. To the extent possible, each tied team’s draft should be of equal value.
Draft Protocols. While drafts are "Off The Clock" owners should sitemail the next 2 owners after making a selection. Owners should not be skipped while a draft is “Off The Clock". When drafts are "On The Clock" owners should not draft before their scheduled time unless there are no missed picks. Owners that missed picks are allowed to make those picks at any time. Of course, players taken by other owners after missed picks were originally scheduled will not be available for selection with the missed pick.
Trading of Draft Picks. Trading of draft picks is not allowed for the inaugural draft. For subsequent drafts, picks may be traded up to 2 seasons in advance. For instance, as soon as the 1922/1952 season starts, in season trades may include 1923/1953 and 1924/1954 draft picks. During the 1923/1953 draft picks may be traded for 1923/1953, 1924/1954 and 1925/1955. Just like players, draft picks may NOT be traded between leagues (1922(NL) for 1952(AL), and vise-versa.
Unused draft picks may be traded subject to the following limitations:
1. Unused picks for the first 3 rounds may be traded without limitation.
2. After the 3rd round, only the first unused pick may be traded. In other words, if an owner's keeper list showed 3 draft picks needed, the 4th round pick may be traded but not the 5th, 6th or subsequent rounds. If his keeper list showed 4 draft picks needed, the 5th round pick may be traded but not the 6th or subsequent rounds, etc.
There will be an Add/Drop session after the scheduled draft is complete. The time the Add/Drop session begins will be announced by the commissioner.
- One player must be dropped for each player added.
- You can only add players from your own era.
- You can drop any player, whether a keeper or a new draftee.
- You can add players dropped by another owner.
- You cannot add players to IR.
Other rules.
Trade Deadline - There will be no trades after game 120 for the ongoing season.
AAA - Will be set to below-average. Expect those players to only have replacement-player ability, thereby only providing fatigue relief like real life minor leaguers. There will be 6 position players and 4 pitchers. They may be used in trades within the same league only.
DH - No DH initially. If, and when, the AL reaches 1973 we will have the DH in the AL only.
WW - No
Salary Cap – Will be $255 Million.