I’ve gone through the Baseball-Reference.com database and have researched every season from 1901 through 2020.
I’ve listed the top two teams from each season and from each league by (1) Runs Scored and (2) ERA+. There are fifteen choices of each for the N.L. and A.L. both, in each of the eight leagues in this round. They’re listed in chronological order and separated as you can see below. Based on the final W/L totals of Round 1, a draft order will be set for both sides of each of the eight leagues. First, however, I’ll take the top sixteen finishers and let them determine which of the eight leagues (and whether they want N.L. or A.L.) they want. Once the Number One picks are decided for all sixteen available, I’ll create a draft order for all of them for the picks 2 through 16.
Once all 16 owners in a league make their choices, the draft order will reverse for their second pick. Each owner will have one season (comprised of two franchises) to build his offense and one season (comprised of two franchises) to build his pitching staff. Also, it doesn’t matter which you pick first – you can pick your offense combo first or you can select your pitching combo first.
For example, If you have the first pick in League One on the N.L. side, you might select the 2018 Dodger/Cub combo for your pitching. Then, when your turn comes around in the second round of your draft, you’ll have four choices left to choose your offense from.
Building your teams: You must have a minimum of five pitchers from each of your two pitching teams and at least six players from each of your two hitting teams.
As an added bonus: We’re going to allow one “Free Agent” per team. It can be either a pitcher or a position player – however, if you choose a Pitching Free Agent, it must come from the year of your Offense. If you choose a Hitting Free Agent, it must come from the year of your pitching staff.
****EDIT**** - To help try and clarify things with the Free Agent, let me give you an example: If you have the Pitching Staff of N.L. 2019 and the Hitters from N.L. 2008 - and you wanted your Free Agent to be a pitcher, then your Free Agent pitcher must come from the N.L. of 2008 - just not from either of the two Pitching squads that are listed for 2008 (because they'll probably be used by someone else). Now, in the hypothetical case I'm using here, if you wanted a pitcher from the 2008 N.L. and after the drafting for that league is done, noone has selected the pitchers from 2008, then you can choose your pitcher from ANY team in 2008. Hopefully this helps.
League Alignment: Alignment for the N.L. and A.L. in each league will be done chronologically by the “Runs Scored” combination. In other words, on the N.L. side of League One, if the 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 combos in Runs Scored are all selected, that will be the N.L. East And so on…
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
NO CAP – Build the best roster you can from your two combo’s.
Clones: None.
Designated Hitter: Yes – in Leagues 1, 2 and 3 only. No – in Leagues 4 through 8
Waiver Wire: No
Injuries – Turned On
Trades: No
A.A.A.: No
You may use either partial or full season stats of any player who had a split season - as long as the stats indicate it was for your franchise.
Stadium – All teams will use WhatIfSports Park.
Who Moves On?
Once Round TWO is complete, the owners who own the eight playoff teams in each league will earn a spot in Round Three. 8 x 8 = 64 spots. That leaves 80 spots to fill. The final 80 spots will be awarded to the teams who had the most wins across all 8 leagues (who didn't make their league's playoffs). The tie-break (should it come into play) will be (1) Most Home Wins, and (2) Most Runs Scored minus Runs Allowed.
Rounds Three through Six will all be completely different than Round One and Two. I’ve already got them figured out but will post them later.
Here are the Combos that are available for each league:
8/18/2021 2:13 PM (edited)