This is essentially a franchise league where you bring back franchise studs to join with your team every 10 years. The rules are below. We started in 1981 and we are preparing for 96. The unique rules start with the Future Franchise players section that explains when and how we add franchise players (the next is in 2000). Send a sitemail and note below if you are interested.
One available franchise is
Minnesota. This is a rebuild, but has a great future in a few seasons. Minnesota might have the deepest rookie class out there in 99. Plus in 2000, you will get to add a new twist and the possibilities for the Twins include Rod Carew, Kirby Puckett or Bert Blyleven. The current core has Mussina, Radke, Trachsel, 2015 Mauer, Mark Grace, Knoblauch, Juan Gonzalez, and Scott Erickson. Upcoming rookie classes are excellent and include Joe Mays, David Ortiz, and others. In 99/2000, they add Johann Santana, Torii Hunter, Christian Guzman, Jacque Jones, Corey Koskie. Minnesota is currently 55-93 and will have the first pick. Potential picks are likely to be Scott Rolen, James Baldwin, or Edgar Renteria. Full roster is below.
The other available franchise is the
New York Mets franchise. They are currently in first place and could compete in 96 or you could choose to rebuild. The current core group is Ripken, Edgardo Alfonzo, Jeremy Burnitz, BJ Surhoff, 2020 Jacob DeGrom, David Cone, Paul Wilson, Paul Byrd. Future rookie classes include Cory Lidle, Octavio Dotel, Melvin Mora, Benny Agbayani, and Jay Payton. Plus in 2000, you can add a new franchise twist and options include Tom Seaver, Jon Matlack, or Dwight Gooden. The franchise is likely to pick somewhere around 15th. Full roster is below.
RULES
- Draft: We draft to fill our rosters - if there are three openings, we draft three players.
- Rights to rookies: The rights to rookie players belong to the team which he first has WIS eligibility. For example, Charlie Hayes is a rookie in WIS in 1989 and shows up under both Philadelphia and San Francisco. However, his first WIS eligibility season was with Philadelphia as his SF season was a combined season (he only had 5 at bats with SF then was was traded to Philadelphia). Addendum: If a player first appears in the database only as a result of a combined season (no WIS qualifying season for either team), that player will be eligible to be drafted and cannot be claimed by either team.
- Trading of rights to players: No trading of rights to players more than 3 years ahead. In the 1992 draft or season you can trade the rights to a player in 1995.
- Trading of draft picks: No trading of draft picks more than 3 years ahead. For example, during either the 1992 draft or season you can trade 1993, 1994, or 1995 picks.
- Keepers relative to traded draft picks: You can trade any and all picks, even those you don't have the rights to up until the draft starts. For example, you can trade your second round pick even if you have 24 keepers. Once the draft starts, no trading of picks that you don't own. That makes things very messy.
- Trades: Trades of any players are permitted within the constraints above.
- Draft order: Draft order will be established at game 150 and will go from lowest to highest wins.
- Draft order tie breaker picks: Tie breaker for draft picks is now least runs allowed and if still tied (unlikely) then most runs scored (gets higher pick) at game 120. After that, a coin toss.
- Draft responsibilities: During the first round, a keeper is a keeper. If you see a veteran that is too good to be true, check the keepers list prior to selecting. If you select someone that was listed as a keeper, you will have to repick. In the second round, if someone selects a player that was a keeper and he was on the availables list, that player will go to the team that made the selection. So, the responsibility is that all owners must check to make sure their keepers have been removed from the availables list or be prepared to potentially lose a player. Waiting until the second round will give owners plenty of time to check their keepers.
- Future Rule Changes: Future rule changes will require a consensus of 10 or more owners voting affirmatively to approve such a rule change.
- Loopholes: The commissioner can make minor amendment to rules to close off any unintended loopholes, as deemed by the commissioner. If the commish hears from 4 or more owners asking for such a loophole to be put to a vote, then it will go to a vote. If 10 or more owners vote down the loophole amendment provided by the commisioner, the loophole will remain open.
- Rosters: Unlimited players may be kept on IR until they have an eligible season.
- Franchise players: These player progress one year at a time. Franchise players will disappear when you reach their rookie season. Example-Chipper Jones will run into his rookie year in 1995 and the owner will lose the Chipper franchise twist and restart him in 1995 (no clones rule).
- Future Franchise players:
Before the 2000 season, you will be able to go back and select 1 player from your teams roster from 1977-1986. Rules for that selection are:
- The player chosen must have been a rookie with your franchise (first WIS eligible season for the franchise gets the rights, just like the rookie rules)
- You may start player in his 1st, 2nd or 3rd season (in the WIS database), and he will progress 1 season at a time.
- The chosen player cannot make a clone or possibly make a clone (say if on IR in 2000). If the player still has eligible seasons, then you must have control of that player to restart him. For example, Cal Ripken still has a season in 2000, but if you were the owner of Baltimore and you still had him on your roster in 1999, you could "cut" him and restart his career since he was on the Orioles between 77-86. The 2000 Ripken would not be available to be drafted.You would only be able to have him on your roster as either the 2000 version or the franchise version.
- If your player reaches his rookie season, you must replace him with his rookie season.
- If you trade your franchise player, His rookie rights go with him!
Before the 2010 Season, you will be able to go back and select 1 player from your teams roster from 1987-1996. Same rules apply as above.
Before the 2020 Season, you will be able to go back and select 1 player from your teams roster from 1997-2006. Same rules apply as above.
- Clones: No clones are permitted other than those that are grandfathered in as of 1992.
- Tanking: Tanking is not allowed - Any accusation of tanking will result in the Commissioner and several other long-time owners, who are not in the same division, examining the results and determining the punishment (if any). Punishments, to include expulsion from the league, are possible. Please make sure any removal of good players has a sufficient reason. You should not have your best player/pitchers not play very much through game 150 to get a better draft pick. You should field your best team possible.
- Stadiums: Stadiums are the stadium of your franchise. When the stadium changes for your franchise (Indians go to Jacobs Field in 94), the team may change to the new stadium. Once you change, you must stay in that stadium. You cannot flip back and forth.
The Basics
No WW
DH For all teams
4 AAA players will be drafted and may be used and may also be keepers in future seasons. WIS generated AAA are not permitted to be used.
Full or partial player seasons may be used.
The franchises we draft rookies from are:
Baltimore Orioles
Chicago Cubs
Chicago White Sox
Philadelphia Phillies
San Francisco Giants
Texas Rangers
Colorado Rockies
Florida Marlins
In 98, we add rookies from Diamondbacks and Rays.