FFBL Rules Page

    The League

• Well use the establish FFBL arc file and rosters to maintain teams. FPS BBPro98 (version 9811 patch) to sim games.  The league will consist of 28 teams separated into 2 leagues of 3 divisions.  5 teams in two divisions and 4 in the other.  This is determined by FPS BBPro98, there is no control over this in any way.
• It will be a career league where you players improve, and older players get a little worse and retire at certain ages.
• Your team must play out of one of the cities loaded into the memory of BBPro98.  This will be released by the commissioner by request.
• The PB.ini file that is used takes into account players ages and experience in determining the outcome of simmed games. This file may be altered if the executive council feels that the stats are being skewed.
• The sim engine uses specific rating categories to determine the outcome of each game. Click here for an explanation of the rating categories.

• There will be 3 sims per week.  Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
• This can change at anytime without extended notice.
• If for some reason I cannot sim for an extended period of time the Assistant Commish will sim for me until I am able to do so again.
• Sims will be 8 game days long.  This is for 15 day DL purposes.

• Line-ups are due at 11:59 pacific time the night before the day of the sim.  You may send them in later, but there is no guarantee that I will process it.
• Have line-ups in the following manor or at least a similar organized fashion:

                                vLHP:                                vRHP:
                            1.  name (pos)                   1.  name (pos)
                            2.  name (pos)                   2.  name (pos)
                            3.  name (pos)                   3.  name (pos)
                            4.  name (pos)                   4.  name (pos)
                            5.  name (pos)                   5.  name (pos)
                            6.  name (pos)                   6.  name (pos)
                            7.  name (pos)                   7.  name (pos)
                            8.  name (pos)                   8.  name (pos)
                            9.  name (pos)                   9.  name (pos)

                                *If you have the exact same lineup vLHP and vRHP just use one and have a header vBOTH*
 

                         Starting Rotation:
                            1. name                                LR1: name        MR1: name        SU1: name        CL1:  name
                            2. name                                LR2: name        MR2: name        SU2: name        CL2:  name
                            3. name
                            4. name
                            5. name

                                 *You DO NOT need to have all these pitching slots filled.  You MUST have 4 starters.*

• We will use a DH.
• If you only have a few minor changes to make to your line-up, list them rather than send your entire line-up as above.  It's much easier and faster for me this way.
• If you need changes made to you rosters to complete a sim the Commish will make the changes and place the next best qualified player will be inserted into the line.  The Commish will only put players on the DL if the injuries require that they be out over 1 month.
• A players full time position can be changed in the off season only and must be reasonable as judged by the commish.  He must have a rating of qualifying for a position to be moved.  No ratings will be changed.

• All owners are expected to submit line-ups changes, roster moves, etc. by the time above (see Line-ups).
• At anytime time during the season the Commish reserves the right to ask for 'owner check in', whereby each owner is required to reply within a certain time frame or be removed from the league.
• If an owner is inactive without a valid excuse or prior explanation to the Commish, the Commish will issue a warning in which the owner has 24 hours to respond.  Upon the passing of the 24 hours the owner will be completely removed from the league and all it's activities.  This is to assure full participation and enjoyment for all.
• If you are offer a deal, no matter how ridiculous the offer, respond to it.  All responses are to be governed by league conduct (see League Conduct).  Not responding is very annoying to an owner who is trying to do something with their team.  This will also result in complete removal from all league activities.
• Any lack of participation from either of the drafts (amateur or annual free agent) will result in removal from the league.
• Participation is not just required, but highly encouraged. Points are given for routine participation, as well as submitting articles and weekly Power Poll rankings. The use of these points will be explained in the Free Agency section.

• Under no circumstances will any owner (not limited to) discriminate, intimidate, insult, threat, etc. another owner in this league about them or their team..  Any such behavior will be treated with swift and harsh action as seen fit by the exec of the league.
• If you are the victim of his, report it to any exec member (preferably all of them) and we will deal with it in a manor we see fit.  Do NOT retaliate.
• Sufficient proof must be present, however, for action to be taken.  Proof consists of forwards of email, ICQ message, AOL IM messages, etc.
• Decisions made by the exec can be appealed, within 48 hours of the decision, and will be heard by an appeal board which will consist of the remaining owners that are not involved in the situation, and excluding the exec.
• If a person is found guilty they will be removed from the league and will not be allowed to return.  Unless the persons involved accept a mass e-mail apology.
• Only once will a mass e-mail apology work, the next conviction will result in a ban from the league.

• All trades must be submitted by 9pm pacific time the day before the sim by BOTH owners to the commish, John Murphy.
• The commish has the right to reject trades for whatever reason, but the rejection will be accompanied by a good explanation and sent to both owners.
• Rejections can be appealed, within 48 hours of the rejection, and will be heard by all parties involved including the exec.
• Outstanding trades that are not confirmed by BOTH owners within one week will be disregarded and deleted by the trade manager.
• An owner has the right to withdraw a trade offer at anytime before it is sent to the trade manager.  If BOTH owners have confirmed a deal and the trade manager has received it than it CANNOT be withdrawn by an owner involved in a trade.
• Submit trade in the following fashion:

                   *If you deal picks you must specify which draft they are for (amateur or annual free agent) and what year*

• Picks can only be dealt two years in advance for either draft.
• There will be a picks traded page posted on the web page.  Check with it before you deal picks.  If you deal a pick more than once you will be forced to give up either a better pick or the next season's pick (commish's discretion).  The team that traded for the pick first will get the better/earlier pick.

• The deadline for trades is July 31st game time.

    Rosters

• Rosters are governed by FPS BBPro98.  Your roster is limited to 25 active players, 15 AAA/DL players, and 10 low minor players.
• A player cannot be put on the DL if they are not injured.
• A player cannot be put in LOW from any other roster slot.  Only way you can place a player in LOW is from a trade, free agent signing, or draft (amateur or annual free agent).
• Players must be 26 or less to be placed in LOW under any circumstances.
• If your roster moves bring you over the cap in ACT, AAA, or LOW, be that by trade, free agent signing, etc. the Commish will keep players unassigned, not claim a free agent or release the worse player (by judgment of the Commish) to the free agent pool.  Which ever is more feasible for the Commish  If you have too many in LOW the Commish will not assign the player you wanted put there
• The Commish will tell owners if there is unassigned players on there rosters, as they will not show up on the rosters on the web page.
• If you make a claim, draft a player, or trade, say in the e-mail where to put the players.  Otherwise you take the risk over the above mentioned action.

• The time of the amateur draft is usually mid June (game time), determined by FPS BBPro98.
• It will consist of 3 rounds.
• Picks can be made via list, live ICQ draft (if possible) or computer picks but I suggest against it as the computer makes terrible decisions. But you must tell me either way or you will fall under regulations of League Participation.
• The draft will be edited in such a manor that all 3 rounds will be valuable. The ages will be very young (mostly high school grads some early college ages) but potentials will be high for the 1st round and lower for other rounds. Still over all a good draft pool each year.

• This is not annual free agency where guys like Kevin Brown gets ridiculous amounts of money.  That's a different type of free agency which will be used here, the rules are below.
• This is however players that are not on the teams rosters, basically left-overs from the initial draft and past amateur drafts, or players released by other teams.
• Any team can claim players from this list which is posted on the web page.
• Claims must be in by the same deadline as the lineups.
• Room must be made on the teams roster for these players or they will be re-released to the free agent pool again.
• A team can claim a maximum of 3 players per sim from the free agent pool.
• If more than one team claims a player FPS BBPro98 determines who get the player based on lowest winning percentage.

• Teams will be given a list of players after the World Series each season that are eligible for Free Agency. Off of these lists, teams must select 4 players to release into the pool...simple enough. In order to keep a balance in the league, the number of players on the lists will vary depending on your teams final record. The WS champion will be given a list of 8 players in which to select his 4, while the last place team will be given a list of 20 players.

        The selection process for each list will follow the following criteria:

• 1/2 of the players will come from Hitting, and the other 1/2 from pitching.
• Only players over 24 yrs in age will be selected (unless this prevents a list to reach its limit)
• Players will not be selected from LOW rosters...those are a safe haven.
• Players will be ranked by the current seasons stats (not ratings), so teams can expect to see their best performers being on your list.
• Teams will be able to "protect" 2 players each season in order to keep them from appearing on a FA list for the following 2 seasons. This will give teams a total of 6 protected players at any 1 time.
• The same criteria will be used for selecting players on all teams...no exceptions.
• Players "protected" status is attached to the players, and it will remain with him in the event of a trade.

• WS Champ - 8 players
• WS Runner-up - 10 players
• Other play-off teams - 12 players
• 9th to 14th place - 14 players
• 15th to 20th place - 16 players
• 21st to 26th place - 18 players
• Last place team in each league - 20 players

    Annual Free Agency (auction/draft rules)

        Free Agency Draft Info:

• In addition to the annual Free Agency draft, the FFBL also has a FA auction. 
• The rules for the FA draft are just like those of the amateur draft. The only exceptions are that there is no limit to the number of rounds, and the players will be made up of those in the latest FA pool (including those released by teams).

        Free Agency Auction info:

• The FA auction will take place just prior to the FA draft. Points earned thru participation will be used to bid on players.
• The bidding process will be held in 5 rounds. After each round, the amount of the highest bid will be posted for each player bided on. After the 5th round of bids, the highest bidders will be awarded the Free Agent.
• Teams may bid on more than one player (max of 5), but at no time may they exceed their bid point total. Doing so may result in the forfeiture of all bid points.
• Teams may withdraw a bid only if they are not currently the highest bidder.
• Teams current point totals are updated weekly, and can be found on the website.

    The Season

• The season will be a balanced 162 game schedule determined by FPS BBPro98.
• Balanced being that there is dominance of playing divisional rivals.  This is to assure everyone has the same schedule and fair playing field.

• The play-offs are determined by FPS BBPro98.
• In each 14 team league there will be 3 division winners and a wild card.
• The top record of the three division winners will play the wild card winner in the first round and the two others will play off.
• Each League Champion will meet in the World Series to determine the FFBL Champion.

• The Executive consist of the following:

• The duties of the exec are, but not limited to, simming the games, over-seeing league activities, making decisions about the league, handling disputes, researching players who are not in this league currently, promoting the league whenever possible, developing rules, etc.
• The exec is here to make the league as fair and fun as possible.
• They do a job for free for you, remember that!!!

• Amendments can be made to these rules at anytime after they are finalized by the exec and the season starts.
• Send in any proposed amendment and it will be discussed.
• A letter of reason would really help
• For an amendment to be passed we must have a 2/3 vote in favor of the amendment