Rules

Rule Changes

Rules require nine votes to change; the Commissioner may vote. (Rule added 4-8-22.)

Playoffs

  • League champions and second place teams play best-of-seven series: 2H-3A-2H, with champions getting home-field advantage.
  • Championship series also play a best-of-seven series: 2H-3A-2H, with the team with most wins getting home-field advantage.
  • Ties will be decided by a one-game playoff.  Home field advantage will be decided by head-to-head record, then overall run differential, then coin flip. (Edited for clarification 10-8-22.)
  • Roster changes for injured players will be allowed after the file is posted.  Download the new file, make the change, and export. (Rule added 1-25-21.)
  • No playoffs in minor leagues.

Sim Schedule

  • During the regular season, sims will Monday through Friday, four days per sim.
  • Off-season and pre-season sim lengths to be determined
  • Major Leagues will play a 144-game season with 24 Interleague games.
  • Minor Leagues will play 132-game seasons.
  • Each year we will stop at the trade deadline. (Rule added 7-3-20.)

Contracts

Free Agents

  • Free agents may be signed during the pre-season, regular season, and off-season after arbitration hearings. They may not be signed from the beginning of the postseason to the end of arbitration hearings. (Rule edited 4-26-23.)
  • Maximum contract length of 6 years.
  • Opt-outs are disabled.
  • No compensation for lost free agents.
  • 2012 CBA rules are not in effect.

Extensions

  • Maximum contract length of 6 years.
  • Opt-outs are disabled.
  • Vesting options criteria must be realistic, with the Commissioner having the final say.
(Rule edited 11-2-21.)

Trading

All trades must be posted and confirmed in Slack before they will be processed. (Trades may also be posted in-game, but Slack is a requirement.)

  • Trade deadline is July 31.
  • The first opportunity to make a trade after the in-season deadline is January 1 (rule added 8-16-19).
  • Draft picks cannot be traded.
  • Recently drafted players can be traded.
  • Veterans cannot veto a trade.
  • Cash can be included in trades.
  • If you retain salary, it is by percentage (not dollar amount). Percentages must be in 5% increments, and the percentage applies equally to each guaranteed year.
  • The Commissioner may cancel a trade if he feels that it harms team or league integrity, and it will only happen in extremely lopsided trades.

Trades will be processed before the sim. For players on the active roster who are involved in a trade, designate him for assignment. When acquiring a player destined for the active roster, leave room on the active roster and leave lineup or pitching staff instructions with your trade confirmation.

How to List a Trade

The requested format for listing a trade in the Slack #confirmed-trades channel is as follows (updated 4-15-20):

Chicago receives:

Marcus Tait (GLBL) - Det retains 10 % of salary (salary % must be increments of 5%)
Silas Carvallo (AA)

Detroit receives:

Bill Durand (GLBL)
Arvin Northeast (AAA)

Chicago confirms.

Detroit confirms.

Scouting

General Managers may build their scout. Preferences may be submitted to the Commissioner from the beginning of the off-season to the day before the pre-season.

You get 10 points and may allocate from 1 to 4 points in each of the four scouting areas:
  • Scout Majors
  • Scout Minors
  • Scout International
  • Scout Amateurs
The points are such that:
  • 1 point = Good (130)
  • 2 points = Excellent (150)
  • 3 points = Outstanding (170)
  • 4 points = Legendary (190)
Additionally, you get to choose your scouting preference:
  • Highly Favor Tools
  • Favor Tools
  • Neutral
  • Favor Ability
  • Highly Favor Ability

(Rule revised 5-12-22.)

Amateur Draft

  • The amateur draft will be held on June 30.
  • The draft will be 10 rounds.
  • Draft order:
    • Non-postseason teams will draft in inverse order of winning percentage. Ties will be broken based on head-to-head record (better record drafts first), then coin flip.
    • Postseason teams that do not reach the final will draft ninth and tenth in inverse order of winning percentage. Ties will be broken based on head-to-head record (better record drafts first), then overall run differential, then coin flip.
    • The runner-up drafts eleventh.
    • The Champion drafts last.
  • The draft will be conducted using StatsPlus.
  • Draft pace (updated 2-22-20):
    • Round 1: 24 hours.
    • Round 2: 12 hours.
    • Rounds 3-10: 6 hours.

Roster Rules

  • Major League rosters have a 25-player limit.
  • Minor League rosters have 30-player limits.
  • Spring Training roster will be expanded to 30 players but must be down to 25 players for Opening Day.
  • International Complex limited to 20 players.
  • Teams must use a minimum four-man rotation during the regular season  and a minimum three-man rotation during the postseason.

Career Ending Injuries

Players younger than 27 years at the time of a Career Ending Injury may have their injury reduced (at the GM’s discretion) to a period of one year from the final injury diagnosis. For example, if your player has a torn labrum and is estimated to be lost for one year, then three months later the final diagnosis changes to a Career Ending Injury, the one-year clock begins after the three-month diagnosis.

Finances (9-27-23)

Fan Interest will have a floor of 72: any team with a Fan Interest below 72 will have it raised to 72. Market Size will have a ceiling of Huge (9); any team that has a Market Size of Astronomical (10+) will have their Market Size reduced to 9. The Fan Interest floor and the Market Size ceiling will be enforced whenever they are noticed either by the Commissioner or a GM. The Commissioner will check both at the beginning of the off-season and on Opening Day.

Ballparks (1-16-21)

You can build a new ballpark after using your existing park for 18 years or more. Once you state the intention to move to the new park, it will take two years to complete construction. Thus every 20 years you are eligible to begin playing in the new park.

There is no cost.

Guidelines:

  • Park factors for doubles, triples, and home runs must be between .85 and 1.15
  • Batting average factors must be between .98 and 1.02.
  • Mandatory 40,000 seating.
  • Parks may be named, with names subject to Commissioner approval.

One-Time Adjustments

On September 27, 2023, several one-time adjustments were approved. Milwaukee’s and Windsor’s Market Size were raised to Above Average, and Windsor’s Fan Loyalty was raised to Above Average. Player Salary Settings were reduced to 80% of their value above the Minimum Salary, rounded to the nearest $100 thousand. (For example, an Average Quality player’s Typical Salary of $6.5 million was reduced to $5.3 million.) All of these changes were taken at the season roll-over, just after the 2046 playoffs.

Home Page Blog