MLBS Baseball League Constitution for 2024

 

1.0   General League Rules

 

1.1   The Game

The official game of this league is " Diamond Mind Baseball"   All league members are required to own a registered copy of the latest version of Diamond Mind Baseball (V12) and a registered copy of the current player disk. When the rules stated below do not cover an issue, those used by MLB will be followed as adjudicated, if necessary, by the commissioner.

 

1.1.1        Purchasing Game Disk

Each manager will report their receipt number and email address, used for purchase of the game and/or player disk, to commissioner for compliance purposes.  Winner of league is entitled to free copy, from DMB, of new player’s disk.

 

1.2   League Makeup

The league consists of 24 teams split into 2 leagues, the National and the American.  Each league shall consist of three divisions of 4 teams each.  The League will employ the designated hitter.  Teams will use the MLB stadium for their real-life team. Teams will be deployed in the same League as real life and same division as possible.

 

1.2.1 Changing Teams

A team may change its MLB affiliation after each year’s draft.  Requests for change in team will be announced on/after December 1 each year.  Requests for a change in team assignment may be made anytime after December 1 each year. Ties on requests for new team will be broken by previous season standing, face-to-face, league, etc.  A new manager (taking over a vacant team) shall have precedent in selecting team. Any team switching MLB franchise must retain new MLB franchise for a minimum of five years.

 

1.3   League Play and Participation

 

     1.3.1   General League Rules: The game and league shall be set up for play with the following defaults:

1)    Games: 162 Regular Season.

2)    Injuries: None

3)    Bullpen: No Warm-up rule

4)    Weather Effects in use

5)    Automatic saving of box scores and score sheets

6)    Clutch Ratings: On

 

           1.3.2   Participation

We would like for all games to be played H2H on the internet; however, you may play MP vs MP, using a surrogate manager, or some other method.  It is the home team managers’ responsibility to arrange for the on-time playing of each series.  Surrogates should not be in the same division and, if possible, not in the same league.

 

The MLBS is an active-participation league. The commissioner may replace an owner if it is determined that they are not willing to be an active and involved member and/or it is in the best interests of the league.

 

            1.3.3   Series Play

It is the responsibility of both managers to contact opponents (not later than seven days after release of cycle database) to arrange a time to play/exchange of MPs.  Managers are highly encouraged to make contact at the very beginning of the cycle to ensure adequate time is given to arrange play.  Since penalties may be assigned for overuse, it is important that you send MPs to, both, your opponent and the commissioner even if you are the home team.

 

Teams without managers will have their series played by their opponent.

 

Whenever possible, the entire series should be played at one sitting but ultimately it is whatever works best for the two managers to coordinate.

 

Whenever a known real-life commitment such as vacation may restrict availability, the manager so affected is responsible for making arrangements for a surrogate, etc. well in the advance of the commitment.

 

            1.3.4   Reporting

It is each manager’s responsibility to play the games in a timely manager so that they may be reported by the deadline. The host team will send the statistics to the entire league before the deadline. Managers are encouraged to include a short series summary with their email.

 

            1.3.5   SCHEDULE

 

Schedule for the 2024 season:

                        

                      

 DMB Game Dates:                            Deadline:

Cycle 1 – March 1 thru March 25       March 29

Cycle 2 – March 27 thru April 20        April 19

Cycle 3 – April 22 thru May 16           May 17

Cycle 4 – May 18 thru June 11          June 14

Cycle 5 – June 13 thru July 7            July 5

Cycle 6 – July 9 thru August 2           August 2

Cycle 7 – August 4 thru August 28    August 30

 

            1.3.6 DIVISIONS

 

            AL EAST                                AL CENTRAL                     AL WEST

            BOS                                       CLE                                         OAK

            BAL                                        KCR                                        MIN

            TBR                                        CWS                                        SEA

            NYY                                       TOR                                         TEX

 

            NL EAST                                NL CENTRAL                      NL WEST

            ATL                                        ARZ                                       CIN                           

            MIA                                        STL                                        LAD

            NYM                                       CHC                                       SFG

            WAS                                       PIT                                         ARZ

 

 

 

2.0   Roster Management

 

During the regular season rosters shall be 40 players.

 

Active rosters shall be 28 players for each series. The active roster may not change during a series.  During regular season, a series is defined as “each time there is a change in home team.”  Hence, rosters may be reset.

 

2.1   Expansion (ROSTERS)

Active rosters may expand to 40 active players for games played during cycles 6 and 7 according to the MLBS schedule date.

 

2.2   Position Requirements

Active rosters must contain at least one backup player for each position.  One player may backup for more than one position.

Ten pitchers including a minimum of 5 starters must be active for each series.

Two catchers and two shortstops must remain active at all times.

 

2.3   Waiver Wire

A team may put in free agent claims during the season. The first waiver wire period is after cycle 1 and then after each cycle through cycle 6. Claims will be awarded at the end of each cycle.  Players claimed on waivers will be released back into the draft pool prior to the draft.  They can’t be used in any transaction with any other team. A maximum of four claims may be made during each waiver period.

 

2.3.1   Claim Process

The order of claims will be determined by overall won/lost record at the time of award.  Each team will be allowed a claim before the first team to pick is allowed a second claim.

·         When claiming a player, teams must provide a "player cut" if necessary to maintain a maximum of 40 players.  If no players on the list are available at the team’s turn, no claim will be awarded.

·         No player claimed as a free agent during the season may be traded.

·         Only players who appear on the current DMB player disk are eligible to be claimed.

·         Players, claimed after the trade deadline are, not eligible for post-season play

·         All Free Agents claimed off waiver wire will be for the remainder of the season only and may not be retained by the claiming team for the following year.

·         The waiver claim deadline for each cycle will be 7:00 PM eastern on the Friday prior to end of cycle and will be published by the league and posted on the website.

  

2.4   Trades

 

1)   Trades are to be announced by both of the participants in a league-wide e-mail. Trade confirmations must be received within 24 hours of the trade report. Trades are not official until reported by the commissioner and posted by website moderator.

2)    Trades will go into effect with the release of the league database for the next cycle. 

3)    The trade deadline for each cycle will be 7:00 PM eastern on the Friday prior to end of cycle and will be published by the league and posted on the website.

4)    There will be no trading after the start of cycle 6 until end of the season.

5)    Only current year draft picks (for the upcoming draft) may be traded.

6)   There are basically 3 trading periods (commissioner will announce when trading is open/closed):

 

           Post Draft/In-Season:

1)    Each team in MLBS is assigned 7 draft picks, numbered 1 – 7, at the end of the season’s draft.  These picks may be used in trades

2)    Trades are limited to an equal number of players.  Draft picks may be of any number.

 

Post Season/Until Player Cuts:

·         Trades may be any number of players and/or picks.

 

After Player Cuts/Through Draft:

·         Players and/or pick numbers traded must be equal in numbers.

 

2.4.1   Restrictions

There will be no trading of future considerations or any "players to be named later." All terms of the trade must be announced when the trade is announced.  At no point may one team have simultaneous control of a player traded and the player for whom he was traded. Any trade involving a draft pick, beyond the upcoming draft, is illegal and will not be allowed.

 

2.4.2   Trade Validation

All trades are subject to review by the commissioner to ensure fairness and league integrity.  Trade protests shall be directed to the commissioner only.  Public comment regarding trades, other than good natured smack talk, will not be tolerated.

 

2.4.3   Trade Mediation

In most cases, the commissioner will be the arbiter of any trade complaints. The commissioner may, at his discretion, appoint an ad hoc panel of at least three members to mediate in trades that are controversial.  This will also be standard procedure when a conflict of interest involving the commissioner is apparent.

  

3.0   Player Requirements and Restrictions

 

1)    Players in the infield are restricted to positions for which they have ratings.

2)    Players in the outfield that are rated in CF may play all OF positions

3)    Players with no CF rating may play LF or RF.

4)    Managers may not pinch hit for a player without a player being available for position.

**Exception:  Players may be played out of position in late game situations where due to ejections etc. there are no players left on the bench with a rating for that position.

 

 

3.1   Usage

The maximum usage allowed for most players is 120% of real life rounded down to the nearest whole number.  These "regular players" will not have any codes next to their name.  Batters will use Plate Appearances (PA) as the measurement.  Starting pitchers will use Games Started (GS) as the measurement.  Relief pitchers will use Batters Faced (BF) as the measurement.  These are the percentages (for batters and relief pitchers) that show up in the upper righthand corner of the player’s window.  All starting pitchers are limited to 35 starts maximum unless they started more than 35 times in MLB.  Pitchers used in both roles will use both GS and BF as the measurement (i.e. exceeding either measurement is overuse).

 

Players that are allowed 200% usage will be noted by (2) after their name and unlimited players will be noted by a (u) after their name.

 

3.1.1   Additional Pitcher Requirements (Regular MLBS season)

 

1)    Only pitchers with a starting rating may start. Only pitchers with a reliever rating may pitch in relief. (Pitchers with both ratings can obviously do both). (SUGGEST that pitchers not slated to play in a series be listed as inactive).

2)    All teams must have 5 pitchers rated as a starter, active for all series, even if they use 3 days of rest.

3)    Starting pitchers must pitch at least 4 innings or until they have allowed 4 runs.

 

3.1.2   Determining Usage

To ensure adequate player resources, the MLBS will allow players with OPS lower than .547 to have unlimited PAs and those having OPS between .659 and .547 to have 2X PAs.  Pitchers having WHIP higher than 1.60 will be allowed unlimited GS (maximum of 35 GS) and BFs.  Pitchers having WHIP of 1.40 to 1.60 will be allowed 2X GS (maximum of 35 GS) or 2X BFs.  (Players with less than 50 PAs and pitchers with less than 85 BFs will be limited to 120% of real life rounded down to the nearest whole number).

 

3.1.3   Hitter Usage

Criteria to determine the (2) and (u) players will be real life OPS (OBP + SLG = OPS). 

 

3.1.4   Pitcher Usage

Criteria to determine the (2) and (u) players will be real life WHIP (walks & hits per inning pitched). 

 

4.0   Penalties

1)  Any player who plays over the 120%/200% rating will be considered overused and will be immediately inactive for the remainder of the season. Players that are overused will be ineligible for playoffs.   Additional penalties will be determined by commissioner and may include loss of picks, reduction of roster spots, forfeiture of playoff seeding, expulsion, etc.  The commissioner may, at his discretion, appoint an ad hoc panel of at least three members to recommend penalties.

           

2)  Late reporting, contacting opponents, and/or other infractions that hinder league operations shall also be subject to penalties.

 

5.0   Post-Season Play (Playoffs)

 

1)      The post season will consist of 12 teams, the 6 divisional winners and 3 wild card teams from each league (AL/NL).

2)      Each leagues’ wild card teams and each division winner, with the worst record, will have a 3-game play in series in a 1-1-1 format. The division winner, with the worst record, will play the wild card team with the worst record.

3)    The team with the best league record will play the surviving team with the worst record while the team with the 2nd best league record will play the surviving team having the 2nd best record.  At no time can the Wild Card have home field advantage. In the 2nd round the series winners in each league will play each other for the AL and NL championships.  The AL and NL winners will play for the MLBS Championship with AL having home field advantage in odd number years.

4)    All series (other than wild card play-in) shall be best of 7 games series, in a 2 -3 -2 format.  The wild card play in series will be best of 3 games series, in a 1-1-1 format.  The team with the better regular season record will host the first game and have home field advantage.  **Exception the Wild Card team may never have home-field advantage.

5)    If two teams are tied at the end of the regular season, the tie will be broken by head-to-head record, division record, home record, or coin flip with team having better record advancing.

 

5.1.1 Penalties apply to Post-Season Play (any player/pitcher who exceeds the 10% allowed usage will incur appropriate penalties.

 

5.2   Rosters

Playoff and World Series rosters shall be limited to 28 active players.  Playoff teams must submit their playoff roster to opposing manager and commissioner prior to playing games for processing on the official league playoff disk. The active roster may be changed only between rounds.

 

5.3 Player Limitations

1)    Players are limited to a flat 10%, rounded down, of their actual PAs for each round of the playoffs.  Batters with less than 50 actual PAs may not be used in post season play. 

2)    Pitchers are limited to a flat 10%, rounded down, of their actual GS/BF for each round of the playoffs.  Pitchers with less than 85 BFs may not be used in post season play.

3)    Pitchers, who only started in real life, may start or relieve in the Post Season.

 

6.0   Rookie / Free Agent Draft:

 

1)    Each team is allowed to keep one “debut” player from, their real life counterpart, who counts as one of the team’s keepers. 

2)    Teams may keep a 2nd “debut” player but will forfeit their 2nd round pick. Teams may keep a 3rd “debut” player but will forfeit their 1st round pick. NOTE: The forfeited draft picks must be the team’s own – not reacquired.

 

3)    The Rookie and Free Agent draft will usually occur within a month of the release of the next season’s player’s disk by DMB.  Each team will reduce their roster to not more than 40 player positions (including draft picks and non-carded players).

 

4)    Teams will be 'ranked' by reverse order of standings for non-playoff teams.  Playoff teams will go last, and be 'ranked' according to when they are eliminated from playoffs.  In case of ties, the following tiebreakers will be used:  worst overall record, most road wins, higher run differential, coin flip.

 

5)    The draft will consist of 7 rounds.  Only teams with remaining draft picks will be allowed to select players during these 7 rounds.   Teams having less than 40-players after conclusion of the 7th round may select additional players, following waiver wire procedures during waiver wire periods.

 

6)    Only players that appear on the DMB player disk and are not currently on a roster are eligible to be drafted. 

 

7.0   NOTE:  If a manager chooses to comply with a deadline, prior to the deadline, the decision is final.

 

8.0   League Votes and Rules Changes

 

1)    Suggestions for rules changes or league actions will be submitted to the commissioner (ONLY) for consideration.  The commissioner will review all requests and put forward those deemed reasonable for vote. The commissioner may veto suggestions not in keeping with the tenants or best interests of the league.

 

2)    Voting will take place normally in the off season as directed by the commissioner.

 

3)    Any/All votes by the league must have a simple majority in-order-to pass. 

 

 

 

9.0   Commissioner Delegation

1)    The commissioner may appoint a deputy to run the league in-the-event that he may temporarily be unable to perform his duties.

 

2)    The commissioner may also appoint members at his discretion, to help maintain the league and delegate his authority in-order-to allow for assistance by the league members in running the league.  Such duties may include but are not limited to:

a.    Trade Manager

b.    Webmaster

c.    Manager for Surrogate play

d.    Statistician

 

3)    Questions regarding interpretation of these rules will be at the discretion of the commissioner or if he deems fit, a temporary ad hoc committee formed for that purpose

 

10.0   Pending Rule Changes