Post by Brad (Cubs GM) on Aug 29, 2015 12:54:48 GMT -6
Overview:
The purpose of this league is to provide a franchise and the tools to assist a general manager (GM) in managing their team in a dynasty setting. Our meaning of dynasty refers to the ability of each GM to keep their team’s roster fully intact year after year. The league will provide a means for competing where the mastery of several elements is essential for success. Those elements include salary cap management, daily roster maintenance, trading and prospecting. The only requirements are that the GM: (a) exhibit a high level of sportsmanship and respect each other GMs participating in this league; (b) respect the decisions of the Commissioner’s Office; (c) remain active throughout the year.
GM requirements :
-All Gms should have updated contact especially if PM is not your main form of communication
Roster layouts and requirements
Rosters can be set up as the GM would like but we do need some information to conform across the league.
-All MLB players salaries should be shown for all years whether RLC or HHC
example from Cots who we use as a reference for salaries:
11:$12M, 12:$14M, 13:$15M, 14:$15M You may add 16:$FA but not req.
-All MILB players should be listed as $300K PP
PP are players drafted by teams or original players kept by franchises. These players are under the min requirements for promotion to rookie status (i.e. more than 149 AB (hitters), more than 55 IP (SP/RP) or more than 9 starts once these players pass into rookie status these levels they are subject to RL Salaries during their protection
-All AAS players should be listed as AAS:$?? and have the # of years remaining at rookie status (0/3) HHRC
-ALL transactions MUST be recorded, kept up to date and carried over from year to year. NO deleting of transactions will be accepted going forward and teams will be considered non-compliant.
These transactions should include at the min all trades made by present gms.
-ALL cap info should be recorded and kept up to date by teams. This includes all cash moved or received, cap penalties, and balance.
-ALL draft picks need to be listed with appropriate corresponding years/owners
-ALL tags need to be listed with corresponding years/owners
-All Picks traded must be posted under appropriate thread in the draft section for ease of tracking
Failure to adhere to the above will be considered noncompliance and will be met with penalties
League Funding and payouts:
$20 League Fee
1st = $205
2nd = $100
3rd = $60
4th = $40
5th = $35
6th = $30
7th-9th = $20 (next year's fee paid)
Salary Cap:
The initial salary cap created for each team will moderately resemble the total salary spent by its professional affiliate during the 2005 season. There have been seven tier groupings created. Each tier has its own specific salary cap assigned. To increase the competitiveness of the league and level the playing field, a supplemental amount of salary cap has been added to those teams residing in lower tiers. Ie. The small market teams. The amount has been added to some tiers to level the playing field over time. All teams within a specific tier receive the same salary cap to spend as the general manager sees fit. Below is a brief summary of the tiers, the teams in each tier and the starting salary cap for the 2009 campaign.
• Tier 1 – New York Yankees
• 2009 Salary Cap Amount for Tier 1 - $145 Million
1 Franchise Option
• Tier 2 – Boston Red Sox, New York Mets
• 2009 Salary Cap Amount for Tier 2 - $130 million
1 Franchise Option
• Tier 3 –Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels, Chicago White Sox
• 2009 Salary Cap Amount for Tier 3 - $120 million
1 Franchise Option
1 Restricted Option
• Tier 4 – St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, Houston Astros, Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies
• 2009 Salary Cap Amount for Tier 4 - $110 million
1 Franchise Option
2 Restricted Options
• Tier 5 –San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers, Oakland A’s, Minnesota Twins, Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers, Baltimore Orioles, Florida Marlins
• 2009 Salary Cap Amount for Tier 5 - $105 million
2 Franchise Options
2 Restricted Options
• Tier 6 – Kansas City Royals , Washington Nationals, Cincinnati Reds, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cleveland Indians, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Milwaukee Brewers
• 2009 Salary Cap Amount for Tier 6 - $100 million
2 Franchise Options
3 Restricted Options
Please note that this dynasty league was designed to create problems and friction so that managing your team is imperative.
The Main roster limit(live roster for scoring purposes) is 40 players You must account for all 40 roster spots, whether they be filled by a signed player or regarded as "open" and bearing a league minimum $300K salary. If you roster 37 players and, based on their salaries, have less than $900K in available cap, you are OVER your cap.
To avoid this matter, you must indicate any "open" roster spots on your team page, assign to each a league minimum salary of $300K and include that in your cap and roster limit calculations.
Each team will receive an additional $5 million to their salary cap maximum at the start of each even numbered calendar year.
Example - the Tier 6 teams will have their salary cap for 2018 increase from $100 million to $105 million. In 2020 it will increase to $110 million and so on and so forth. The league maximum salary cap for any team is $150 million. This will eventually allow for league parity over a longer period of time. The commissioner’s office reserves the right to adjust this league maximum if necessary.
* Your team must remain under the assigned salary cap at all times, for all years, or face disciplinary action from the commissioner’s office. If a trade or FA signing pushes your team over the salary cap for the current season and/or any future season, you will have 72 hours from approval of the transaction to get back under the cap or your team will cease accumulating stats.
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Rosters
Each franchise will have the capability of retaining the rights of a “45-man” roster.
-40 man roster that can be any combo of MLB and Prospects
-5 Minor league roster that are PP and will usually derive from the MILB draft
Each of the 40 players named by you to be members of your “40 man roster” will be included on your roster at Fantrax and will be eligible to accumulate stats for your team. Only “active” positions will accumulate stats throughout the course of the season and determine how successful your team is.
Separate from the 40-Man Roster will be the 5-Man Minor League Roster, which will consist of 5 players who must be defined as prospects by league rule. These are players who may not be worthy of a 40-Man Roster spot right now, but you believe have the potential to one day assist you.
-These 5 players can be modified throughout the season via trade, drafting, or player releases.
-These 5 players will count against your salary cap at $300k each since they must have been prospects that were either claimed through the previous prospect-claiming system or picked in the High Heat MiLB Draft.
-Prospects that were signed in free agency will NOT be eligible for this 5-Man MiLB Roster.
-Any defined minor leaguer can be promoted from your 5-Man MiLB Roster to your 40-Man Roster at any time.
-Once a player no longer qualifies as a defined minor leaguer, they are no longer eligible for your 5-Man Minor League System (a player's status cannot change mid-season). On your roster page, you must designate who is specifically on your 5-Man Minor League roster at all times. When a trade is posted involving a player eligible for the 5-Man MiLB roster it was must be posted in the agreed to trade along with the player's salary information.
-You may not use any player on your 5-Man MiLB Roster to collect stats. In order to use a player on the 5-Man MiLB Roster to collect stats you must make room on the 40-Man Roster and then post in the appropriate section on Pro-Boards indicating the move AND update your ProBoards roster indicating the move.
-These 5 will not be added at Fantrax unless promoted to the 40 man to keep it simpler
Note** Empty Slots on the Prospect Roster will NOT count against your salary cap, however, used slots will.
Player Definitions:
-"WT Prospects" or "WT Minor Leaguers" are defined in WT as players who have not played greater than 149 at bats (hitters), 55 IP before 2014 and 40 IP starting in 2014 (SP/RP) or 9 Starts (SP) in any one season in the majors. Players remain classified as Prospects and are protected indefinitely until reaching those statistical plateaus - after which they become "WT Rookies".
-"WT Rookies" are defined as players that HAVE played 150 at bats (hitters), 40+ (40.1) innings pitched (SP/RP) or 10 starts (SP) in any single MLB season and are still under protection. A player is a HH Rookie for 2 seasons after losing WT prospect status. During the 2 years of protection WT Rookies are carried at the player's real life MLB salary or the MLB league minimum, whichever is greater. Obviously, this does NOT apply to players acquired in Free Agency with an "AAS only" contract.
*example - The D-Rays have Delmon Young for 2 seasons before he plays a full 150 at bats ('06 & '07) during which time he is considered a "prospect" or "minor leaguer", after the first season in which he has 150 major league at bats ('07) he is considered a "Rookie".
*A team's 5 player farm must consist of WT Prospects ONLY, WT Rookies must be placed on the team's 40 man MLB roster.
RP will have the IP threshold changed to 40 IP this season, any player with AAS or PP protection passing this in 2014 will then have their years of protection kick in after this season. Some of these RP will have passed that threshold in previous years but did not pass the 55 IP so past years will not affect these players going forward.
Example:
Dale crosses the minimums of 40 IP 2014 but pitched in 2013 and had 53 IP but is still considered a Prospect 0/3 going into 2014, because he did not cross the 55 IP that was required in 2013. When it comes 2015 and someone checks when Dale crossed the line (being that 40 IP is the rule in 2015) Members are going to see that Dale had 53 IP in 2013, therefore he is a FA in 2017, because he did not cross the line until 2014. (if he crosses 40 IP)
Fantrax Rosters and Scoring:
The active roster spots are as follows:
• (9) Pitchers (can be starters or relievers )
• (1) Catcher
• (2) CI (1B or 3B)
• (2) MI (2B or SS)
• (2) OF
• (2) Utility (any position)
-The players may be moved in and out of the “active” position spots on a daily basis.
-The statistical categories that will be tabulated to determine the league champion each year are split into two major areas. Pitching and hitting. This is a 12-category traditional roto league. The categories are as follows:
• Pitching – Wins, Saves, Strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, Holds
• Hitting – Runs, HRs, RBIs, Stolen Bases, Batting Average, OPS
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Contract Types and Expiration's
Franchise
Each off-season, there are always a number of players who have their contracts expire. These players naturally become free agents and are available on the “free market” for auction by any team in the league. You will have the ability once per year to name a “franchise player”. This player, although having his contract expired, will not be eligible for free agency within our league and will be forced to sign with the same team. In this specific case ONLY, the franchise player will have to assume the real life contract he received. This can either improve or hinder your team depending on how much the player signs for. If the new contract puts you over your salary cap maximum, you will receive a notice from the commissioner’s office after which time you will have 72-hours to correct the problem. Franchise Players must be posted prior to the league’s annual deadline or said player/s will become unrestricted FA's
*You may not add “options” to player’s contracts.
Restricted Players
In addition to having franchise player(s) each year, a team will also have the ability to name restricted players. Restricted players will, in effect, be treated just like free agents with one BIG difference. Restricted players can be made contract offers just like any other free agent. Once the 72-hour offering period ends, however, the team who restricted the player will have 48 hours to match the offer. If a GM fails to match the offer, the player will then be able to sign with the new team at the terms offered in the contract. RFA Players must be posted prior to the league’s annual deadline or said player/s will become unrestricted FA's
Any and all unrestricted Free Agents shall be subject to regular (unrestricted) FA bidding as outlined and defined in the Rules.
* All free agent bidding, whether restricted or unrestricted, shall be conducted pursuant to the league's FA bidding procedures in place at that time.
All Gm's including the original owner of the RFA may Place a bid on any player eligible at the time Bidding opens
**NOTE - In the event no bids are received on a RFA, that player will be available to his team at his real life MLB contract. The restricting team may reject the MLB salary/contract and forfeit said player to Unrestricted Free Agency.
RESTRICTED PLAYER BIDDING CRITERIA - Restricting a player provides a semi protective measure to help a GM retain that player, while not assuring that GM will retain said player. In order to provide some, but not absolute, assistance in that retention, the following guidelines are placed on Restricted FA bidding:
The Average Annual Salary ("AAS") that a GM bids will require a certain minimum number of years that offer must cover to be a valid bid. The HIGHER the AAS, the LONGER the MINIMUM contract term you MUST offer in order to make a valid bid. The MINIMUM contract term is based solely on the offer's AAS, and is determined as follows:
AAS = up to and including $3M, then MINIMUM 1 yr deal
AAS = $3M+ to $6M, then MINIMUM 2 yr deal (total min contract = $6,000,001 to $12M)
AAS = $6M+ to $9M, then MINIMUM 3 yr deal (total min contract = $18,000,001 to $27M)
AAS = $9M+ to $12M, then MINIMUM 4 yr deal (total min contract = $36,000,001 to $48M)
AAS = $12M+ and up, then MINIMUM 5 yr deal (etc)
Simply, you can divide the AAS by 3M, then round UP to determine the MINIMUM number of years the contract must cover. Any bid not meeting the correct minimum term offered will be voided.
-The bidder can always make a contract term LONGER than the minimum number of years since the AAS only determines the MINIMUM term.
-As in all FA bidding, the bidder must clearly state the 1.) Contract term (number of years), 2.) Total contract amount, 3.) AAS, and 4.) Breakdown of the salary offer for each year of the term of the contract OR clearly state it is equally allocated to each year. If the offer is not specific and include the above criteria, then it will be deemed an invalid bid.
-Since the bidding is for a restricted free agent, then pursuant to the Rules, the GM who held the restricted player has 48 hours to match the winning bid, and may restructure that bid for a total contract amount no less and a term no shorter or longer than that of the "winning" bid.
-If the restricting GM chooses not to match the offer, then the winning bidder is obligated to sign the player to the exact terms of the winning bid - there is NO option to remove or renege on any bid placed.
-If a Gm decides to NOT match a RFA bid they are entitled to compensation.
Starting for the 2014 season Owners of RFA tagged players will receive compensation in the following form ONLY if they choose NOT to match a RFA bid. If you do a sign and trade you are not eligible for compensation:
AAS < $5.999M- no comp
AAS = $6M to $8.999M- after 3rd round comp pick
AAS = $9M to $12.999M- after 2nd round comp pick
AAS = $13M or more- after 1st round comp pick
*The 48 hour acceptance "clock" will commence with the winning bid being posted for said player.
The discussion above applies ONLY TO RESTRICTED free agent bidding. Normal, or Unrestricted, free agent bidding is covered under general FA bidding rulings.
WT "Rookie" Protection Tags (hereinafter WTRT)
Annually, each team can elect to provide additional protection to no more than two (2) of its WT Rookies who are completing their third and final qualifying MLB season ONLY. These additional "protections" are to known as WT Rookie Protection Tags and each tag can be for 1 OR 2 years.
-There will be NO WT Rookie protection offered for 3rd year (i.e. after their 3rd and final protected MLB season) WT Rookies this (or any) year.
-An WT Rookie may only be tagged once, so a rookie tagged for 1 year is NOT eligible to be rookie tagged again, even if said player does not play enough games or pitch enough innings in the subsequent year to be deemed a "qualifying MLB season". Said player MAY be franchise or restrict tagged after his WT Rookie protection tag expires.
In general, any player in his 3rd (and final) qualifying MLB season will be eligible to be tagged for 1 OR 2 additional seasons after the conclusion of that (the player's 3rd and final rookie protected MLB) season. The choice to attach said tag is solely at the discretion of the GM.
However, any player with an "WT" contract OR under a real life contract that does NOT expire simultaneously with the end of that player's 3rd and final qualifying MLB season will remain under his WT or real life contract until its expiration and will NOT be eligible to be WT Rookie protection tagged.
Any player in his 3rd (and final) qualifying MLB season and is protected by 1) WT Rookie protection OR 2) an expiring WT contract OR 3) an expiring real life contract, IS eligible to be WT Rookie protection tagged.
The player's salary in his first year of protection is $3M while the cost of a second year protection is $5M unless the AAS of the expiring WT contract is more than $3M (or $5M relative to the second year of protection). In such cases, neither the first nor second year protections can be less than the AAS of the expiring WT contract, but instead equal to the contract AAS if such AAS is greater than the tag year's set salary.
i.e. OF Tom Terrific was won in FA bidding with a bid for AAS of $1.25M. Tom can be protected for 1 or 2 years, at $3M for year 1 and $5 for year 2.
i.e. OF Tom Terrific was won in FA bidding with a bid for AAS of $3.25M. Tom can be protected for 1 or 2 years, but at $3.25M (instead of $3M) for year 1 and $5 for year 2.
i.e. OF Tom Terrific was won in FA bidding with a bid for AAS of $5.5M. Tom can be protected for 1 or 2 years, but at $5.5M (instead of $3M) for year 1 and $5.5 (instead of $5M) for year 2.
This allows GMs to still protect a player with large AAS contracts, but they won't get a salary reduction for the additional 1 or 2 years of protection.
Annually, these tags will be declared on or before the announced trade deadline. For 2008 ONLY, tag declarations must be made before October 1, 2008 PST.
-WTRT tags are tradeable, but only in like number of WTRT tags (i.e. Mariners trade a 2016 WTRT tag to the Jays for a 2017 WTRT tag).
-WTRT tags may NOT be carried over to future years. Use them or lose them.
Deadline for Tags Posting
The deadline for posting player tags will be published each off season.
GMs can post as required at any time up until the deadline, and have the ability to change their minds on posted players or trade them prior to the deadline. A posted player traded before the deadline is NOT required to remain a tagged player - that decision rests solely with the receiving GM.
Whatever players are posted at the deadline are set in stone and cannot be withdrawn or changed.
Trading a tagged player post deadline restricts the receiving GM to roster that player as tagged and subject to the tag outcome.
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Free Agent Bidding:
A player not listed on any franchise’s 45-man roster will be declared a free agent. A free agent can be any professional baseball player, major league or minor league. When you decide there is a player you wish to add to your 40-man roster from free agency, you will need to sign that player to a contract.
The last Thursday of the MLB regular season each year will be the last week of free agency until off-season free agency begins.
-Monday 6AM PST (9AM EST) through Tuesday 9PM PST (12AM EST) - Player names MUST be posted to the appropriate section to indicate eligibility for bidding.
-Any player posted before or after the allotted posting period will be deleted and will NOT be eligible for bids that week.
-Monday 9AM EST through Thursday 9PM EST - Once a player's name is posted in the "Place FA Bids Here" board, you can submit your bids, via PM, on any of the listed players during the bidding period to the "Buster Olney (Free Agency)" member/account. ONLY ONE BID PER PM so 1 player as the subject bids on multiple players in one PM will be considered void
-Any bids received after the deadline will be deleted.
-It should be noted that when submitted a bid to the WTLO account; it is legal/valid to submit a priority list...this list should be well defined; if any clarification is needed; the bid(s) may become invalid and the second highest bidder will become the owner of the bidded on FA.
ie:
Title: Jays Priority List
The Jays would like 1 of the following 3 players in this order:
1) Carlos Gomez
2) Carlos Santana
3) Carlos Rodriguez
The league’s minimum salary requirement is $300,000 per year. The longest you may sign a player to contract at the league minimum is two years. The longest you can sign a player to a contract with an average annual salary (AAS) of $500,000 or less is three years. As in real-life, sometimes players receive numerous contract offers. The player will ultimately choose the team that has offered them the most lucrative contract.
The Max length that you are able to sign a player to is 5 years. Also, to prevent back loading contracts no team is able to go over any cap in any year even if it’s a couple years away.
Free Agency Bidding Process
No GM with Cap overages prior to FA bids being revealed will not have any winning bids awarded to them and bids will go to next highest bid.
If any GM has ANY questions or problems with these deadlines, please contact at least 3 LO members via PM (copy and paste your message) regarding the issue. This helps to prevent any one LO member inadvertently dispensing incorrect information or decision.
All GM's who are eligible will be given the opportunity to make ONE bid [you MUST submit your bid to the WT free agent account noted above any time after the player is posted for bidding[/i].
Your bid must clearly state the EXACT terms of your deal and must also include the Average Annual Salary (AAS).
The maximum length of a contract offer is 5 years.
A player not listed on any franchise’s 40-man roster will be declared a free agent. A free agent can be any professional baseball player, major league or minor league. When you decide there is a player you wish to add to your 40-man roster from free agency, you will need to sign that player to a contract. The league’s minimum salary requirement is $300,000 per year. The longest you may sign a player to contract at the league minimum is two years. The longest you can sign a player to a contract with an average annual salary (AAS) of $500,000 or less is three years. As in real-life, sometimes players receive numerous contract offers. The player will ultimately choose the team that has offered them the most lucrative contract.
The Max length that you are able to sign a player to is 5 years. Also, to prevent back loading contracts no team is able to go over any cap in any year even if it’s a couple years away.
It should be noted that when submitted a bid to the WTLO account; it is legal/valid to submit a priority list...this list should be well defined; if any clarification is needed; the bid(s) may become invalid and the second highest bidder will become the owner of the bidded on FA.
ie:
Title: Jays Priority List
The Jays would like 1 of the following 3 players in this order:
1) Carlos Gomez
2) Carlos Santana
3) Carlos Rodriguez
Annual Salary Limitations as a Function of AAS:
No single (1) year of a contract may deviate from AAS by more than 30%. Example follows:
The Nationals offer Jose Lima 3 years, $15M
AAS $5M
2006 $3.5M (30% of AAS - minimum salary permitted)
2007 $5M
2008 $6.5M (130% of AAS - maximum salary permitted)
The bids will be sent through PM to a separate account set up by the Commish Office.
All bids will be submitted to the following address: "Buster Olney (Free Agency)"
The inbox will ONLY be checked once the bidding deadline has expired. When you send the PM, you are able to view it in your PM "Outbox" and the message will be unread until the bidding period is complete.
A free agent is awarded to the team that bids the highest Average Annual Salary (AAS). In the case of two teams offering the same amount for a player over a different number of years, the tie-breaker will go to the team offering the salary over a smaller period of time. I.e. If one team offers $50 million over 5 years (AAS=$10M) and another team offers $50 million over 4 years (AAS=$12.5M), the team offering $50 million over 4 years offers the highest AAS and wins the right to sign the
player. In the case of a tie where two teams are offering the same salary amount to a player over the same period of time, the team that offered the salary first will win the right to sign the player.
Once you have been awarded a player, you have 72 hours to add that player to your roster, with contract and salary information and update your total and available salaries information. Failure to update may cause you to forfeit the recently won player(s) to the 2nd highest bidder(s).
Also, be careful to not exceed your salary cap or roster limits. If this occurs, you have 72 hours to make arrangements to waive players in order to be within your team’s salary cap and roster limits. The Commissioners/League Office may or may not send you an email mandating that your team is over the cap and must become compliant...that is strictly and solely the responsibility of each GM to carefully manage his/her roster and cap. If you fail to keep your team in compliance, the Commissioner’s Office will automatically drop your most recently signed player to free agency in order to bring your team under the required salary cap maximum. At this point the Commissioner’s Office will notify the league of the player who has recently become a free agent and the offending team will be responsible for the contract of the forced drop as laid out in the non-rostering penalties.
-No Free Agents will be added to any rosters until the team is within all salary cap and roster limits to accommodate the FA. During the offseason you cannot go over your salary cap at any time
-Aging Player Bidding Limitations
Older Free Agent players (i.e. subject to RFA and FA bidding), specifically those whose age is 37 or older on the "next" Opening Day, will be subject to limited term contracts for all WT contracts.
37 years old (but not yet 38) on the next Opening Day - maximum of a 4 year contract
38 years old (but not yet 39) on the next Opening Day - maximum of a 3 year contract
39 years old (but not yet 40) on the next Opening Day - maximum of a 2 year contract
40 years old or older on the next Opening Day - maximum of a 1 year contract
Bidding rules remain the same for these players except for the following modifications:
Contracts for Old Players may be frontloaded or level, but in no event may the player's salary in any year beyond year 1 (i.e. years 2, 3 or 4) exceed the contract's AAS.
Since no back loading is permitted, retirement from baseball for any reason will trigger a complete waiver of the remainder of the player's contract and the ownership team will not bear any responsibility against cap for said player's salary commencing with the day said retirement is announced and verified with a web link, even if said event occurs mid-season.
Posting of Older Free Agent Players for Bidding:
Posting of Older Free Agent Players, including older restricted free agent players remains the same as for any other free agent or restricted free agent player except for the following modifications:
It is the responsibility of the GM posting the Older Player for bid 1) to research said player's date of birth (DOB)and 2) including the player's DOB, with the actual next Opening Day age in parenthesis, as part of the thread's message, as notification to all potential bidders.
It is also the responsibility of any GM that places a bid on an older player to do their own research on any player suspected of meeting the age thresholds, regardless of the thread initiator's representation (or lack thereof). A GM does not have a valid excuse for improper bidding on a player with age restrictions for reliance on information (or lack thereof) in the thread.
ALL improper bids will be invalidated and ignored.
Incorrect or incomplete postings of an older player's DOB and age will result in warnings to the poster. On the third infraction, the poster will be prohibited from posting FAs for 2 weeks (to save the league a lot of time and frustration).
-A free agent is awarded to the team that bids the highest Average Annual Salary (AAS).
In the event 2 teams offer the same AAS, the team offering the contract to the WTLO account the soonest (in terms of date, hour, minute being the earliest) will be awarded the player.
As explained in Rule 6 - A free agent is awarded to the team that bids the highest Average Annual Salary (AAS).
In the case of two teams offering the same amount for a player over a different number of years, the tie-breaker will go to the team offering the salary over a smaller period of time.
i.e. If one team offers $50 million over 5 years (AAS=$10M) and another team offers $50 million over 4 years (AAS=$12.5M), the team offering $50 million over 4 years offers the highest AAS and wins the right to sign the player.
In the case of a tie where two teams are offering the same salary amount to a player over the same period of time, the team that offered the salary first will win the right to sign the player.
-You may not add “options” to player’s contracts.
The commissioner’s office will officially declare which team has won the right to sign the player as a final response in the bid thread. At this point, the player is ready to sign with your team and you may officially add the player to your 40-man roster and deduct his salary from your salary cap.
Once a contract is signed, it cannot be reworked or revoked. In essence, it is etched in stone. You are responsible for paying that contract until such time as the player is traded or dropped to free agency.
-Minor League Bidding Special Rules:
WT's current 5 year limit on contracts for MiLB’s is deemed a substantial hindrance in A) retaining a developing talent and B) protection during the player's WT Rookie years in the MLB.
Accordingly, WT has adopted a new bidding system for any player who has not yet exceeded the minimum participation levels to be considered a WT rookie (i.e. more than 149 AB (hitters), more than 40 IP (SP/RP) or more than 9 starts (SP) in any single MLB season). ** A player's status is determined as of Opening Day of each season and does not change during the course of that season...so, if a player is a "MiLB" on Opening Day, he remains a "MiLB" that entire season for WT status purposes...in other words, his status does NOT change mid-season.
Free agency (FA and RFA) bids for such players shall be ONLY on an AAS only basis. No years offered, no term, no breakdown shall be necessary or allowed in the bid.
Example:
Twins offer C Bryce Hooper AAS $1.18M
This AAS amount shall be that player's annual salary for all seasons through his third (3rd) and final WT Rookie season. Accordingly, you might own said player for as little as 3 years or for potentially an unlimited number of years at the AAS amount.
You may drop said player at any time, in season or off season. An "in season" drop will result in a cap hit of 50% of the AAS amount for that season only. An "off season" (defined as the period commencing with the day following the World Series and ending with the deadline for Tag Declarations) drop will result in NO cap hit...a "free" drop.
Once the player has exhausted his 3 MLB seasons of protection at his AAS amount, he can be tagged (franchise, restricted or rookie) or dropped into the FA pool.
If he is Rookie tagged, he can be tagged at the greater of the $3M/$5M HH Rookie tag amounts OR his AAS. Keep this in mind when you initially bid on such players.
International Players special rules
The International player market comprises a broad spectrum of players, from Central American and Carribean island teens, to Cuban "national" players, to Japanese players (usually vets from the NPB league), to others which will likely expand to other areas of the globe.
For now, the bidding on these guys will be handled as follows:
If the player is 22 years old or younger at time of signing he must be offered an AAS contract but if he is 23 years old or older at time of signing then he must be offered a yearly contract.
If you're not sure, please ask the LO and be sure to provide player specific information to assist in making a ruling on the player in question.[
Releasing Players to Free Agency:
If you release a player to free agency, you are still responsible for half of that player’s salary until he is re-signed up by another franchise.
If he remains unsigned, you must continue to count half of the player’s salary against your salary cap until his contract expires. If the player is/was owned on a RLC or WTC basis, the contract expiration is clear and known. If the player is/was owned on an AAS-only contract, you will count half of the AAS amount against your current season cap only (if dropped during season OR half of the AAS amount against your next season's cap if the player is dropped after the off season deadline.
If the player is later re-signed by any franchise other than the franchise that dropped the player, you will be responsible for:
With regard to new WT contracts, the lesser of:
a) 50% of the old contract (on a year-to-year basis) OR
b) the net difference between the player’s old contract (with your team) and the player's new contract, on a year-to-year basis.
If the player’s contract with his new team is higher than his contract with your team (on a year-to-year basis), you will not be obligated to pay any further reparations to the player and thus no penalty to your salary cap.
With regard to new AAS contracts, the relief is the lesser of:
a) 50% of the old contract (on an annual basis) OR
b) the net difference between the player’s old contract (with your team) and the player's new AAS contract, on a year-to-year basis limited to the WTP/WTR years of protection at the AAS amount.
Example:
OF Tom Ball is dropped in July 2012 by Twins. Ball's (pre-AAS only) contract was 12:$1M, 13:$1.2M, 14:$2M, 15:$2.4M. Ball, who was a MiLB (WT Prospect) on Opening Day of 2012 but ultimately amasses 162 AB in 2012, is bid on and won by the Reds with AAS $1.6M. *Ball becomes a WTR in 2012 and is HHR protected through 2014.
Twins revised cap hits are 12:$-0- (full relief), 13:$-0- (full relief), 14:$400K (partially relief), 15:$2.4M (no relief since protection expired after 2014).
Bidding on Player(s) You Release
The release period is 7 days. So you may not bid on a player that you have dropped unless the bidding starts one week after you have dropped that player.
Process for releasing a Player
if you decide to release a player, you must list them under the section titled “Free Agents”. This will make permanent your decision to release a player to free agency. Once posted, you may not cancel the drop.
** This same "penalty" is also in place for involuntarily dropped players, i.e. players lost due to non-rostering, FA awards that leave a team over cap or over roster limits and no remedy is made within 72 hours.
Waivers
To be as realistic to Major League Baseball as possible, we will have one waiver system, rather than the previously proposed two waiver system.
Briefly, waivers are a different method of transactions that involves trading players to other teams, yet is not a conventional trade. The waivers system allows a team to post a player so that they are available for anyone to place a claim on said player. Once a player is put on waivers, all of the teams have the option to claim the player if they choose to. After a player has been put on waivers, teams have 48 hours to place a claim. Once a player has been claimed, the two negotiating teams will have 72 hours to work out a deal. If a team claims a player, there are three possible outcomes:
- Option 1: The team that claimed the player and the team that posted the player can work out a trade involving any players. After the trade deadline, though, only players on the 5-Man minor league roster may be traded for a claimed player on waivers. This option is similar to the old “Trading Waivers” rule.
- Option 2: If after the time limit a deal is not reached, the team that posted the player on waivers can elect to receive nothing in return for the player. The franchise that claimed said player is responsible for this player’s contract in full, and therefore is awarded this player. The team that placed this player on waivers no longer has any contractual responsibility.
- Option 3: The team that posted the player on waivers can simply elect to keep the player on their roster.
Once a decision has been made on which option has been chosen, post it as soon as possible. You do not have to wait the full 72 hours to make a transaction.
One other note: A player may only be placed on waivers 3 times during a season.
Placing a Claim
To claim a player, simply PM the Waivers account with your intention on claiming said player. Waiver claims will be awarded to the team that claimed said player with the worst record. In the event there is a tie in terms of record, the tie-breaker will go to who had the better head to head matchup. In the event there is a tie, it will go to whoever claimed said player first. During the off-season, waivers will reopen on March 1st.
Buyout Provision
A GM has an option, at the time of the player drop, to elect to immediately buyout 50% of the entire contract and take the cap hit all at once, at that time, rather than spread out the cap hit over the term of the contract.
This option would be allowed until the trade deadline each year. Any player drops after the trade deadline will not allowed the option to buy out the contract, but must be responsible under the old rule. Plan ahead for your drops
If said option is elected during any offseason, the cap hit would be taken in the upcoming season. (i.e. a player is dropped in February 2016, with an election for a buyout, half of the entire contract will be a cap hit for 2016 only).
Buy-Out Posting Required Information - In addition to the normal drop information used to explain a player's drop and the caps hit(s), a buy-out drop must also include the following, at a minimum,
1) statement that the GM declares a buy-out of the player's contract,
2) the year to which the buy-out hit to cap occurs (even though it's assumed clear by the date of the drop post),
3) the player's entire contract clearly presented in terms of years and annual salary amounts, and
4) the total amount of the buy-out, clearly posted
Failure to include this information or posting of incorrect information will render the buy-out null and void, so please be sure to double check the player's contract information (research if need be because reliance on the prior GM or anyone else will NOT be an excuse) and your math to ensure protection of the election.
Buyout "Relief" - The league has always utilized a year-to-year comparison for salary hit relief and this application is to be consistent.
Example, a buyout is $7.5M (1/2 of 2011:$4M, 2012:$5M, 2013:$6M)...new FA contract awarded (2011:$2M, 2012:$4M, 2013:$6M, 2014:$6M).
Even though the entire new contract exceeds the old contract, a year-to-year analysis is still used, as follows
2011 - new contract $2M, old contract $4M = no relief, so $2M is still owed
2012 - new contract $4M, old contract $5M = $1M relief = still owes $1M
2013 - new contract $6M, old contract $6M - full relief
2014 - N/A since old contract had no 2014 salary component
The team now owes only $3M instead of $7.5M on the buy out
Non Rostering Penalties
If a GM does not roster a player/s after winning a free agent or via trade within the 72 hour limit said player/s will be involuntarily removed from that Gm's roster and added to the free agent pool.
-This 72 hour clock start at the time a Free Agent winning bid is posted or a when trade approval is posted
-That Gm will be responsible for the contract/s of those players for the remaining duration of their deals. This penalty falls under the same guidelines as a normal drop/waive of a player to FA and carries the same cap hit penalty of 50%
-If you know you are going to be out of town or won't be able to update within 72 hours for any reason then please message a LO member or all LO members for help BEFORE the bidding deadline (Thurs 9pm EST). Don't just message one of us and then go AWOL. Message any or all LO members and allow for us to respond and make sure your instructions are clear.
We cannot help you if your instructions are unclear in any way. They must not be ambiguous.
Posting in the Out of Town section will not be a valid excuse for non-rostering within 72 hours. The act of bidding enters you into a contract to roster your won players and be roster-size and cap legal within 72 hours, if you can't update and make things legal yourself you send us 100% clear instructions before the bidding deadline (9pm EST Thurs) Make sure you get a response and everything is clear and set prior to going AWOL.
If you don't do this and you haven't rostered your won players, gotten cap legal, gotten roster size legal within 72 hours then we have no choice but to give out penalties. We don't want to do that.
If you can't fulfill your responsibilities on your own or follow the instructions above then you should not bid. You will receive a penalty for any non-rostered player or illegal roster after 72 hours of winning a free agent.
We don't want anyone to receive any free-agent based penalty in this league ever. Take the necessary precautions or get things done on your own.
To be very clear, either you fulfill your responsibilities within 72 hours or you give us specific and 100% clear instructions on what to do to help you. If neither of these happens then there will be a penalty.
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Trading:
A trade can involve many types of collateral. These include major league players, prospects (minor leaguers), MILB Draft picks, or “cash” in the form of salary cap money.
Any trade negotiations that conclude in an agreement must be posted to the bulletin board under the section entitled “Trade Review”. All terms of the trade must be listed here. At this point, the commissioner’s office will review the trade and either approve or reject the trade within 24 - 96 hours, depending on the complexity or issues involved in the trade.
When trading Cash
-If “cash” is included in a trade, the maximum dollar amount allowed is $5 million. If this occurs, the party offering “cash” will reduce their salary cap by the appropriate amount, while the party receiving the “cash” will increase their salary cap by the same. This 5M can be for 1 year or split into 2 years.
-It is the responsibility of the teams involved to keep track of said amounts
-Cash trades between two teams, including in trades that involved more than two teams where the same two teams trade cash, within a 21 day period shall be prohibited. If a second trade involving cash is posted within the 21 blackout period, the entire trade will be immediately deemed null and void.
The "21 day blackout period" is defined as the 21 day/504 hour period from the LO's posting of the trade's approval to the initial posting of the next trade involving cash.
Trading Picks/Cash
MILB draft picks, Salary Cap and Tags picks are trade able for the current year and the next succeeding year ONLY. The current year will be the start of the season post whatever off season we are in.
Bonus Comp Picks continue to be NOT tradeable.
If any trade causes a team to be illegal (over cap or roster limits) the illegal team will have 72 hours from the time the approval of the trade is posted to become legal
-No players or assets will be added to any rosters until the illegal team is within all salary cap and roster limits. Players that are involved in the trade will not be put on Fantrax until team is legal. If 72 hours goes by Penalty will be forth coming. The team that is not illegal will have their transaction done on fantrax when the 72 hours is up unless fixed before time.
Trade Deadline:September 1st at 12:00am PST
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MILB Draft
Each Offseason (dates TBD) we will hold a 4 round (3 rounds plus a 1st round supplemental for comp picks) Draft will follow inverse of the previous seasons draft seasons standings(2016 draft will be based on 2015 standings and so forth) and will include the Signed Draftees from the previous seasons draft
1. Any players who signed from the last MLB Draft.
2. International Players who will be 21 years or younger as of the end of each draft year (December 31st) who signed with an MLB team within the current year prior to the start of the Draft and any of these picks would need to be accompanied by a link as verification of age and signing date.
Draft will be non-snaking and each pick will be allotted a 24 hour time slot. If required the time slit will be reduced as necessary
Penalties for non-compliance:
You must update your Proboards roster including updated salary cap information within 72 hours of the announcement of the winning of any free agent. Failure to do so will result in a forced drop of this player (you must pay the buyout) and him being offered to the next highest bidder(s) (in order). If the
signing puts your team over 40 players and/or over your salary cap then you must remedy the problem(s) within 72 hours or face penalties.
ANY issues with roster or cap can lead to penalties including loss of bidding rights, loss of draft picks, loss of stats
The At-Bats minimums is now lowered to a much more reasonable 3000.
The Innings pitched minimum is now lowered to a more reasonable 800.
If a minimum has not been met by end of season: All averaged hitting stats (BATTING AVERAGE AND OPS) or pitching stats (ERA AND WHIP), depending on the scoring category whose minimum has not been met, are lost for the entire season.
There will be a draft lottery at the end of the season to determine the draft order of the bottom ten teams. This lottery will only affect the 1st round draft order.
The lottery will be split up into a 23rd-27th place lottery (for picks 1-5 in the draft) and an 18th-22nd place lottery (for picks 6-10 in the draft). This will be selected at random.
The lottery will only affect the 1st round of the draft. Supplemental, 2nd, and 3rd round draft orders will all be based on the end-of-season standings.
The purpose of this league is to provide a franchise and the tools to assist a general manager (GM) in managing their team in a dynasty setting. Our meaning of dynasty refers to the ability of each GM to keep their team’s roster fully intact year after year. The league will provide a means for competing where the mastery of several elements is essential for success. Those elements include salary cap management, daily roster maintenance, trading and prospecting. The only requirements are that the GM: (a) exhibit a high level of sportsmanship and respect each other GMs participating in this league; (b) respect the decisions of the Commissioner’s Office; (c) remain active throughout the year.
GM requirements :
-All Gms should have updated contact especially if PM is not your main form of communication
Roster layouts and requirements
Rosters can be set up as the GM would like but we do need some information to conform across the league.
-All MLB players salaries should be shown for all years whether RLC or HHC
example from Cots who we use as a reference for salaries:
11:$12M, 12:$14M, 13:$15M, 14:$15M You may add 16:$FA but not req.
-All MILB players should be listed as $300K PP
PP are players drafted by teams or original players kept by franchises. These players are under the min requirements for promotion to rookie status (i.e. more than 149 AB (hitters), more than 55 IP (SP/RP) or more than 9 starts once these players pass into rookie status these levels they are subject to RL Salaries during their protection
-All AAS players should be listed as AAS:$?? and have the # of years remaining at rookie status (0/3) HHRC
-ALL transactions MUST be recorded, kept up to date and carried over from year to year. NO deleting of transactions will be accepted going forward and teams will be considered non-compliant.
These transactions should include at the min all trades made by present gms.
-ALL cap info should be recorded and kept up to date by teams. This includes all cash moved or received, cap penalties, and balance.
-ALL draft picks need to be listed with appropriate corresponding years/owners
-ALL tags need to be listed with corresponding years/owners
-All Picks traded must be posted under appropriate thread in the draft section for ease of tracking
Failure to adhere to the above will be considered noncompliance and will be met with penalties
League Funding and payouts:
$20 League Fee
1st = $205
2nd = $100
3rd = $60
4th = $40
5th = $35
6th = $30
7th-9th = $20 (next year's fee paid)
Salary Cap:
The initial salary cap created for each team will moderately resemble the total salary spent by its professional affiliate during the 2005 season. There have been seven tier groupings created. Each tier has its own specific salary cap assigned. To increase the competitiveness of the league and level the playing field, a supplemental amount of salary cap has been added to those teams residing in lower tiers. Ie. The small market teams. The amount has been added to some tiers to level the playing field over time. All teams within a specific tier receive the same salary cap to spend as the general manager sees fit. Below is a brief summary of the tiers, the teams in each tier and the starting salary cap for the 2009 campaign.
• Tier 1 – New York Yankees
• 2009 Salary Cap Amount for Tier 1 - $145 Million
1 Franchise Option
• Tier 2 – Boston Red Sox, New York Mets
• 2009 Salary Cap Amount for Tier 2 - $130 million
1 Franchise Option
• Tier 3 –Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels, Chicago White Sox
• 2009 Salary Cap Amount for Tier 3 - $120 million
1 Franchise Option
1 Restricted Option
• Tier 4 – St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, Houston Astros, Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies
• 2009 Salary Cap Amount for Tier 4 - $110 million
1 Franchise Option
2 Restricted Options
• Tier 5 –San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers, Oakland A’s, Minnesota Twins, Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers, Baltimore Orioles, Florida Marlins
• 2009 Salary Cap Amount for Tier 5 - $105 million
2 Franchise Options
2 Restricted Options
• Tier 6 – Kansas City Royals , Washington Nationals, Cincinnati Reds, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cleveland Indians, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Milwaukee Brewers
• 2009 Salary Cap Amount for Tier 6 - $100 million
2 Franchise Options
3 Restricted Options
Please note that this dynasty league was designed to create problems and friction so that managing your team is imperative.
The Main roster limit(live roster for scoring purposes) is 40 players You must account for all 40 roster spots, whether they be filled by a signed player or regarded as "open" and bearing a league minimum $300K salary. If you roster 37 players and, based on their salaries, have less than $900K in available cap, you are OVER your cap.
To avoid this matter, you must indicate any "open" roster spots on your team page, assign to each a league minimum salary of $300K and include that in your cap and roster limit calculations.
Each team will receive an additional $5 million to their salary cap maximum at the start of each even numbered calendar year.
Example - the Tier 6 teams will have their salary cap for 2018 increase from $100 million to $105 million. In 2020 it will increase to $110 million and so on and so forth. The league maximum salary cap for any team is $150 million. This will eventually allow for league parity over a longer period of time. The commissioner’s office reserves the right to adjust this league maximum if necessary.
* Your team must remain under the assigned salary cap at all times, for all years, or face disciplinary action from the commissioner’s office. If a trade or FA signing pushes your team over the salary cap for the current season and/or any future season, you will have 72 hours from approval of the transaction to get back under the cap or your team will cease accumulating stats.
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Rosters
Each franchise will have the capability of retaining the rights of a “45-man” roster.
-40 man roster that can be any combo of MLB and Prospects
-5 Minor league roster that are PP and will usually derive from the MILB draft
Each of the 40 players named by you to be members of your “40 man roster” will be included on your roster at Fantrax and will be eligible to accumulate stats for your team. Only “active” positions will accumulate stats throughout the course of the season and determine how successful your team is.
Separate from the 40-Man Roster will be the 5-Man Minor League Roster, which will consist of 5 players who must be defined as prospects by league rule. These are players who may not be worthy of a 40-Man Roster spot right now, but you believe have the potential to one day assist you.
-These 5 players can be modified throughout the season via trade, drafting, or player releases.
-These 5 players will count against your salary cap at $300k each since they must have been prospects that were either claimed through the previous prospect-claiming system or picked in the High Heat MiLB Draft.
-Prospects that were signed in free agency will NOT be eligible for this 5-Man MiLB Roster.
-Any defined minor leaguer can be promoted from your 5-Man MiLB Roster to your 40-Man Roster at any time.
-Once a player no longer qualifies as a defined minor leaguer, they are no longer eligible for your 5-Man Minor League System (a player's status cannot change mid-season). On your roster page, you must designate who is specifically on your 5-Man Minor League roster at all times. When a trade is posted involving a player eligible for the 5-Man MiLB roster it was must be posted in the agreed to trade along with the player's salary information.
-You may not use any player on your 5-Man MiLB Roster to collect stats. In order to use a player on the 5-Man MiLB Roster to collect stats you must make room on the 40-Man Roster and then post in the appropriate section on Pro-Boards indicating the move AND update your ProBoards roster indicating the move.
-These 5 will not be added at Fantrax unless promoted to the 40 man to keep it simpler
Note** Empty Slots on the Prospect Roster will NOT count against your salary cap, however, used slots will.
Player Definitions:
-"WT Prospects" or "WT Minor Leaguers" are defined in WT as players who have not played greater than 149 at bats (hitters), 55 IP before 2014 and 40 IP starting in 2014 (SP/RP) or 9 Starts (SP) in any one season in the majors. Players remain classified as Prospects and are protected indefinitely until reaching those statistical plateaus - after which they become "WT Rookies".
-"WT Rookies" are defined as players that HAVE played 150 at bats (hitters), 40+ (40.1) innings pitched (SP/RP) or 10 starts (SP) in any single MLB season and are still under protection. A player is a HH Rookie for 2 seasons after losing WT prospect status. During the 2 years of protection WT Rookies are carried at the player's real life MLB salary or the MLB league minimum, whichever is greater. Obviously, this does NOT apply to players acquired in Free Agency with an "AAS only" contract.
*example - The D-Rays have Delmon Young for 2 seasons before he plays a full 150 at bats ('06 & '07) during which time he is considered a "prospect" or "minor leaguer", after the first season in which he has 150 major league at bats ('07) he is considered a "Rookie".
*A team's 5 player farm must consist of WT Prospects ONLY, WT Rookies must be placed on the team's 40 man MLB roster.
RP will have the IP threshold changed to 40 IP this season, any player with AAS or PP protection passing this in 2014 will then have their years of protection kick in after this season. Some of these RP will have passed that threshold in previous years but did not pass the 55 IP so past years will not affect these players going forward.
Example:
Dale crosses the minimums of 40 IP 2014 but pitched in 2013 and had 53 IP but is still considered a Prospect 0/3 going into 2014, because he did not cross the 55 IP that was required in 2013. When it comes 2015 and someone checks when Dale crossed the line (being that 40 IP is the rule in 2015) Members are going to see that Dale had 53 IP in 2013, therefore he is a FA in 2017, because he did not cross the line until 2014. (if he crosses 40 IP)
Fantrax Rosters and Scoring:
The active roster spots are as follows:
• (9) Pitchers (can be starters or relievers )
• (1) Catcher
• (2) CI (1B or 3B)
• (2) MI (2B or SS)
• (2) OF
• (2) Utility (any position)
-The players may be moved in and out of the “active” position spots on a daily basis.
-The statistical categories that will be tabulated to determine the league champion each year are split into two major areas. Pitching and hitting. This is a 12-category traditional roto league. The categories are as follows:
• Pitching – Wins, Saves, Strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, Holds
• Hitting – Runs, HRs, RBIs, Stolen Bases, Batting Average, OPS
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Contract Types and Expiration's
Franchise
Each off-season, there are always a number of players who have their contracts expire. These players naturally become free agents and are available on the “free market” for auction by any team in the league. You will have the ability once per year to name a “franchise player”. This player, although having his contract expired, will not be eligible for free agency within our league and will be forced to sign with the same team. In this specific case ONLY, the franchise player will have to assume the real life contract he received. This can either improve or hinder your team depending on how much the player signs for. If the new contract puts you over your salary cap maximum, you will receive a notice from the commissioner’s office after which time you will have 72-hours to correct the problem. Franchise Players must be posted prior to the league’s annual deadline or said player/s will become unrestricted FA's
*You may not add “options” to player’s contracts.
Restricted Players
In addition to having franchise player(s) each year, a team will also have the ability to name restricted players. Restricted players will, in effect, be treated just like free agents with one BIG difference. Restricted players can be made contract offers just like any other free agent. Once the 72-hour offering period ends, however, the team who restricted the player will have 48 hours to match the offer. If a GM fails to match the offer, the player will then be able to sign with the new team at the terms offered in the contract. RFA Players must be posted prior to the league’s annual deadline or said player/s will become unrestricted FA's
Any and all unrestricted Free Agents shall be subject to regular (unrestricted) FA bidding as outlined and defined in the Rules.
* All free agent bidding, whether restricted or unrestricted, shall be conducted pursuant to the league's FA bidding procedures in place at that time.
All Gm's including the original owner of the RFA may Place a bid on any player eligible at the time Bidding opens
**NOTE - In the event no bids are received on a RFA, that player will be available to his team at his real life MLB contract. The restricting team may reject the MLB salary/contract and forfeit said player to Unrestricted Free Agency.
RESTRICTED PLAYER BIDDING CRITERIA - Restricting a player provides a semi protective measure to help a GM retain that player, while not assuring that GM will retain said player. In order to provide some, but not absolute, assistance in that retention, the following guidelines are placed on Restricted FA bidding:
The Average Annual Salary ("AAS") that a GM bids will require a certain minimum number of years that offer must cover to be a valid bid. The HIGHER the AAS, the LONGER the MINIMUM contract term you MUST offer in order to make a valid bid. The MINIMUM contract term is based solely on the offer's AAS, and is determined as follows:
AAS = up to and including $3M, then MINIMUM 1 yr deal
AAS = $3M+ to $6M, then MINIMUM 2 yr deal (total min contract = $6,000,001 to $12M)
AAS = $6M+ to $9M, then MINIMUM 3 yr deal (total min contract = $18,000,001 to $27M)
AAS = $9M+ to $12M, then MINIMUM 4 yr deal (total min contract = $36,000,001 to $48M)
AAS = $12M+ and up, then MINIMUM 5 yr deal (etc)
Simply, you can divide the AAS by 3M, then round UP to determine the MINIMUM number of years the contract must cover. Any bid not meeting the correct minimum term offered will be voided.
-The bidder can always make a contract term LONGER than the minimum number of years since the AAS only determines the MINIMUM term.
-As in all FA bidding, the bidder must clearly state the 1.) Contract term (number of years), 2.) Total contract amount, 3.) AAS, and 4.) Breakdown of the salary offer for each year of the term of the contract OR clearly state it is equally allocated to each year. If the offer is not specific and include the above criteria, then it will be deemed an invalid bid.
-Since the bidding is for a restricted free agent, then pursuant to the Rules, the GM who held the restricted player has 48 hours to match the winning bid, and may restructure that bid for a total contract amount no less and a term no shorter or longer than that of the "winning" bid.
-If the restricting GM chooses not to match the offer, then the winning bidder is obligated to sign the player to the exact terms of the winning bid - there is NO option to remove or renege on any bid placed.
-If a Gm decides to NOT match a RFA bid they are entitled to compensation.
Starting for the 2014 season Owners of RFA tagged players will receive compensation in the following form ONLY if they choose NOT to match a RFA bid. If you do a sign and trade you are not eligible for compensation:
AAS < $5.999M- no comp
AAS = $6M to $8.999M- after 3rd round comp pick
AAS = $9M to $12.999M- after 2nd round comp pick
AAS = $13M or more- after 1st round comp pick
*The 48 hour acceptance "clock" will commence with the winning bid being posted for said player.
The discussion above applies ONLY TO RESTRICTED free agent bidding. Normal, or Unrestricted, free agent bidding is covered under general FA bidding rulings.
WT "Rookie" Protection Tags (hereinafter WTRT)
Annually, each team can elect to provide additional protection to no more than two (2) of its WT Rookies who are completing their third and final qualifying MLB season ONLY. These additional "protections" are to known as WT Rookie Protection Tags and each tag can be for 1 OR 2 years.
-There will be NO WT Rookie protection offered for 3rd year (i.e. after their 3rd and final protected MLB season) WT Rookies this (or any) year.
-An WT Rookie may only be tagged once, so a rookie tagged for 1 year is NOT eligible to be rookie tagged again, even if said player does not play enough games or pitch enough innings in the subsequent year to be deemed a "qualifying MLB season". Said player MAY be franchise or restrict tagged after his WT Rookie protection tag expires.
In general, any player in his 3rd (and final) qualifying MLB season will be eligible to be tagged for 1 OR 2 additional seasons after the conclusion of that (the player's 3rd and final rookie protected MLB) season. The choice to attach said tag is solely at the discretion of the GM.
However, any player with an "WT" contract OR under a real life contract that does NOT expire simultaneously with the end of that player's 3rd and final qualifying MLB season will remain under his WT or real life contract until its expiration and will NOT be eligible to be WT Rookie protection tagged.
Any player in his 3rd (and final) qualifying MLB season and is protected by 1) WT Rookie protection OR 2) an expiring WT contract OR 3) an expiring real life contract, IS eligible to be WT Rookie protection tagged.
The player's salary in his first year of protection is $3M while the cost of a second year protection is $5M unless the AAS of the expiring WT contract is more than $3M (or $5M relative to the second year of protection). In such cases, neither the first nor second year protections can be less than the AAS of the expiring WT contract, but instead equal to the contract AAS if such AAS is greater than the tag year's set salary.
i.e. OF Tom Terrific was won in FA bidding with a bid for AAS of $1.25M. Tom can be protected for 1 or 2 years, at $3M for year 1 and $5 for year 2.
i.e. OF Tom Terrific was won in FA bidding with a bid for AAS of $3.25M. Tom can be protected for 1 or 2 years, but at $3.25M (instead of $3M) for year 1 and $5 for year 2.
i.e. OF Tom Terrific was won in FA bidding with a bid for AAS of $5.5M. Tom can be protected for 1 or 2 years, but at $5.5M (instead of $3M) for year 1 and $5.5 (instead of $5M) for year 2.
This allows GMs to still protect a player with large AAS contracts, but they won't get a salary reduction for the additional 1 or 2 years of protection.
Annually, these tags will be declared on or before the announced trade deadline. For 2008 ONLY, tag declarations must be made before October 1, 2008 PST.
-WTRT tags are tradeable, but only in like number of WTRT tags (i.e. Mariners trade a 2016 WTRT tag to the Jays for a 2017 WTRT tag).
-WTRT tags may NOT be carried over to future years. Use them or lose them.
Deadline for Tags Posting
The deadline for posting player tags will be published each off season.
GMs can post as required at any time up until the deadline, and have the ability to change their minds on posted players or trade them prior to the deadline. A posted player traded before the deadline is NOT required to remain a tagged player - that decision rests solely with the receiving GM.
Whatever players are posted at the deadline are set in stone and cannot be withdrawn or changed.
Trading a tagged player post deadline restricts the receiving GM to roster that player as tagged and subject to the tag outcome.
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Free Agent Bidding:
A player not listed on any franchise’s 45-man roster will be declared a free agent. A free agent can be any professional baseball player, major league or minor league. When you decide there is a player you wish to add to your 40-man roster from free agency, you will need to sign that player to a contract.
The last Thursday of the MLB regular season each year will be the last week of free agency until off-season free agency begins.
-Monday 6AM PST (9AM EST) through Tuesday 9PM PST (12AM EST) - Player names MUST be posted to the appropriate section to indicate eligibility for bidding.
-Any player posted before or after the allotted posting period will be deleted and will NOT be eligible for bids that week.
-Monday 9AM EST through Thursday 9PM EST - Once a player's name is posted in the "Place FA Bids Here" board, you can submit your bids, via PM, on any of the listed players during the bidding period to the "Buster Olney (Free Agency)" member/account. ONLY ONE BID PER PM so 1 player as the subject bids on multiple players in one PM will be considered void
-Any bids received after the deadline will be deleted.
-It should be noted that when submitted a bid to the WTLO account; it is legal/valid to submit a priority list...this list should be well defined; if any clarification is needed; the bid(s) may become invalid and the second highest bidder will become the owner of the bidded on FA.
ie:
Title: Jays Priority List
The Jays would like 1 of the following 3 players in this order:
1) Carlos Gomez
2) Carlos Santana
3) Carlos Rodriguez
The league’s minimum salary requirement is $300,000 per year. The longest you may sign a player to contract at the league minimum is two years. The longest you can sign a player to a contract with an average annual salary (AAS) of $500,000 or less is three years. As in real-life, sometimes players receive numerous contract offers. The player will ultimately choose the team that has offered them the most lucrative contract.
The Max length that you are able to sign a player to is 5 years. Also, to prevent back loading contracts no team is able to go over any cap in any year even if it’s a couple years away.
Free Agency Bidding Process
No GM with Cap overages prior to FA bids being revealed will not have any winning bids awarded to them and bids will go to next highest bid.
If any GM has ANY questions or problems with these deadlines, please contact at least 3 LO members via PM (copy and paste your message) regarding the issue. This helps to prevent any one LO member inadvertently dispensing incorrect information or decision.
All GM's who are eligible will be given the opportunity to make ONE bid [you MUST submit your bid to the WT free agent account noted above any time after the player is posted for bidding[/i].
Your bid must clearly state the EXACT terms of your deal and must also include the Average Annual Salary (AAS).
The maximum length of a contract offer is 5 years.
A player not listed on any franchise’s 40-man roster will be declared a free agent. A free agent can be any professional baseball player, major league or minor league. When you decide there is a player you wish to add to your 40-man roster from free agency, you will need to sign that player to a contract. The league’s minimum salary requirement is $300,000 per year. The longest you may sign a player to contract at the league minimum is two years. The longest you can sign a player to a contract with an average annual salary (AAS) of $500,000 or less is three years. As in real-life, sometimes players receive numerous contract offers. The player will ultimately choose the team that has offered them the most lucrative contract.
The Max length that you are able to sign a player to is 5 years. Also, to prevent back loading contracts no team is able to go over any cap in any year even if it’s a couple years away.
It should be noted that when submitted a bid to the WTLO account; it is legal/valid to submit a priority list...this list should be well defined; if any clarification is needed; the bid(s) may become invalid and the second highest bidder will become the owner of the bidded on FA.
ie:
Title: Jays Priority List
The Jays would like 1 of the following 3 players in this order:
1) Carlos Gomez
2) Carlos Santana
3) Carlos Rodriguez
Annual Salary Limitations as a Function of AAS:
No single (1) year of a contract may deviate from AAS by more than 30%. Example follows:
The Nationals offer Jose Lima 3 years, $15M
AAS $5M
2006 $3.5M (30% of AAS - minimum salary permitted)
2007 $5M
2008 $6.5M (130% of AAS - maximum salary permitted)
The bids will be sent through PM to a separate account set up by the Commish Office.
All bids will be submitted to the following address: "Buster Olney (Free Agency)"
The inbox will ONLY be checked once the bidding deadline has expired. When you send the PM, you are able to view it in your PM "Outbox" and the message will be unread until the bidding period is complete.
A free agent is awarded to the team that bids the highest Average Annual Salary (AAS). In the case of two teams offering the same amount for a player over a different number of years, the tie-breaker will go to the team offering the salary over a smaller period of time. I.e. If one team offers $50 million over 5 years (AAS=$10M) and another team offers $50 million over 4 years (AAS=$12.5M), the team offering $50 million over 4 years offers the highest AAS and wins the right to sign the
player. In the case of a tie where two teams are offering the same salary amount to a player over the same period of time, the team that offered the salary first will win the right to sign the player.
Once you have been awarded a player, you have 72 hours to add that player to your roster, with contract and salary information and update your total and available salaries information. Failure to update may cause you to forfeit the recently won player(s) to the 2nd highest bidder(s).
Also, be careful to not exceed your salary cap or roster limits. If this occurs, you have 72 hours to make arrangements to waive players in order to be within your team’s salary cap and roster limits. The Commissioners/League Office may or may not send you an email mandating that your team is over the cap and must become compliant...that is strictly and solely the responsibility of each GM to carefully manage his/her roster and cap. If you fail to keep your team in compliance, the Commissioner’s Office will automatically drop your most recently signed player to free agency in order to bring your team under the required salary cap maximum. At this point the Commissioner’s Office will notify the league of the player who has recently become a free agent and the offending team will be responsible for the contract of the forced drop as laid out in the non-rostering penalties.
-No Free Agents will be added to any rosters until the team is within all salary cap and roster limits to accommodate the FA. During the offseason you cannot go over your salary cap at any time
-Aging Player Bidding Limitations
Older Free Agent players (i.e. subject to RFA and FA bidding), specifically those whose age is 37 or older on the "next" Opening Day, will be subject to limited term contracts for all WT contracts.
37 years old (but not yet 38) on the next Opening Day - maximum of a 4 year contract
38 years old (but not yet 39) on the next Opening Day - maximum of a 3 year contract
39 years old (but not yet 40) on the next Opening Day - maximum of a 2 year contract
40 years old or older on the next Opening Day - maximum of a 1 year contract
Bidding rules remain the same for these players except for the following modifications:
Contracts for Old Players may be frontloaded or level, but in no event may the player's salary in any year beyond year 1 (i.e. years 2, 3 or 4) exceed the contract's AAS.
Since no back loading is permitted, retirement from baseball for any reason will trigger a complete waiver of the remainder of the player's contract and the ownership team will not bear any responsibility against cap for said player's salary commencing with the day said retirement is announced and verified with a web link, even if said event occurs mid-season.
Posting of Older Free Agent Players for Bidding:
Posting of Older Free Agent Players, including older restricted free agent players remains the same as for any other free agent or restricted free agent player except for the following modifications:
It is the responsibility of the GM posting the Older Player for bid 1) to research said player's date of birth (DOB)and 2) including the player's DOB, with the actual next Opening Day age in parenthesis, as part of the thread's message, as notification to all potential bidders.
It is also the responsibility of any GM that places a bid on an older player to do their own research on any player suspected of meeting the age thresholds, regardless of the thread initiator's representation (or lack thereof). A GM does not have a valid excuse for improper bidding on a player with age restrictions for reliance on information (or lack thereof) in the thread.
ALL improper bids will be invalidated and ignored.
Incorrect or incomplete postings of an older player's DOB and age will result in warnings to the poster. On the third infraction, the poster will be prohibited from posting FAs for 2 weeks (to save the league a lot of time and frustration).
-A free agent is awarded to the team that bids the highest Average Annual Salary (AAS).
In the event 2 teams offer the same AAS, the team offering the contract to the WTLO account the soonest (in terms of date, hour, minute being the earliest) will be awarded the player.
As explained in Rule 6 - A free agent is awarded to the team that bids the highest Average Annual Salary (AAS).
In the case of two teams offering the same amount for a player over a different number of years, the tie-breaker will go to the team offering the salary over a smaller period of time.
i.e. If one team offers $50 million over 5 years (AAS=$10M) and another team offers $50 million over 4 years (AAS=$12.5M), the team offering $50 million over 4 years offers the highest AAS and wins the right to sign the player.
In the case of a tie where two teams are offering the same salary amount to a player over the same period of time, the team that offered the salary first will win the right to sign the player.
-You may not add “options” to player’s contracts.
The commissioner’s office will officially declare which team has won the right to sign the player as a final response in the bid thread. At this point, the player is ready to sign with your team and you may officially add the player to your 40-man roster and deduct his salary from your salary cap.
Once a contract is signed, it cannot be reworked or revoked. In essence, it is etched in stone. You are responsible for paying that contract until such time as the player is traded or dropped to free agency.
-Minor League Bidding Special Rules:
WT's current 5 year limit on contracts for MiLB’s is deemed a substantial hindrance in A) retaining a developing talent and B) protection during the player's WT Rookie years in the MLB.
Accordingly, WT has adopted a new bidding system for any player who has not yet exceeded the minimum participation levels to be considered a WT rookie (i.e. more than 149 AB (hitters), more than 40 IP (SP/RP) or more than 9 starts (SP) in any single MLB season). ** A player's status is determined as of Opening Day of each season and does not change during the course of that season...so, if a player is a "MiLB" on Opening Day, he remains a "MiLB" that entire season for WT status purposes...in other words, his status does NOT change mid-season.
Free agency (FA and RFA) bids for such players shall be ONLY on an AAS only basis. No years offered, no term, no breakdown shall be necessary or allowed in the bid.
Example:
Twins offer C Bryce Hooper AAS $1.18M
This AAS amount shall be that player's annual salary for all seasons through his third (3rd) and final WT Rookie season. Accordingly, you might own said player for as little as 3 years or for potentially an unlimited number of years at the AAS amount.
You may drop said player at any time, in season or off season. An "in season" drop will result in a cap hit of 50% of the AAS amount for that season only. An "off season" (defined as the period commencing with the day following the World Series and ending with the deadline for Tag Declarations) drop will result in NO cap hit...a "free" drop.
Once the player has exhausted his 3 MLB seasons of protection at his AAS amount, he can be tagged (franchise, restricted or rookie) or dropped into the FA pool.
If he is Rookie tagged, he can be tagged at the greater of the $3M/$5M HH Rookie tag amounts OR his AAS. Keep this in mind when you initially bid on such players.
International Players special rules
The International player market comprises a broad spectrum of players, from Central American and Carribean island teens, to Cuban "national" players, to Japanese players (usually vets from the NPB league), to others which will likely expand to other areas of the globe.
For now, the bidding on these guys will be handled as follows:
If the player is 22 years old or younger at time of signing he must be offered an AAS contract but if he is 23 years old or older at time of signing then he must be offered a yearly contract.
If you're not sure, please ask the LO and be sure to provide player specific information to assist in making a ruling on the player in question.[
Releasing Players to Free Agency:
If you release a player to free agency, you are still responsible for half of that player’s salary until he is re-signed up by another franchise.
If he remains unsigned, you must continue to count half of the player’s salary against your salary cap until his contract expires. If the player is/was owned on a RLC or WTC basis, the contract expiration is clear and known. If the player is/was owned on an AAS-only contract, you will count half of the AAS amount against your current season cap only (if dropped during season OR half of the AAS amount against your next season's cap if the player is dropped after the off season deadline.
If the player is later re-signed by any franchise other than the franchise that dropped the player, you will be responsible for:
With regard to new WT contracts, the lesser of:
a) 50% of the old contract (on a year-to-year basis) OR
b) the net difference between the player’s old contract (with your team) and the player's new contract, on a year-to-year basis.
If the player’s contract with his new team is higher than his contract with your team (on a year-to-year basis), you will not be obligated to pay any further reparations to the player and thus no penalty to your salary cap.
With regard to new AAS contracts, the relief is the lesser of:
a) 50% of the old contract (on an annual basis) OR
b) the net difference between the player’s old contract (with your team) and the player's new AAS contract, on a year-to-year basis limited to the WTP/WTR years of protection at the AAS amount.
Example:
OF Tom Ball is dropped in July 2012 by Twins. Ball's (pre-AAS only) contract was 12:$1M, 13:$1.2M, 14:$2M, 15:$2.4M. Ball, who was a MiLB (WT Prospect) on Opening Day of 2012 but ultimately amasses 162 AB in 2012, is bid on and won by the Reds with AAS $1.6M. *Ball becomes a WTR in 2012 and is HHR protected through 2014.
Twins revised cap hits are 12:$-0- (full relief), 13:$-0- (full relief), 14:$400K (partially relief), 15:$2.4M (no relief since protection expired after 2014).
Bidding on Player(s) You Release
The release period is 7 days. So you may not bid on a player that you have dropped unless the bidding starts one week after you have dropped that player.
Process for releasing a Player
if you decide to release a player, you must list them under the section titled “Free Agents”. This will make permanent your decision to release a player to free agency. Once posted, you may not cancel the drop.
** This same "penalty" is also in place for involuntarily dropped players, i.e. players lost due to non-rostering, FA awards that leave a team over cap or over roster limits and no remedy is made within 72 hours.
Waivers
To be as realistic to Major League Baseball as possible, we will have one waiver system, rather than the previously proposed two waiver system.
Briefly, waivers are a different method of transactions that involves trading players to other teams, yet is not a conventional trade. The waivers system allows a team to post a player so that they are available for anyone to place a claim on said player. Once a player is put on waivers, all of the teams have the option to claim the player if they choose to. After a player has been put on waivers, teams have 48 hours to place a claim. Once a player has been claimed, the two negotiating teams will have 72 hours to work out a deal. If a team claims a player, there are three possible outcomes:
- Option 1: The team that claimed the player and the team that posted the player can work out a trade involving any players. After the trade deadline, though, only players on the 5-Man minor league roster may be traded for a claimed player on waivers. This option is similar to the old “Trading Waivers” rule.
- Option 2: If after the time limit a deal is not reached, the team that posted the player on waivers can elect to receive nothing in return for the player. The franchise that claimed said player is responsible for this player’s contract in full, and therefore is awarded this player. The team that placed this player on waivers no longer has any contractual responsibility.
- Option 3: The team that posted the player on waivers can simply elect to keep the player on their roster.
Once a decision has been made on which option has been chosen, post it as soon as possible. You do not have to wait the full 72 hours to make a transaction.
One other note: A player may only be placed on waivers 3 times during a season.
Placing a Claim
To claim a player, simply PM the Waivers account with your intention on claiming said player. Waiver claims will be awarded to the team that claimed said player with the worst record. In the event there is a tie in terms of record, the tie-breaker will go to who had the better head to head matchup. In the event there is a tie, it will go to whoever claimed said player first. During the off-season, waivers will reopen on March 1st.
Buyout Provision
A GM has an option, at the time of the player drop, to elect to immediately buyout 50% of the entire contract and take the cap hit all at once, at that time, rather than spread out the cap hit over the term of the contract.
This option would be allowed until the trade deadline each year. Any player drops after the trade deadline will not allowed the option to buy out the contract, but must be responsible under the old rule. Plan ahead for your drops
If said option is elected during any offseason, the cap hit would be taken in the upcoming season. (i.e. a player is dropped in February 2016, with an election for a buyout, half of the entire contract will be a cap hit for 2016 only).
Buy-Out Posting Required Information - In addition to the normal drop information used to explain a player's drop and the caps hit(s), a buy-out drop must also include the following, at a minimum,
1) statement that the GM declares a buy-out of the player's contract,
2) the year to which the buy-out hit to cap occurs (even though it's assumed clear by the date of the drop post),
3) the player's entire contract clearly presented in terms of years and annual salary amounts, and
4) the total amount of the buy-out, clearly posted
Failure to include this information or posting of incorrect information will render the buy-out null and void, so please be sure to double check the player's contract information (research if need be because reliance on the prior GM or anyone else will NOT be an excuse) and your math to ensure protection of the election.
Buyout "Relief" - The league has always utilized a year-to-year comparison for salary hit relief and this application is to be consistent.
Example, a buyout is $7.5M (1/2 of 2011:$4M, 2012:$5M, 2013:$6M)...new FA contract awarded (2011:$2M, 2012:$4M, 2013:$6M, 2014:$6M).
Even though the entire new contract exceeds the old contract, a year-to-year analysis is still used, as follows
2011 - new contract $2M, old contract $4M = no relief, so $2M is still owed
2012 - new contract $4M, old contract $5M = $1M relief = still owes $1M
2013 - new contract $6M, old contract $6M - full relief
2014 - N/A since old contract had no 2014 salary component
The team now owes only $3M instead of $7.5M on the buy out
Non Rostering Penalties
If a GM does not roster a player/s after winning a free agent or via trade within the 72 hour limit said player/s will be involuntarily removed from that Gm's roster and added to the free agent pool.
-This 72 hour clock start at the time a Free Agent winning bid is posted or a when trade approval is posted
-That Gm will be responsible for the contract/s of those players for the remaining duration of their deals. This penalty falls under the same guidelines as a normal drop/waive of a player to FA and carries the same cap hit penalty of 50%
-If you know you are going to be out of town or won't be able to update within 72 hours for any reason then please message a LO member or all LO members for help BEFORE the bidding deadline (Thurs 9pm EST). Don't just message one of us and then go AWOL. Message any or all LO members and allow for us to respond and make sure your instructions are clear.
We cannot help you if your instructions are unclear in any way. They must not be ambiguous.
Posting in the Out of Town section will not be a valid excuse for non-rostering within 72 hours. The act of bidding enters you into a contract to roster your won players and be roster-size and cap legal within 72 hours, if you can't update and make things legal yourself you send us 100% clear instructions before the bidding deadline (9pm EST Thurs) Make sure you get a response and everything is clear and set prior to going AWOL.
If you don't do this and you haven't rostered your won players, gotten cap legal, gotten roster size legal within 72 hours then we have no choice but to give out penalties. We don't want to do that.
If you can't fulfill your responsibilities on your own or follow the instructions above then you should not bid. You will receive a penalty for any non-rostered player or illegal roster after 72 hours of winning a free agent.
We don't want anyone to receive any free-agent based penalty in this league ever. Take the necessary precautions or get things done on your own.
To be very clear, either you fulfill your responsibilities within 72 hours or you give us specific and 100% clear instructions on what to do to help you. If neither of these happens then there will be a penalty.
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Trading:
A trade can involve many types of collateral. These include major league players, prospects (minor leaguers), MILB Draft picks, or “cash” in the form of salary cap money.
Any trade negotiations that conclude in an agreement must be posted to the bulletin board under the section entitled “Trade Review”. All terms of the trade must be listed here. At this point, the commissioner’s office will review the trade and either approve or reject the trade within 24 - 96 hours, depending on the complexity or issues involved in the trade.
When trading Cash
-If “cash” is included in a trade, the maximum dollar amount allowed is $5 million. If this occurs, the party offering “cash” will reduce their salary cap by the appropriate amount, while the party receiving the “cash” will increase their salary cap by the same. This 5M can be for 1 year or split into 2 years.
-It is the responsibility of the teams involved to keep track of said amounts
-Cash trades between two teams, including in trades that involved more than two teams where the same two teams trade cash, within a 21 day period shall be prohibited. If a second trade involving cash is posted within the 21 blackout period, the entire trade will be immediately deemed null and void.
The "21 day blackout period" is defined as the 21 day/504 hour period from the LO's posting of the trade's approval to the initial posting of the next trade involving cash.
Trading Picks/Cash
MILB draft picks, Salary Cap and Tags picks are trade able for the current year and the next succeeding year ONLY. The current year will be the start of the season post whatever off season we are in.
Bonus Comp Picks continue to be NOT tradeable.
If any trade causes a team to be illegal (over cap or roster limits) the illegal team will have 72 hours from the time the approval of the trade is posted to become legal
-No players or assets will be added to any rosters until the illegal team is within all salary cap and roster limits. Players that are involved in the trade will not be put on Fantrax until team is legal. If 72 hours goes by Penalty will be forth coming. The team that is not illegal will have their transaction done on fantrax when the 72 hours is up unless fixed before time.
Trade Deadline:September 1st at 12:00am PST
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MILB Draft
Each Offseason (dates TBD) we will hold a 4 round (3 rounds plus a 1st round supplemental for comp picks) Draft will follow inverse of the previous seasons draft seasons standings(2016 draft will be based on 2015 standings and so forth) and will include the Signed Draftees from the previous seasons draft
1. Any players who signed from the last MLB Draft.
2. International Players who will be 21 years or younger as of the end of each draft year (December 31st) who signed with an MLB team within the current year prior to the start of the Draft and any of these picks would need to be accompanied by a link as verification of age and signing date.
Draft will be non-snaking and each pick will be allotted a 24 hour time slot. If required the time slit will be reduced as necessary
Penalties for non-compliance:
You must update your Proboards roster including updated salary cap information within 72 hours of the announcement of the winning of any free agent. Failure to do so will result in a forced drop of this player (you must pay the buyout) and him being offered to the next highest bidder(s) (in order). If the
signing puts your team over 40 players and/or over your salary cap then you must remedy the problem(s) within 72 hours or face penalties.
ANY issues with roster or cap can lead to penalties including loss of bidding rights, loss of draft picks, loss of stats
The At-Bats minimums is now lowered to a much more reasonable 3000.
The Innings pitched minimum is now lowered to a more reasonable 800.
If a minimum has not been met by end of season: All averaged hitting stats (BATTING AVERAGE AND OPS) or pitching stats (ERA AND WHIP), depending on the scoring category whose minimum has not been met, are lost for the entire season.
There will be a draft lottery at the end of the season to determine the draft order of the bottom ten teams. This lottery will only affect the 1st round draft order.
The lottery will be split up into a 23rd-27th place lottery (for picks 1-5 in the draft) and an 18th-22nd place lottery (for picks 6-10 in the draft). This will be selected at random.
The lottery will only affect the 1st round of the draft. Supplemental, 2nd, and 3rd round draft orders will all be based on the end-of-season standings.