20 - 29
10 - 19
0 - 9
2
1
0
450 - 524
375 - 449
300 - 374
225 - 299
150 - 224
75 - 149
0 - 74
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
50 - 69
30 - 49
10 - 29
0 - 9
4
3
2
1
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| THE 2006 FASTBALL CONSTITUTION | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1.��� LEAGUE FORMAT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A. FASTBALL consists of 24 teams placed as follows: the American League holds two divisions with each division containing six teams; the National League holds two divisions with each division containing six teams. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| B. Each team will play 162 games consisting of the following:� 18 games versus each of their five divisional opponents (90 games) and twelve games versus the other division's six teams (72 games). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| C. All games will be played using all the super advanced rules for the Strat-O-Matic computer baseball game with the following exceptions:� injuries and weather effects rules will not be used.� The Designated Hitter rule will be used throughout the league. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2.��� LEAGUE OFFICERS AND DUTIES | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A. The FASTBALL League Council will consist of the Commissioner, the American League Statistician, and the National League Statistician.� Together they are responsible for ensuring that the league runs smoothly.� By council vote, they may penalize or remove managers who are not performing responsibly, implement minor rule changes, compensate needy teams through extra draft picks or trades with unowned teams, cancel grossly unfair trades, and rule in all matters not covered by this Constitution.� They will also oversee changes to the Constitution by conducting open discussions with the other managers and then deciding on and supplying a rules ballot for the entire league to vote on.� A 60% majority is needed for a rule change to go into effect. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| B. There will be a permanent office of Commissioner who will oversee all league activities.� He is responsible for publishing the league Playbook, as well as finding new recruits to manage any unowned teams. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| C. There will be two offices of League Statistician to preside over the American and National Leagues.� Each statistician is responsible for ensuring that all of his league's managers are reporting results on time and may make recommendations to the Council to terminate any manager who is of unacceptable caliber.� Managers should contact their League Statistician first when requesting assistance or reporting problems. �League Statisticians will perform all record-keeping duties regarding the league's game statistics.� They are responsible for tracking all manager lateness, player overusage and complaints about teams that fail to import the latest roster updates, and reporting these results to the Council.� They will also report all league statistics to each manager after the completion of the season. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3.��� THE MANAGERS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A. Managers must play all their road games and submit results in a timely manner.� If problems arise, it is the manager's responsibility to notify his League Statistician or the Commissioner that he needs assistance in playing some of his road schedule. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| B. Managers must maintain complete and proper records as dictated by the Commissioner.� This includes: sending all series records to each opponent and his League Statistician every "block" during the season; updating his computer manager each month if need be, and sending an updated pitching rotation to the commissioner before the end of each month. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| C. Managers must follow all rules as outlined in this Constitution and are subject to any and all penalties for lateness, player overusage, unfair play, or other rule violations. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4.��� CALENDAR OF EVENTS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A. October: pre-draft roster cuts submitted. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| B. March - April: the trading deadline, roster cuts and home instructions are submitted, the FASTBALL Playbook is published | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| C. May - September: the regular season is played | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| D. October - November: League Playoffs and World Series are played | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5.��� TRADES | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A. Two trading periods exist.� The first period begins after the regular season is over and ends before the start of the following season.� The second trading period takes place during the course of the regular season. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| B. A manager must be in good standing in order to complete a trade. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| C. All trades are permanent.� No "player-to-be-named" trades will be permitted. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| D. Current year draft picks may be traded.� After the draft is finished, picks for the next season's draft can be traded.� Trades that occur during the season will go in effect at a time designated by the commissioner (generally between blocks 7 and 8). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| E. Every trade must be reported to the Commissioner by all teams involved within one week of the trade. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| F. The Council will review all trades upon submission and either approve or cancel (if the trade is deemed grossly unfair by at least 2/3 of the Council) the trade within two weeks.� They may also discuss a trade with the managers involved and give them the option of altering or canceling the trade.� They do not have the authority to alter any trade without the approval of the managers involved. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6.��� FREE-AGENT DRAFT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A. The draft will last as long as needed for all teams to fill out their roster.� Each team designates a pre-draft roster and receives a pick for each roster spot less than the maximum 36, plus 1 extra pick.� The Council has the authority to grant extra draft picks to needy teams at their discretion. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| B. Teams will draft in reverse order of the previous year's win-loss percentage with the lowest percentage drafting first.� In case of ties, the Council will determine which team will draft higher in rounds 1, 5, 6, and; 7 with the other team drafting higher in rounds 2, 3, 4, and 8. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| C. The draft will begin after penalties have been assessed against any managers in violation of the rules and after a team drafting order and roster of available players has been published.� The Council will then appoint one manager to supervise the draft.� He will begin the draft by contacting the manager with the first overall pick. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| D. The draft will continue as follows: Once a manager has made his pick, he must contact the draft supervisor to inform him of his selection.� He must then contact the manager picking next and inform him of all picks made since his last selection.� Once contacted, each manager has a maximum of one day in which to make his pick, after which time the draft will continue, bypassing his turn.� If a manager cannot be contacted for a period of three days after it becomes his turn, the Council will make his pick for him.� This procedure will continue until the draft is completed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| E. Players eligible to be drafted are those who had at least 40 at bats or 20 innings pitched during the past MLB season and are not owned by any FASTBALL team. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7.��� ROSTER LIMITS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A. During the regular season, each team can have a maximum of 36 players on its roster. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| B. Before the season begins, each team will name 30 players that will be eligible to play in the first seven blocks of regular season games. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| C. At the beginning of block 8, all 36 players can be used during the last three blocks of the season. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8.��� ROAD INSTRUCTIONS AND RECORD KEEPING | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A. Each team will have its batting lineups, pitching rotations, and other strategies programmed onto the league roster disk prior to the start of the season.� The default pitching rotations will be programmed into each teams' computer manager under the scheduled starter option.� Managers will have the opportunity to adjust their rotations before the start of each month. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| B. Each manager must keep complete records of all road games played and not dispose of any game data until the final season totals are mailed out by the League Statistician. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| C. All series totals and boxscores must be sent to the home teams' managers by the stipulated deadlines. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| D. Each manager must send all stat files to the League Statistician as soon as the games are completed.� These files consist of the export files and boxscores for both teams for all road games played during that set of blocks.� The League Statistician is encouraged to send out nasty messages to managers who are late with stats. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9.��� PLAYER USAGE LIMITS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A. All players, including pitchers, may bat up to a maximum of 110% of their MLB at bats from the past season. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| B. Home games positional usage: In all instructions for programming the computer manager, each player must have played the position at least 25 games during the past MLB season to be listed in any lineup or at least 10 games to be listed as a defensive sub.� These limitations apply toward the original home instructions and also to any changes to those instructions during the season. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| C. Road games positional usage: Players with 25 or more games at a position during the past MLB season will have unlimited positional usage at that position for all road games.� Players who played less than 25 games at a position are limited to that number of games at that position.� However, a game doesn't count against a player's positional usage if he enters as a sub and doesn't get more than one plate appearance during that game. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| D. Road games starting pitcher substitutions. Managers may change the programmed starting pitcher in road games provided that the new starter will still meet rest requirements (3 days for * starters, 4 days for starters) both for their previously scheduled start and their next schedule start. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| E. The above positional limitations apply for each infield and catcher position separately.� However, when determining outfield positional usage, games played at all three outfield positions are counted together as one position.� There are no positional limitations on the designated hitter role. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| F. All players may only play positions for which they are rated with one exception.� One outfielder per roster may be designated annually to play outfield positions for which he is not rated.� The Strat outfield conversion chart will be used to determine his defensive ratings and this conversion will be entered into the player's computer ratings for use in the league roster files. Teams may change their roving OF between block 7 and block 8. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| G. All pitchers may pitch up to a maximum of 110% of their MLB innings pitched from the past season. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| H. Pitchers may start or relieve only if they are rated to do so on their Strat card.� Pitchers who are rated as starter/relievers must have two days rest between start and relief appearances. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I. Managers are required to use the Interleague (combined) Card. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10.�� PENALTIES | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A. Managers can be assessed penalties for violating any league rule including lateness, player overusage, the failure to maintain or submit complete and correct records, failure to import the most recent roster fair or for unfair play. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| B. Penalties assessed can include the loss of a draft choice, the lowering of a manager's drafting order, the loss of a manager's right to participate in post-season play, or the loss of membership in the league. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| C. All penalties are determined by a consensus ruling from the Council members after the final statistics are generated by the League Statisticians. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11.�� POSTSEASON PLAY | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A. All post-season series will be of a best-of-seven format. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| B. Teams qualifying for the first round of the playoffs in each league consist of the team with the best record (seeded #1), the other division winner (#2), the non-division-winner with the best record (#3), and the non-division-winner with the second best record (#4).� The #1 seed will host the #4 seed and the #2 seed will host the #3 seed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| C. For each League Championship Series and the World Series, the home field advantage goes to the team with the better record.� The tie-breaker methods for determining home field advantage are (1) head-to-head record, then (2) coin toss. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| D. The schedule for each series is as follows.� The team with the home field advantage hosts the first two games on Days 1 and 2.� After an off day on Day 3, the other team hosts the next three games on Days 4, 5, and 6.� Day 7 is another off day and then the first team is host again for the final two games on Days 8 and 9. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| E. At the beginning of the post season each manager designates his 30-man roster, which will be used during the entire postseason. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| F. The player usage limits for each post-season series are as follows (PA = AB + BB): | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MLB GS GMS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MLB PA GMS | MLB GS GMS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 30+ 20 - 29 10 - 19 0 - 9 |
3 2 1 0 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 525+ 450 - 524 375 - 449 300 - 374 225 - 299 150 - 224 75 - 149 0 - 74 |
7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 |
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| 70+ 50 - 69 30 - 49 10 - 29 0 - 9 |
5 4 3 2 1 |
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| G. Substitute positional players will not be charged with a game in the above chart if he gets no more than one plate appearance in the first nine innings of a game. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| H. Pitchers must rest three days after starting before they can pitch again.� Pitchers must rest one day after relieving before they can start a game.� Pitchers with only a starting rating may relieve in the playoffs and will be assigned an EFI rating of 3. Pitching fatigue will carry over from series to series. Following the date scheduled for game 7 of each series, teams will receive two days rest before the start of game 1 of the following series. Teams will be given 1 day of rest during "travel days" following games 2 and 5 of a series. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I. All league playoffs and World Series games will be played face-to-face or by phone by the playoff team managers or, if that is not possible, by neutral managers who will follow the game-playing instructions of the managers involved. Managers are required to meet playoff deadlines for completing each series. Managers are required to inform the commissioner when they intend to play their series. Failure to complete the series on time may result in the mininum loss of a fifth round pick for one or both of the managers. The League Council will be responsible for determining penalties and taking any mitigating circumstances into consideration. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| J. If a divisional race finishes in a tie, there will be a one-game playoff to decide the division winner.� The game's only usage limits are as follows: to start this game, a starting pitcher must have had at least 10 MLB starts and a batter must have had at least 100 MLB at bats. For determining playoff teams and seeding, every 9 IPs or 25 ABs of overusage will cost a team .005 off of their winning percentage in the standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||