The Baseball Pool rules for 2007
1--You
will pick 12 National League games per week (4 games from those scheduled on
Tuesday and/or Wednesday, 4 games from those scheduled on Thursday and/or
Friday, and 4 games from those scheduled on Saturday and/or Sunday). You
never pick games that are scheduled on Monday. A
National League game is technically defined as a regular season Major League
Baseball game involving at least one team from the National League.
2—Each set
of 4 games picked is called a matchup. We use
the word matchup to refer to the fact that two
poolers are competing against one another. You
compete against another pooler in a matchup by picking actual baseball games.
3—The four
games you pick for each matchup must
involve 8 different baseball teams. Also, you must rank the order of the games
you pick. If a pooler
fails to rank his games then they will be automatically ranked in the order in
which they are listed. The #1 ranked game will be the first game listed, the #2 ranked game will
be the second game listed, etc.
Similarly, if a pooler ranks some (but not
all) of the four games listed, then the first game listed without a rank will
receive the highest rank possible. The
next game listed without a rank will receive the next highest rank possible,
etc.
4—How do
you score points in a matchup? It’s based on total
run differential of the 4 games picked. Let’s say that you pick the Los Angeles
Dodgers to beat the Cincinnati Reds. The Dodgers actually beat the Reds by a
score of 5 to 3. You get the difference in runs scored which would equal 2 in
this case. We add up your points over the course of the four games you picked.
This sum will be your total for the matchup. Here’s
an example . . . Let’s say you pick the following games and we get the following
results . . . .
|
You picked . . . |
The actual score was . . . |
Your points . . . |
|
|
|
7 |
|
NY Mets over |
|
-3 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
-13 |
|
Your total pointsà |
-8 |
|
Yes, you can score negative points. The pooler with the most
points in a matchup wins.
The #’s noted next to each game
are the assigned rankings.
NOTE: If there is a postponed game among the
four games picked by a pooler, then the postponed
game shall be scored as a zero for that pooler. If a
game is called before the ninth inning but is considered a complete game by
major league baseball standards, then the final score of the complete game
remains the final score that will be considered for our pool. It stands to
reason that some postponed games will be rescheduled for later in the season.
You may pick these games even though they won't appear on the original MLB
schedule. In the event of a doubleheader (originally scheduled or, as is most
the likely the case, rescheduled due to a postponement earlier in the season)
you must designate which game you are picking. If you
do not make said designation, then you are judged to have picked the first game
of the doubleheader. If the doubleheader is scheduled after you've sent
in your picks for the matchup, then you are stuck
with your prediction as it is applied to the first game of that doubleheader.
Know the weather!!
Note II: Please be aware of the following
penalties:
a. Submitting a pick for a game after the
game has started---Penalty=Pooler receives the losing point value for the game
picked
b. Submitting a pick for a game without
properly identifying the predicted winner and loser of the
game---Penalty=Pooler receives the lowest point value of his opponent's picked
games. In the example above, this would be -13. If your opponent picks all his
games correctly, then you receive a zero for the game.
c. Submitting a pick for a game that involves
a team (or teams) already picked in the same matchup----Penalty=Pooler
receives the losing point value for the game picked
d. Submitting a pick involving only American
League teams----Penalty=Pooler receives the losing point value for the game
picked
e. Submitting fewer than 4 picked games for a
matchup (This is not to be confused with
"b." In scenario "b" the pooler
has made an attempt to pick a game, but has not properly identified the game.
In this scenario, for example, the pooler submits
picks for only 2 games instead of the required 4 games.)-----Penalty=[For each game not picked] Pooler receives the lowest point
value of his opponent's picked games. In the example above, this would be -13.
If your opponent picks all his games correctly, then you receive a zero for the
game. If the pooler sends in no picks at all, then
this article is replaced by rule 8
f. Submitting picks such that they
are received in the pool email account with a time stamp later than 7:00
PM on the first day of the two day matchup.----Penalty=
Pooler must accept picks as submitted by his Picking Protocol.
--A picking protocol is a ranking of the National League teams. From
this ranking, the pool administrator could enter the top 4 games played by the
top 4 ranked NL teams. If two of those top 4 teams are playing one
another, then the administrator just skips down to the 5th or 6th or 7th team,
etc. until he gets 4 games
picked such that 8 different MLB teams are in play. For
instance, if
the Cubs are a pooler’s #1 ranked team then the first
game picked by the protocol will be the Cubs over whoever they're playing
on the first or second day of the matchup. If
the Marlins are the #2 ranked team, then the second game picked will be
the Marlins over whoever they're playing (unless they're playing the Cubs)
etc., etc., etc. The idea is that a simple set of instructions (aka, a list of teams) could be left with the pool
administrator such that, with little to no effort, picks could be entered on
behalf of the pooler who missed the 7
PM deadline. This would help to cover any number of scenarios where
a pooler is unable to get picks in prior to 7
PM on that first day.
---A
Picking protocol list may be updated no more than once a week. If
the latest update is submitted to the full pool membership before 11:59:59
PM on Monday then it will apply to the following week's matchups. If a picking protocol is not updated, then
the one that's already on file after 11:59:59 PM on Monday remains in
place. The change to the list may be submitted at any time during the
week, but the change will not go into effect until the next Tuesday-Wednesday matchup on the schedule (excepting the All Star Game week,
in which case it would go into effect with the Thursday-Friday matchup).
--A
Picking protocol is applied by the administrator such that it must result
in legally submitted picks, even if the administrator has to go to the second
day of the matchup and/or skip* over teams on the
protocol list in order to arrive at legally submitted picks. (* i.e. If
the Dodgers are the 4th team listed, but they were involved in a protocol
picked game on the first day of the matchup, then the
administrator would skip down to the 5th team listed, or 6th team listed, etc.
until he came up with 4 MLB games featuring 8 different teams).
--American
League teams may be included in the protocol.
They would only be applied for situations where interleague
play is taking place.
--If a picking protocol is applied,
then any games picked by the protocol which began prior to the 7 PM deadline
may not be included. They will be
skipped. The protocol works so that it
will pick all the games it can on day one of the matchup. If the protocol list is exhausted before 4
legal MLB games can be picked on day one, then the administrator may go to the
top of the protocol and apply it on day two of the matchup. Or, the administrator may simply start
with MLB games being played on the second day of the matchup
and finish, if necessary, with any post 7 PM games played on the first day of
the matchup.
If 4 legally picked MLB games
cannot be produced by the protocol, the burden is assumed by the pooler. In other
words, if your protocol fails to produce 4 legally picked MLB games, then you must assume the consequences as discussed in rules
4a through 4e.
NOTE: Once picks are taken in by the Pool
Administrator and published to the pool membership, they are official and
cannot be changed even if a pooler discovers a
violation in his picks prior to 7:00 PM on the first day of the matchup.
5--Here
are the tiebreakers (enforced in the following order) that will be used for matchups that end in a tie . . . .
a—Best
point differential of the #1 ranked game
b—Best
point differential of the #2 ranked game
c—Best
point differential of the #3 ranked game
d—Best
point differential of the #4 ranked game
If,
after applying tiebreaker 5d, the matchup is still
tied, then the outcome of the matchup is declared a
tie.
5e: A
tie is considered half of a win and half of a loss for the purposes of determining
one’s overall record.
If pooler A has 6 wins, 4 losses, no ties AND pooler B has 4 wins, 2 losses, and 4 ties, then pooler A and pooler B both having
winning percentages of .600
6—We’ll
assume that everyone will get their picks in before the games being picked are
played. There is no hard due date except for the 7:00
PM deadline on the first day of the two day matchup. It is
expected that you will put a time stamp on your picks if there is a danger that
they may arrive at the pool email account after the start of the first picked
game. If picks arrive in the pool email account after the start of the first
picked game without a time stamp then rule 4, note II, section "a" is
in effect. Time stamping is a function of the pool’s honor system. The time
stamp should indicate the time of day that the picks were sent. You may turn
your picks in by email . . . .
Picks should be sent to:
You should always put the matchup number(s) in the subject box of the email. This
way, your opponent won’t accidentally look at your picks until AFTER he has
sent in his own picks.
A pooler
must clearly indicate which games are being picked according to predicted
winner and loser. The 1-4 ranking of the
four games must also be clearly indicated.
Also, be certain to clearly label the dates
of the games being played so that we don’t get confused.
NOTE: If you’re in a jam and can’t get to
a computer, then just phone someone in the pool and give your picks to him so
that he can email them in on your behalf. I’ll volunteer my voice mail (You may
want to write it down) as ###-###-#### (Emailed to
you). If anyone else would care to do the same, that would be great.
As long as your picks are in before the games start for the matchup
in question, then we’re cool
7—You may
turn your picks in once per week, for the next month, every other day, it
doesn’t matter. Again, clearly label what games you’re choosing, the 1-4 ranking, and
the date or dates on which they’re being played. The one rule to keep
in mind is this: You must pick all four games for a given matchup
at the same time. You cannot pick 2 games of a matchup
on Tuesday and then the other two on Wednesday. If it’s Tuesday morning and you
wish to pick three games that will be played on Wednesday along with one game
that will be played on Tuesday . . . then all four of your picks must be
submitted at once on Tuesday. Again, you can make all of your picks for the
next month. Talk to Andy Carey about how nicely that can work! Or, on the other hand, talk to John Jacobson about how well
that doesn’t work! It doesn’t matter, but you must make your
picks in blocks of 4 games. It doesn’t matter when you turn in your picks so
long as you get them in before the games are played. If it’s Tuesday night and
you didn’t get your picks in for your matchup, just
pick four games being played on Wednesday. Important: Once again, in your emailed
picks, make sure that you label what matchup #’s you
are picking. Please put this information in the subject box of the email. We
operate on the honor system. Do not look at your opponent’s picks if you
haven’t turned your picks in for a given matchup.
8—You may simply opt to take the opposite of your opponent’s
picks. If you wish to do this, just send in an email declaring that you intend
to take the opposite of your opponent's picks. FOR THIS AND ALL OTHER
CIRCUMSTANCES, YOU MAY NOT LOOK AT ANY POOLER’S PICKS PRIOR TO SENDING IN YOUR
OWN PICKS OR SENDING IN AN "I’LL TAKE THE OPPOSITE" DECLARATIVE
EMAIL.
9—
The top four finishers will play a best of three matchup Pool Semifinal Series. (The #1 seed plays the #4
seed. The #2 seed plays the #3 seed) The winners of the Pool
Semifinal Series will meet in a best of five matchup
Pool Championship Series. The regular season is 42 matchups
long. Should there be a tie
between two or more poolers vying for the same
playoff spot, the tie is broken with a single matchup
playoff. If 3 or more poolers are tied for the same playoff spot(s) then single matchup playoffs are held to determine the DCS qualifier(s).
Three cards will be drawn. The high card gets a bye in this 3 way
playoff system. The two low cards play a
single matchup playoff. The winner of that single matchup
playoff then plays the high card drawing pooler.
10a: Since ties are
possible in postseason play, the following definitions are in place:
Winning
a best of 3 matchup series is defined as the first pooler to outright win two matchups. If necessary, more than 3 matchups
may need to be played.
Winning
a best of 5 matchup series is defined as the first pooler to outright win three matchups. If necessary, more than 5 matchups
may need to be played.
10b: All postseason play occurs in immediate
succession to the end of the regular season.
In other words, the PSS starts
as soon as it possibly can according to the schedule
format used in this pool. The same holds
for any single matchup playoffs that may be necessary
and also for the PCS. There is no break
of any sort in the play.
11—The Baseball Pool is: Mike Schommer, Andy Carey, Rob McCabe, Mike Halloran, John Boudry, Doug Carey, John Jacobson, Troy Thibedeau
Poolers play each other 6 times for a total of 42 matchups. Poolers
play in 3 matchup series (3 matchups
per week) with the exception of the last matchup of
the regular season (matchup 42) which is a one matchup "series" to balance the schedule anomaly
that occurs during the All Star break.
There will be a three matchup exhibition schedule to "warm up" for the
regular season.