Rules for Fantasy Baseball

 

Team

 

1. Each person drafts a team consisting of 20 players.  The time for the draft will be determined about 3 weeks before the start of the season (pending all people’s availability).
2. The draft will be an auction style.  At the beginning of the draft, we will establish a draft order.  Each person in turn will select a player to place on the auction block, and that player will be awarded to the highest bidder.  If yours is the winning bid, you MUST take the player.  Throughout the draft, you must always have $1 for each unsigned roster spot (so if your roster still need 3 players, you must have at least $3 left).  The minimum bid & minimum raise for any player is $1.
3. Teams may elect to keep up to 5 players from the previous season at last season’s salary PLUS $5 with the following restrictions:
   • Any player out for the year (either due to injury or anything else including suspension, retirement or alien abduction) can not be kept unless they were signed in the auction or kept from a previous year.

   • Any player added off the waiver wire can be kept for $6 ($1 base cost plus $5)).

   These players may be kept as long as you are willing to pay the $5 inflation each year.  ***Note - for a transition period only, players signed in the 2003 season may only be kept one more year***

4. I can provide you a list of players if you want it. You can select any player, however they must be on the Yahoo sight to be added to your team. (note: if they aren't on the Yahoo sight, it is likely that they are not playing anymore).
5. The total value of the team must be $200 or less.  If you exceed the $200 cap at the end of the draft, you must waive players to drop your salary under the salary cap.  That team will also be restricted from adding free agents or trading for 1 week.

 

Game Rules

 

6. Rotisserie head-to-head scoring.  That means your team will be ranked according to how it performs over the week in key areas (below).  If you score better than your opponent in a category over a week, then you get a win.  If you are tied you get a tie, if you score less you get a loss.  The wins, losses, and ties are totaled at the end of the week, and that gives you your record for the week.
7. Batting lineups will include 1 player at each position (IF, OF, C) plus one DH.  Pitching rotations will be made up of 3 Starting Pitchers, 2 Relief Pitchers and 2 (either) Pitchers. That leaves 4 players on your bench.  You will also have 2 DL slots where you can “hide” an injured player, making your maximum roster size 22.
8. Batting categories are

·         On Base Percentage = (hits + walks)/(At Bats + Walks)

·         Slugging Percentage = (Singles +  Doubles + 2X Triples + 3X Home Runs) / At Bats

·         RBIs

·         Runs Scored

·         Stolen Bases

 

9. Pitching categories are (Min 20 IP required per week)

·         ERA

·         WHIP

·         Wins

·         Saves

·         Strikeouts

  

Replacement Players & Trading

 

10. After the draft and before the beginning of regular season, teams will be allowed unlimited player additions from the free agent (un-drafted players) list.  Note that if you move a player to the DL you will be charged for the add associated with that move.
11. Free agents can be acquired online on a first come first serve basis. Each team will be able to make 8 player additions over the regular season (effectively 1 add/month plus 2).  It does not cost anything to drop a player.  At the all-star break, there will be four additional picks awarded.  These picks will be awarded at once, but over the three day all-star break, the league will hold a draft for free agents (participation is optional), with the lowest seeded team picking first, then up the standings.
12. Teams will be allowed unlimited trades (either picks or players).  Generally, there will be no restrictions on these trades unless it looks like there is collusion (i.e. 2 owners pooling their talent together to win).  For example, if you want to trade Pedro Martinez for Aaron Boone and Kenny Rogers, you may be able to make a case, but Pedro Martinez for Rey Sanchez would be vetoed.  I will have the sole decision making authority on these maters, but if you do want to raise an objection, you can e-mail me or post to the message board.  Trades will ALWAYS require a 2 day waiting period (so if someone is coming off the DL, be prepared to make the trade before they come off).
13. There will be a trade deadline at the end of August.  There will be no deadline for free-agent acquisitions.
14. After the draft, there is no need to maintain your salary cap. All free agents can be acquired at a "cost" of $1.

 

Post Season

 

15. At the end of the season, rosters must be cut down to 20 players (i.e. nobody on the IR) and will be frozen.  At the beginning of the following March, returning owners will have the option of designating 5 players that they will be able to bring back to their team at the previous year’s salary plus $5.  (note - as mentioned in #3 above you will not be able to keep players you signed off the free agent list that were injured).  If an owner does not return for the 2003 season, their team will either be offered to a new owner or added to the free agent pool.
16. Players may be kept as long as the team is willing to pay the additional $5 for the player.  For example, a player that I have signed for $12 that I keep the first year would become $17 the next year, $22 the third year, $27 the fourth year and $32 the fifth year.

 

League Administration

 

17. The league will be administered through the Yahoo Fantasy Sports Baseball site.
18. You can change your lineup at any time prior to the start of a game.  If you don't have access to the internet, please let me know on the draft day, and I will create an account for you.  If I have to maintain your account, (i.e. make roster moves) you must e-mail (or call me) to make changes.

 

Prizes

 

19. The chart below demonstrates the awards available depending on the number of teams.

 

Playoffs

There will be playoffs involving the six top teams (depending on how Yahoo handles it).  If it is the same as last year, the top 2 teams will receive a “bye”, while the #3 team plays the #6; #4 vs. #5.  The winners of those games go on to play the #1 & #2 teams… that is followed by the championship.

 

Based on...	League Champion	Runner Up	1st Pace Rg. Season	2nd Place Reg. Season	3rd Place Reg. Season
12 Teams @ $20 per team	$70	$50	$60	$40	$20

All awards will be distributed at the end of the season (even the monthly prizes).  Optionally, owners may apply the award to the next pool.