Here is everything I found in this thread or recorded during a season regarding rules that have not been formally included in the league constitution. If something seems to be missing or incorrect, please let me know as these are all based on my interpretation of past posts or my own notes.
For the "ongoing discussion" section near the bottom, definitely add to that list if you'd like to see a new rule or revisit an existing one that isn't mentioned yet.
The goal is to hold a league vote to ratify any new rules prior to the auction and draft this year.
Link to current version of constitution for reference
***Unofficial Rules***
Player Auction and Salary Cap
1.) Teams are forbidden from making cuts to clear roster space during the FA auction.
2.) Players may be cut without any salary commitment during the off-season period spanning the conclusion of the World Series to the second Sunday in February (reflecting the first week pitchers and catchers report for Spring Training). After this period, any additional cuts will behave as one made during the regular season (team is responsible for full salary of cut player). Once the FA auction is completed, the freebie cuts ($4) kick in and count toward the regular season total of freebie cuts.
3.) Each team receives four “freebie” cuts to use during the season. When a freebie cut is used, $4 (league minimum salary) of the cut player’s salary is waived. The team must pay any difference in salary beyond $4. Freebie cuts kick in once the FA auction is completed. From the time the FA auction ends to the time rosters are locked on Opening Day, teams are granted two “bonus” additional freebie cuts (totaling six) to aid in pre-season roster management. These “bonus” cuts are void once the regular season starts.
Settings and Scoring
Maximum IP: 1500
Minimum IP: 1000
AB/PA Limits: None
Starting in 2013, rosters will be locked based on the start time for individual games, rather than the first game of the day. REMINDER: ADJUST SETTING BEFORE FINALIZING ROSTERS ON ESPN
Rookie Status and Minor Leagues
1.) Clarified rookie definition: any player with less than 130 ABs, 50IP, or 20 Games in Relief before the start of the season.
Rookie Draft
1.) International signings from Japan, Cuba, etc. without any prior MLB experience are considered rookies. A player must be officially signed with an MLB club before the start of the rookie draft in order to be eligible that year.
2.) If a newly drafted player is traded mid-draft, the player’s former team does not receive a compensation pick.
3.) If a team trades away multiple draft picks for a lesser number of picks and will not be able to roster 10 minor leaguers as a result, that team is awarded the final pick in the draft in order to meet the minimum required number of minor leaguers. If multiple trades of this nature occur in a single draft, the higher pick is given to the team that finalized their trade first.
Trades
1.) The regular season trade deadline is August 19 at 12PM ET. Trading opens again after the World Series ends.
2.) When a player is traded, their service clock remains the same and carries over to the new team.
Cap Hits, Waivers, and Free Agents
1.) “The Nathan Rule” – In the instance an MLB level player making more than the league minimum ($4) is cut mid-season, picked up on waivers by a new team, and retained through the next FA auction: the player’s salary will revert to either his original salary prior to being cut or remain at the winning waiver wire bid – whichever is greater. Yearly salary bump rules still apply.
Note: General consensus was reached to include this rule, but more discussion is needed on specifics of salary ceiling for player to qualify.
2.) If a minor league player is cut from a team’s overall roster, the transaction is treated the same as an MLB level player being cut. The minor leaguer’s $4 salary may be covered by a freebie cut.
Payouts, Dues, and Penalties
1.) Any extra prize money that becomes available (due to owners selling their teams, etc.) will be added to the prize pool for the upcoming year. The extra money will be distributed based on each payout bracket’s share of the default $1300 prize pool, rounded to the nearest dollar. An example from one season:
$100 from a team sale and $50 from the last place penalty were added to the prize pool. Final payouts were adjusted accordingly:
$670 - 1st Place
$390 - 2nd Place
$195 - 3rd Place
$140 - 4th Place
$55 - 5th Place
***Ongoing Discussions***
1.) For “Nathan Rule” above - should the rule apply only to players making more than $4 in the year they are cut or should that value be higher before the rule kicks in? Example: Player is signed for $10, cut mid-season, and picked up on waivers for $8. If the salary ceiling for this rule is $15, then the new owner gets to keep the player for $8 because the original salary was not high enough to enact the rule. In other words, all contracts less than $15 are excluded from the rule.
2.) Permanently expand minor league rosters from 10 to 15-20. Maintain the same number of mandatory slots be filled (10).
3.) Any minor league cuts must be made prior to the start of the rookie draft. This will lock in the number of open minor league roster spots available to a team, unless a trade happens later.
3.) Possible Rule 5 draft?
Last edited by Pecota; 12-19-2012 at 02:17 AM.
