Mid Coast Fantasy Baseball

Mid Coast Fantasy Baseball League Rules

 

Section One

League Description (Subsection A)

1) This fantasy league will be known as the Mid Coast Fantasy Baseball League (MCFBL). This league will consist of no more than 16 teams.

Section Two

The Annual Draft (Subsection A)

1) The annual draft will be held no later than two weeks prior to Major League Baseballs Opening Day. In the event of a strike, the meeting will be rescheduled.

2) During the annual draft, owners will be required to do one of two things, Attend the draft to fill their roster as they see fit OR type up a draft list and email it to the Commissioner of the League and the Commissioner will designate someone to draft for the absent owner.

3) In order to attend the annual draft a team must be present via League chatroom or telephone.

4) During the draft, team managers may draft any unprotected player. An unprotected player is a player not listed on any MCFBL team roster. A list of each teams current roster can be found on CBS/Sortsline.

5) New owners who are left without draft picks by the teams previous owner, will receive a supplemental pick between rounds that they do not have picks during the new owner's inaugural draft. Supplemental picks cannot be traded.

6) The league draft will consist of four rounds. A draft order will be established every year based on last seasons Win/Loss/Tie record. The last place team will draft first, so on and so forth. This years draft order can be seen here. (http://midcoast.tripod.com/draft.html)

7) After the annual draft is complete, players will be allowed to conduct any business they wish with the commissioner, deputy commissioner and/or other team managers.

8) Owners will have until ten days prior to MLB opening day in which to sign or release any players selected in the draft by notifying the commissioner/deputy commissioner. Failure to notify the commissioner/deputy commisioner within those ten days of the owners intensions for each drafted player, will result in an automatic signing of those drafted players.


Section Three

The Commissioner (Subsection A)

1) Danny Ross has been named Commissioner for life and will stay commissioner until he chooses to step down. If Danny decides to step down, he will appoint a new commissioner. The term of Commissioner will last one year, after which Danny may choose to reinstate himself as the Commissioner or forfeit that right and reinstate the old commissioner or appoint another. This will continue until Danny severs from the league or death. There is no limit to the number of terms a league manager can be elected to the office.

2) The Commissioner will decide on any issues not covered herein in these by-laws. His decision is final.

3) The Commissioner may appoint a Deputy Commissioner, Statistician(s), Treasurer, and/or any other positions deemed necessary.

4) Rule changes will be made by the Commissioner. He reserves the right change and/or activate a rule at any time.

The Deputy Commissioner (Subsection B)

1) The Commissioner will appoint a Deputy Commissioner. The term of the appointment is one year. The Deputy Commissioner will act as the Commissioner in his absence.

3) The Deputy Commissioners primary job is to review and approve/reject all trades submitted to him. Trades need to be submitted via email. He will also be responsible to edit the team rosters as changes need to be made, the transaction page and the leagues stat page on CBS.

4) All suggestions, grievances, disputes or any league matters not contained within these rules, will be directed to the Deputy Commissioner. He will in conjunction with the League Rules deliberate and/or decide on such issues as deemed necessary. All decisions made by the Deputy Commissioner are final but may be subject to review by the Commissioner.

The Treasurer and Statistician (Subsection C)

1) The treasurer will be responsible for collecting league dues from owners. These dues will be used to pay league expenses.

2) The statistician will record and tabulate accurate records of the weekly statistics, draft picks, trades, and roster moves throughout the season as directed by the Commissioner.



Section Four

Roster Clarification (Subsection A)

1) Every MCFBL team roster will consists of no more than 47 total spots of MLB players (Note: Players which are under contract of any Major League Baseball (MLB) team.) Any player who is not signed by MLB must be released before the MCFB opening day. Teams cannot carry such player on their roster throughout the regular or playoff season. Any violation of this rule a team will be pentaluized as discribed in Section Four, Subsection H. During the regular season each team must maintain a 40 player roster and if necessary an optional 7 player injured reserve squad.

2) If a player is sent to the minors by his MLB team, he may be maintained on the MCFBL team's forty man roster.

3) Rosters and lineups are the responsibility of the owners and any violation or discrepancy of the roster will fall upon that owner and the team may be penalized by the Commissioner as Rosters and lineups are the responsibility of the owners and any violation or discrepancy of the roster will fall upon that owner and the team may be penalized by the Commissioner deemed necessary.

Weekly Lineups (Subsection B)


1) Weekly lineup changes must be made within 5 minutes of the first MLB game each Monday of any given week.


2) This roster will be used to fill the 17 player weekly lineup. The weekly lineup will be used to play head to head with other teams. It will consist of the following:

3) One Catcher, First Baseman, Second Baseman, Third Baseman, Shortstop, Three Outfielders, Two Utility Players, and Seven Pitchers

4) Only seven pitchers can be used in a teams lineup each week. There is no limit on the combination of starters or relievers that can be used.

Twenty Three Player Reserve Squad (Subsection C)



The 23 Reserve players can be any combination of any players and postion, which can include MLB major and minor league players.

Injured Reserves (Subsection D)

1) The league will establish an injured reserve list. No fantasy team can carry more than seven players on that list at one time. The player can remain on this list as long as he is indicated as DL (Disabled) or Questionable on the CBS rosters page. A player listed as probable on CBS does not qualify for the DL. Minor League players must be listed as Disabled on MILB.com. Owners will not receive a forfeit for a violation of this rule, however will be penalized in accordance Section Four, Subsection H. Once a player has been discovered as not qualifying for the injured reserve squad they must be removed within 24 hours of notification by CBS. Continued failure to correct this problem, owners can receive further penalty by the Commissioner such as the loss of draft picks and possible suspension or forfeiture of team.

2) If an MLB team places a player on the disable list, then that injured player may stay on a MCFBL teams regular roster, be placed on the injured reserve list or released.


Roster And Lineup Restrictions (Subsection E)

1) If a MCFBL team adds a player(s) to their roster which exceeds the total MCFBL team's roster of 40 players and seven injured reserve players (47), that MCFBL team must release any player(s) immediately upon notification to bring their roster within the limits allowed. Section Four, Subsection H, Part 1 applies for any viaolation of this rule.


Off Season Roster And Lineup Restrictions (Subsection F)
During the off season rosters will be allowed to have any combination of injured and non injured players not exceed 47 total players. Teams may exceed the 47 player limit from the period of draft day until ten days prior to MLB opening day.

Waiver Pick Ups And Restrictions (Subsection G)

1)Teams will only be allowed to add up maximum 3 free agent players per week during the regular season. There will be no limit on how many players a team can drop from their rosters.

2) Any player that is released by a team will be placed on a three day waiver wire. At the end of the three day waiver period CBS Sportsline will set up the waiver order in accordance to record and waiver pick up record should more than one team wish to pick up the same player who is on waivers. Exception: Teams who are paying a salary for a player who are not affiliated with a MLB team will have first refusal of said player should that player sign with a MLB team.

3) All free agent players become frozen and players cannot be picked up from the period starting at the conclusion of the Mid Coast Fantasy Baseball regular season and until after the MCFBL annual draft. All other rules pertaining to free agents shall apply as written elsewhere in these rules.

Roster And Lineup Penalties (Subsection H)

1) A Mid Coast Fantasy baseball team who has a player listed as disabled or has been sent back to the minors on the www.cbssportsline.com website,will not be forced to forfeit for that given week. Should it be discovered that a team has an inactive player (s) in their lineup, or other violation they will be assessed a $5 salary cap penalty for each occurrence. This cap penalty will be assessed on the following years salary cap limit for the owner in violation. It is the responsibility of the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner to record the violations. Should the Commissioner detect unfair play and feel a team is throwing a game to gain a better position in the draft or help a fellow owner to advance to the playoffs or, habitually failing to field a proper lineup or roster, that owner will be penalized as deemed necessary by the Commissioner. Such as the loss of draft picks and suspension or forfeiture of team. The Commissioner can issue warnings for such violations, however is not obligated to warn an owner depending on the severity of said violation. It is ultimately the responsibility of the owner to make sure that they have active player(s) in their lineup each week.

Ameture And International Players Restrictions (Subsection I)

1) International players who have not signed with a Major League Baseball (MLB) team by the Mid Coast Fantasy Baseball (MCFB) Annual Draft, must wait for until the following MCFB annual draft before these players can be claimed by a MCFB team.

2) MLB players who enter the MLB Ameture draft cannot be picked up by a MCFB team until the following years MCFB Annual Draft.

Section Five


Player Eligibility (Subsection A)

1) An offensive player will qualify for a position for the first week of the MLB season provided he played at least ten games at that position during the prior MLB season and/or the players Primary Position as determined by CBS.

2) After the first week of the season all players must appear in one MLB game at a position to qualify for the position in question, and/or the players Primary Position as determined by CBS..

3) After the MCFB league's tenth week, an offensive player must have played at least ten MLB games to qualify for a position. Example: if an offensive player has played only 9 games as of the lineup deadline, he will not qualify until the following week, and/or the players Primary Position as determined by CBS.

4) Players who start out the year on a MLB disabled list and players who start out the year in the minors will be able to be used in active lineups at the players Primary Position as determined by CBS.

4) Any team found in violation of this rule, Section Four, Subsection H, Part 1 will apply.


Section Six

Trading Restrictions (Subsection A)

1) MCFBL teams will be free to trade anytime except from the end of period seventeen to the end of the MCFBL playoffs. All trades must be completed no later than 5 PM EDT Sunday of period seventeen

2) All trades must be reasonable and kept with the league's best interest.

Trading Players Regulations (Subsection B)

1)All trades will be initiated by using the Sportsline trading function. An owner can propose a trade by using this function to other owner(s) and once owner(s) except trade proposal, then trade will be reviewed by the Deputy Commissioner for approval. Any unreasonable trades may be vetoed by the Deputy Commissioner. The Commissioner reserves the right to reverse the decision made by the Deputy Commissioner. If the Deputy Commissioner fails to process trades within 36 hours then the Commissioner can process the trade in the Deputy Commissioners place.

2) All trades must be reported to the commissioner by the deputy commissioner so that the trade can be recorded and published on the MCFBL website.

Trading Restrictions Between Commissioner And Deputy Commissioner (Subsection C)

1) In the event a trade involves the deputy commissioner, the trade will be reviewed by the Commissioner.

Player To Be Named Later Trades (Subsection D)

1) No Player to be Named Later trades will be allowed.

Trading Weekly Deadlines (Subsection E)

1) All trades must be submitted 24 hours prior to the league's lineup turn-in deadline to be eligible for that scheduled week.

2) Owners will have 24 hours once a trade has been completed to correct any discrepacies with their rosters. Failure to correct rosters during the 24 hour period teams will be pentalized in accordance to Section Four, Subsection H, Part 1.

Contract Responsibilites OnTraded Players (Subsection F)

1) When a player is traded to a new team, his new team will be the responsibility to pay his contract until that contract expires or he is traded to another team. If a player is dropped the owner will be responsible to pay 1/3 of that players salary until his contract expires or he is picked up after clearing waivers.

Trading Draft Picks (Subsection G)

1) Teams will be allowed to trade draft picks. At no time will more than two draft years be available for trade except for draft day when a third year is added for that day only.

Section Seven

Salary Cap And The Commissioner's Responsibilities (Subsection A)


1) The MCFB league will establish a salary cap to be set at $400 per team for the 2017 season. Teams must not exceed this limit except from free agecny signing period to that signing period which is ten days after the annual draft. Each player will be assessed a salary in accordance to these rules. All teams will be required to offer players a contract, ten days after the player has been drafted or that player becomes a free agent.

2) The MCFB will establish an annual salary cap per team and adjust every January. The Salary Cap will be calculated as 110% rounded up to the nearest $5 of the average value of all teams cumulative salaries after the new contracts have been entered based on Rule 3 in this section. (e.g. an average 110% calculation = $341 would establish a new cap of $375)

3) The commissioner will appoint someone to tabulate each team's salary cap.


3) The Commissioner will use The Sporting News magazine as a guide for the MCFB league's salary cap.

Player Contracts (Subsection B)

1) MCFBL player that is worth one dollar to eight dollars must be signed to a one year contract. A player who is worth nine dollars to sixteen dollars must be signed to a two year contract. A player who is worth seventeen dollars to twenty four dollars must be signed to a three year contract, a player who is worth twenty five dollars to thirty two dollars must be signed to a four year contract, all players thirty three dollars or more must be signed to a five year contract.

2) No later than ten days prior to the league draft of each year once a contract of a MCFBL player expires, that team may resign that player to a new contract in accordance to these rules. If that team does not wish to retain a player then that player becomes a free agent and available to any fantasy team during and after the draft.

3) If a MCFBL team releases a player from a contract before it expires, then that team must pay one-third of that player's salary until either the contract expires, the player is picked up by another MCFBL team, he dies or he retires from MLB. Exception, $1 and $2 players if released will not be assessed a penalty. Partial dollars will be rounded up to the nearest dollar. Once a player is released, that player becomes a free agent. If this player is signed by another MCFBL team, all prior contract obligations by that players former team will end. However his new team will become obligated for that contract.

Penalties (Subsection C)

1) If any MCFBL team exceeds the salary cap limit, they will be required to release a player or players. Teams in violation, will be pentalize $5 to the current years cap level per day until their team is under the cap levels. This applies from the period of ten days after the annual draft until the leagues playoffs are complete.


Section Eight

Scoring Regulations (Subsection A)

The rank of each MCFBL team is tabulated by using five offensive categories and five pitching categories.

The offensive categories used are as follows:

1) Batting Average (AVG)

2) Home Runs (HR)

3) Runs Batted In (RBI)

4) Runs Scored (R)

5) Stolen Bases (SB)

The pitching categories used are as follows:

1) Earned Run Average (ERA)

2) Strikeouts (K)

3) Wins (W)

4) Saves (S)

5) Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched (WHIP)

MCFBL teams will play head to head each week for a total of twenty weeks. Statistics will be tabulated for each week. For the team that wins the most categories will receive a win for that week. The other MCFBL team will receive a loss. In the event the MCFBL teams end up in a tie a defensive category (Team Fielding Percentage) will be used to break a tie. A true tie may occur if both teams are tied even after the tie breaker has been used.

The statistics may be taken from www.cbssportsline.com or another stat service approved by the commissioner.


Section Nine


Playoff Regulations (Subsection A)

At the end of week twenty one, the follow rule will determine who will advance to the playoffs.

League winners in each league will advance to the playoffs and receive a bye. The next four teams with the best record from either league will advance as wildcard teams. The wildcard teams will face off in the first round of playoffs. The wild card team with the best record will face the wildcard team with the worse record and the two remaining wildcard teams face each other. In the second round the wildcard winners will face the division winners according to their record. The division winner with the best record will face the wildcard winner with the worse record and the two remaining teams face each other. The winners of the second round will face off in the league championship.

Playoff Tie Breaker Regulations (Subsection B)

At the end of the season should a tie occur, the following will determine who advances to the playoffs:

1) Head to head record
2) Higest total breakdown between teams involved in tie
3) A one game playoff
If tied after all the above tie breakers are used a flip of a coin will be used to decide the draft order

Playoff Free Agent Regulations (Subsection C)

During the playoffs teams can only pick up a free agent if that team cannot fill a position by using that teams 40 player roster. (For Example: If a team has one eligible first basemen and that player is placed on the disable list by his MLB team, that MCFBL team can sign a free agent to fill that position.


Section Ten


Team Ownership (Subsection A)

If a current MCFBL team loses their owner for any reason, then all players on that team's roster will become frozen and no other MCFBL team can claim those players until another fantasy team owner can be found to run that team.

If an existing MCFBL team loses their owner than that team can be sold to any owner provided they have the approval of the league's commissioner. No owner in this league can own, operate, or manage more than one MCFBL team.
Team Ownership Pertaining To The Draft (Subsection B)

Any time a new owner takes over a team, they will be given the first pick in the round (unless it is the first round) where the former owner traded away the pick. In cases where a first rounder was traded, they will get two picks at the end of that round.

Section Eleven

Division Alignment (Subsection A)

MCFBL teams in this league may be divided/realigned if the Commissioner deems it necessary.

The Mid Coast Fantasy Baseball League will consist of two Leagues called American and National Leagues. All teams will be divided between the two leagues in accordance to Section Eleven Subsection B.

Division Alignment Lottery (Subsection B)
During each annual draft the placement of teams within the leagues will be decided through the lottery processes. The Commissioner shall appoint an owner to conduct the lottery by pulling team names out of a hat or the use of any other type of random selection, approved by the commissioner. The teams will be assigned a league by the following example. First team selected will be placed in the American League. Second team selected will be placed in the National league. Third team selected will be placed in the American League. Fourth team selected will be placed in National League. This will continue until teams are assigned a league and all leagues are filled.

Section Twelve

League Expansion (Subsection A)

The league commissioner will decide if league expansion is necessary. Only two teams can expand in any given year.

Existing teams will be allowed to protect, 11 players from their 25 player roster and 6 players from their minor league squad. No owner will lose more than five players (3 from each teams 25 player roster and 2 for each teams 18 player development squad) from their team during the draft. No pullbacks, which means, the existing owners cannot pull back players during the expansion draft. At the end of the draft all un-drafted players will return to their original teams.

During the draft, the two expansion teams will draft first and second during the annual draft, rotating each round. During the expansion draft, expansion teams will rotate the drafting order. The draft order will be decided by the flip of a coin. The team that wins the flip of the coin will decide which draft (expansion or annual draft) that they will draft first in. The coin flip losing expansion owner will be awarded the first pick in the opposite draft.

Expansion owners must attend the expansion draft. Alternate means of drafting, will be to draft via the internet (yahoo messenger, other chat program, or email) should the expansion owner be unable to attend in person. Sending a representative to draft in the expansion owners place will be an exceptable substitution. Existing owners may attend the expansion draft.

Expansion teams may pick up free agent players prior to the season's ends. These players do not need to be singed so they are not under salary cap restrictions. However, Expansion teams will not be allowed to carry more players than allowed under the leagues roster rules, listed above.

The commissioner will decide any exceptions to this rule, before the draft is to take place.

Section Thirteen

League Dues (Subsection A)

MCFBL dues will be collected before the draft on a predetermined date set by the Commissioner. The dues will be used to run the day to day operation of the league or will be used for what ever the league deems necessary. Any entry fee amount change will be voted on by a 2/3 majority of the leagues owners.

Once the no trading deadline passes, owners will be required to pay their league dues before they are allowed to trade. The Commissioner reserves the right to replace an owner, should a team not pay their dues by the date set by the Commissioner.

If for some reason dues are not paid by the deadline chosen by the league's commissioner, the team in violation will become frozen and the commissioner can penalize the team in violation as deemed necessary. Failure to pay after sufficient warning will result in that owner losing their team. All monies collected will only be used for the purpose of entertainment. League dues are non refundable.

Section Fourteen

League Copyright (Subsection A)

Note: These by-laws were designed to fit the needs of the MCFB league. They have been adopted and amended for the Mid Coast Fantasy Baseball League. Anyone may use any or all of these by-laws contained herein. The MCFB league is a non-profit entertainment fantasy baseball league.
The name "mid coast fantasy baseball league (MCFBL)" is copy written, the use of the name is strictly prohibited


Copyright, 1992-2017 Mid Coast Fantasy Baseball League