Rule Book

2020 TBBA/C2C Rule Book

                                                        Updated 1-31-20

League Structure:

The league will consist of 20 teams,  4 divisions of 5 teams in each division.  Each team will play 18 games versus division opponents, 6 games versus all the other teams in the other divisions.  All rule changes will require a majority vote by the entire league.

League Management:

All terms are two years, unless stepped down, retired, or dismissed from the league

Commissioner:

Chris Hughes, 5th  Term (expires after 2021 season):

Resolves disputes, distributes commissioner file, makes decisions he and the co commissioner feel are for the best of the league,  creates schedules and coordinates the draft.

Assistant Commissioner:

Joe Allen, 5th Term (expires after 2021 season):

Assists the commissioner in the league duties.

Statistician:

Joe Allen, 6th Term (expires after 2021 season)

Chris Hughes, 6th Term (expires after 2021 season)

Keeps an accurate account of trades, draft picks and rosters.  Updates google document as well as the TBBA C2C website.  

Roster size:

1.  Each team will consist of no more than 40 players (carded or non-carded).  The active roster for games will be 25 players.

2.  From the conclusion of the TBBA/C2C World Series to one week before the first Waiver Draft, the roster size will be unlimited.  Teams must cut down to 42 players before the first Waiver Draft.  Teams must cut down to 40 before the second Waiver Draft.

3.  Rosters are open (all players can be active) from September 1st  (on the TBBA/C2C schedule) until the end of the season. Generally the last 30 games of the season

4.  At all times from the completion of the waiver draft/drafts, until the end of the regular season, teams must meet all the roster requirements as if their team was going to make the playoffs.

Trades:

1.  Trades will be allowed from the end of the TBBA/C2C World Series through one week before the start of the regular season.  Trading will stop at noon eastern standard time on the Wednesday before the Annual Draft to give the Statistician time to get all rosters correct and to give owners time to make sure their rosters and the draft board are 100% correct.

2.  When the annual draft starts only draft picks for that draft and roster players can be traded.  No players to be named later are allowed or no picks in next year's draft.

3.  Once the draft is over, there will be a trade period until one week before the season.  Draft picks for the upcoming draft are available for trade.

4.  A mid-season trade period will be announced by the commissioner prior to the start of the regular season (after game 96).  The league will take a 2 week break to conduct the mid-season trade period.  Roster players and draft picks for the next annual draft may be traded. Roster limit is still in effect.

5.  Players traded during the mid-season trade period will be on their new team when play resumes after the trade period.

Annual Draft:

1.  The annual draft will be done all off line with either email or a draft program.  The commissioner will set the date of when the draft will actually begin.

2.  The annual draft will officially be 8 rounds in length. Teams may not pass on one of their picks and resume drafting in later rounds.

3.  Players not appearing on any team’s roster but who are on the Official APBA disk are eligible to be drafted.

Draft Order:

1.  Non-Playoff teams will draft in reverse order of their regular season won-loss record.

2.  A weighted lottery will determine the first pick in the first round only.  The four worst teams will be in the lotto for the top pick of the draft.  A roll of the dice will determine the top pick in the draft.  The lowest finisher gets top pick with rolls between 11-42 (52%). The second lowest finisher gets top pick with rolls between 43-54 (22%). The third lowest finisher gets top pick with rolls between 55-64 (17%). Fourth lowest finisher gets top pick with rolls between 65-66 (5%).

3.  After the top pick is determined, all remaining teams will draft in reverse order of their win percentage. Ties will be broken by: head to head record (the team with the worst head to head picks first), road record, and finally a coin flip.

Waiver Draft:

There will be two phases to the waiver draft:

Phase 1 – This phase will be done as a list draft over email.  All teams must cut their rosters to 42, participating or not, before the start of the waiver draft.  Teams must participate in round one to participate in round 2.  If a team is at 42 players and they make a selection, they must also announce a cut when they make their selection.

Phase 2 – Will occur approximately two weeks prior to the start of the season.  This phase will be done online.  All teams must cut their rosters to 40, participating or not, before the start of Phase 2 of the waiver draft.  Teams may pick an unlimited amount of players, but any player picked must be kept and can’t be dropped.  They may be traded.  Once a team passes in Phase 2 they are done drafting for that year.

Position Player limitations:

1.  Position players are limited to their actual Games Played and Stolen Base Attempts plus 25%.  (Ex. 100 sba + 25% = 125 sba).

2.  All players will have a minimum of 5 sba for the season before overage occurs when not using the SB program.  When using the SB program, it will be 125% for all players.

3.  Position players may play at any position in which they have received a fielding grade.  Players may not play out of position (meaning they do not have an APBA rating for the position needed) unless there have been injuries to every other eligible player at that position.

Pitching limitations:

1.  Only pitchers who are rated as starters may start a game, however starters are also allowed to be used as relievers.

2.  Pitchers are limited to their starts and their innings pitched.

3.  Relief pitchers will be limited to only innings pitched.

4.  Starting Pitchers must have 3 days rest before they can pitch again.

5.  Pitchers rated five or less will be unlimited in their games started and innings pitched. They are, however, limited to one start per series and they cannot start and relieve in the same series.

6.  Pitchers with a split grade are to be used as their grades permit.  For example a 5 / 6* pitcher could be used unlimited as a starter but once his innings are used up that he had he could no longer be used as a reliever.  A pitcher who has a split of 6 / 5* could be used as a starter until all his innings or GS are used up.  Once he has used up all his innings or GS he can still be used unlimited as a reliever.  

Out Rule:

1. This rule allows managers to have an “out” if they are getting close to going over.  Managers may email the commissioner and request a backup for a player at or over their limits.  This player can’t be kept, or drafted, and will cost the manager their last pick in the upcoming draft. This “out” player will be selected by the commissioner/asst. commissioner. The first player you need will cost you the last pick you have in the upcoming draft. Each player you need added after that will cost you the last pick in the next best round you own a pick in. Example: If you need 3 extra players added through the year, you could lose an 8th, 7th, and 6th rounder.  If you didn't have an 8th or a 6th rounder, you could lose your 7th, a 5th, and a 4th rounder.

2. If a manager uses the out rule is consecutive seasons the penalty goes up. For year 1, your penalty is an 8th rounder or better, 2 consecutive years you would lose a 6th or better, for 3 consecutive years you lose a 4th or better.

Over usage:

Over usage is calculated by the following:

1. Pitchers - every game start over what a pitcher is allowed is an overage, and for each total inning your pitchers go over is considered an overage.

2. Position Players - each game played over what a position player is allowed is an overage, and every 3 SBA's over what a player is allowed is an overage.

***Please note that while we use the Stolen Base Program, there will be no overage for any teams stolen base attempts as stolen base ratings are put to N and 0 after they reach their limit as determined by the league settings.

Over usage Penalty:

1. 30 and under - No Penalty

         30 1/3 to 40 - 6th round draft pick

         40 1/3 to 50 - 4th round draft pick

         50 1/3 and up - 2nd round draft pick

If a team overuses and receives a penalty in consecutive years, the penalty in the second year would be as follows.

2. 30 1/3 to 40 - 3rd round draft pick

         40 1/3 to 50 - 2nd round draft pick

         50 1/3 and up - 1st round draft pick

The pick you lose will be yours in that round. If you do not have a pick in that round,you will lose the best pick you have in that round. If you do not have a pick in

that round, you will automatically lose your pick in that round for the following year.  Teams may still not intentionally overuse players. If it is

pointed out that a player is at his limits, you must not use him anymore, and he must be removed from your lineup.  Over usage is the total for your entire team.  Innings, game starts, games played, and stolen base attempts.

3. If any teams total over usage goes over 30 for the current year, he will be disqualified from making the playoffs with NO EXCEPTIONS.

Playoffs

1.  There will be 4 division winners and 4 Wild Card teams in the playoffs.

2.  Division winners will be seeded 1-4 and the wild card teams will be seeded 5-8.  The first round would have 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6, 4 vs 5.  The second round would see the highest remaining seed play the lowest remaining seed and the second highest seed remaining would play the 3rd highest seed remaining.  The championship round will see the two remaining teams play.  The highest seed of the matchup always has the home field advantage.

3.    All rounds are best of 7 with a 2/3/2 format.

4.    Playoffs will be mandatory to be played online.

Playoff Schedule:

1.  For purposes of scheduling, the playoffs will be considered to have no scheduled days off.

2.  When a series ends early the remaining games will be considered off days for purposes of starting pitching. Example: Team A wins a seven game series in four games while Team B wins in 5. Team A will benefit from three days off while Team B will only get 2 days off.

Playoff ties:

1.  Ties for Playoff seeding will be determined by head to head record, road record, division record or a one game playoff.

 2.  In the event that there is a tie and one team will not make the playoffs, a head to head game will be played with all roster players available even if a player has all his usage used up. The usage for that one game will not carry over to the playoffs, or be used for regular season over usage.

Playoff limitations for each series:

1.  Position players are limited to 10% of their regular season limits (numbers will be rounded to the nearest whole number) with the exception of steals. For the playoffs, we now allow 25% per series.

2.  Position players must have 40 or more games played to be eligible for the playoffs.

3.  Pitchers are limited to 10% of their regular season limits for game starts and innings pitched. (numbers will be rounded to the nearest whole number)

4.  Starters rated over 5 can be used in relief during the Playoffs with restrictions.  In a 5 game series, the max number of relief innings is 5. In a 7 game series, the max number of relief innings is 7.

5.  Starters rated 5 and under have no restrictions for the playoffs as far as relief innings pitched.

6.  In the playoffs only, starters may start on 2 days rest since their last appearance (start or relief appearance).

Game playing:

1.  Designated Hitter is used

2.  Ballpark effects and AIM are turned off

3.  “Domed” stadiums must be used to prevent rain outs.

Series Play:

1.  Managers must submit an F-File with the commissioner before the start of the regular season.

2.  When making your F-File, under League Play, Franchise Options, and when creating a new F-File all 4 options need to be check marked.

3.  Away managers must send an updated F-File with a micro manager selected to the Commissioner after each result C-File is sent.  If you do not send an updated F-File to the Commissioner then the lineup and rotation that is currently on the C file will be used unless you make arrangements with the home team.  Once all the new F-Files are sent to the commissioner, or the deadline has approached, then the commissioner will send out a play ball C-File.  The deadline to get the F-Files to the commissioner for the upcoming series is at 5:00p.m. on the Wednesday selected, and the results F-File will be needed by 5:00 p.m. on the following Sunday.

4.  25 man rosters must be submitted by away manager with at least a 4 man rotation selected.

5.  Over usage is the responsibility of each owner/manager.

6.  You may play the game head to head on or offline.

7.  Injuries are for the current game in progress only.

8.  Home managers must provide F-File with results or a legitimate reason for failure to provide the F-File by Sunday at 5:00 p.m. when the results are due.  Failure to do so may result in the commissioner warning the late manager, or if it has happened before letting the manager go.

9.  Each position needs to have a backup on the 25-man roster. Designated Hitters can be counted as backups.  Example: The backup player at 2B could be in the game at 3B, as long as you have someone else eligible to play 3B.

10.  All rosters must have at least 4 Starting Pitchers active for each series. Starters must be identified and can’t relieve in that series

11.  You can have more than four starters on your active roster but at least four must be designated as non-relievers for that series

12. Pitchers are not allowed to hit unless they are graded as something other than a pitcher.

Trade Committee:

1.  Any member of the league may object to a trade.  A trade will be sent to the trade committee if there is an objection filed with the commissioner within 24 hours of the trade being finalized by both teams.

2.  At that point the commissioner will email the deal to the trade committee members.

3.  Trade Committee Members will report back as quickly as possible, no more than 24 hours, that they are OK with the deal or if they feel it is one-sided and may need review. A non-response is considered a yes vote.

4.  If no problems are reported from the trade committee, the trade is approved and the commissioner will email it to the rest of the league.

5.  If any member of the trade committee is involved in the trade then they must abstain from voting.

6.  If any Trade Committee member feels there is a problem, the committee will review the trade in more detail, likely contacting the managers involved to find out their reasoning for the deal. The committee will work with the managers if needed to try to get them to make a more reasonable trade agreed to.

7.  All trades would be subject to approval.

8.  If a trade is amended, it is again looked at by the Trade Committee for approval.

9.  Once a compromise deal has been reached, a trade is approved as follows:    

                          *****6 members voting requires 4 yes votes to pass.

  *****5 members voting requires 4 yes votes to pass

  *****4 members voting requires 3 votes to pass

Trade Committee Members (2020):

1.  Chris Hughes - Auburn Wildcats

2.  Randy Blair - Altona Assassins

3.  Steve Sundbeck – Virginia Ham Fighters

4.  

5.  Al Herold - Columbus Bullies

6.  Steve Field - North Yarmouth Infidels