The WFBL was formed in June of 1998 by the original Commissioner, Matt Veasey, for his own amusement and to promote Fantasy Baseball in a fun, mature, competitive format. The Commissioner will always operate with the best interests of the league in mind. To this end, he will have the power to take any and all actions that he deems necessary to maintain fairness and promote fun competition.
Prospective GM’s are both assured and advised that this is a strong Commissioner-led league, and will remain so for as long as he chooses and is able to maintain same.
The following official league rules have developed over WFBL history. The Commissioner reserves the right to rule on any matter not covered herein, or not made fully clear herein as such may develop. The official rules would then be updated to include any such situations.
II. FRANCHISE FRONT OFFICES
A. Ownership -
The league is the formal owner of all franchises. League members are appointed as "General Managers" (GM's) at the discretion of the Commissioner. If there is a franchise GM opening the Commissioner will seek to quickly fill same, and, if necessary, will operate the franchise with it's best interests in mind while a new GM is sought. All franchise operations are immediately turned over to any new GM once appointed.
B. General Manager Requirements –
GMs are required to maintain an online/internet presence that must include an email address.
GMs must be mature, responsive and participative within the league. They must acknowledge communications from the Commissioner and other GMs as quickly as possible.
Personal information required of a GM to be furnished to the league: full real name, age, city, and photo for this website.
GM's should be willing to supply a cellphone number where you can communicate via text messages, as this helps to facilitate communication in trade talks and important league announcements. The league also keeps a Facebook private group and presence there would be helpful.
Providing a home address or phone to the league or individual GMs is not required, and is done so at each GMs own discretion.
Friendliness and maturity, combined with being active and demonstrating a knowledge of the game, will be keys to continuing as a WFBL GM.
C. League Fee -
Current annual fee is $15 per season. Covers the cost of the WFBL stats service with CBS Sports. The fee is due from each GM by February 28 each calendar year. The fee is subject to future adjustment as costs demand. The Commissioner and the league champion from the prior season are exempt from the league fee.
D. Team Identities –
The Commissioner has sole discretion over the changing of franchise geographical locations and/or team nicknames. GMs will appoint a “Manager” for their team, who must be a living representative baseball figure approved by the Commissioner. The facility or “Ballpark” name may only be changed once every 10 seasons that a club has been in the same location.
E. Disciplinary Action -
The Commissioner reserves the right to remove any GM from their position at any time for any reason. GMs should feel secure that this will only happen in rare instances where the integrity of the league has been compromised; where there have been serious violations of the letter and/or spirit of the rules; or where a team has deteriorated in talent/results to such an extent that it's ability to compete is judged to have been seriously degraded and the Commissioner feels a change in direction is the best opportunity to return the franchise to competitiveness.
A. Rosters & Position Qualifications –
Organizational rosters consist of a 26-player Major League roster, 15-player AAA squad, 10-player AA squad, 5-player A squad. Major League rosters must, during the course of a playing season, include a qualified player at each position to field a starting lineup.
Position Players earn eligibility by appearing in at least 30 games at any particular position in the previous calendar year season, or must be the publicly announced starter at a position, or reach and maintain 20% of their MLB team games played during the current season. If a player does not qualify under these requirements, he may only be used as a Designated Hitter, unless or until he subsequently qualifies at another position.
Pitchers will all be considered "Starting Pitcher" as a default. MLB historical usage and publicly announced upcoming MLB roles will dictate starters and relievers on a weekly basis. A reliever needs to be either established in that role, or publicly announced as going to the bullpen. A starter must have a recent history of being used in that role, or be publicly announced as moving to that role, to be listed as an SP in a lineup.
The Commissioner will have the final say on all questions involving eligibility. If a lineup is turned in which includes a pitcher or player listed for a role for which he is not qualified, and you cannot be contacted in time to make a legal change, the Commissioner reserves the right to substitute the best player available from your overall roster, or via best available waiver pickup in his judgment, to fill that role instead.
B. Lineups -
Starting lineups will be due on Sunday evenings, with changes no later than prior to first MLB game time each Monday (see next paragraph), and will be good through the following Sunday night. If lineups are not turned in on time, or at all, the previous weeks lineup may be used. However, the Commissioner reserves the right to make changes (but is not obliged to do so) when no lineup is turned in based on injuries or other changes to a players status.
Once the first MLB game start time passes on Monday the Scoring Period has begun. You may still replace any player in your starting lineup up until each player's scheduled game start time with another player who was already on your overall Majors/Minors roster. After each team's starting game time on Monday passes, no player from that game may be replaced other than by use of the ES (see below) rule. Once the final Monday MLB game time passes, only ES moves may be made for lineup substitutions, whether your player's team actually played on Monday or not.
It is the responsibility of each GM to check their starting lineup at CBS on Monday nights - no later than Tuesday - and to inform the Commissioner of any mistakes. This allows errors to be corrected as early as possible. GMs will have until prior to the first MLB game each Friday during any Scoring Period to inform the Commissioner of starting lineup error. After the final MLB game is completed each Friday all WFBL starting lineups as shown at CBS will be considered as final and will not be changed other than via an ES situation.
Lineups consist of: 1 - first base, second base, shortstop, third base, catcher, designated hitter…3 – outfielders…5 - starting pitchers…4 - relief pitchers. Any active position player may be used as a DH regardless of position qualification. GMs must always attempt to put forth their most competitive lineup. Players on the MLB DL when a lineup is submitted may only be used in your starting lineup if publicly shown that they will likely return during the coming scoring period. ‘Tanking’ games to improve your draft position or for any reason is not permitted.
The Commissioner will make final determination of SP/RP status. This will be based somewhat on publicly announced roles for the coming week, but also take into consideration common sense, historic usage, and "opener" usage by MLB teams.
Emergency Substitutions (ES): During the Monday-Friday dates of any scoring period where any player/pitcher is announced as OUT for the rest of that scoring period due to injury, suspension, demotion, release, or being placed on the MLB Paternity/Restricted List, they may be replaced by any other eligible player who could keep the lineup full and legal, and who was on the overall team roster in Majors or Minors at the start of the scoring period.
For a Saturday-Sunday 'ES' request to be approved during full weeks of play the player being requested for replacement must either be obviously out long-term, released by his MLB team, demoted to MiLB, or actually placed on the MLB IL or other MLB list. Players showing as "probable" or described as day-to-day will not be approved for an ES replacement. For Starting Pitchers, an ES may be approved if their only scheduled start of the Scoring Period is on a Saturday or Sunday and is postponed due to weather or other similar issue.
An 'ES' may not be used to replace a player whose role/activity has changed due to MLB managerial decision or weather, other than for starting pitchers who have originally scheduled start(s) pushed out of the Scoring Period due to such decisions.
You do not have to insert an Emergency Sub (ES), even if an eligible player is available on your roster, other than for a starting pitcher who has not yet appeared during the Scoring Period.
Should one of your starting pitchers be injured or otherwise removed from his MLB rotation for any Scoring Period, and should you also have any eligible replacements on your roster, you must utilize the ES process.
If you choose to ES for any player in the lineup the original starting player may not return to the lineup in that same Scoring Period, even if activated in MLB later in that same Scoring Period.
Use of the 'ES' does not have to be for the first day on which the original starting player was injured. However, for any game days on which an Emergency Sub is not used, the original player remains in your lineup, and you will accumulate no statistics for any time that such player is out of action in MLB.
If granted by the Commissioner an ES will enter your WFBL lineup on the same day, assuming neither the ES or injured player's MLB team has begun play that day. If either has, the ES will begin on the following day.
Statistics will only be awarded for players who were actually in your lineup on a given day of the week.
The Commissioner may accept ES requests for players not formally placed on the MLB IL. However, such requests will be granted at his discretion based on news reports and other information available at the time of such a request. "Day to day" players will almost certainly not be approved for an ES.
Emphasis: an Emergency Sub must have been on your overall roster prior to the first MLB game of the Scoring Period in which you wish to use them. You cannot pick up a free agent to serve as an Emergency Sub after your injury happens.
Starting Pitchers: Any starting pitcher who began the week listed as a "two-start" pitcher at CBS may be substituted for with an ES only if that pitcher is actually placed on an MLB list (Injured, Paternity, Restricted, Suspended, etc), demoted in MLB, or otherwise publicly noted to be missing significant time that would cancel either or both starts. Also, the WFBL GM must make that decision to use an ES for such starting pitchers immediately once that information becomes public. You cannot wait a few days to see how it might impact your scoring. As always, an ES must have been on your overall roster at the start of the Scoring Period.
C. Scoring -
The league uses a "Head-to-Head" scoring format utilizing all MLB players. A schedule is posted at the beginning of each season, with each team playing the others in their division twice each, and those in the other two divisions once each, for a 22-game regular season.
In each matchup teams will receive one point for each category won. There are six offensive and six pitching categories: Offense - Batting Avg (AVG), On-Base Percentage (OBP), Home Runs, RBIs, Runs, Steals…Pitching - ERA, WHIP, Wins, Saves+Holds, Strikeouts, Quality Starts.
If a regular season game ends with a 6-6 score, this will result in a "Tie" in the standings. These categories will be evaluated from time to time, and changes may be made if any such are deemed in the best interests of competition.
D. Playoffs & Tie-Breakers –
The winner of each division during the regular season will be declared that year's "Pennant" winner.
Playoffs Current Format: There is an alternating years playoff system in place moving forward for all full MLB seasons. During odd-numbered calendar years 12 teams will reach the postseason. During even numbered-calendar years only six will reach the postseason. The purpose is to allow the concept of more teams with a shot at the title in one season, but then also rewarding only the very top teams a shot at that title the next year. Should there be a shortened MLB season for any reason (such as happened with COVID in 2020) an adjusted regular season and postseason schedule will be developed, if possible.
Number of teams qualifying for the playoffs and an overall playoff format could be adjusted by the Commissioner prior to the start of each season based changes in the makeup of the MLB schedule each year, taking into consideration the number of playing weeks available for our regular season. The WFBL declines to use the final week of the MLB regular season due to the volatility of MLB player (especially starting pitcher) usage.
Draft Pick Playoff: Teams who do not reach the official WFBL Postseason during a particular year will enter into a tournament with the winner receiving a bonus Minors Draft pick at the end of the first round the following season, so the 19th overall selection. Matchup format will be determined each season by the Commissioner based on number of teams reaching the WFBL Postseason that year.
Six-Team Playoffs (Even numbered calendar years): The three divisional Pennant winners and top overall second place team will receive byes for the Opening Round. The #5 overall seed will host the #6 overall seed in that "Opening Round" play-in game. The top second place team will then host the winner of that Opening Round game in a Wildcard Game, with Pennant winners continuing to receive a bye. The winner of that Wildcard Game will then move into the Semi-Finals along with the three Pennant winners. Semi-Final matchups will be seeded among the four surviving teams by overall regular season winning percentage.
12-Team Playoffs (Odd numbered calendar years): Each of the three divisional Pennant winners and the top second place team receive a bye. An Opening Round will see teams seeded based on regular season records/tie-breakers and facing each other as follows: 5v12, 6v11, 7v10, 8v9. Winners will advance to Quarter-Finals. Teams will be re-seeded with highest facing lowest based on regular season records/tie-breakers from among Pennant winners, top second-place team, and Opening Round survivors. Semi-Finals will then have survivors seeded based on same premise.
All final regular season rankings will be determined by Winning Percentage first, then by the below tie-breakers: TIE-BREAKERS: 1 - Head to head regular season results…(** - see below for playoff and Championship game ties)…2 - Total "points" in head to head matchups…3 – Divisional Record (Pennant ties only)…4 - "Power Ranking" as determined by CBS syste...5 - Total points for in ALL games…6 - Least points against in all games…7 - to be determined if necessary (currently likely a coin toss).
Pennant ties: If teams are still tied after the first six above, and one of the teams is the defending Pennant winner, that team will be declared the winner (want to be the champ, beat the champ.) If neither is the defending Pennant winner, #7 will go into effect. If the #7 scenario is ever used, both teams will be recognized as Pennant winners in league records. The tie-breaker will simply affect playoff berths and/or positioning.
Ties for final playoff slots: If teams are still tied after first six above, and if one of the teams involved did not make the playoffs in the previous season, that team shall be awarded the playoff berth (spread the wealth/opportunity), unless one is the defending league Champion. In that case, the Champ will advance into the playoffs (a takeoff on the 'be the champ, beat the champ' theory.) Otherwise, #7 will go into affect.
Playoff ties (early rounds): If a tie remains after using the first six above in a pre-Championship game round, including one involving a previous year's WFBL Champion, then the current season Pennant winners will advance if involved, or the previous season WFBL champion if no current pennant winner involved (the 'you gotta beat the Champ to be the Champ' clause). If then still tied, #7 will go into affect.
Championship ties: If teams in a Championship finish tied, the Head-to-Head regular season winner will be crowned Champion. If the two teams had tied in the regular season (or the results of two matchups then resulted in a tie total score), then co-Champions will be declared.
MLB 'Extra' Games: Any MLB pre-playoff games which extend an MLB season to more than 162 games due to wildcard or division ties, etc will not count towards WFBL scoring. All efforts will be made to keep the WFBL playoff schedule from including the final regular season week of MLB play due to the volatility of MLB lineups and pitching rotations usually experienced in that final week.
E. MLB Cancellations Contingency -
In the event that MLB games scheduled during the WFBL season are suddenly cancelled due to some major event such as happened on 9/11/2001, a work stoppage (strike/lockout), etc, the Commissioner will formulate an appropriate WFBL response plan based on the circumstances.
In the event that an MLB season is ended prematurely prior to our WFBL playoffs, the WFBL team with the best overall regular season record at that point will be awarded the league Championship, and division first-place teams awarded the division Pennant titles. If any of these result in ties, the WFBL tie-breaker procedures will go into effect.
Any WFBL playoff week suddenly cancelled in the MLB schedule, and not slated to be made up, will be considered a "tie", and the WFBL tie-breaker procedures will go into effect for advancement/title purposes.
F. Official Game Results -
The WFBL utilizes CBS Sports as the official scoring, standings and stats tracking resource. Results posted at CBS are susceptible to changes in Major League Baseball scoring decisions. This includes after the results of a particular WFBL Scoring Period have been published. Though rarely affecting a WFBL result, it has happened. Regular season WFBL game results are susceptible to such MLB scoring changes from Scoring Period 1-21 (or through the next-to-last period in any shortened season).
Once the results have been posted at CBS for Scoring Period 22 (or any final regular season week) and the WFBL playoff matchups announced, the WFBL standings will be considered as "final", no matter any MLB scoring changes. This will continue as the policy through each WFBL playoff week.
Once each playoff result is published at CBS and the next WFBL playoff round announced, results will be "final" and not subject to any MLB scoring changes. This will be the case with the WFBL Finals as well. Once the official result comes from CBS at the end of the Scoring Period for the WFBL Championship, the result will be considered as "final" and not subject to any MLB scoring changes.
A. Majors Draft –
The WFBL Majors Draft will be held at an exact date/time to be announced by the Commissioner, just before the start of each MLB season.
GM's may reserve between 12-19 players from their Majors roster prior to the Majors Draft. These "Reserve" or "Protected" lists will be turned in a few days prior to this Draft, no later than an exact deadline announced each year by the Commissioner. Promotions/demotions for protection/reserve purposes may be made, providing all Minors eligibility and limit requirements are maintained.
GMs may enter the Majors Draft with fewer than 12 players on their official Majors Roster. However, selections would begin in the same round as those protecting the formal 12-player minimum.
The WFBL Majors Draft will be in reverse order of the prior regular season standings with allowances for different numbers of protected/reserved players. Teams that protect the fewest will draft first (i.e. - one club protects 12, another 19.....the one protecting 12 will draft 7 players before the other drafts any). Once all 'Protected Lists' have been received, the Commissioner will send out a "Round by Round" order for the Draft, taking into account the number of protected players, along with any traded picks.
Draftees must currently be, or have been at some past time, officially and legally signed with an MLB organization. No "amateurs" or foreign nationals may be selected in the Majors Draft. If you select any player who is eligible for the WFBL Minors they may be assigned to your Minors system immediately following the conclusion of the Majors Draft without incurring use of an "option". Any past WFBL options history will follow a player. So, if he is still eligible for WFBL Minors, but was previously owned and released, his status at the time of that release would follow him to the drafting organization.
GM's who cannot attend the Majors Draft 'live' may either submit a "wish list" type format, or have the Commissioner or another designated rep draft for them.
You may go over Roster limits during the Majors Draft process. Immediately following the conclusion of the Majors Draft you must get your Majors and Minors to no more than legal roster limits.
B. Minors Draft –
The four-round WFBL Minors Draft is held during the MLB All-Star break and after the MLB First-Year Player Draft gets underway. The Minors Draft will always take place via text/email beginning no later than the day following that MLB FYPD. Once the team selecting first overall makes their selection the Minors Draft may proceed, even if that happens prior to the MLB FYPD getting underway. However, GMs are not required to begin picking until the first day of the MLB FYPD unfolds.
The Minors Draft order is determined by the most recently completed two seasons cumulative records, with tie-breakers as the most recent season record first, HTH scores in the most recent season second, and HTH scores in the combined most recent two seasons next, and finally a coin-toss if still tied.
Beginning in 2025, the 19th overall pick will be awarded by a 'Draft Pick Playoff' held among non-postseason participants. See our Rule III-B for details. This pick may be traded.
Minors Draft picks may be traded for the current season and the next three subsequent seasons as listed on individual team roster pages.
Any player eligible for a particular current year's MLB Draft who is still available at that time in the WFBL (not chosen in a prior WFBL Minors Draft and still being owned) may be selected in that year's WFBL Minors Draft, regardless of actual signing status in MLB.
Once the MLB and WFBL Minors Drafts are completed in any given year, players eligible for that MLB Draft but not selected in the WFBL Minors Draft will be available as free agents in WFBL until the end of the MLB signing period.
Once the official MLB signing period for their most recent draftees has passed, any players selected in that most recent MLB Draft who have not signed and are not owned in WFBL already are no longer eligible to be added as a free agent. Such players will next be available when they again enter the MLB Draft, or are otherwise a free agent by MLB standards.
A. Roster Season -
Franchises will operate from year-to-year on a "Roster Season" basis. The Roster Season will formally begin immediately after the conclusion of the Majors Draft and end with the conclusion of the MLB regular season. Trades may be made during this period up until the set Trade Deadline (see V-E.)
The period between March 1st through the Majors Draft is a league-wide administrative preparatory period for the Majors Draft and the upcoming regular season. The only Transactions allowed during this time are cutdowns and/or promotions/demotions in preparation for the Majors Draft, or additions of foreign nationals via the Waiver Wire process.
B. Off Season -
Roster/Injured List Clearance: once the final WFBL regular season week lineups go final, no team may release a player with MLB experience until the lineup submission deadline for the WFBL Championship passes, except if necessary to keep rosters legal upon activation of players from the Injured List. All IL's must be completed by the end of the MLB regular season.
Hot Stove season: runs from the conclusion of the MLB regular season through 9PM ET / 6PM PT on the last day of the following February. During this period there will be limited trading and prospect additions.
Each GM will be allowed two straight-up trades with any other team during the Hot Stove season. No multi-team deals are allowed.
Only players with no MLB experience may be added to the Minors. No players may be added to Majors from outside a WFBL organization except via trades.
You may promote/demote eligible players at any time. Only players with actual MLB experience may be promoted to a WFBL Majors roster. All Majors and Minors rosters must be kept at legal limits at all times.
When the Hot Stove deadline arrives, all rosters will be frozen from any outside additions other than use of the Waiver Wire for international FAs.
International FA's remain available year-round through the Waiver-Claims process.
C. Waivers -
There is no limit to the number of waiver pickups you may utilize for position players during the Roster Season for your Majors Roster. See VI-B for Minors limits during the Roster Season.
Relief Pitchers: Each WFBL team may only make one waiver pickup of a new relief pitcher to your Majors roster during any Scoring Period. This limitation can be expanded via petition to the Commissioner should a team suffer multiple RP injuries which are publicly announced to most likely last the entire upcoming Scoring Period, and when no other options are available on your overall Majors/Minors roster. The Scoring Period begins once the final game of the prior Scoring Period ends (in Week 1 when lineups lock at CBS for the first MLB games.)
Players added during a Scoring Period: Players added to your Majors or Minors as a free agent during the Roster Season or playoffs must remain on your overall roster for the entirety of the Scoring Period in which he was added. Exceptions: you may trade such players during the same Scoring Period added (Roster Season only), or such player dies or suffers a publicly announced season/career-ending injury, or is released publicly by their MLB organization during that scoring period, or if making the release in order to keep your roster legal following a WFBL IL activation.
Scoring Periods will be considered to have ended once the final MLB game ends each week. All "Scoring Periods" then begin with the conclusion of the final MLB game the prior week.
These transactions limitations do not apply between the end of the Majors Draft and the lineup deadline for Week #1.
Playoff Waivers: During the Championship playoffs, participating teams who suffer an injury, suspension, or otherwise lose a player(s) at a position at which they have no eligible player anywhere in their overall roster Majors/Minors system who is on an active MLB roster at that point may add an eligible replacement at the same position as the injured player.
As with the regular season, to use a player as an ES during a Scoring Period, players must have been on your overall roster at the start of that period. Any players added as a 'playoff waiver' in this manner must be released at the end of the WFBL postseason.
Playoff Waivers do not apply to the Draft Pick Playoff (DPP) process. Teams who miss the WFBL Championship playoffs participate in the DPP using the roster with which they ended the regular season. Injuries or MLB team decisions that cause lineup shortages must simply be endured. These DPP teams must still submit full, healthy lineups as best as possible each round. However, there is no requirement to promote from the Minors in order to do so.
Waiver Deadline: Arrives each season at 8:59 pm EDT on the final day of the final Scoring Period of regular season play for the addition of any players with MLB experience. Once the Waiver Deadline has passed no players may be released from your Majors or Minors until the end of the WFBL Postseason except when necessary to keep roster limits legal upon activations from the IL. Also, teams involved in either the Championship Postseason or the Draft Pick Playoff may release players from Majors if needed to make room for a promotion from Minors to the starting lineup.
D. Claims -
The Waiver Wire has been established since the league's inception, and runs on a rotating basis in perpetuity. When a player is released it will be noted on the league website Transactions page. All GMs are expected to keep up with transactions on their own.
If you wish to put in a Claim on a player, simply email the Commissioner with no "CC" of any other GM , requesting the player and listing the concurrent roster move that you would make in order to add the new player, if any such release, promotion, or IL move is needed.
Three (3) days from the date of release, GMs who have put in a "Waiver Claim" for any released player(s) will be awarded same based on their place on the Wire. If you are at the top of the Waiver Wire when requesting a player, you will automatically receive him. Any franchise receiving a player via Claim will then drop to the bottom of the Waiver Wire.
If only one team made a Claim during the Waiver-Claims period, that team will be awarded the player without losing their place on the Wire.
The three-day clock includes the date listed in our home site Transactions page, and the next two full days, up until 9:00 AM eastern time based on the email receipt date-time stamp at the Commissioner's account on the fourth day. EXAMPLE - player posted at wfbl.org in the Transactions section as released on 6/1 will not become an absolute free agent until 9:00 AM ET on 6/4. Prior to that, any request will be considered a "Claim" with use of your place on the Waiver Wire.
If a player should pass through the Waiver "Claims" period without being claimed, he will become an absolute free agent available to any team on a first-come, first-served basis.
Amateurs who are released may be picked up via Claim during the three-day period only. If a player has any "options", they will also follow the player through the Claims period only. (Also, see below "Free Agents" section V-F).
NOTE: any player released on the very same or next day in which they had been added as a free agent or draftee, will be available immediately as a FA to other teams.
E. Trades -
Trades will be made via email request from any/all involved teams to the Commissioner, who must give approval before deals are finalized. Only the Commissioner may formally announce an approved trade. The Commissioner reserves the right to deny any trade outright, or send it back for renegotiating.
In general, before submitting a trade for approval, ensure that you have evaluated the needs of your franchise, and take into consideration how the trade will look to the Commissioner and other GMs if approved.
Trades must stand on their own as announced - the Commissioner will not consider future considerations via "Gentleman's Agreements" in evaluating. All transactions, trades and waivers, will be closely monitored for "anti-dumping" or “loaning” purposes.
If as a result of any trade, such as an unbalanced one, you need to make additional roster moves to maintain legal roster limits, you must submit all such moves at the time that you make the request.
Approved trades will be finalized immediately upon approval and player(s) and/or picks transferred to their new team. If any player(s) involved are in the current starting lineup for any involved team, such player(s) remain in place in the lineup(s) until the next Monday. Any other player(s) in the deal will be moved immediately.
Post-Trade Lineups: If you make a Sunday/Monday trade, and it has not been approved by the time lineups are due in, you must submit a lineup containing players from both your pre- and post-trade rosters. If time permits, and both franchises wish, the new lineups will be used.
Re-aquisition: Once a player has been traded by a franchise, he may not be reacquired in trade by that same franchise during the same Roster Season from the franchise to which he was traded. Traded players may be reacquired during a Roster Season if from a subsequent team (including in three-way trades), or if they are later waived by their new team.
Seasonal Limits: No more than two (2) direct trades and one (1) multi-team trade will be permitted involving the same teams during the same Roster Season. This is in order to both restrict the possibility of GM's "partnering" and to create the necessity to interact more with all GM's.
Majors Draft slots: may be traded for a current/upcoming draft and the following two seasons once the Hot Stove opens. For instance, during the 2025 Roster Season you may deal 2026-27 Majors Draft picks. Once the 2025-26 Hot Stove opens you may also deal 2028 Majors Draft picks.
When you trade for a Majors Draft pick, you are trading for the "Round" once the actual order has been established following submission of the other team's protected players list.
WFBL teams protect between 12-19 players for the Majors Draft. Teams will only be permitted to trade their first seven Majors Draft picks. (Keep in mind, if you trade a Majors pick, the exact round in which that pick is made will be determined by the number of players you protect.)
Minors Draft Slots: may be traded for a current/upcoming calendar year and the following three years once the Hot Stove opens. So, as of the 2024-25 Hot Stove you could deal 2026-29 Minors Draft picks.
Waiver Wire: places on the Wire may be traded. No team may control more than one place on the Wire. If places are traded, the teams involved will simply be swapping those places.
Minors Waivers: The 10 in-season minors waivers allotted to each club may not be traded.
Multi-team trades (three or more clubs involved): Allowed as long as the net result of any trading makes sense for each club involved and has an overall fairness. Some element must usually be moved (players, prospects, draft picks) from each team to each of the others involved. If not, some reason must be presented as to why the deal couldn't be done without it being a three-way (value of players, etc).
Injured List: players may be traded from one IL to another without first having to go through the acquiring team "Active" roster, provided they still do qualify for our IL at the time of the trade.
Trade Deadline will arrive each season at 8:59pm EDT on the second Sunday in August.
The Commissioner will not enforce any "Gentleman's Agreement" (such as 'future considerations') that falls outside the scope of these official Rules.
F. Injured List -
During the Roster Season there is no limit as to the number of players that a team may place on their WFBL "Injured List" (IL)
Players who are WFBL free agents and who are on an MLB IL may be added to a WFBL roster by use of your Waiver Wire position. Each WFBL team may use the Waiver Wire up to three times per Roster Season in this way. Players added in this manner must first pass through the WFBL Majors or Minors roster of the team making the Claim before being placed on the WFBL IL.
WFBL free agents who have been activated from the MLB IL immediately become eligible to be added by any WFBL team on a first-come, first-served basis.
Players who have been placed on an MLB or MiLB Injured List, formally placed on an MLB bereavement/paternity/concussion or other restricted list, or who are suspended by MLB may be placed on a WFBL IL.
If a player is obviously/publicly injured, but has not been formally placed on the IL by his MLB club, you may petition the Commissioner to place them on your WFBL IL with specifics and any supporting information. These will be Commissioner evaluations on a case-by-case basis.
Players must be activated from the WFBL IL immediately upon their activation from the MLB IL, or their reinstatement from any MLB list, or from MLB suspended status.
GM’s may be forced to make a lineup and/or roster move, or if the GM cannot be reached in time such move may be made by the Commissioner, if they attempt to place an obviously injured player into their lineup who is not expected to play that week due to injury.
Players on the IL may be traded from one IL to another without having to pass through the acquiring team "active" Majors or Minors roster, as long as they still qualify for our WFBL IL at the time of the trade.
Minors players may be placed the WFBL IL. If demoted back to your WFBL Minors system immediately upon activation in MLB or MiLB, such players will not be charged a WFBL option.
ALL players must be removed from the WFBL IL no later than the end of each MLB regular season.
G. Free Agents/International FA's –
Any player who is an absolute Free Agent in MLB (International players such as Cuban defectors or posted Japanese players, amateur international signees from Latin America, unsigned or repatriated players, formerly retired players, etc) and signs with an MLB organization will be available for five (5) days from his publicly announced (as determined by the Commissioner) signing date via the ‘Waiver-Claims’ process. NOTE: this does not include players who have appeared in MLB during the current Roster Season and were released by their MLB team the same season. Those players are not subject to the waiting period and may be added at any time.
If the initial five-day period passes without any claims, such players will be absolute free agents in WFBL and may be added at any time first-come, first-served, as long as they remain a member of an MLB organization.
International FA's are available via this process year-round. However, any such player who signs in MLB during the off-season and who does have prior MLB experience will not be available until the next Majors Draft.
Once the official MLB signing period for their most recent draftees has passed, any players selected in that most recent MLB Draft who have not signed and are not owned in WFBL already are no longer eligible to be added as a free agent. Such players will next be available when they again enter the MLB Draft, or are otherwise a free agent by MLB standards.
Any 'International Free Agent' signed in the previous two or the current calendar year and who has no MLB experience may be carried in WFBL Minors at the 'A' level or higher.
H. Deceased Players -
The WFBL makes no special allowance or provisions for players or prospects who die or who are severely injured, etc while members of one of our organizations, other than the WFBL DL. Just as with MLB organizations, these tragic situations result in real loss that a club must overcome.
A. Eligibility -
WFBL Minors systems consist of three levels: 15-player AAA squad, 10-player AA squad, 5-player A squad
Any player who has not reached the following MLB career levels is eligible for the WFBL Minors at AAA: 1000 plate appearances; 400 innings pitched; 120 games pitched.
Players who have used up their MLB rookie eligibility (130 AB/50 IP), but have not reached the above WFBL limits, are eligible for one (1) option, players not reaching those limits are eligible for two (2) options when added. Option history in WFBL will follow any released/traded player.
Only players with no MLB game appearances may appear in the WFBL Minors at the AA level.
Players who have been selected in either of the two most recent MLB Drafts, have signed with their MLB team, and have no MLB experience may be added to the A level.
Also, players who were not signed by their MLB team, but were chosen in a WFBL Minors Draft and have remained continually in the WFBL since that selection may be at the A level. Should such players eventually be re-drafted and then sign with an MLB organization, eligibility for the A level will begin from the MLB Draft for which they actually signed.
Any 'International Free Agent' signed in the previous two or the current calendar year and who has no MLB experience may also be carried at the A level.
Players with no MLB experience may not be placed at the WFBL Majors level, unless it has been publicly announced that they will be promoted.
B. Roster Season Minors Claims -
Each team will be allowed ten (10) Minors "claims" during the Roster season. You will use up a Minors Claim each time you add a player with no prior MLB experience to your overall roster. Trade acquisitions and the Minors Draft will not count against these Claims limits, but use of the Waiver Wire will count. A "Minors Claims" notation appears at the top of each team's Minors section at our home website. Each time you make such a Claim, your number will decrease.
C. Off-Season 'Hot Stove' Unlimited Minors -
Following the conclusion of the MLB regular season each year, players with no MLB experience may be added to your Minors roster. Minors rosters must be kept legal at all times. You may promote any player who has MLB experience to your Majors roster in order to make room in your Minors for new additions.
Any international free agents will be covered by that Rule V-G above.
On the first day of the Hot Stove period, GMs must submit any additions in the order in which you wish to receive them. Players will then be awarded in a draft style format based on the regular season standings results of the just completed season by the following day. After that first day, players will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until the deadline.
The end of the Hot Stove unlimited Minors additions period will come at 9PM ET / 6PM PT on the final day of February each year.
A. Hall of Fame -
The Hall of Fame will be maintained containing the history of the WFBL, honoring notable achievements by it's GM's, franchises, and players. Players are honored after being named by the Commissioner based on their performance during the WFBL era. Any player who has appeared in the WFBL at any point and who is subsequently elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame will also be automatically enshrined in the WFBL Hall of Fame.
GMs will be enshrined after completing 10 consecutive years of participation.
Players must officially and publicly announce their retirement from MLB, or have passed away, and not have performed in MLB for three seasons in order to be considered for the WFBL Hall of Fame.
B. Awards –
The current list of awards recognized by the WFBL are as follows:
Richie Ashburn Award - League Champions
Matt Veasey Award - Regular Season Best Record
Paul Owens Award - East Division Champions
Harry Kalas Award - South/Central Division Champions
Connie Mack Award - West Division Champions
Mike Schmidt Award - Outstanding Offensive Player
Steve Carlton Award - Outstanding Starting Pitcher
Tug McGraw Award - Outstanding Relief Pitcher
Pete Rose Award - Rookie of the Year
Dallas Green Award – Manager of the Year
Ray Connor Award - Comeback Player of the Year
Chuck Klein Award - Playoff MVP
John Vukovich Award – Top Prospect
The Commissioner will name the Connor, Green, Klein and Vukovich Award winners. The GMs will vote on the others with ballots distributed at the close of each WFBL regular season.
Qualifiers for the WFBL Rookie of the Year Award must be in either their first MLB season or second MLB season with limited usage in WFBL during first season if no real first-year qualifiers, per Commissioner judgment.
Qualifiers for the WFBL Top Prospect must not have used up their MLB rookie eligibility.
C. Annual WFBL All-Star Team –
The Commissioner will evaluate final WFBL statistics and name a full normal WFBL lineup of players as official seasonal All-Stars. They will be honored as such at our league website in an 'All-Star Team' section.
D. Champions Trophy / Awards -
The current stats server, CBS, began providing us with a 'Bobblehead' for the League Champion beginning with 2008. This is mailed to the Commissioner by CBS about a month after each season ends. Our league champ will have this award forwarded to them. A true championship trophy or other award has been discussed for years and is still being considered.
