League Rules

Days & Nights of Summer Baseball (“DNSB”) Rules

Last Revised: November 12, 2025 

I. Introduction

A. League Overview

Days and Nights of Summer Baseball (DNSB) uses the latest release of Diamond Mind Baseball and the most recent complete season's player disk, to draft payers from teams in Major League Baseball (“MLB) forming two 14 team leagues. DNSB features minimized player carry over from year to year, a unique minor league farm system and a player retention system that requires foresight rather than hindsight. DNSB strongly encourages interaction between league members and a long-term commitment in order to create a friendly environment where members can share experiences and enjoy game of baseball.

B. League, Division Structure & Game Schedule

1. League Structure – DNSB consists of two leagues, the America League, and the National League.  Teams in each league will be made up of actual MLB American and National League teams.

2. Rule - Unless stated otherwise herein,  DNSB will follow Major League Baseball rules. 

3. Divisional structure - There will be three divisions in each league.  Two divisions of five teams and one division of four teams.

4. The regular season is 162 games. Each team will play a balanced schedule by playing one three game series against each other team as the home team, and one three game series against each other teams as the away team.  This includes inter-league games between American and National league teams.  However, if both the home team and the away team are owned/coached by the same human owner/coach for any series, the human owner/coach shall manage the road team against the computer manager coaching the home team unless the series is the final series of the regular season and at least one of the teams has not secured a playoff position but is still eligible for a playoff position.  In that situation, either the series will be played head-to-head on-line with the league commissioner coaching the road team or the league commissioner will coach the road team and play the series against the computer manager.

C. Team Roster Features

a. DNSB employs a "contract" system requiring franchises to retain a maximum of 12 players from season-to-season. Players are contracted one year ahead of time requiring managers to make personnel decisions based on foresight rather than hindsight.

b. DNSB employs a system whereby teams have first rights to up to 18 minor league players in the DNSB team’s representative MLB team's organization or other organizations through trades/drafts.

D. League hierarchy

a. The league commissioner will oversee and settle all league matters except those that involve the commissioner's team.

b. Matters involving the commissioner's team will be settled by an arbitrarily appointed three (3) member committee.

c. The league commissioner will work in the best interest of the league and encourage member involvement.

d. Except in special cases, proposed new or revised rules are considered after the end of a season.

E. Costs & Legalities

a. There are no fees. There are also no prizes awarded.

b. In order to assure the league is not in violation of Diamond Mind Baseball, Inc.'s copyright, each franchise owner is required to have a registered copy of the latest version of Diamond Mind Baseball game, and the most recent DMB player disk installed on their computer. Periodically, the Commissioner checks to assure our legal obligation is met.

c. No earlier version of the game will be permitted for use in league play. The League will announce when a new version is required.

II. Player Types and Roster Management

A. Players are classified into the following groups:

1. Minor Leaguers - Players with no MLB experience. These players may appear on a DNSB team's Minor League Roster Only.

2. Rookies - Players with MLB experience, but who have not reached 130 MLB at-bats or 50 MLB innings pitched in their MLB playing career (same "rookie" definition as MLB) in real time.  These players may appear on a DNSB team's roster as described below.

3. Veterans - Everyone else.

4. "Contracted" players (can be either Veterans or Rookies)

B. Roster

1. DNSB Team Rosters - Each team will have two rosters:

(a) Major League Roster -  A team’s roster must include 30, but no more than 30 Veterans and Rookies.  If, during the season, a trade is made whereby the team's roster exceeds 30 players, a non-contracted Veteran player must be released or a Rookie returned to the Minor League roster to return the Major League roster to 30 players.

(b) Minor League Roster - A team's Minor League roster may include up to but no more than 18 Rookies and/or Minor Leaguers on a combined basis.

(c) Starting the first series closest to September 1st on the DNSB league calendar, major league rosters will expand from 30 to up to 35 players.

2. Active Rosters for Games

(a) A team's active roster (players available for a game) must contain 26 of the players.  These 26 players can be any combination of Veterans and Rookies. The other players on the roster must be "farmed" prior to the beginning of the series and may not be “promoted” to the Active Roster during a series.

(b) Starting the first series closest to September 1st on the DNSB league calendar, Active Rosters will expand from 26 to up to 28 Veteran and Rookies players, including players injured or on the disabled list due to over usage violations.

(c) At all times during the regular season and playoffs, including the last week of the season, a team's  active roster MUST include:

(1) At least TWO players who are eligible and rated to play each fielding position.

(2) At least FOUR pitchers who have a starting pitching rating.

C. Minor Leaguer and Rookies

1. Overview

A DNSB team's  roster may include up to 18 Minor Leaguers and Rookies. A team may carry less than 18 players on its roster. This system is a way for each manager to have more control in determining the success of their franchise. It was designed to give teams another way to acquire young talent by means other than the draft and trades. It was also designed to minimize the amount of time a manager must spend developing his minor league organization. By utilizing MLB's minor league system each team already has a complete minor league organization in place.

2. Minor League Player Eligibility

Subject to other rules herein, only a player in your DNSB team's minor league system (determined by your MLB team name) who has never made it to appeared in a major league game, but has appeared in at least one minor league game,  is eligible to be on your roster.

3. Rookie Player Eligibility

Players who have major league experience in either the American League or the National League are considered "Rookies" until they have reached 130  career at-bats for batters; or 50 career innings pitched for pitchers. 

4. Foreign Players Signed by a Major League Team

A foreign player who has never played for an MLB team or in an MLB team's minor league system, but who is signed by your MLB team is considered to be property of MLB organization that signed him and is NOT eligible to be added to that team's minor league  roster. That player is considered a free agent eligible for the annual player draft, just as a free agent player from an American League team signing with a National League team as a free agent.

5. A player on your DNSB team's MLB organization (determined by your MLB team name) MUST be added to your minor league roster BEFORE he loses he has exceeded 130  career at-bats for batters; or 50 career innings pitched for pitchers in MLB. This means the player must be added to the roster BEFORE he exceeds these limits in real life or he is ineligible to be added. This means if the player becomes ineligible because he exceeded the maximum MLB at bats or innings pitched during the current MLB season, you are out of luck because it will be too late to add him to your roster. So it is strongly recommended you make sure any player in your organization who has appeared in MLB and is eligible for your roster is added immediately.

a. Eligible "Rookies" who have played in the MLB AND are included in the current DNSB season's player database can be added to a DNSB team's roster if the player is a free agent and not on any other DNSB team’s roster.   

b. "Minor Leaguers" (no MLB experience) can be added to the DNSB team’s roster at any time.

6. Other roster rules and reminders

a. There is no minimum number of Rookies and Minor Leaguers on a DNSB team’s roster.  However, the maximum  is 18 players, regardless of whether they are on a Minor League Roster or a player has been promoted to the team's Major League Roster.  Therefore, if already have 18 Minor Leaguer and/or Rookies on your roster, you will have to release a Minor League or Rookie before you may add another player.

b. Rookies are eligible to be drafted and added to any team's roster during the annual free agent draft.

c. There are no time limitations for Minor Leaguers to be on a team’s roster as long as they remain eligible (less than 130 career MLB at bats or less than 50 MLB innings pitched).

d. Minor league eligible players may be added to a team's minor league roster at any time EXCEPT during the period that begins SEVEN days before the MLB trade deadline and ONE day after the MLB trade deadline.  For example, if the MLB trade deadline in July 31, DNSB teams may not add a minor league eligible player from July 24th through August 1st. 

7. Effect of MLB trades on Minor Leaguers on a team’s roster

a. Since MLB transactions involving Minor Leaguers" have no effect on this leagues game play (the player has no MLB stats so they cannot appear in a league game) these transactions will be allowed to continue in real time.

b. Since "Rookies" may appear on the current season DNSB player database, MLB transactions involving "Rookies" will not go into effect until after the end of the current DNSB season.

c. The Compensation Chart - If a player on a Minor Leaguer or Rookie on a DNSB team’s roster is traded by an MLB team and:

1. If other team's player(s) is/are on a DNSB team's roster, the DNSB teams involved have the option of accepting the trade or declining the trade. If either DNSB team declines the trade, it is null and void for purposes of the league.

EXAMPLE: Minor leaguer, John Doe of the MLB Reds is traded to the MLB Cubs for minor leaguer, Bill Smith. Smith and Doe were both on their respected DNSB team's roster. The DNSB Reds and DNSB Cubs would come to an agreement to accept or decline the trade. If one team declines the trade, then the traded players remain on their existing DNSB team's roster.

2. If the other team's player is not on a DNSB team's roster, but eligible to be on it, you have two options: Accept the trade or decline it.

EXAMPLE: The same trade as above except this time the DNSB Cubs did not have Smith on their roster. The DNSB Reds would then have full power to decline the trade or accept the trade.

-If the DNSB Reds decline the trade, they retain their ownership rights in Doe.

-If the DNSB Reds accept the trade, they can place Smith on their roster even though the Smith was not on the DNSB Cubs roster at the time of the trade. The DNSB Cubs would have no say whatsoever in the trade. However, if the DNSB Reds accept the trade, and the DNSB Cubs want to add Smith to their roster (subject to the 18-player limit), the DNSB Cubs may do so.  If the DNSB Cubs do not want to add Smith, then the DNSB Reds retain Smith.

3. If the MLB team trading the minor league player does not receive a minor league player in the trade, and the minor leaguer(s) being traded are on a DNSB team’s Minor League roster, the DNSB team retains the minor league player(s).

EXAMPLE A: MLB Boston trades major leaguer Mark Roberts to MLB Atlanta for minor leaguer Bill Smith and Smith is on the DNSB Atlanta’s roster. Since the MLB Atlanta did not receive a minor league player in the trade, Smith remains property of the DNSB Atlanta.

EXAMPLE B: MLB Milwaukee trades major league Mark Roberts to MLB Atlanta for minor leaguer Bill Smith and Smith is on the DNSB Pittsburgh’s roster as the Pirates drafted or traded for him. Since MLB Pittsburgh was not involved in the trade, Smith remains property of the DNSB Pittsburgh.

8. Pre- Annual Player Draft Roster Cut-Down - Players on a team's roster at the Pre-Annual Player Draft Roster Cut Down Date, who are no longer considered “Rookies” because they have exceeded the at-bat or innings-pitch limits, must be "contracted" or will they be removed from the team's roster and become free agents available in the next player draft. See Contract rules below.

D. Player Roster Movement During the DNSB Season

1. Releasing Players & Signing Free Agents During the Season.

a. "Contract" players may not be released during the season.

b. A team may sign a free agent player appearing in the league database whose league usage is less than 100%. Such free agent player signings can be done at any time during the season, but if the team already has 30 Veterans on its roster, signing the free agent player requires the team to release one of the 30 non-contracted Veteran players from the team's roster to create the open roster spot for the free agent being signed.

c.  A Free Agent player claimed by a team will not be placed on the teams roster until the second series after the player was claimed, and if multiple teams claimed the player, the team with the lowest win percentage would get the player.  For example, player X is released in series #10.  A team could submit a claim for him in either series #10 or series #11.  He would be signed for series 12 by the team with the lowest winning percentage attempting to claim him if multiple teams claimed him.

2. Important timelines

a. No trades are allowed after first series break closest to July 31st on the DNSB calendar. Exact date will be announced by the league commissioner.

3. Transactions

a. Trades and roster moves may be made after any completed series.

b. Any “promoting” or “farming” of players on a roster must be made prior to playing the first game of a series.  No “farming” or “promoting” of players can be done once the first game of a series have begun.

4. September Roster Expansion - The Active Roster (26) will be expanded to up to 35 active players beginning with the first series closest to September 1 (DNSB calendar). Exact date will be announced by the league commissioner.

E. Trading

1. Permitted Trades

a. Any player on a roster

b. Draft picks in the next DNSB draft (i.e. no "future" selections beyond the next draft).

c. The rights to any player on your team's Minor Leaguer roster or any Minor League player who is not on your team's Minor League roster but is eligible to be on your team's Minor League roster.  

2. Forbidden Trades

a. Trades involving "players-to-be-named later"...

b. Trades between teams owned by the same person.

c. Three-way trades (many potential problems due to the waiting period).

c. Trades involving draft picks in a draft beyond the next player draft. (for example, until the 2021 player draft is completed, picks in the 2022 draft CANNOT be traded).

d. Trades of draft picks in rounds where the team would already be at 30 players on its major league roster.  For example...  The draft is in round #14 and the team is at  28 players on its major league roster.  So at that point the team would draft a player in rounds 15 and 16 and be at 30 players on its major league roster.  As a result, the team cannot trade any of its picks it owns subsequent to the draft pick which would result in the team reaching 30 players.  In this example, any pick after that pick in round 16.  Prior to reaching 30 players a team may trade the pick which would be the 30th player.   

e. If league member "owns" a team in both the American and National league, both teams are strictly prohibited from making trades between each other.  Further, each team is prohibited from utilizing a third/fourth... team whereby a player on the member's American League team is traded to the member's National League team or vice versa, within the same season (for purposes of this rule, a season begins after the team submits its roster for the Annual Pre-Player Draft Roster Cut-Down prior to the draft, and ends when the team submits it roster in the following season's pre-draft Roster Cut-Down date).  For example, Sammy Slugger "owns" Texas and Milwaukee,  Texas and Milwaukee cannot trade with each other, nor can Texas and Milwaukee utilize, say Boston,  where the result of trades between Texas and Boston and Milwaukee and Boston, are a player on Texas's roster is traded to Milwaukee.  

3. Trading Contracted Players

a. All trades involving contracted players affect the following season's contracts, not the current season.

b. A team that trades a "contracted" player also trades his "contract" and that player becomes a contracted player for his new team.

c. Trading of contract players - If Team A trades a contract player to Team B for another contract player, both teams will still have 12 contracted players, but the players will simply switch teams

d. Trading contract players for draft pick(s) or a non-contracted player.

If Team A trades a contract player to Team B for a draft pick, Team B must contract the traded player immediately and immediately release an existing contracted player from his contract in order to retain a maximum 12 contracted players (but the team does not have to release the player from its roster, it only releases the player from his contract). If this trade were made during the season, then Team A will be left with 11 contracted players UNTIL AFTER THE NEXT SEASON'S PLAYER DRAFT (meaning Team A can only contract 11 players going into the player draft for the following season), and will be allowed to select a player from the free agent pool, but Team A CANNOT contract another player. Note that Team A will once again be able to contract 12 players AFTER the player draft the DNSB season following the DNSB season the trade was made in.  The reason Team A will NOT be able to name another contract player is to discourage the practice of getting rid of contracted players that will have decreasing value the following year. Remember, by mid-season you will have an idea of how well your contract players will be for the next DNSB season because the MLB season will be under way. On the other side of the fence, Team B is forced to contract this player already having an indication of his future value.

4. Trading Non-Contracted Veterans and Minor League Roster Players

Trades are subject to in-season and off-season rules. Trades involving Minor Leaguers also subject to the Minor Leaguer roster rules. Trading a non-contracted Veteran for a draft pick entitles a team to select a player from the free agent pool.

5. Unbalanced Trades

a. Following a trade if a team has a net deficit of players they are entitled to select a player(s) from the free agent pool in order to reach the maximum 30 Veterans on its roster.

b. Following a trade if a team has a net surplus of players, they must release a non-contracted Veteran player in order to be compliant with the maximum 30 Veteran players on the roster. 

6. Trades

a. Trades announced will be effective during the next DNSB game series.

1. Trades announced and confirmed before 10pm Eastern time on Thursday will go into effect on the league database released Thursday night.

2. Trades announced and confirmed before 10pm Eastern time on Sunday will go into effect on the league database released Sunday night.

3. Teams trade player usage as well - Make sure you know how much available usage a player has before making a trade.

b. Trade Approval

1. A trade is announced when both parties send an email to the entire league notifying them of the proposed trade - the parties may provide rationale for the deal if they feel it may be needed.

2. Any team may object to the trade by sending an e-mail message to the entire league (including the trading parties) before the release of the new league database with the objecting team's reason(s) for objecting to the trade. If no team have raised any objections, the trade is finalized. If objections have been raised by one or more teams, the commissioner (or his designee) will poll all teams (after the commissioner himself has cast his vote) for their approval or rejection of the trade. Poll responses will be sent to the commissioner ONLY within 48 hours, and a failure to reply will be considered an approval of the trade. If a majority of the committee members vote to disallow the trade, the trading teams will be notified of the decision immediately. In the event that a trade is disallowed, the trading parties have the right to review the feedback and attempt to reformulate the trade. In that case the process starts over again. If the trade is approved, it will go into effect with the new database release follow the closing of the 48-hour voting period.

3. Trades During the Player Draft - This trade approval process will not be used during the draft. Instead all trades during the draft will be approved/rejected at the sole discretion of the Commissioner or his designee.

c. Ineligible Player Traded - In the event it is determined after the fact that an ineligible player has been traded, the commissioner will 1) allow the teams in question to attempt to derive a satisfactory remedy so far as compensation. If that is not possible, 2) the commissioner will determine appropriate compensation. 

F. Preseason Roster & Free Agent Draft Preparation

DNSB teams should have a minimum of 6,000 plate appearances for the batters and a minimum of 6,000 batters faced for their pitchers.

III. General Playing Guidelines

A. Manager profiles (MP)

1. Host team.

The HOME team is responsible for playing the games or if unable, alerting his opponent and the commissioner that the opponent (visiting team) should play the game. In this constitution, the "host team" refers to the team who actually plays the games on its computer.

a. The host team can edit their MP before or after a series, but not during a series.

b. The host team is required to import the computer-managed team's MP before beginning play of a series.

1. The host team must wait up to 24 hours after the last series deadline for opponent's instructions before playing a series.

2. If no instructions are sent by the computer-managed team the host team can play the games using the MP on the disk

3. If the host team fails to submit a series by the deadline, the league will use the MP on the disk to auto-play the games

4. If the computer managed team sends an email with an MP and instructions, the host team is required to follow them.

i. Importing the proper MP and following opponent's instructions is extremely important so please pay close attention.

ii. Although not a league requirement, please confirm with your opponent by email that you received his MP and/or special instructions and it was imported into your game. This would prevent a common complaint and show consideration for your opponent.

2. Computer Managed Teams (i.e. the VISITING team)

a. It is the responsibility of the non-human manager to provide a functional MP for the host team to use.

b. The computer managed team has up to 24 hours after the last disk deadline to send the host team an email with instructions on how to play the series and a revised MP if desired.

1. Computer managed team can (1) send an MP with special instructions, (2) a message to use the MP on the disk or (3) send nothing.

2. You must copy the Commissioner on any emails. If for any reason the Host team fails to submit a completed series by the deadline, we will need this revised MP to auto-play the games. If we do not have a revised MP, we will use the MP on the current disk. Please be considerate of your opponent's time and notify him even if the MP on the disk will be used.

3. As noted in rule 1.B.4, if both the home team and the away team are owned/coached by the same human owner/coach for any series, the human owner/coach shall manage the road team against the computer manager coaching the home team unless the series is the final series of the regular season and at least one of the teams has not secured a playoff position but is still eligible for a playoff position.  In that situation, either the series will be played head-to-head on-line with the league commissioner coaching the road team or the league commissioner will coach the road team and play the series against the computer manager.

B. Game play

1. The Host Team is the league member who actually plays the game on his computer.

2. Every week there are two scheduled "deadlines," Thursday at 11 pm Eastern Time and Sunday at 11 pm Eastern Time. If your team is the host team for a Thursday series, you must play the series and send the results to the league before the Thursday deadline. If your team is the host team for a Sunday series, you must play the series and send the results to the league before the Sunday deadline.

3. Deadlines will be enforced. The Commissioner will compile each series stats in the morning the day after the deadline. Any results sent after 10 pm EST are subject to being auto-played. We will not hold up distributing a new league database for any reason. Delays only create more problems and affect the next series. Most email problems can be averted by not waiting to the last minute to send in your results.

4. Upon completion of each series, the host manager runs a stat export and e-mails the transfer files to the league's disk director and commissioner.

C. Player usage restrictions

1. The "Playing Time Limits" feature within the Diamond Mind Game will be activated and used. The playing time limits will be as follows

a. Batters:

1. Total plate appearances - 110% (batters begin performing at "replacement level" when their league appearances reach this level)

2. Plate appearances splits - 125% (batters begin performing at "replacement level" when their league appearances vs. either left-handed OR right-handed pitchers reach this level)

b. Pitchers: Batters faced will be set at 110% (pitchers begin performing at "replacement level" when their league appearances reach this level)

2. Further, players will be subject to an upper appearance limits at which time they will be placed on the disabled list for the remainder of the season and post season, and the team owning that player will be penalizes as follows:

a. Pitchers:

1. All pitchers are limited to 125% of the actual MLB batters faced.

2. Pitchers without a starter rating CAN start a DNSB game.  Pitchers without a relief rating can appear in relief in a DNSB game.

b. Hitters (excluding pitchers)

1. Hitters are limited to 125% of their actual PA's (total plate appearances)

2. Restrictions vs. LHP/RHP- Hitters are limited to 200% of actual plate appearances RHP and/or LHP.

3. Post Season: Pro-rating factor will be set at 10% of the levels in 2a. and 2b. above.

4. Minimum Usage (75% Rule) - A contracted player must use 75% of his real-life appearances during the DNSB regular season to retain his contract status. If he is not used at least 75%, he becomes a free agent at the end of the season. Batters are measured as 75% of Actual Plate Appearances, pitchers are measured as 75% of Actual Batters Faced.  A contracted player who does not reach 75% usage becomes a free agent at the end of the season.

5. Usage percentages - Usage is determined by the “Playing Time Percentage” the DMB game calculates.

6. Position Restrictions

a. Players are only eligible to play at rated positions except DNSB will allow players rated at certain positions to play other positions with no penalty other than the normal performance adjustments built into the DMB game itself):

If rated at: The player can play at these positions:

For the 2026 Season:

SS: 2b or 3b

CF: LF or RF

RF: LF

LF: RF

C: 1b

Starting with the 2027 Season:

SS: 2b or 3b

3b: 1b

CF: LF or RF

RF: LF

LF: RF

Any other instance of a player playing at a non-rated position will not be allowed. The computer manager should not substitute a player to a non-rated position, but if the situation does occur the non-human team will not be held responsible unless it can be proven no back up player eligible for that same position was provided.

b. Non-pitchers cannot pitch, and pitchers cannot play any other position except pitcher.

7. Designated Hitter.  The designated hitter will be used in all league games.  DNSB follows MLB rules regarding the designated hitter entering the game as a fielder.

D. Injuries - The league does not use Diamond Mind's injury system as players are already limited to a percentage of their actual MLB batters faced (pitchers) or plate appearances (batters).

IV. Annual Contracting of Veteran Players

A. Purpose - To allow teams to keep a minimal number of players over time, while dispersing talent throughout the league. Our system requires managers to predict the success of players before knowing the actual results.

B. Rules for Contracting

1. After the annual player draft has been completed and before the deadline established annually by the Commissioner, each team must make a ONE-TIME IRREVOCABLE selection of the 12 Veteran players on its roster who the team will "contract" for the current season. All other Veteran players on the roster will be released at the end of the season and become free agents.

2. A player's contract expires after the completion of the playoffs each season.

3.  Annual Pre-Player Draft Roster Cut-Down

a. After the season is completed, all non-contracted Veteran players will be released from each team's roster and they become free agents. Additionally, any Rookie or Minor Leaguer on a team's minor league roster who is no longer eligible for Rookie or Minor League status (the player has accumulated more than 50IP or 130AB in the major leagues) will have their status change to be a “Veteran” player for purposes of the Pre-Player Draft Roster Cut-Down.

b. During Pre-Player Draft Roster Cut-Down period (dates may vary and will be announced), teams must reduce the number of Veterans on its roster to the number of contracted players it ended the prior season with (normally 12). This is referred to as the Pre-Player Draft Roster Cut-Down. Players released become free agents.  A team may cut more players and enter the draft with fewer than 12 Veteran players on its roster.

6. If a team contracts a player, the team can contract the player again the following season, even if the player has no MLB appearances. For example, the DNSB Giants contract John Doe for the 2020 DNSB season. Prior to the 2020 MLB season, Doe injures himself and does not appear in any MLB games in 2021. However, he is expected to return and play in MLB is 2021. In anticipation of Doe playing again in the 2021 MLB season, at the end of the 2020 DNSB season and for the 2021 DNSB season, the DNSB Giants can continue to include Doe as one of their 12 contracted players, and carry him on their 2021 roster even though he has no 2020 MLB stats and therefore cannot appear in a 2021 DNSB game.

V. Annual Player Draft

A. Date and Procedures

1. The draft will occur January . Exact dates and times will be announced and subject to member schedules and the release of the DMB season database.

2. The draft will start with draft picks due at published times. If a team missed a published deadline, the next team is eligible to pick. The published time is the time the team's pick is due to the Commissioner.

3. If the draft is not completed in a timely manner, the league may complete the draft via draft lists of players submitted by each team to the Commissioner or any other method as deemed appropriate by the Commissioner in consultation with league members.

4. If a team misses their assigned time, at the sole discretion of the commissioner or the member in charge of running the draft in lieu of the commissioner, the DMB computer manager may be used to make the player selection.

5. It is each manager's responsibility to meet deadlines if they want to make their own selection.

6. Draft picks for the current draft (only) may be traded during the draft.

7. Teams cannot release a minor league player during the annual player draft. 

B. Draft Order

1. A straight (non-serpentine) draft will be used.

2. Picks 1-8 in each round will be the four teams in the American League with the fewest regular season wins in the most recent completed season and the four teams in the National League with the fewest regular season wins in the most recent completed season.  Those eight teams will be subject to a Draft Lottery system as described below.

3. Picks 19-28 in each round will be the ten teams who made the playoffs in the previous season.

Pick 17 is the wild card series loser with the fewest regular season wins

Pick 18 is the wild card series loser with the second fewest regular season wins

Pick 19 is the wild card loser with the third fewest regular season wins

Pick 20 is the wild card game loser with the most regular season wins

Pick 21 is the team losing in the first round (i.e. “Divisional Series”) with the fewest regular season wins

Pick 22 is the team losing in the first round (i.e. “Divisional Series”) with the second fewest regular season wins

Pick 23 is the team losing in the first round (i.e. “Divisional Series”) with the third fewest regular season wins

Pick 24 is the team losing in the first round (i.e. “Divisional Series”) with the most regular season wins

Pick 25 is the team losing in the second round (i.e. “League Championship Series”) with the fewest regular season wins

Pick 26 is the team losing in the second round (i.e. “League Championship Series”) with the most regular season wins.

Pick 27 is the DNSB championship series (i.e. “World Series”) losing team

Pick 28 is the DNSB championship series (i.e. “World Series”) winning team

4. Picks 9-18 in each round will be the non-playoff teams who are not in the draft lottery. The teams will pick in reverse order of the prior season's regular season wins. The team with the fewest wins with pick 9th and the team with the most wins will pick 18th.

5. In all cases ties will be broken by the commissioner utilizing a lottery system similar to the lottery system used to determine the first 8 picks in the draft.

6. A team's draft position will be further adjusted as a result of any player usage violations as set forth in section VIII below.

C. Draft Lottery:

1. In the lottery, the two teams with the fewest wins each have a 20% chance of the first pick, the two teams with the 3rd and 4th fewest wins each have a 12.5% chance of getting the first pick, the two teams with the 5th and 6th fewest wins each have a 10% chance of getting the first pick and the two teams with the most wins will each have a 7.5% chance of getting the first pick.

2. The draft order of the first eight picks in each round of the draft will be determined using a lottery system. Each team will be assigned a number from 000-999, and the lottery drawings on a date to be announced in advance will determine the draft order.

a. 000-399 will be assigned to the two teams with the fewest wins in each league. The American League team will be assigned 000-199 and the National League team will be assigned 200-399.

b. 400-649 will be assigned to the two teams with the second fewest wins in each league. The American League team will be assigned 400-524 and the National League team will be assigned 525-649.

c. 650-849 will be assigned to the two teams with the third fewest wins in each league. The American League team will be assigned 650-749 and the National League team will be assigned 750-849.

d. 850-999 will be assigned to the two teams with the fourth fewest wins in each league. The American League team will be assigned 850-924 and the National League team will be assigned 925-999

3. The following state lotteries, in the order listed below, will be used on the designated date. The Commissioner will go down the list and match-up the pre-determined lottery number for each team with the corresponding range of winning lottery numbers to determine the order of the draft.  If we get to the bottom of the state lottery list below and do not have the draft order set, we will continue the lottery the following day until the order is determined.  Once a team has been assigned a spot in the lottery if their number comes up again, they will be skipped.

1.  Maryland Midday Pick 3 approx 12:30pm EDT

2.  Georgia Midday Pick 3 approx 12:30pm EDT

3.  New Jersey Midday Pick 3 approx 1pm EDT

4.  South Carolina Midday Pick 3 approx 1pm EDT

5.  Maine Day Pick 3 approx 1pm EDT

6.  Texas Day Pick 3 (Morning drawing is ignored) approx. 1:30pm EDT

7.  Florida Midday Pick 3 approx 1:30pm EDT

8.  Connecticut Day Play 3 approx. 2pm EDT

9.  Virginia Day Pick 3 approx 2pm EDT

10.  Wisconsin Midday Pick 3 approx 2:30pm EDT

11.  Maine Evening Pick 3 approx 7pm EDT

12.  South Carolina Evening Pick 3 approx 7pm EDT

13.  Georgia Evening Pick 3 approx 7pm EDT

14.  Texas Evening Pick 3 approx 7pm EDT

15.  Maryland Evening Pick 3 approx 8pm EDT

16.  Florida Evening Pick 3 approx 9:45pm EDT

17.  Wisconsin Evening Pick 3 approx 10pm EDT

18.  Connecticut Night Play 3 approx 10:30pm EDT

19.  New Jersey Evening Pick 3 approx 11pm EDT

20.  Virginia Night Pick 3 approx 11pm EDT

21.  Texas Night Pick 3 approx 11:15 EDT

22.  Georgia Night Pick 3 approx 11:30pm EDT

For example, let's assume New York AL was be assigned the numbers 000-199, Atlanta NL was assigned numbers 200-399, Detroit AL was assigned 400-524.  Milwaukee NL was assigned numbers 525-649, Chicago AL was assigned numbers 650-749, San Diego NL was assigned 750—849, Texas AL was assigned  850-924 and Pittsburgh was assigned 925-999.

Now let us assume on the lottery date chosen, the numbers of the actual lottery drawing results for the first four lotteries above were: 113, 773, 119, 932.

The team assigned the number 113 is New York AL, so New York AL would draft first in each round.

The team assigned the number 773 is San Diego, so San Diego would draft second in each round.

The team assigned the numbers 119 is New York AL. However, New York AL was already chosen, so we skip that number.

The team assigned the number 932 is Pittsburgh NL, so Pittsburgh NL would draft 3rd in each round.

And so on until seven of the eight picks have been filled.  The remaining team gets 8th pick in each round

If we need additional numbers to determine all eight places (unlikely), we could use the following days lottery numbers for the remaining teams.

C. Player Draft Eligibility – Only players appearing on the file released by Diamond Mind each season who are not on a DNSB team’s roster after the Pre-Player Draft Roster Cut Down are eligible to be drafted in the Free Agent Draft. 

E. Drafting of Rookies During the Draft

When a team drafts a Rookie, then AFTER ALL teams have drafted 18 (or 19 as noted above) players, the team drafting the Rookie has the option of considering that player a “Veteran” instead of a “Rookie”. 

1. If the team decides to continue to consider the player a “Rookie” and does not already have 18 Rookies and Minor Leaguers on its roster, the team will be awarded another draft pick.

2. If more than one team drafts a Rookie, and therefore is awarded an additional draft pick, we will use the existing draft order to determine which team selects another player first.

3. If more than one additional draft pick is awarded to the same team the because they drafted more than one Rookie in the first 18 rounds of the draft, each subsequent draft pick will be considered a new round (no back-to-back picks with in the same round).

4. If the teams decides to consider the Rookie it drafted a “Veteran”, then the team does NOT receive an additional draft pick.

VI. Post Season Play

A. Who Makes the Playoffs?

1. The two division winning teams with the best regular season won-loss records in each of the American and National leagues receive the top two seeds (based on won-loss record) and first-round byes into the Division Series.  The other division winner in each league is the third seed in their respective league.  In each league, the three non-division winning teams with the best won-loss records are the league's three Wild Card teams are the fourth, fifth and sixth seeds based on most to least regular season wins. 

2. Ties will be broken as follows:

a. Head-to-Head Record - The first and simplest tiebreaker is the result of the season series between the tied teams. If Team X and Team Y tie for the top spot in the division and Team X went 10-8 against Team Y, then Team X is the division champion. If Teams X, Y and Z all finish tied at the top, then the team with the best combined winning percentage against the two other clubs would be the division champ.

b. Intradivision Record - If the head-to-head record is also a tie, then the involved clubs’ records within their division will break the tie. This applies even if the tie is for a Wild Card spot between two teams that do not reside in the same division. The team with the superior intradivision record would win the tiebreaker.

c. Interdivision Record - In the event of a head-to-head and intradivision record tie for the involved teams, then the tie would be settled based on how they fared against teams within their league but outside of their division. So for an AL East team, it would be the record against teams from the AL Central and AL West.

d. Last Ten Games - Should the interdivision record also be a tie, the next tiebreaker will be determined by the involved clubs’ record in their last ten regular season games.

e.  Last Head to Head Games - Should the records of the involved clubs in the last ten regular season games also be a tie, then the outcome of the last head to head game is used. Should that also be a tie, then the previous head to head game is used. This process is repeated until the tie is resolved.

B. Post Season Format

1. Seeding

a. Division winner with the best regular season record. - #1 Seed

b. Division winner with the second-best regular season record. - #2 Seed

c. Division winner with the third best regular season record. - #3 Seed

d. Wild Card team with the best regular season record. - #4 Seed

e. Wild Card team with the second best regular season record. - #5 Seed

f. Wild Card team with the third best regular season record. - #6 Seed

C. Match-ups

1. WILD CARD SERIES - The third seed hosts the sixth seed in a best-of-three Wild Card series, and the fourth seed hosts the fifth seed.  There will be one day off after the regular season or last tire breaker game before the Wild Card series.  There will be no days off during the Wild Card series.

2. DIVISIONAL SERIES - The winners of the Wild Card series then face the top two seeds from each league in the best-of-five Division Series (i.e. the #1 seed will face the lowest remaining seed winner and the #2 seed will face the highest remaining seed).   The higher seed is the home team in games 1,2 and 5 and the lower seed is the home team in games 3 and 4.  There will be one day off after the last Wild Card game before the first game of the Division Series.  There will be one day off after games 2 & 4 of the Division Series.

3. LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES - The winners of the League Division Series will then move on to the best-of-seven League Championship Series to determine the pennant winners that will face each other in the World Series.  The higher seed is the home team in games 1,2,6 and 7.  The lower seed is the home team in games 3,4, and 5.  There will be one day off after the last Division Series game before the first game of the League Championship series.  There will be one day off after game 2 and game 5 of the League Championship series.

4.  WORLD SERIES - The winners of the league championship series will then move to the World Series to determine the League's Overall Champion.  The team with the best regular season record is the home team in games 1,2,6 and 7 (ties are broken in accordance with rule VI.A.2. above).  The lower seed is the home team in games 3,4, and 5. There will be one day off after the last League Championship series game before the first game of the World Series.  There will be one day off after game 2 and game 5 of the World Series.

C. Post-season rosters

1. A team's major league roster after their last regular season game is their roster for the entire play-offs.  Playoff teams may not sign free agents, release players or promote minor league roster players to the major league roster.  

2. Active rosters during the playoffs are 26 players.  Teams may change players on the active rosters between series, but not during a series.

3. The team’s roster must conform to the regular season rules including the roster must have at least 4 pitchers with a starting pitcher’s durability rating.

4. If an active player is lost due to a usage penalty during a series, another player may not be used to replace him for either the current playoff series or the next playoff series.

D. Player Usage in the Playoffs

1. All usage rules refer to each series

2. The "Playing Time Limits" feature within the Diamond Mind Game will be activated and used. The Post Season Pro-rating factor will be set at 10% (batters begin performing at "replacement level" when their playoff plate appearances reach this level, pitchers begin performing at "replacement level" when their playoff batters faced reach this level).

3. All other regular season rules apply.

4. Players who exceeded any usage restrictions in the regular season are ineligible for the post-season.

 E. Playoff Game Play - The league's goal is all play-offs games should be played head to head recognizing some coaches are unable to host a game or connect to a host.  Therefore when a playoff series cannot be played head-to-head over the internet for any reason, the coach playing the game against the computer manager will alternate each game.   The team with the home field advantage would play games 1,3,5,7 and the other team will play games 2,4,6.  The actual home/away team would not change,  just which teams is playing the games.   A coach unable to play head to head / on-line can designate a replacement coach who can coach the team head to head /on-line. 

VII. League Participation & Activities

A. General Guidelines

1. League Requests - Please be considerate and reply to all league requests on a timely manner. In most cases the information requested will take a minimal amount of time

2. E-mail - All managers are asked to please be considerate of others and reply to e-mail expeditiously.

3. Website - Members are asked to set the league website as a favorite or bookmark as it includes all necessary league information.

B. Expected Participation

1. Game highlights - After each series played, the host team should submit a brief recap of each game with series results to the rest of the league for everyone to see. Please use the following example as a formula:

Cubs Power Past Reds (a headline that summarizes the series.

Cubs 3 Reds 1. (The score of each game)

(Part 1: Start with how the game was won) Sammy Sosa drove in 3 runs and Steve Trachsel pitched 7 strong innings to help the Cubs to a 3-2 win over the Braves. (Part 2: The key play of the game) Sosa's second homer of the day came in the 8th inning with two outs and put the Cubs up for good. (Part 3: The turning point in the game) The Braves had a chance to pull ahead in the 6th but Trachsel struck out Chipper Jones with two out and the bases loaded to keep it to a one run game. (Part 4: End your recap with something unusual that happened, or a good quote) The Braves actually out hit the Cubs 10 to 5, but stranded 10 batters in the process (or… After the game Cubs skipper Joe Doe said, "You can't win all your games with the long ball, but having Sammy sure helps improve the percentage".

NOTE: A good recap should not be more than 100 words. It is my experience that the longer the recap the less likely someone will read it and you end up spending a lot of time for nothing. Of course you are free to write recaps anyway you like, but hopefully some of these suggestions will help you get your thoughts together and save you some time.

VIII. Penalties

A. Usage Violations

1. Minimum Usage Violation - Failure to reach 75% of usage for contracted players results in a release of that player into the free agent pool at season's end and loss of a contract.

2. Maximum Usage Violation (batter exceeds 125% of total plate appearances or exceeds 200% of plate appearances vs. RHP and/or LHP, pitcher exceeds 125% of total batters faced)

a. If a team exceeds any of the player usage limitation rules, the player in question will be immediately placed on the Injured Reserve for the remainder of the season and post season and not be eligible to play until the following year. The player will not be released to free agency until the Pre-Player Draft Major League Roster Cut Down Date.

b. In addition, the following penalties will be imposed on the team's player draft picks for the immediately subsequent player draft:

Team's 1st usage violation - Loss of the team's 10th round draft pick.  If the team traded the pick, the team loses its next highest pick (i.e. 9th pick if the team still owns it)

Team's 2nd usage violation - Loss of the team's 8th round draft pick.  If the team traded the pick, the team loses its next highest pick (i.e. 7th pick if the team still owns it)

Team's 3rd usage violation - Loss of the team's 6th round draft pick.  If the team traded the pick, the team loses its next highest pick (i.e. 5th pick if the team still owns it)

Team's 4th usage violation - Loss of the team's 4th round draft pick.  If the team traded the pick, the team loses its next highest pick (i.e. th pick if the team still owns it)

Team's 5th usage violation and beyond - Loss of the team's 3rd round draft pick.  If the team traded the pick, the team loses its next highest pick.

Additional Violations - The manager/team will be subject to penalties, including potential expulsion from the league, at the sole discretion of the Commissioner.

Each case will be judged independently by the league commissioner according to the circumstances.

B. Out of Position Violations

1. Any player used at an unrated position after the start of the game and prior to the 15th inning will be suspended for 9 games. A second offense to the same player will result in a suspension of 30 games. A third offense and the player will be placed on the DL for the remainder of the year.

2. Any player who starts a game out position will be suspended for 30 games. A second offense to the same player will result in player being placed on the DL for the remainder of the season. I feel starting a game out of position is a greater demonstration of neglect.

3. No suspensions will occur to any player used out of position during an extra-inning game or if the CM uses a player out of position during the course of a game prior to the 10th inning. However, the MP must have a proper depth chart in place. If the CM uses a player of position and the manager did not have proper depth, the above suspensions will result.

4. A player in violation of the position rule cannot be traded until the completion of the DNSB season in which he committed the infraction.

C. Late Series Results

1. The host team manager is required to send their series results on or before the scheduled due date

2. The due date will be strictly adhered to because the DNSB schedule is played "In Sync" and there is no room for delays. Therefore, all late submissions will be auto played by the league office. No exceptions.

3. The DNSB recognizes that from time to time there are circumstances (Computer, vacation, work, and personal problems) which prevent a manager from filing on time. It is the manager's responsibility to notify the league office if there is a problem or a foreseeable problem.

4. Note: The DNSB is for everyone's enjoyment. If you have a problem, let the DNSB office know immediately and we will do our best to work with you so you do not incur penalties. A lack of consideration to others, by not communicating your problems will be viewed unfavorably.

5. Penalty scale

1st violation - The late series will be played by the league office following the due date deadline

2nd violation - The late series will be played by the league office following the due date deadline and the owner will be given a warning.

3rd violation - The late series will be played by the league office following the due date deadline and the manager will be placed "on probation".

4th violation and beyond - The late series will be played by the league office following the due date deadline.  The manager/team will be subject to penalties, including expulsion from the league, at the sole discretion of the Commissioner.

Note: Each case will be judged independently according to the circumstances.

IX. Team city "swaps" with another team and Team Relocation Rule

A. City Swaps - Subject to the approval of the Commissioner, after a completed season, two teams may agree to "swap" cities with each other as long as both are in the same league (i.e. two American League teams or two National League teams). In that case, both teams will retain their player rosters, and simple exchange cities they play in.

B. Single team relocation to an open league MLB city

1. A team may move to an open MLB city WITHIN THE SAME LEAGUE (American League or National League) as it is currently in only after a completed season and before the next season’s player draft.

2. A team moving must stay with that MLB franchise/city for at least five seasons before they are allowed to relocate again, and the team may not “swap” cities with another team unless approved by the Commissioner.

3. The team moving will keep any Minor League or Rookie on its roster who exceeded 50 IP or 130 AB in the MLB career during the most recently completed MLB season.   These players will have to be one of the team’s 12  players going into the draft, or the player becomes a free agent and is available in the draft.

4. The team moving will keep any Minor Leaguer or Rookie who belongs to another MLB franchise who was acquired by in a trade or the draft.

5. All other Minor Leaguers and/or Rookies of the team moving will be released and the team loses all rights to them.

X. New rules, revisions, and integrity

A. New Rules

1. After the conclusion of a DNSB season and prior to December 1st, the league office will send out questionnaires requesting your comments and suggestions regarding proposed rule changes and amendments.

2. DNSB encourages managers to send in suggestions throughout the year.

3. Proposed rule changes and comments from the DNSB managers will be reviewed by the Commissioner who will have full power to make any changes he/she feels will improve the league.

3. The proposed rule changed deemed by the Commissioner to be put to a vote will be voted on. All teams MUST vote.  Proposals must receive at least two-thirds of the "Yay" votes or more to be passed.

4. Note: The DNSB intent is to minimize rule changes from year to year.

B. Rules Not Covered -From time to time unique situations occur which the constitution does not cover, or an interpretation of the constitution is required. In these cases it will be at the sole discretion of the Commissioner.

C. Integrity - The success or failure of our league depends to a very large degree on the honor system. While we would like to believe no one in this group would cheat, the temptation and the means are there to do it. A word of caution, if you find yourself tempted to "replay" a losing game: DON'T! You will eventually be caught. Remember this is only a game. There is no money exchanged to the winner and no reason to cheat. The DNSB was established for the enjoyment of all its members. If you find yourself no longer having fun or this is becoming more like work than fun, then please send in your resignation. The DNSB firmly believes we must keep the league in perspective. This is only a game and there are more important things in life than playing simulation baseball (but not many!!!).

D. Final Comments - In order to have a successful organization the DNSB encourages our members to interact with one another. Anyone can set up a season at home and play the games, but by joining a league you are committing yourself to sharing your experiences with others that share your passion for this hobby. Now go out there and have fun and build a dynasty!

E. Final, Final “Rule”- REMEMBER AT ALL TIMES, this is a hobby and not life or death