Fairweather Johnson Baseball League

2004 Constitution

 

The FJBL is expanding in 2004 with 4 new teams.  These teams are the Seattle Mariners, Minnesota Twins, San Francisco Giants, and the Colorado Rockies.

 

I.                    League Overview

A.      The FJBL is a Centralized Fantasy Replay Baseball League utilizing the Diamond-Mind Baseball software engine.  Founded in 1998, the league now features 20 teams in two leagues and a total of 4 divisions

B.      The FJBL is an interactive league and unique in many ways including featuring an in-depth salary and contract system and a yearly on-line auction.

C.     The Constitution and rules contained within provide the basis for the league and its structure.  These rules are reviewed on a yearly basis and changes are directed at the discretion of the commissioner.  The goal at all times is to provide an environment of fairness, excitement, and realism in a manageable fashion.

II.                 Ownership

A.      There is no monetary fee to join or participate in the FJBL.

B.      Owners and Assistant Owners may only be affiliated with one team at a given time.

C.     Owners may have an assistant(s) with the approval of the league office.

D.     Owners are required to remain active in the league at all times.  At a minimum, they must respond to league emails, update manager profiles, post on the league message board, and show a commitment to their team.

E.      Owners may take more active roles in the league by volunteering in assistant capacities to the league office.  These opportunities are available by contacting the commissioner

III.               Player Eligibility

A.      Team Pool

                                                            1.      The FJBL Team Pool determines which major leaguers and prospects are eligible to participate in the FJBL.

                                                            2.      The FJBL Team Pool consists of 24 major league teams:

i.        All 20 teams represented in the FJBL:  CLE, TOR, NYY, BAL, MIN, ANA, SEA, CWS, KAN, OAK, PHI, ATL, CHI, CIN, COL, SFR, ARI, HOU, STL, and MIL

ii.     Four “Dead Pool” Teams:  BOS, LOS, MON, TEX

                                                            3.      Only MLB players from the teams in the FJBL Team Pool during the previous year are eligible to be acquired in the auction, inactive draft, and as free agents.

                                                            4.      Only players belonging to minor league organizations belonging to teams in the FJBL Team Pool at the time of their selection in the FJBL are eligible to be selected in the Prospect Draft.

B.      Player Types

                                                            1.      Contracted

i.        Assigned to one of four contracts:  Standard, Guaranteed, Free Agent, or Rookie

ii.     Initially acquired during the Auction Draft or Inactive Draft or as a converted prospect.

iii.   Placed on the Active or Inactive Roster

iv.    Released in-season or prior to the contract’s expiration at a penalty of one-half the yearly salary rounded up.

                                                            2.      Free Agents

i.        Eligible players who are not contracted following the auction, but may be acquired via the Inactive Draft or free agent signings following the Inactive Draft. 

ii.     A signed free agent receives a Free Agent Contract (see VI, C below) and is treated as a contracted player.

                                                            3.      Prospects

i.        Players who have NEVER acquired more than 40 ABs or 15 IPs in any major league season.

ii.     Prospect are not considered contracted players.

iii.   Must have at least some minor league playing experience for any MLB team

iv.    Must belong to an organization in the Team Pool at the time of their selection

v.       May not be placed on the Active or Inactive Roster.  Must be on the Prospect Roster.

vi.    Selected during the Preseason Prospect Draft and the All Star Prospect Draft

vii.  Following any season in which a player accumulates at least the minimum playing time in section i., that player must be signed to a rookie contract or released.

viii.                       Prospects may be released at any time without penalty. 

ix.    Prospects are acquired at no cost.

x.       Teams may have up to 15 prospects on their prospect roster at any given time.

xi.    Prospects are only eligible to receive Rookie Contracts (see VI, D below) once they become eligible.

IV.               Rosters

A.      Active Roster

                                                            1.      Consists of exactly 25 players at all times except:

i.        From September 1 – End of Regular Season (September Call Up) when the roster may be from 25 – 30 players at the owner’s discretion

ii.     During the off-season, at which point the roster may be of any size until the conclusion of the auction draft.

                                                            2.      Is filled during the auction draft. 

                                                            3.      At the conclusion of the auction draft, only players with Standard (S), Guaranteed (G), Rookie (R), or Standard Rookie (R#) contracts may be on this roster.

                                                            4.      Following the Inactive Draft, Free Agent (F) contracted player may also appear on this roster.

                                                            5.      Contains all players eligible to participate in an FJBL game.

B.      Inactive Roster

                                                            1.      Is initially filled during the Inactive Draft (see V, B below). 

                                                            2.      Consists of 0 players during the auction.  The roster is emptied during the off-season time period prior to the auction.

                                                            3.      Consists of 0 – 15 players at all other times.  This number may fluctuate due to unbalanced trades, free agent acquisition, drops, etc.

                                                            4.      Any contracted player may be on the inactive roster.  Prospects may not.

                                                            5.      Players on the inactive roster may be “called up” to a team’s active roster.

C.     Prospect Roster

                                                            1.      Consists of up to 15 players.

                                                            2.      Filled during the Preseason Prospect Draft and the All Star Prospect Draft.

                                                            3.      May consist only of prospects as defined in III. B. 3. above. 

 

V.                  Player Disbursement

A.      Auction Draft

                                                            1.      Team are allotted $300 Cap Cash (see section VII below) to acquire players during the auction draft.

                                                            2.      The auction draft is completed on-line.

                                                            3.      Owners nominate players for auction.  Owners with available cap cash (and open roster spot(s)) bid on players of their preference.  The highest bid wins the player at that amount.

                                                            4.      Detailed rules will be sent to each owner prior to the auction.

                                                            5.      Players acquired in the auction are signed to Standard Contracts (see Section VI below).

                                                            6.      The Auction Draft is completed when all teams have filled their 25-man Active Rosters.

B.      Inactive Draft

                                                            1.      Held immediately following the auction draft.

                                                            2.      10-Round straight draft.

                                                            3.      Eligible players for this draft consist of players not acquired during the auction draft.

                                                            4.      Draft order each round is determined as follows:

i.        The first selections are given to any expansion franchises.  Their order flip-flops each round and is randomly determined

ii.     The next selections are given to non-playoff teams from the previous season in reverse order of their regular season finish.

iii.   The next selections are given to wild card teams from the previous season in reverse order of their regular season finish.

iv.    The next selections are given to the division champions from the previous season in reverse order of their regular season finish.

v.       Ties are broken by coin toss.

C.     Prospect Draft

                                                            1.      Preseason Prospect Draft

i.        Held immediately following the Inactive Draft.

ii.     Consists of 5 rounds

iii.   Expansion teams receive one additional round of picks at the beginning of the draft (sequence randomly determined).

iv.    For 2004 only, teams who have received late round prospect picks (after 5th) via regular season trades in 2003, may take these selections at the conclusion of this draft.

v.       Draft sequence is identical to the inactive draft sequence.

                                                            2.      All-Star Prospect Draft

i.        Held during the FJBL All-Star break.

ii.     Consists of 1 round.

iii.   Prospects who have reached, at the time of this draft, the minimum FJBL playing time limits for the following season (40 ABs or 15 IPs), may not be selected in this draft.

iv.    2004 expansion teams receive one additional round of picks at the beginning of this draft, with sequence determined by team record at the time of the all-star break.

v.       Draft sequence is based on the reverse order of the league standings at the time of the all-star break.  Ties broken by coin toss.

VI.               Contracts

A.      Standard Contracts (S)

                                                            1.      Contract is 3 years in length

                                                            2.      Contract includes an Option Year (O)

i.        Option Year is at current salary.

ii.     Option Year is one year only.

iii.   Player must be released following the Option Year. 

iv.    Team may select a Guaranteed Contract (see VI, B) in lieu of the Option year, but cannot select both.

                                                            3.      If contract is allowed to expire (no Option Year or Guaranteed Contract offered), the player is immediately released.

                                                            4.      Standard Contracts are priced at the dollar value of the bid at which they are won in auction.

                                                            5.      Players released prior to a standard contract’s expiration, do so at a 50% penalty (rounded up) against the team’s cap.  This penalty is applied only once (not throughout the remainder of the contract.    Exception:  Players who did not receive any MLB playing time the previous season may be released without penalty.

B.      Guaranteed Contracts (G)

                                                            1.      Players at the conclusion of a Standard Contract only may be signed to a Guaranteed Contract.

                                                            2.      Guaranteed Contracts may be of any length.

                                                            3.      The salary of the player in a guaranteed contract accelerates $5 each season of the contract.  This increase is applied in yearly increments beginning the first year of the contract.

                                                            4.      At the conclusion of a Guaranteed Contract, the player must be released.

                                                            5.      A player with a Guaranteed Contract may be released, but receives his salary throughout the contract even if he is released (exception VI, B, 6).  Such a player is immediately becomes a free agent.

                                                            6.      A player who received NO major league playing time the previous season, may be released from the Guaranteed Contract at no penalty.

C.     Free Agent Contracts (F)

                                                            1.      Players are assigned Free Agent Contracts if they are FJBL eligible players acquired following the Auction Draft (including Inactive Draft).

                                                            2.      Players signed as Free Agents are retained for the current season only and must be released following the current season.

                                                            3.      Players with Free Agent Contracts may be dropped without penalty.

                                                            4.      Free Agent contracts have no value (although Free Agent acquisition is at a $3 salary cap cost except during the Inactive Draft).

                                                            5.      Contracted Free Agents are eligible to participate on both the Active and Inactive Rosters.

D.     Rookie Contracts (R)

                                                            1.      Rookie Contracts are assigned to prospects who acquire the minimum playing time to be considered FJBL eligible (15 IPs or 40 ABs).

                                                            2.      Rookie Contracts are One Year in Length.

                                                            3.      Rookie contracts are valued as follows:

i.        Position Players:

a.      40-89 ABs = $1

b.       90-134 ABs = $3

c.       135-179 ABs = $5

d.       180 ABs+ = $7

ii.     Pitchers

a.      15-29.2 IPs = $1

b.       30.0-44.2 IPs = $3

c.       45 – 59.2 IPs = $5

d.       60 IP+ = $7

                                                            4.      At the conclusion of a Rookie Contract valued at $7, the player must be offered a Standard Rookie contract (see VI, E below) or be released.

                                                            5.      Rookie Contracts valued at $1, $3, or $5 are renewable following until a player reaches the $7 level required for the Standard Rookie Contract (180 ABs for position players and 60 IPs for pitchers). 

                                                            6.      Renewal cost are variable based on the MLB playing time accumulated the previous season as follows:

i.        Position Players:

a.      0-39 ABs = $0 (Minimal Rookie, see VI, D, 7 below)

b.       40-89 ABs = $1

c.       90-134 ABs = $3

d.       135-179 ABs = $5

e.      180 ABs+ = (Standard Rookie Contract Required) 

ii.     Pitchers

a.      0-14.2 IPs = $0 (Minimal Rookie, see VI, D, 7 below)

b.       15-29.2 IPs = $1

c.       30.0-44.2 IPs = $3

d.       45 – 59.2 IPs = $5

e.      60 IP+ = (Standard Rookie Contract Required)

                                                            7.      Minimal Rookie - $0 Contract

a.      A player who receives less than the minimum rookie playing time (see VI, D, 6 above) in an MLB season while under a Rookie Contract can be retained the following FJBL season as a Minimal Rookie with a $0 contract.

b.       A Minimal Rookie must be kept on the Active Roster and does utilize a 25-man roster spot prior to the auction. 

c.       During the FJBL Regular Season Calendar, such a player can be moved to the inactive roster. 

d.       A Minimal Rookie can be released at any time without penalty.

                                                            8.      A player with a Rookie Contract can be released during the season at a cost of 50% of his one-year salary. Rounded up  This cost is applied to the following season’s auction cap.

                                                            9.      A player with a Rookie Contract can be released in the Off-Season at no cost.

E.      Standard Rookie Contracts (SR)

                                                            1.      Once a player with a Rookie Contract (see VI, D above) reaches the maximum levels for the rookie contract, the player must sign a 3-year Standard Rookie contract at $7 or be released. 

                                                            2.      Similar to a Standard Contract, the Standard Rookie Contract allows an owner to pick up one Option Year (O) at the $7 salary.

                                                            3.      Once the 3-year contract takes effect, the player can only be released by paying a $4 cost against the salary cap.

                                                            4.      At the conclusion of the Standard Rookie Contract, a player must be signed to an Option Year or released.

                                                            5.      At the conclusion of the Standard Rookie Contract, a player cannot be offered a Guaranteed Contract.

VII.             Salary Cap

A.      The FJBL Salary Cap is $300 (cap cash) at the commencement of the auction draft through the conclusion of the Inactive Draft.

B.      The FJBL Salary Cap is $380 the remainder of the season.

C.     Prior to the Auction, a team must have at least $1 cap cash available for each open Active Roster spot they have. 

D.     Teams may acquire or deal cap cash during trading periods.

E.      A team must never exceed the effective Salary Cap that is in effect.

VIII.          Playing Restrictions

A.      Pitchers

                                                            1.      Limited to 125% of Total Batters Faced the previous MLB season.

                                                            2.      Players exceeding this limit are farmed to the Inactive Roster until the regular season concludes.

                                                            3.      Pitchers who started 1-4 major league games the previous MLB season are limited to that number of starts plus one in the FJBL.  These outings do count against VIII, A, 1. above. 

                                                            4.      Starters may pitch in relief at the owner’s discretion and are limited only by VIII, A, 1. above.

B.      Position Players

                                                            1.      Limited to 125% Total Plate Appearances the previous MLB season.

                                                            2.      Limited to 200% Total Plate Appearances versus LHP or 200% Total Plate Appearances versus RHP, respectively.

                                                            3.      Players exceeding any one of these limits are farmed to the Inactive Roster until the regular season concludes.

                                                            4.      Players are not restricted to their real-life positions with the exception that only catchers may be placed in a team’s profile to catch, either as a starter or reserve.

IX.               FJBL Calendar

A.      Regular Season

                                                            1.      Begins at the conclusion of the Inactive Draft at the Commissioner’s discretion.

                                                            2.      Includes any preseason games.

                                                            3.      Both phases of the prospect draft occur during the FJBL Regular Season Calendar.

                                                            4.      The FJBL plays a 162 game season

                                                            5.      The schedule is determined using the DMB software and includes inter-league play.

                                                            6.      American League teams use the Designated Hitter.  National League teams do not. 

                                                            7.      Home team determines DH usage in inter-league play.

                                                            8.      Injury frequencies are determined based on a player’s injury rating from the previous season.

                                                            9.      Injured players may never be farmed.

                                                        10.      Manager Profiles (MP)

i.        Owners must submit and maintain as these instruct the computer how to manage your team.

ii.     Changes to the MP are made upon receipt.

B.      Post Season

                                                            1.      The four division champions and the four division runners-up (Wild Cards) make the post-season.

                                                            2.      The top team in each division will earn home field advantage in the divisional playoff round versus the wild card from the opposite division in its league.

                                                            3.      All post-season series are Best of Seven, 2-3-2 format, with a day off when the series switches cities.

                                                            4.      There is a minimum of one off-day between series.

                                                            5.      Injuries and fatigue are in effect at all time and carry into and through post-season play. 

                                                            6.      Players farmed due to playing time violations are eligible for post-season play.

                                                            7.      Teams submit 25-man rosters for each series prior to the commencement of the series.  These rosters may be altered between series.

                                                            8.      Postseason playing time restrictions are as follows:

i.        Starting Pitchers

a.      20 or More FJBL Starts = Unlimited

b.       4-19 FJBL Starts = 1 Start Per Series

c.       1-3 FJBL Starts = 1 Post-Season Start

ii.     Relief Pitchers

a.      30 or More FJBL IPs = Unlimited

b.       29.2 or Fewer FJBL IPs = 3 IPs Maximum Per Series

iii.   Position Players

a.      300 or More FJBL ABs = Unlimited

b.       299 or Fewer FJBL ABs = 20 ABs Maximum Per Series

C.     Off Season

                                                            1.      Off-Season Trading and Roster Alignment Period

i.        Begins following FJBL World Series at the Commissioner’s Notice. 

ii.     Concludes one to two weeks prior to the Auction Draft.

iii.   Teams may make trades, sign and release players as needed in preparation for the Auction Draft.

iv.    Teams must be have all rosters corrected and must meet salary cap requirements prior to the Auction Draft.

                                                            2.      Draft Period

i.        Consists of Auction Draft and Inactive Draft.

ii.     Begins mid/late January and generally runs until mid March.

iii.   Trading and roster transactions are not allowed during this period.

X.                 Transactions

A.      Trades

                                                            1.      Trading is allowed following the Inactive Draft through the in-season trade deadline of August 15th @ Midnight (EST). 

                                                            2.      Trading is allowed during the Off-Season and Roster Alignment Period described in IX, C, 1. above.

                                                            3.      Owners may trade players, salary cap cash, inactive draft picks, and prospect draft picks. 

                                                            4.      Owners may not deal “players to be named later”.

                                                            5.      Contracts are player dependent and may not be traded.

                                                            6.      Trades are effective only when all owners involved inform the league office and the league office institutes the trade.

                                                            7.      Cap cash may be traded for the ensuing Auction Draft ONLY. 

B.      Free Agency

                                                            1.      FJBL eligible players not on any team roster are considered free agents. 

                                                            2.      In-season free agents are distributed upon request.

                                                            3.      In-season free agents cost $3 in cap cash.

C.     Disabled List

                                                            1.      Injured players may be placed on the Disabled List.

                                                            2.      Injured players may be traded.

                                                            3.      Injured players may not be farmed.

                                                            4.      Injured players do take up an active roster space unless they are on the DL.

                                                            5.      A player must occupy the Disabled List a minimum of 15-days retroactive to their injury date.

                                                            6.      Owners must inform the league office when placing a player on the DL and they must inform the league office when removing a player from the DL.

                                                            7.      A player left on the DL after his injury time has expired may be released by the league office (and incur a salary cap penalty) if not assigned a roster spot by the owner.

XI.               League Officers

A.      Commissioner – David Myers

B.      Co-Commissioner – Kurt Bohlmann

C.     Game Simmers – David Myers, Kurt Bohlmann, Dmitry Epshteyn, Bob Mayhew, Tom Wachter

D.     Membership Coordinators – Jack Burnham, Todd Bohlmann

E.      League History Coordinator – Kevin Creutz

F.      Web Site Coordinator – Kurt Bohlmann

G.     Prospect Coordinator – Dan Stupp

H.     Inner Circle – David Myers, Kurt Bohlmann, Todd Bohlmann, Jack Burnham, Kurt DiSessa, Dmitry Epshteyn