Flexible League Idea -- Draft

I was thinking about this, based on the fact that some people have different schedules etc. Anyway, let me know what you think. (The other nice thing is that this would let people enter partway through).

I've added a "SABBL" tag to this, (SA Baseball League). Anyway, rules below. Comments?

Flexible league rules (baseball)

This presents a ‘flexible’ league format. This is done to accommodate managers that cannot commit as much time as other players. This idea is based on the “Blood Bowl” leagues I have played in and been modified. This document does not concern itself with how players acquire teams (drafts) and the specific rules of running the game (Strat-o-matic). It does deal with a few ‘baseball specific’ concepts. For clarity “Manager” refers to the (real) person running a team, and “player” refers to the baseball player on a team.

The basic format is ‘the series,’ a number of games against the same team, all played in the specific ballpark. Series can be played in any order, and do not need to be scheduled in advance (so if a manager is out of town for a week, other players can play whoever is available). The league does have a schedule (i.e. one series/week) that should be adhered to.

At the end of the season, teams may not have played the same number of games. All of these games are assumed to have a .500 record. For convenience, the total of each team will be filled to 162 games. So if a team plays 20 games, at 13-7, it got an average of 142 games (for 71 games). That makes it an 84-78 team.

Pitching Limits and Rotations, Injuries

Each season has an expected # of games (i.e. 24). For pitchers and other non-full time players, their usage is pro-rated (15% for 24 games). Players may not be used above that percentage of time. Additionally, players may not have ‘unrealistic’ unbalanced schedules (ie, pitchers starting multiple games in the same series, or a 50% player showing up in every game against a specific opponent).

Intermediate limits must also be followed. (For example, no player may pass 10% of their full season total until after 15 games have been played). If a manager passes the target number, they get to adjust their total limit accordingly.

“Everyday” players do not need to be tracked. Any player with 600 at bats is everyday.

Injuries only last until the end of the game. (The rest of the injury time is assumed to take place during the unplayed games).

Home Field

For the first (and further odd) meeting between two teams, the team with the fewest home series is the home team. For the 2^nd (and further even) meeting between two teams, the teams flip. For Interleague series, only look at interleague series.

Selecting Pitchers

Both teams should simultaneously announce their starters (one for each game in the series). Ideally this can be done in email when arranging games (to let managers pre-plan their lineups, to speed up the game). For each game, the Road team must announce its pitcher first, then the home team. Then each manager makes his lineup normally.

The shortened series – Rain Delays

If a player cannot commit to a full series, he may request a shortened (2 game) series. If a rain delay is expected, players should each simultaneously Players should still select their starting pitchers for three games and determine matchups. Then randomly pick one game to be ‘rained out.’ Play the other two games.

For the rained out game, the starters are assumed to play 6 innings. The manager should pick a 2 inning reliever and 1 inning closer. These innings are logged against the player (as if the game had taken place). [Position players who must be tracked are also assigned innings. This can be done later, but before the next series].

Time permitting, Rain Delay games can be made up. The starters (and position players listed) must be used. If the game is played up, the Innings logged against the prior game are removed, and replaced with real innings.

The rationale for rain delays is that it shortens a session for the manager who cannot (or prefers not to) play three games in a row. Randomly assigning the pitchers & platoon players who get ‘rained out’ assures that neither play can take advantage of this system.

Delegation

A manager who falls too far behind (as determined by the league rules) may have his team assigned to another manager to make up a series. Managers can always delegate another manager to play out a series (or Rain Delay game). Conflicts of interest should be avoided.

General Guidelines

Like any flexible system, this can be ‘gamed’ a bit. (Managers who are ahead may choose not to play an extra session or make up rain games). Managers should declare (in general terms) how many games they would like to play, and how many per series, and stick to it.

SABG Strato Specific suggestions

1. Our base Series is 3 games.
2. Schedule is roughly one series/week.
3. Schedule is 8 series (one home & away versus each division opponent, and two IL series), so ~24 games. Managers may play their 3^rd IL series, bringing things up to 27 games, which would pro-rate to 16 2/3% (but only use that number after their 8th series).