GENERAL RULES
A. LEAGUE SETUP:
1. Field Of Dreams is a 20 team H2H fantasy baseball league.
2. The league follows a 7X7 format. Each team will receive 1 point for each category won in its weekly head to head match-up. The scoring categories are as follows:
Hitters: R, RBI, HR, OPS, SB, AVG, TB
Pitchers: W, ERA, SV, HLD, WHIP, K, QS
3. Matches will be against teams in both leagues (inter-league) and there will be 1 x match per period. 20 total matches for each team during regular season.
3a. Each Matchup will be 1 week long, EXCEPT the FINALS which will be 2 weeks in length. There will also be slight adjustments made to the beginning of the year and all-star break to compensate for MLB scheduling issues that limit the number of games.
4. There is a cap of $100,000,000 for the 40-man roster. There is no cap for the minors roster (minors get bonuses, not salaries).
5. A team's roster will consist of three parts: the majors roster; the reserve roster; and the minors roster. The reserve roster will be included under the majors cap.
6. There is a minimum innings pitched requirement of 35 IP weekly (70 IP in the 2 week championship round)
7. The league fee is $50 per season. A Field of Dreams season runs, generally, from January 15th through the end of the actual MLB season
8. Each participating GM is required to have paid for the current and subsequent season in advance. If a GM departs the league, any payment made for the current and following season will be forfeited.
The league will reserve the right to give incoming GM's a window before requiring payment for future seasons. If the GM joins in-season, the window will not exceed 3 months. If the GM joins in the offseason, the window will not exceed 1 month from Opening Day.
9. The league consists of 4 divisions of 5 teams each. If new owners come in which want to claim a franchise that alters the makeup of a division (6 teams in 1)
B. PRIZES & NEW MEMBER FEES:
1. Total League pool is: 20 x $50 = $1,000 and prizes break down as follows:
FANTRAX fee: Roughly $90 (Subject to Change)
1st: $410
2nd: $210
3rd: $130
4th: $110
Second Chance Playoff: $50
Total $910
2. New members will be asked to make payment via Leaguesafe and for all following seasons, new owners will be asked to make payments within 2 weeks of joining. If payment is not received by the deadline, the membership will be terminated. For continuing owners, payments will be required by the time free agency begins
3. If there is a franchise name change that adds $25 to the total available, or if there is a surplus due to any other reason, the extra amount will be split evenly among the top four finishers.
C. COMMISSIONERS:
1. There will be 3 commissioners (Jacob, Jarrod and Ray).
2. The 3 Commissioners will review ownership situations as they arise to make decisions that benefit the league as a whole.
3. Responsibilities will be shared by all commissioners so that the league can proceed with issues promptly and effectively.
4. If owners have issues with one of the commissioners and want it to be addressed, please contact the other commissioners (who is not involved) and let him know the specifics. While not expected to occur, it is our hope that all owners can have a rewarding experience in FoD, so all issues will be taken seriously and respectfully.
5. Field of Dreams is a league filled with grown ups. We expect that the league will, for the most part, be able to police itself effectively. If you spot a deficiency or error, by all means, point it out - respectfully - and the applicable rectification will be applied.
6. The 3 Commissioners will review requests for rule changes to the constitution and if enough support is garnered then a vote will be administered. In times when there are only 2 options to vote on, there will be a required 12 votes for a new rule to pass. In times when there are 3 or more options to vote on, the majority vote will pass.
D. TIMINGS:
Unless specified otherwise, deadlines will close at 11:59PM CST. Any post stamped at 12AM CST or later will be considered past the deadline. (The main rationale for the ":59" deadline is to avoid the confusion that can be created by 12AM deadlines)
E. SPORTSMANSHIP:
1. Payment of league dues does not entitle any GM to undermine the integrity of the league nor its competitive balance. GMs are expected to check in daily or at least every other or every 3rd day during busy periods. Longer absences must be posted on the Out of Town board. Failure to comply with these rules may result in your removal from the league.
2. Membership in this league will be viewed as evidence that the GM respects and accepts both the rules and any infractions that may occur as a result of breaking them. It will also be viewed as acceptance and agreement that the rules are documented for all to see and that they may not be modified on a case by case basis nor interpreted in a manner in which they were not intended. If rules are broken and penalties enforced the onus is on the GM to accept his responsibility for the transgression rather than on the league or the League Commish to modify the penalties for his benefit.
3. In the case of a dead team (in which the team has been declared as such by the commishes), the commishes will set the daily lineups to include that day's starters to make sure the IP requirement is met. If the dead team's roster fails to meet the IP requirement the penalty will not be enforced. If a team fails to meet the requirement during the playoffs it will lose all points from the round and be automatically eliminated.
4. Members should not share an IP address. In the event that co-workers or siblings are members, they must be prepared to help distinguish their separate identities. The reason for this is two fold: this is a money league; and their have previously been attempts by a single person to sign up as multiple teams.
5. GM's who have not been active for 30 days will be barred from competing in the playoffs. Activity is defined as logging into this board, adjusting your lineup on FANTRAX or posting a message there. An out of town announcement will be taken into consideration as long as it is up-to-date.
6. In the event there is gap or loophole in the rules, league members agree to inform the Co-Commissioners rather than make any attempt to exploit it. Members accept that the League Commissioners have the right to determine whether exploitation of a gap in specific language, or a loophole in the rules is contrary to the spirit or ongoing application of the rules. Members agree not to exercise any competitive advantage that is to the detriment of the league and its integrity.
F. THE JEFFREY LORIA RULE:
Failure, by any GM, to meet deadlines or actively participate in the management of his team via Proboards and Fantrax, would trigger the Jeffrey Loria rule, an immediate review of ownership by the commissioners and league members:
- The GM's activity level would be posted and open for comment. The GM in question would be given a chance to rebut all concerns respectfully.
- During the review, a hold would be placed on all related contract decisions for the team in question. There would be no forfeiture of players.
- In the event of failure to meet deadlines, all players with expiring contracts would be frozen until the ownership situation was resolved.
- Transactions would be posted by ownership, current or incoming.
- An anonymous vote would be held to determine whether to place the GM on probation.
- 12 votes (60%) would be required to place the GM on probation.
- Subsequent infractions, during probation, would trigger further review and a binding vote for removal of the league member.
- 12 votes (60%) would be required for removal.
- In the event of a poll for the removal of a league member, two members would be required to volunteer for a potential replacement search, prior to initiation of the vote.
*Caveat 1: A GM's personal and professional extenuating circumstances will be taken into consideration, particularly when a commissioner has been informed of such a matter privately. Privacy will ALWAYS be honored. However, it is each GM's responsibility to alert the League Commish to those issues prior to any deadlines.
*Caveat 2: Long-time members who have shown a consistently above-average commitment level during their membership will be given special consideration.
G. RELIGION AND POLITICS:
Discussions, references, avatars, sigs and other public expressions of religion and politics are prohibited. These issues have led to many winningness debates and are too divisive to be allowed in our league. To protect the integrity and longevity of our league, we ask that you respect this rule and take these conversations elsewhere.
H. FRANCHISE RENAMING:
1. Current GM's will be granted one opportunity to change the name of their team to that of an available team. No other changes beyond that will be granted. The intent here is to allow owners who didn't get their preferred team when they joined Field of Dreams to switch to their team should it become available.
2. There is a fee of $25 (real dollars) that will be added to the winner's pot.
3. There is a fee of $1,000,000 (league money) that will be deducted from the team's cap for its initial season only.
4. Changes may only be made during the off-season. If a franchise (name) becomes available during the season, a GM may reserve it for the following season, by paying the $25 deposit.
5. If the change is made prior to the off-season start of free agency, the team will not be permitted to claim franchise minors during a 24-hour window at the start of bidding. This is to dissuade the switching of teams for the acquisition prospects.
6. Contact the League's Co-Commissioners regarding any desire to switch franchise names.