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PGL - MLB RULES AND REGULATIONS
1.
NAME: The League shall be called Professional Gamers'
League - Major League Baseball or PGL-MLB.
2.
COMMISSIONER
A.
The
Commissioner shall serve until he resigns or is voted out of office by
two-thirds of the PGL-MLB Managers. Such a vote may be called at any time by
one-third of the Managers and must include a separate voting for a replacement.
The Commissioner shall have the authority to implement any changes in the
PGL-MLB which he deems necessary to the well being of the League.
B.
Responsibilities
of the Commissioner
a.
Appoint
new Managers to open teams and collect bonds.
b.
Maintain
team rosters, accounting for rookie drafts, roster cuts, waivers and trades,
and compile league standings and statistics.
c.
Maintain
the PGL-MLB Web Site, as the primary means of communicating with Managers
d.
Create
schedules for all PGL-MLB activities.
3.
TEAMS
AND MANAGERS
A.
The
PGL-MLB will consist of 28 teams, organized into two leagues of three divisions
each, as follows:
a.
American
League East: Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, New York
Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays
b.
American
League Central: Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Guardians, Kansas City Royals,
Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins
c.
American
League West: Los Angeles Angels, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, Texas
Rangers
d.
National
League East: Atlanta Braves, Miami Marlins, New York Mets, Philadelphia
Phillies, Washington Nationals
e.
National
League Central: Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros, Pittsburgh
Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals
f.
National
League West: Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, San
Francisco Giants
B.
The
team names (including ballparks and ballparks ratings) of Colorado Rockies and
Tampa Bay Rays will not be used in the PGL-MLB.
C.
All
Managers must legally use the current version Strat-O-Matic's (SOM) computer
game software, have e-mail and internet access, have the ability to send and
receive compressed (zipped) files, and have the ability to read MS Word files.
D.
Managers
shall play all games and report all statistics according to schedule. Failure
to complete all games will result in expulsion from the PGL-MLB, except in
extraordinary circumstances as determined by the Commissioner.
4.
SEASON
A.
The
PGL-MLB will use the results of the previous real-life season, and ratings
published by SOM (including ballpark ratings). The regular season consisting of
162 games will run from April until September, with managers playing their 81
home games. The Commissioner will set specific dates before each season.
B.
Five teams from each league, the three division champions and the two
teams with the best won-lost records who did not win a division championship
(wild card teams) will qualify for the Post Season. Ties which effect only the playoff match-ups and home field
advantage, but do not effect which five teams qualify for the playoffs will be
decided by: (1) head-to-head records; (2) won-lost records excluding
inter-league games; (4) Differential in runs scored and runs allowed; (5) coin
flip. Ties that affect which five teams qualify for the playoffs will be
decided by one-game playoffs. The home team for this game will be decided by:
(1) head-to-head records; (2) won-lost records excluding inter-league
games; (4) Differential in runs scored
and runs allowed; (5) coin flip. The Commissioner (or other neutral manager
selected by the Commissioner) will play these one-game playoffs using computer
managers supplied by managers of the participating teams. All player usage
rules applicable to post-season games will apply to this play-off game (see
below). Alternatively, the two managers
may agree to play the game via netplay, but they must play the game no later
than two days after the calendar date for which it is scheduled.
a.
In each league, the two Wild Card teams shall meet in a three-game
Wild Card series, with the team better won-lost record having two games at home
(games 2 and 3). The winner of the Wild
Card Series shall advance to the Divisions Series.
b.
Division
Series in each league, the Division champion with the best won-lost record will
play the winner of Wild Card Series, and the other two Division Champions will
play each other.
c.
League
Championship Series in each league will match the winners of the Division
Series.
d.
Winners
of the League Championship Series will advance to the World Series.
e.
All
Division Series, League Championship Series and the World Series will be seven
games in length, with the team with the better won-lost record having four
games (games 1, 2, 6 and 7) at home.
However, a Wild Card team may never have home field advantage in any of
these series unless it meets another Wild Card team in the World Series.
f.
The
Commissioner shall set the exact calendar dates for all Post Season Series and
games.
5.
ROOKIE
DRAFT, TRADES, ROSTER LIMITS AND WAIVERS
A.
Trades
a.
The
Trading Period begins in October on a date determined by the commissioner,
after rosters for the upcoming season are posted to the web site, and ends the
second Thursday in March. No trading is
allowed outside of this trading period.
b.
All
trades are permanent. No loaning of
players, players-to-be-named later, or any other future consideration is
allowed.
c.
Only
current season Rookie Draft choices may be traded, only between the opening of
the Trading Period and one day before the third Saturday in January.
d.
A team cannot make more than four trades with the same team in a
single Trading Period.
e.
A player cannot be traded more than three times in a single
Trading Period.
f.
If a team makes more that 15 trades or trades involving more than
25 of its players and / or draft picks in a single trading season, that team
will:
·
Not be allowed to make any further trades in the current trading
period; and
·
be limited to no more than 10 trades or trades involving no more
than 15 of its players and/or draft picks during the following Trading Season.
Note trades involving more than two teams will be counted as
multiple trades for each team. For
example, a three-team trade will be counted as two trades for each of the three
teams involved.
g.
Before
the Trading Period begins, the Commissioner may make trades between teams
without Managers to balance these teams.
h.
Both
managers must report trades to the Commissioner.
B.
Rookie
Draft
a.
Any
player who is rated in the current year's SOM printed card set and is not on a
PGL-MLB roster will be available in the Rookie Draft. By the last Saturday in December, the Commissioner will post on
the Web site the list of players available in the Rookie Draft.
b.
The Rookie Draft will consist of six rounds. Teams will first be divided into three
groups:
·
Group A – Teams who have not been in the playoffs in both of the
two preceding seasons
·
Group B – Teams who have been in the playoffs in both of the two
preceding seasons
·
Group C – Teams who have been in the playoffs in all of the three
preceding seasons.
c.
Teams in Group A will draft first in each round, followed by teams
in Group B, and then by teams in Group C.
d.
Within each group, teams shall draft in the order as determined by
the following formula, with the team with the fewest points drafting first, the
team with the second fewest points shall draft second in each round, and so on
for the remaining teams in that group.
·
Points for Hitters = Maximum number of PGL Games in the upcoming
season X (On-Base Percentage
+ Slugging Percentage from the
previous real-life season - .600)
·
Points for Pitchers = Innings Pitched from the previous real-life
season X (6.00 - Component Earned Run Average from the
previous real-life season)
·
Any hitter or pitcher with negative points will have their points
changed to zero points. Pitchers who
are not eligible to appear in any PGL games in the upcoming season will have
their points changed to zero.
·
Component Earned Run Average shall be that as listed for each
pitcher in the annual Bill James Handbook, using the formula identified in that
book. Component Earned Run Average
estimates what a pitcher’s Earned Run Average should have been, based upon his
pitching performance.
·
Points for all hitters shall be totaled and points for all
pitchers shall be totaled.
·
Points for all pitchers shall be multiplied by a constant factor
such that the resulting total pitcher points shall equal total hitter points
for all players on a PGL roster just before the Trading Period begins.
·
Total points for each PGL team are then computed, using team
rosters in effect just before the Trading Period begins.
b. If two
teams have the exact same number of points, the team whose manager is the more
senior PGL Manager will draft before the more junior PGL member in all rounds.
e. The
Commissioner, at his sole discretion, may award up to four Competitive Balance
Picks in each draft to teams whose roster has one or more of the following
characteristics compared to the average PGL team:
·
Far fewer players with eligibility to play in the upcoming
PGL season
·
Far fewer total games available
·
Significantly poorer hitting and pitching statistics based
upon the just-completed MLB season
These Competitive Balance Picks will occur in between Rounds 1 and 2 of the draft. A team may receive more than one Competitive Balance Pick in a single draft, but no more than a cumulative total of four such picks may be awarded across all teams. Competitive Balance Picks cannot be traded. The positioning of Competitive Balance Picks will not be adjusted upwards or downwards due to any overuse penalties (See Section 6.D)
f.
The
Rookie Draft will be held via e-mail starting on the Thursday before the second
Saturday in January and will be completed via an on-line chat room on the third
Saturday in January. If any team is
without a Manager, the Commissioner will make its draft selections.
g.
Managers
unable to participate in either the e-mail and/or on-line portions of the
Rookie Draft must send their draft selections to the Commissioner in advance of
these events. Such selections will only be used if a Manager is unable to
participate in the e-mail and /or on-line portions of the Rookie Draft.
h.
After
the draft, any rookie not selected will be assigned to the PGL-MLB team
corresponding to his real life team. If
an unselected Rookie played for more than one team in the preceding real-life
season, he will be assigned to the PGL-MLB team corresponding to his first team
in the preceding real-life season.
Rookies not selected in the Rookie Draft whose real-life team is
Colorado or Tampa Bay will be available in Waivers (see Section 5.D.).
C.
Roster
Limits: During the Trading Period, there is no limit on roster size. By the second Tuesday in March, Managers
must reduce rosters to 32 (for teams with Waiver Picks 1 to 5), 31 (for teams
with Waiver Picks 6 to 10), 30 (Waiver Picks 11 to 15), 29 (Waiver Picks 16 to
20), or 28 (Waiver Picks 21 to 28).
Note that roster sizes are based upon the Waiver Pick Order described in
Section 5.D. Players released will no
longer be owned by any PGL-MLB team and will be available in Waivers only if
they are rated in SOM's current printed card set.
D.
Waivers
a.
The
Commissioner will post on the web site a list of players available in Waivers
as soon as possible after the second Tuesday in March. Waiver selections will begin the following
Saturday.
b.
Waivers
will consist of three rounds. In the first two rounds, teams will select one
player in each round. In the third
round, teams will select two players during its turn to pick.
c.
In
each round of waivers, teams will select in the order determined by the formula
described in Section 5.B.d., in order of lowest points to highest points. Note teams are NOT divided into Groups A, B
and C as in the Rookie Draft order, and overuse penalties are NOT applied to
the Waiver Selection order. So the
Waiver Selection order will be different from the Rookie Draft order.
d.
Waiver
selections will be conducted via e-mail, starting as soon as the list of
players available is posted to the web site. The Commissioner will post Waiver
selections on the web site as they are made. Note that teams do not cut
additional players in order to make these four waiver selections.
e.
Players
not selected in waivers will not be owned by any PGL-MLB team.
f.
Waiver
picks may not be traded at any time.
6.
GAME
LIMITATION RULE
A.
Hitters:
The chart below determines the maximum number of games in which a hitter on a
PGL-MLB team's roster can appear, based upon the number of real-life game he appeared
in during the previous major league season.
A player may exceed the maximum number of games, if his At Bats do not
exceed 100% of his real-life At Bats during the previous major league season.
|
Real-Life . . PGL-MLB |
Real-Life . . PGL-MLB |
Real-Life . . PGL-MLB |
Real-Life . . PGL-MLB |
|
1 -
14 . . . . . . . 0 * |
40 - 44 . . . . . . 55 |
70 - 74 . . . . . . 90 |
100 - 104 . . . . 120 |
* A player appearing in 1 to 14
real-life games who is rated in the current year's printed SOM Card set may
play in up to 25 PGL-MLB games.
** A player
appearing in 140 or more real-life games may play in up to exactly that number
of PGL-MLB games.
B.
Pitchers:
Pitchers on a PGL-MLB team's roster who play in 15 or more or start in 5 or
more real-life games in the preceding major league season may play in a maximum
of 50% more or 10 more PGL-MLB games than real-life games played during the
preceding major league season, whichever is less. A pitcher appearing in less
than 15 and starting less than 5 real-life games and who is rated in the
current year's printed SOM Card set may play in up to 50% more PGL-MLB games
than real-life games played during the preceding major league season. The chart
below shows the maximum number of games a pitcher may start, based upon the
number of real-life games he started during the previous major league season. A
pitcher may exceed the maximum number of games, but not maximum number of
starts, if his Innings Pitched do not exceed 100% of his real-life Innings
Pitched during the previous major league season.
|
Real-Life . . . . PGL-MLB |
Real-Life . . . . PGL-MLB |
Real-Life . . . . . PGL-MLB |
|
0
- 9 . . 150% of Real-Life |
24
- 25 . . . . Real-Life + 3 |
30 & up . . . . . . Real-Life |
Pitchers can be used in home games in only the following non-pitching roles:
·
As a pinch hitter or defensive substitute if there are no
hitters available on a team's bench
·
As a pinch runner at any time, provided he is replaced with
a hitter at the end of that half-inning (unless no hitters are available on a
team's bench)
· If the designated hitter assumes a fielding position, his team's current pitcher (and all successive relief pitchers in that game) must hit for themselves in the batting position of the hitter who left the game.
In road games, pitchers can be used in any offensive
role that the computer manager may use them. Games in which pitchers are used
only in these offensive roles will not count against their maximum game
allowance as a pitcher.
C.
If a
player is injured in any PGL-MLB game and leaves that game, he remains injured
for the remainder of that game only, regardless of the number of games which
SOM states that player is injured. The injured player may play in the next
game. This rule applies to both home and visiting team players.
D.
If a
team overuses one of more players during a season, that team shall be penalized
in the next season's rookie draft in the following manner. The number of games
of overuse for all of a team's players shall be combined and that team's draft
position shall be adjusted according to the following chart (Note - in
computing penalties, overuse of starting pitchers shall be counted as five
games of overuse for each one game started of actual overuse):
|
Games of Overuse |
Draft Position Adjustment |
||||
|
1st Round |
2nd Round |
3rd Round |
4th Round |
5th Round |
|
|
1 to 5 |
|
|
|
|
No Penalty |
|
11 to 12 |
|
|
Down 1 |
Down 1 |
Down 1 |
|
16 |
Down 1 |
Down 1 |
Down 1 |
Down 1 |
Down 2 |
|
21 |
Down 2 |
Down 2 |
Down 2 |
Down 2 |
Down 3 |
|
26 |
Down 3 |
Down 3 |
Down 3 |
Down 3 |
Down 4 |
|
31 |
Down 4 |
Down 4 |
Down 4 |
Down 4 |
Down 5 |
For games in which a player on the road team is used
as a pinch runner and never comes to bat in that game, such game will not be
counted as game played for purposes of the Game Limitation Rule and will not
result in penalties for overuse. Road managers shall keep track of such
player usage and notify the Commissioner at the end of the regular season of
the players and the dates of the games involved.
In
addition to the above penalties for overuse, Teams with 20 or more games of
overuse (again with each one game of overuse of a starting pitcher counting as
five games of overuse) will not be eligible for the post season playoffs.
Overuse
caused by road managers not following a team's initial Playing Instructions for
a season, or overuse caused by a prior manager of a team shall be ignored for
purposes of determining penalties. In addition, the Commissioner may reduce or
eliminate penalties as he determines to be fair and appropriate in unusual
circumstances. However, because playing ahead of schedule is permitted,
managers should not rely upon mid-season changes in its road playing
instructions to prevent player overuse. The Commissioner will not reduce or
eliminate penalties because such mid-season changes were not followed by road
managers.
E.
If a team
is late in submitting its home series results to the Commissioner and to the
opposing manager, that team shall be penalized by reducing the maximum number
of games its hitters may appear in during the next season's regular season. The number of games reduction shall be
calculated as follows:
a.
Number
of games of reduction shall be equal to the larger of:
·
the
number of series reported past the due date in excess of ten; or
·
the
number of cumulative days late of series reported past the due date in excess of
40, then divided by 5 and rounded up to the next whole number.
b.
Penalties
shall be applied to the team's roster after completion of waivers. Penalties shall be applied to the hitter with the highest
number of maximum games available.
c.
Late
reporting of series by a prior manager of a team shall be ignored for purposes
of determining penalties. In addition,
the Commissioner may reduce or eliminate penalties as he determines to be fair
and appropriate in unusual circumstances.
Managers are expected to play ahead of schedule to avoid late reporting
of series due to vacations and other circumstances that should be known in
advance.
7.
REGULAR
SEASON ROAD GAMES
A.
Teams
will use one set of playing instructions for all road games during a season.
Managers are required to use SOM's computer manager HAL to manage their teams
in road games. This section's rules with respect to player usage are applicable
only for a team's road games.
B.
Active
Rosters: Active rosters consist of 32 players and must be the same for all home
and away games. Players receiving more than one card by SOM will use the card
based upon that player's total combined statistics. Players not rated in SOM's
printed card set will use the rating provided with SOM's computer game,
provided such players are eligible to appear in more than zero PGL-MLB
games. For September home and road
games, teams owning more than 32 players may activate any previously inactive
players that are eligible to appear in more than zero PGL-MLB games.
C.
Starting
Line-up
a.
Both
American and National Leagues will use the designated hitter rule.
b.
Managers
may platoon in road games by specifying different starting lineups against
right-handed and left-handed starting pitchers. For purposes of complying with
Section 6.A (Game Limitation Rule), players in starting line-ups must be
eligible to play in the following number of road games:
·
Starting
Line-up vs. both right-handed and left-handed starting pitchers: 81 games.
·
Starting
Line-up vs. left-handed starting pitchers only: 50 games.
·
Starting
Line-up vs. right-handed starting pitchers only: 75 games.
c.
To
qualify to start at a particular position, a player must have played at least
35 real-life games at that position during the previous real-life season.
Outfield positions are considered as a single category, not three separate
ones. Any player who can play in number of games specified in Section 7.C.b may
be used as the designated hitter in starting line-ups for road games.
D.
Starting
Pitchers: Exactly five starting pitchers must be used for all road games. These
starting pitchers must be numbered 1 to 5, and will be used in road games as
follows: #1-18 games; #2-17 games; #3-16 games; #4-15 games; #5-15 games.
Starters must be eligible to start (see Section 6.B.) at least as many games as
required for the starting pitcher number to which they are assigned.
E.
Bench: Active rosters must have a rated substitute
for each fielding position. However,
two players cannot be the only rated substitute for each other.
F.
Computer
Manager Settings
a.
In MANAGER SETTINGS / USING RELIEF, the settings “Conservative”,
"Extra Conservative" and "Deadball Style" may not be used.
b.
In Individual Player Settings for pitchers, the "Slow
Hook" option may only be used for pitchers with a real-life ERA of less
than 3.00 in the previous MLB Season.
c.
In Individual Player Settings for pitchers, any starting pitcher
being used in road games with an ERA over 4.50 must use “MAX 7 IP per Start.”
d.
In Individual Player Settings for pitchers, all relief pitchers
being used in road games must use either “MAX of 1 to 2 IP in Relief” or “MAX
of 2 to 3 IP in Relief.”
e.
The
five starting pitchers being used in road games must be set to
"NEVER" use in relief.
f.
Any
players not to be used in any road games should be assigned to the "MINORS".
g.
Super
HAL bullpens are not used by the PGL-MLB.
G.
Managers
must program the computer manager and provide it to the Commissioner no later
than the first Saturday in April. Computer manager files sent to the
Commissioner must be unlocked so that the Commissioner can verify compliance
with league rules. The Commissioner will lock computer manager files, if
requested, before distributing final roster files to all managers.
8.
REGULAR
SEASON HOME GAMES
A.
Managers
are strongly discouraged, but not prohibited, from using the computer manager
to manage their team in home games.
B.
The
Home Manager can only use players on his 32-man Active roster, or his expanded
roster in September. In home games,
Managers may use any player in starting line-ups, change starting line-ups from
game to game, and use as many or as few starting pitchers as desired, provided
Managers comply with Section 6 (Game Limitation Rule). Starting pitchers must have at least three
calendar days rest between home starts.
Pitchers may not be used in relief in any series in which they start a
game. In extra inning games, the home
manager must remove his starting pitcher no later than the end of the 10th
inning.
C.
For
Visiting Teams, Home Managers will use the visiting team's computer manager for
Visiting Teams. Managers may agree to play some regular season games via
NetPlay, in which case the computer manager for the visiting team shall be
turned off. However, the road team's
starting pitcher as identified in the regular season game schedule must be used
and may not be changed in games played via NetPlay.
D.
Statistics
Reporting
a.
For
each home game, Managers must save Game Export Files (two per game - one for
home team, one for visiting team) and Box Score files in SOM's ".prt"
format.
b.
At the
conclusion of each series, Mangers must send Game Export Files and Box Scores
to the Visiting Team Manager and to the Commissioner.
c.
If
statistics from a game are not saved correctly, that game will be considered
null and void and the Home Manager will replay the game.
9.
POST
SEASON GAMES
A.
The
following rules apply to all post-season games, for both home and away teams.
a.
The
Active Roster for any post-season series must consist of no more than 26
players who were on the 32-man Active Roster at the beginning of the regular season
and who received a card in SOM's printed card set. Players activated for just September games and players with
"computer-only" cards are not eligible for Post-Season Games. Active Rosters may be changed in between
post-season series, but not during a post-season series.
b.
All
players in the starting line-up (excluding pitchers) must have been eligible to
play in at least 50 games during the just-completed PGL regular season and must
have played in at least 35 games at the position at which they are starting
during the previous real-life season. To start at DH, a player only needs to
have been eligible to play in at least 50 games during the just-completed PGL
regular season.
c.
All
starting pitchers must be eligible to be a #1 through #5 starter in road games
(see Section 7.D.). Starting pitchers
must have at least four calendar days rest between starts, but each starting
pitcher may start a game with only three calendar days rest one time during the
entire post season. No pitcher can be
used in relief during a series in which he starts any game.
d.
Active
rosters must have a rated substitute for each fielding position. However, two players cannot be the only
rated substitute for each other.
B.
For
each post season game, the road manager will decide whether to play the game
via NetPlay or not. If the road manager
chooses NetPlay and the home manager is unwilling or unable to play the games
via NetPlay, the Commissioner will appoint another manager to manage the home
team for those games and those games will be played via NetPlay. If the road manager does not choose NetPlay,
the road manager will send the home manager a fully programmed computer manager
for the road team and the home manager will play the games using that computer
manager.
C.
Statistics
reporting requirements for Post Season Games are the same as for Regular Season
Games.
10.
MANDATORY
STRAT-O-MATIC GAME SETTINGS AND RULE SETTINGS
A.
Rules
|
Main Rules - Maximum
Level |
Weather Effects - On |
B.
Lineups
and Usage
|
Visiting Lineup - Primary |
Home Team Lineup -
Primary |
C.
Autoplay
/ Box Score
|
Output-What - Boxscore,
PAC & Scoresheet |
Display Game Story on Box
Scores - On |
D.
Maximum
Rule Settings
|
Improve Statistical
Accuracy - Off Starting Pitcher Clutch -
Off |
Robbing HR Rule - Off |
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