Rules

2024 BASEBALL LEAGUE RULES

All questions, disputes and interpretations of these rules subject to commissioner’s rulings. All commissioner rulings will be final.

Rule changes for the 2024 Season are in red

Rules Committee
There will be an in-season rules committee consistening of Jeff Snyder, John Turner and Mike Myers. The in-season rules committee will review any in-season rule issues that may arise and any proposed trades. If any member of the rules committee is directly involved (team or game is impacted) they will be be replaced on the issue or proposed trade. A replacement owner will be appointed by the Commish. Members will carefully evaluate any rule issue or proposed trade and render a timely decision to the league.

The Season
The 2024 MLB season begins with the Covid19 pandemic mostly behind us. The league will act in an appropriate manner when it comes to Covid-related rulings. Some Covid related rule adjustments will remain in place, some rules have been adjusted to the current state of affairs.

If the MLB season is cancelled prior to the completion of week 18 (the end of our regular season), our league will be cancelled. All entry fees will be refunded or credited towards a future season or league. No payouts will be issued for any side pots, division winners or playoff prizes.
If the MLB season is cancelled during weeks 19-21 (our playoff weeks) payouts will be awarded as such : A) side pots and division winners paid based on regular season results. Weekly points pool would also be final based off regular season results. B) Playoff teams will receive payouts based upon finish of played playoff round(s) or seeding for playoff round(s) not completed. For example, first round is played but then season cancelled, payouts for first round teams eliminated paid as normal, remaining teams would be paid based upon their seed.

The season will consist of 18 weeks of regular season play beginning Monday April 1, 2024. The games played prior to 4/1/23 will NOT be used in week 1. There will be no games played during the week of the All-Star Game, July 15-21. There will be a All-Star Weekend Pool during the break. Games played F-Su will be used for the All-Star Weekend Pool.

There is 5 games played each week, as well a top 6 bonus win awarded each week. Each team has a possibility of winning six (6) games each week. The week is broken down as follows:
GAME 1: Monday thru Thursday, BEST TWO GAMES
GAME 2: Friday
GAME 3: Saturday
GAME 4: Sunday
GAME 5: Total points scored during the week.
BONUS WIN: Top 6 team point totals receive a win.

Game 1 will be the best two games by each player on the team during the Monday thru Thursday games.

Games 2-4 will be a single game for each day.

Game 5 will be the highest cumulative point total from Games 1-4.

A bonus win will be awarded to the top 6 scoring teams each week. In the event of a tie for the 6^th and final spot in the top 6, both teams will receive the bonus win.

All-Star Weekend Pool: During the weekend of the All-Star Game Week (F-Su games only), pool lineups are set Friday and there will be prizes for the top 3 scoring teams each day. The daily payout will be 1st Place-$30, 2nd Place $20 and 3rd place $10. These prizes will be paid out at year end along with the rest of the prize fund. Player high game and team high game scores are eligible for side pot awards.

Scoring
The new 2024 scoring system is available on the main page of the league website. Fantrax will track live scoring. Weekly results, standings and side pots will be updated on our league website. If an owner notices a discrepancy with scores of games, scores of players, game results, standings or side pots, please notify the Commish immediately. In the event of a discrepancy, the commissioner will review all available info and provide a ruling. The Commish will attempt to track MLB official scoring changes and adjust league scores accordingly within a timely manner. If an owner finds an official MLB scoring change, please notify the Commish immediately.

During the regular season, a game or total points that ends in a tie will result in each team winning a 1/2 point. In the playoffs the same rule will apply, but if the series ends in a 2.5-2.5 tie the higher seeded team will win the series based on the better regular season record.

Rosters
Team rosters will consist of 15 players, distributed as follows: 1B, 3B, CI, 2B, SS, MI, OF(4), C(2), Optional (2) and Pitching Staff. Optional players may be from any position, including pitching staffs. The corner infielder (CI) must qualify at either 1B or 3B. The middle infielder (MI) must qualify at either 2B or SS.

The Commish will evaluate any scenarios of "not in the best interest of the league" and make a ruling. This would include but not limited to situations such as dropping healthy top performing players or picking up bench players with limited playing time and starting them, so teams would get consistent use of a sub. For example, a team has a good SS, and another good SS at mid inf. If the team was to drop their starting 2B and pick up a 2B that rarely plays so to get both SS on a consistent basis, this would not be allowed. This would apply to any roster spot and sub scenario. Based upon the Commish ruling, teams may be required to adjust their roster and make a move accordingly.

Position Qualifications
To qualify for a position a player must have played in 20 games at that position in 2023 or 10 games at that position in 2024.

If a player did not play 10 games at any position the prior year, they are eligible at the position they played the most at the prior year. If a veteran player does not play an entire season (injury, Covid opt out, played in Japan, suspended, etc.) we will go back to their most recent MLB season for their position qualification. In the event a player is changing positions for 2024, the player will be allowed to be drafted at his new position. A list of players making a position change in 2024 is available on the league website and the players have been updated on Fantrax. The Commish will monitor players to ensure the long term position change occurs. The Commish will take into account all possible scenarios. (i.e. player supposed to change, but starts a game at old position due to injuries)

If a player is a rookie with no major league experience they will be designated at a specific position for the draft based upon their expected MLB position. Any rookies that are called up to the majors for the first time during the season will be eligible at their expected MLB position. The Commish will review available info to determine that position if necessary.

Players that only qualify at DH will be eligible at the position they played the most games at in the previous season. If a player did not play any games at a position other than DH, the Commish will review and assign the most commonly accepted position. (i.e. Ohtani at OF) A list of DH only players and their 2024 eligible position(s) is available on the league website and the players have been updated on Fantrax.

If a player is both a position player and a pitcher (Ohtani LAA) they may only be used as a position player. If you have the position player, you do not get any pitching stats. If you have the pitching staff, you do not get any batting stats.

Draft
The draft is 12 rounds of 15 picks, with teams picking in reverse order in even numbered rounds. Fantrax will determine draft order when creating the league. You are permitted to trade draft positions.

Players who are IL eligible, projected to or have already been demoted to the minors may be drafted. Players drafted who are IR eligible may replaced the day after the draft. Priority will be the earliest drafted player.

Line-ups
Lineups will be set twice per week on Monday (M-Th games) and Friday (Fri-Sun games). Lineup changes will be submitted to the Commish. Lineup changes include starting or benching a player, as well as sub priority. Lineups are due by 5pm Monday and Friday, unless there is an early game(s). Lineup changes for any player in an early game(s) must be submitted prior to the player's game starting on Mon/Fri.

Once the weekend games start, you can replace a IL player on your roster over the weekend, but the new player will not be available until the following week.

A player must have 2 plate appearance (PA) for a game to be used any time during the week. (with a few exceptions)

A player must play 2 games to be used in the weekday M-Th game or a sub will be used. If all subs do not meet the two game minimum, the starting player, or sub if necessary, will use one game if available. If the starter and subs do not play M-Th a zero will be taken.

Starting line ups will consist of nine players: 1B, 3B, 2B, SS, OF(3), C, PS
Subs in the weekly lineup will consist of 6 players: CI, MI, OF, C, Opt 1, Opt 2

If a team has a pitching staff in the optional position, they must be placed in the Opt 2 spot in the lineup.

In the event that a starting player does not play due for any reason a sub will be used. Position players will use their immediate backup first. The immediate backups are 1B/3B (CI), 2B/SS (MI), OF (4th OF) and C (2nd C). If the starter and immediate backup both do not play, an optional player sub will be used if available. As in year's past, a pitching staff in the optional position is not eligible to be used as a sub for a position player. The sub for a Pitching Staff is the Optional 2 player first, then Optional 1 if necessary.

If the starter, immediate backup and optional players all do not play, the position will get a zero for that game. In the event that a starter only has 1PA, and the immediate backup or optional player(s) do not play or only has 1 PA, the starters 1 PA will be used. In the event that 2 starting OF's both only get 1PA, and the sub OF is used for one player, but no optional player subs are available the team will use the starting OF with 1PA that had the highest score for the day. In the event multiple players do not play or only have 1PA, available subs with 2PA are used first, then starters with 1PA, and then subs with 1PA. If the starter didn't play and multiple subs only had 1PA, the player with the highest score for the day will be used.

If any starter is rained out on a weekend game and the game is made up in the same weekend, the score of the make up game will be used in it's original spot. For example, a Friday game is rained out and made up Saturday as part of a double header. The specific game that is the make up game will be used in it's original spot on Friday. If the weekend rain out is not made up on the same weekend, a dnp will be given to starting players and a sub used. If a weekday game is rained out and made up on the weekend, it too will be used in the original spot. For example, a Thursday game is rained out and made up on Saturday. The specific game that is the make up game will be used in it's original spot on Thursday.

In the event of a weekend doubleheader that is not a make up of a rain out on the same weekend, and the starter plays both games, the highest game of the two games will be used. If a starting player is dnp for a weekend game, and the sub has a doubleheader, the same rule will apply. If a doubleheader is played during the M-TH games, both games will count.

If a suspended game is completed within the same fantasy week, the stats will count for the day the game was originally played. There would be one exception: if a suspended game is completed on the Monday following the week, the stats would still count for the original day. (For example a Sunday game suspended and completed the next day on Monday). We would just have to delay the stats for the week. For any game that is suspended and completed on a later date (later than the Monday following that week) we will count the stats for the suspended game on the day the game is suspended. When the game is finished weeks or months later any additional stats accumulated during the completion of the suspended game will not be used. A game must complete the top of the 5th inning for it to be considered official and stats used. Games suspended before the completion of the top of the 5th inning will not be used. In this scenario, stats on the day the game is completed will be used in full at that time.

If MLB teams have a scheduled off day on the weekend, starters will get a dnp and a sub used.

Entry Fees
There will be an entry fee of $225 and is due on draft day. If a team is drafting online only at the draft, payment must be made to the Commish prior to the draft. In the event that the entry fee is not paid by draft day, your team will be restricted from making any transactions until the entry fee is paid.

-Entry Fee Breakdown: $2580 Entry Fees Collected
-$225 Commish Fee
-$60 Website/Server
-$1575 Playoff Team Breakdown (6 Teams)
-$75 Division Winners (3 Teams)
-$475 Side-Pots
-$180 All-Star Weekend Pool
-$120 Playoff Pool

Prize Money
The total of all eligible fees collected will be returned to the league in the form of prize money. All Six (6) of the playoff teams that qualify for the post season will share in the prize money. All side pots will conclude at the end of the regular season.

Players may be used at more than one position during the season, but will only accumulate points for a specific position side pot on weeks they play that position.

Weekly Points Pool
The top 3 teams scores each week will receive the following prize: 1^st $9         2^nd $6       3^rd $3
The bottom 3 teams will have to pay the following amounts: 12^th $9    11^th $6      10^th $3

Team entry fees will be adjusted by money won or loss in the weekly points pool the following season. Any winnings or losses from the prior year, would be the responsibility of the owner that incurred them. If a team chooses not to come back to the league the following year, they would receive any winnings they may have won, as well must pay any losses they may have had. If a team does not pay off any losses, they would not be permitted to participate in ANY UAL Fantasy League until their debt is settled.

Post Season Play
The three Division Winners and three wild card teams from any division will qualify for the playoffs. The top 2 division winners will be seeds 1 and 2 and receive a bye in round one of the playoffs. The lowest division winner will be seed 3 and the 3 wildcard teams will be seeded 4-6. In Round One the #3 seed will play the #6, the #4 seed will play the #5 seed. In Round Two, the two wildcard round winners will play the two division winners, with the lowest remaining team playing the #1 division winner and the two remaining teams will play each other. In Round Three, the two remaining teams play for the league championship. Final order of finish will be determined by playoff seeding. In the event of a tie in a playoff matchup, the higher seeded team will advance.

Playoff Pool
There will be a playoff pool, $5 per entry. Teams will have two prepaid entries. The playoff pool is open to anyone and there is no limit on the number of entries. Lineups will be the standard 9 positions. Only 1 player from a MLB playoff team may be used in a lineup. No lineup changes are permitted, even for injury, once the MLB playoffs start. Lineups will be due the day before the first MLB playoff game. The prize fund will be set based on the total number of entries.

Tie Breakers
If at any time during the season a tie occurs with respect to records, the league will break ties as follows:
1) total team points (wins/ties(1/2 point) + top 7 finishes)
2) winning percentage ((wins + 1/2 point for ties)/games played)
3) head to head
4) record within division (*only in the event of a tie between two teams in the same division)
5) most points scored
6) most points scored against
7) coin flip

Transactions
All transaction request must be sent to the Commish. The daily transaction deadline is 3am. Transactions will also be processed Monday and Friday at the 5pm lineup deadline. (potentially earlier for players involved in an early game game on Monday or Friday).

Free Agents
Free agent add/drop moves are permitted during week 1. The first day for free agent add/drop moves is two days after the draft. Priority on claims during week 1 is the earliest drafted player.

If a team wishes to place a bid on more than one free agent during any given claim period, the owner must rank the players in an order of preference. Priority for free agent claims is determined by the team lower in the standings. The league will process one free agent claim for each team, before processing a second claim for any team.

Once the draft is completed, players must be on an active MLB roster in order to be claimed as a free agent. Players on the MLB IL or in the minors are not eligible to be claimed as a free agent. If a free agent is being recalled from the minors or activated from the MLB IL they must appear in a box score first, spend one day on waivers and then can be claimed the following day at 3am. (i.e. a player that first appears in a Monday game can be claimed at the Wednesday 3am deadline). If the first game a player appears in is on Thursday or Sunday, they can be claimed at the Fri/Mon 5pm lineup deadline.

A player acquired through free agency must stay on your roster until they are used in a lineup, with two exceptions. A free agent acquired may be traded during the same week or dropped to activate a player off the IL. A free agent can be placed on the IL in the same week they were claimed if eligible.

There will a limit of 5 add/drop transactions adding a Pitching Staff (at the PS position or optional position) during the season.

Rosters are frozen once the playoffs begin, only IL moves will be allowed during the playoffs.

Waiver Wire
All players dropped will go on waivers for 1 day (i.e. player is able to be claimed at the next available lineup or transaction deadline). Players dropped on Mon/Fri at 3am can be claimed on Mon/Fri by 5pm lineup deadline and are eligible for that lineup. Players dropped Mon/Fri at 5pm are available the next day at 3am. The same free agent claim rules (multiple claims, keeping a player on you rosters) applies for waiver wire claims.

Injured List
A player can be placed on the IL with any verifiable injury or suspension. It must be a substantiated injury, not just a player was given a day off for rest. Players who are a MLB free agent, sent to the minors, or released by their MLB team are IL eligible.

IL moves are permitted during week 1. Priority on claims during week 1 is the earliest drafted player.

Any player on the MLB IL or is activated from the MLB IL and has played in a game, must be replaced or activated. Teams will be given ONE lineup deadline (Mon/Fri 5pm) as a grace period. On the second lineup deadline, if a player is not replaced or activated, the following penalties will be enforced:
1) If a starting player is on the MLB IL, they will not receive a sub for missed games.
2) If a regular sub player (CI, MI, 4th OF, 2nd catcher) is on the MLB IL, no optional sub will be used for missed games. If the Optional 1 sub is on the MLB IL, the Optional 2 sub will not be used for missed games.
3) If a player has been activated from the MLB IL and played in a game, the player will be dropped.
Consideration will be given in determining when a player should be replaced or activated. For example, a player goes on or is activated from the MLB IL late Thursday or Friday during the day. The first lineup deadline would be Monday at 5pm.

If a suspended player is placed on the IL and will be activated in the middle of the week or weekend, teams will not be penalized for starting a IL player. For example, a player is suspended 4 games and has no game on Monday, he will sit out Tue-Fri and return Saturday. Teams can activate that player for the weekend and not be penalized for the missed Friday game.

Trades
Trades are permitted at anytime until the trading deadline. Owners must have a complete and balanced roster at the conclusion of a trade. In the event of a "2 for 1" trade, owners must release and/or acquire free agents to fill any roster voids. The trading deadline is the lineup deadline on the Monday of week #14 (July 1, 2024).

Draft Day Tidbits
The league will be using Fantrax website on draft night. There is a 2 minute time limit per pick. Owners must be ready to pick when it is their turn. If a team waits until the final seconds and fails to submit a pick they will receive the auto-pick.

Fines
Fines will be issued for an incomplete lineup when a player on the IL is started for more than one lineup deadline. A mulligan will be issued for the first offense and a $10 fine for all subsequent offenses. Fines will be deducted from any team winnings, or added to next year's entry fee. Fines will be used for league expenses or added to the prize fund if necessary.