LTFBL Rules
From Lp2 Wiki
LTFBL Rules:
updated 3/13/05)
Mission:
- The LTFBL is envisioned to become the most competitive and entertaining ongoing fantasy baseball league on the planet. Does that sound trite? Maybe so, but it’s true.
Teams:
- 12 teams: 11 separately managed teams and the “league-run” WAS/DC Nationals
The WAS/DC Nationals will be run by the commissioners, or an appointed officer, and will consist of only DC National players, unless situations arise in which a non-WAS/DC National player is used (detailed below).
This aspect of the league was implemented to add a unique element , which allows teams, for the most part, to compete against an actual MLB franchise.
The Nationals were chosen to represent an MLB franchise because their move from Montreal occurred the same year as the inaugural LTFBL season, not to mention a move to our nation's capital!
Rules governing the WAS/DC Nationals:
- Run by the commissioners (or an appointed official) at our discretion, in a manner that best benefits the team.
When the Nationals are playing head to head versus one of the commissioner's teams, the other commissioner will be in charge of making the appropriate changes for the Nationals. This eliminates any issues that may arise.
In the event the Nationals are short innings for the week, the best available pitcher, via Yahoo rankings, who is starting the following day, will be added to their rotation for that start (then dropped back to the FA list).
Changes to the Nationals lineups will be made twice a week, on Monday and Friday. An extra change may be made Saturday, if it looks as if the Nationals may not "make their innings."
When a player FROM the Nationals is traded in the MLB, that player will be “benched” and only used in emergency situations (when the team is short players, or innings).
When a player is traded TO the Nationals in the MLB:
If the player is owned by a current LTFBL team, the LTFBL team maintains the right to that player.
If the player is not owned by a current LTFBL team, the player will be picked up from the Free Agent List.
If the player is owned by a current LTFBL team and becomes an everyday player for the Nationals, the highest ranked everyday player on the free agent list, according to Yahoo's ranking system at the position open, will be picked up for the Nationals.
Nationals Starting "Utility Position" Rule:
- In the creation of the league, we realized that the Nationals play in the National League, with no DH. Since the LTFBL utilizes a "utility position," we formulated the following rule in order to keep the Nationals in the league and on a level playing field:
Nationals Starting "Utility Position" Rule: The Nationals, as stated above, "will consist of only WAS/DC National players, unless situations arise in which a non-WAS/DC National player is used (detailed above and below)."
The Nationals utility position player will be drafted in the same round as their draft spot. What does that mean? If the Nationals pick 5th overall, the National's utility position player will be drafted with the Nationals 5th round draft selection. If the Nationals pick 10th overall, the National's utility player will be drafted with the Nationals 10th round draft selection.
The utility player will be chosen based on Yahoo! rankings - the highest overall rated batter, based on the Yahoo! ranking system at the time of the draft selection, WILL BE chosen as the Nationals utility player.
Following this logic, it is possible the Nationals could have the # 1 overall pick in the entire draft, if they draw the 1st pick! In this case, they'd receive the best overall hitter according to Yahoo! This, of course, would be the best overall hitter AFTER all of the keepers are taking into account.
In every other round (all rounds except the "utility player round"), only WAS/DC Nationals players will be drafted.
In the case that the best available hitter according to Yahoo's ranking system is actually a member of the Nationals MLB team, the next best non-National hitter will be chosen.
If this player becomes injured during the year, or loses his "every day" status, the highest ranking everyday player (hitter) on the free agent list, will be picked up to replace the utility player until said player is off the DL.
This adds an extra exciting element to the LTFBL's "Draft Order Selection Day." Now, managers will have an interest as to where the Nationals will be picking!
Rosters and Roster Changes:
- Rosters will consist of 25 players.
There is no limit to how many drop/adds a team makes throughout the season, as we welcome more activity.
Trades are allowed, but subject to league approval, via Yahoo approval rules.
There are no limits to how many trades a team can consummate in one season.
For the starting rosters, we tried to create a balance in statistical scoring categories for both hitters and pitchers, as we feel that both the hitters and the pitchers should be equally important.
Inaugural starting rosters will consist of:
- Batters: 9 starting positions; C,1B,2B,3B,SS,LF,CF,RF,Util
Pitchers: 9 starting positions; SP,SP,SP,SP,RP,RP,RP,P,P
Bench: 7 Bench positions
DL: 1 DL position
Statistical Categories:
- Head to head competition, each team plays every team two (2) times during the regular season. A detailed explanation of the head to head scoring system can be attained by click on the "rules" link on the Yahoo! League Page.
Batters: 12 Scoring categories: R,1B,2B,3B,HR,RBI,SB,BB,K,E,AVG,OPS
Pitchers: 12 Scoring categories: W,L,CG,SV,ER,BB,GIDP,HLD,TB,ERA,WHIP,K/9
Innings:
- Each team MUST throw a minimum of 40 innings a week. If your team does not have 40 innings thrown by the last game on Sunday, your team WILL AUTOMATICALLY LOSE ALL 12 PITCHING CATEGORIES FOR THE WEEK, no matter if you're winning them or not! Yahoo makes this easy to track at the bottom of your team page. The innings thrown by your team will be updated each morning. This is, by far, the most important stat to keep up with throughout the course of the season!
Playoffs:
- The top 6 teams (overall regular season record) make the playoffs, using Yahoo's playoff system set-up. The winner is crowned “LTFBL Champs."
The Consolation Bracket is done via Yahoo's playoff system set-up
Keepers:
- The top nine (9) teams at the end of the season will be allowed three (3) keepers for the following season.
The bottom three (3) teams at the end of the season will only be allowed two (2) keepers (this includes the WAS/DC Nationals, though the Nationals will not have keepers, as they are redrafted each season). This will encourage teams at the bottom of the standings to compete through the end of the season.
Any team that is beat by the DC Nationals in the final regular season standings will only be allowed (1) keeper.
The LTFBL’s “Keeper Announcement Day” will be announced after the league champs are crowned.
To be eligible for a keeper, a player MUST have been drafted by your team, unless you traded for him. If you traded for him, he must have been drafted by a team and not "picked-up" from the Free Agent List.
Pick-ups from the Free Agent List are not eligible to be a keeper
Draft:
- The draft will be done each season via the Yahoo! online draft utility.
Each season, the draft order will be randomly selected by "drawing team names from a hat."
"Draft Order Selection Day" will take place over 12 days. Each day, the commissioner's office will release a draft spot, starting with draft spot # 12. The following day, the commissioner's office will release draft spot # 11 and so on, all the way until the top draft spot is announced..
The commissioners will email, as well as post the "keeper list" early enough before the draft to allow each manager ample time for review and to make any draft strategy adjustments based on this information.
Keepers are OFF-LIMITS during the draft.
Players who are property of the WAS/DC MLB franchise are OFF-LIMITS during the draft.
Keepers are to selected with your FIRST picks of the draft. For example, if your team is allotted 3 keepers, your keepers are to be chosen with your 1st, 2nd and 3rd round draft selections.
Draft selections CANNOT be traded.
If you must pre-rank your players, please make sure that all "keepers" and "WAS/DC National players are added to the yahoo "exclude players" list.
If you accidentally draft a keeper or a WAS/DC player, that draft pick is forfeited and the player must be DROPPED immediately once the draft is complete. You may pick-up another available player (IE free agent) once the erroneously drafted player has been dropped.
The Nationals utility position player will be drafted in the same round as their draft spot. What does that mean? If the Nationals pick 5th overall, the National's utility position player will be drafted with the Nationals 5th round draft selection. If the Nationals pick 10th overall, the National's utility player will be drafted with the Nationals 10th round draft selection. As stated above in the "Utility Position Rule."
Theme:
- Each year, the league will have a different theme. Team names will reflect that theme. In the inaugural season, the theme is/was "Sports Movies." Therefore, your team name has/had to have something to do with a sports movie (it didn't have to be the title of the movie, just something related to a specific sports movie). Each year, the commissioners will pick a few themes in which to choose from and the league will vote. Career records and stats (and such) will be based on the owner name, as the team names will change each season. On the official web page, we will keep track of all team names throughout the years, so that information will always be readily accessible.
Fees:
- There are no fees for the LTFBL. However, in future seasons, we may require a nominal fee (such as $10) to help provide prizes/awards for the regular season champion, league champion, as well as any other prizes the league sees fit on a year to year basis.
Prizes/Awards:
Prizes will be awarded to both the regular season champion, league champion, as well as any other prizes the league sees fit on a year to year basis. It is the commissioners joint opinion that winning the regular season title and winning the league playoff title are equally great accomplishments and thus the value of the prizes will be as equal as can be managed for both the regular season champion and the league champion. If the regular season champion and the league champion are the same, that manager will get both prizes/awards. Expect the prizes to revolve around the current season’s theme.
Activity and Participation:
- This is an active league and due to the set-up and make-up of the league, your participation is mandatory. I know, I know, why would someone sign up and not participate? Beats me, but it happens, a lot! If you fail to participate throughout the season, the integrity of the league suffers. This league is built around commitment. If for some reason, you must leave the league during the season, your team will be run with the same rules that guide the Nationals. If this happens, please NOTIFY the commissioners immediately. Everyday that your team goes idle is one day an unfair advantage is presented to the league. Each team MUST allow commissioner access to their team. If you do not have this box checked, CHECK IT NOW!
Closing Statment:
- "Unlike most leagues, we plan for it to be around as long as fantasy baseball is! I'd like to premise everything by saying, we only want people who are very competitive, care about their team whether they win or lose, will never give up and are committed for the long haul. We are going to be a league filled with fantasy baseball fans that want to be a part of the LTFBL for as long as the league is alive!! If you love fantasy baseball, have a passion for the game, are competitive, and committed, this is for you! I promise you this will be the only fantasy baseball league that you'll ever want to be in!"
If you're a member of the LTFBL, congratulations, consider it an honor. The information to the league did not go out to many people and the invite to the league went out to only the best of the best. This was definitely not a "send it to a million people and hope you get 11 guys" type of league. If we couldn't get the best, we wouldn't have created it.
You are the few, the proud, the LTFBL.
