BIG League Baseball Rules
Commissioner Jim Vagnini

I. The BIG League

The BIG League was founded in 1975.

The BIG League is a 24 team organization divided into two leagues with two divisions in each:

American League: 12 teams/2 divisions, Ken Griffey Jr. Division, Joe DiMaggio Division.

National League: 12 teams/2 divisions, Henry Aaron Division, Willie Mays Division.

Commissioner � Jim Vagnini

Web Design/Maintenance, 6gen3.

All in season database updates will be provided to you by the database manager Mark Hetterich.

The commissioner handles the day-to-day league business.

The commissioner has the final say in all league related business always taking the best interests of the league into consideration.

When necessary, there will be league issues presented to the league members for discussion or vote. This will be at the discretion of the commissioner.

BIG League business is handled exclusively online.

BIG League official information will be distributed by the commissioner and will also be available at the BIG League Baseball website.

The BIG League plays Diamond Mind Baseball/Version 12 with the current season player disk.

II. Roster Management

During the regular and post season, each team is allowed a maximum roster of 40 players of which a minimum of 26 players must have a game rating. A rated player may be moved from the active to inactive roster - and vice versa - before the start of each series, but not during a series. Players designated No Card [NC] count against your 40-player limit.

In September/October 28 players may be used of which a maximum of 13 pitchers can be used for each series. Position players with LESS than 25 at bats and pitchers with LESS than 15 innings pitched are limited to September/October play only. Their playing use is dictated by their real-life playing time and they are NOT eligible for the playoffs. Any overuse of these position players/pitchers will result in the loss of that player.

III. Regular Season

The BIG League official regular season schedule is the schedule in the DMB BIG League organization database.

Reference the BIG League Opening Day database for the complete regular season schedule.

The BIG League regular season is 160 games - 80 home games and 80 away games - and played from April through October.

There is no interleague play.

Road MPs are due to the home team manager and the database manager by the 1^st of the month and results are due to opponents and DB manager by the 25^th of the month (except in October when the results are due on the 15^th).

The database manager will supply the league with a new database as soon as all the series are played for the month.

IV. Regular Season Position Players/Pitchers Usage

Injuries are turned OFF.

Regular Season Position Players At Bat Limits: At Bat Limits are 110% of actual at bats rounded down, except for players with over 600 actual at bats will have no at bat limits.

Unlimited Position Players: If a position player has 150 or more at bats and an OPS (Slugging Average + On-Base Percentage) of .600 or less, the player has no at bat limits.

Gross overuse or underuse could cause the team to lose the player. Gross underuse is an indication of “tanking” to improve draft position. The loss of a player will be determined by a three-man committee at the end of a season along with other penalties for overuse.

The designated hitter is used.

Pitchers can bat starting the game if necessary to save at bats. Pitchers can pinch hit only if they have a position player or pinch-hitter rating. Pitchers can pinch run but cannot attempt to steal with one exception, Shohei Ohtani.

Regular Season Pitcher Usage Limits: Pitchers will be used in accordance with the game’s durability rating.

If the game gives a pitcher only a starter rating then he can only start or if he has only a reliever rating he can only be used as a reliever. Pitchers with an ERA less than 5.00 or over 7.00 are limited to 110% of their games started rounded down, or innings pitched if only rated as a reliever rounded down. EG: A relief pitcher has real life 33.1 IP his limit will be 110%, rounded down for a total of 36.0 IPA. If a starting pitcher has 33 GS that would round down to 36 GSA. If rated as a starter/reliever is limited to the adjusted number of starts and innings pitched both rounded down. The same rules apply for pitchers with less than 15 IP.

The Unlimited Earned Run Average is 5.00 to 7.00 for Pitchers with 15 or more Innings

If they had 2 starts and rated as a starter, then they can have up to 32 starts.

If they had 2 starts and rated as a starter/reliever they are limited to 180 innings (still limited to 32 starts if used as a starter only.

If they are rated as a reliever only, they can pitch up to 100 innings.

Starting pitchers must rest a minimum of three games between starts within a series.

Every team must carry enough at bats at each position for the entire season. One player can back up more than one position.

Playing a Position Player Out of Position Rules: Diamond Mind Baseball allows you to play a player at a position he is not rated to play. Catchers and infielders can only play a non-rated position in an emergency or unusual circumstance. Repeated use of a player or players at a non-rated position will result in disciplinary action. DMB has built into the game the ability to affect a players’ defensive liabilities when he is playing a position he is not rated to play. Outfielders are exempt from this rule. DMB provides an automatic downgrade in ability to any outfielder playing out of position.

V. Manager Profiles

For each series the visiting manager must provide the home team manager and the database manager with a Manager Profile for his team by the 1^st of each month. Disregard this rule when the series is going to be played face-to-face or via the internet.

Written instructions are not allowed.

Manager Profile [MP] Tips:

Make sure all of the players in your MP are active.

Make sure your pitching is set to "Strict"

For the subs on your depth chart, set the % by the names to "0". Otherwise the game will insert the subs into your starting lineup based on the % you have entered.

In the depth chart section and you want to control how and when your players are used, you should set usage to "Game by Game", if not you may use Track Stats. If you use Track Stats make sure there are percentages next to the subs name. Beware that the PT% is based on plate appearances, not at bats, and the pitchers PT% is for batters faced, not innings pitched.

VI. Series Reporting

Series reports are due at the 25^th of each month (except in October when they are due on the 15^th) of play deadline. Being on time with your monthly series reporting is of the utmost importance. If you are going to be late for any reason - it is your responsibility to inform the database manager and the commissioner.

After the completion of each months play a new database will be distributed for the next play period.

VII. Rule Violation Penalties

To Avoid penalties:

Notify the commissioner, database manager, and your opponents if you will be a few days late sending your away MP.

If for some reason you can’t play your home games within the deadline time frame, then ask the away manager or the database manager to play the games using the MP in the DB.

LATE SENDING MP

The first offense will result in a warning.

The second offense will result in the offending team not being able to participate in the next waiver wire.

The third offense will result in your last pick in the draft will drop one position, or if it is the last pick you have in the draft you will lose that pick. EG, if you have pick 7-20 your pick would change to pick 7-21.

LATE RESULTS REPORTING (This affects the whole league)

The first offense will result in a warning.

The second offenses will result in loss of your last draft pick available.

Further offenses will result in losing draft picks, starting with the last pick you have available.

OVERUSE

The usage report will be in Excel sent out at the end of every month starting in May and will also be on the website. Overused player stats will be in highlighted in yellow. Overused player/s will not be eligible to play the rest of the season or in the playoffs.

It is up to each manager to check their player usage and proceed accordingly.

If overused players are used again after the report is sent the player will be lost to the team.

Batter overuse will be determined by the following:

10 or less ab will be no penalty assessed.

11 to 20 ab will lose their 7^th round draft pick.

21 to 30 ab will lose their 6^th round draft pick.

31 to 40 ab will lose their 4^th round draft pick.

41 to 50 ab will lose their 3^rd round draft pick.

51 and above ab will lose either their 2^nd or 1^st round draft pick as determined by the team standing in their division and the tightness of the race.

Pitcher overuse will be determined by the following:

Pitchers that can relieve and start:

1 to 5 innings or 1 start will not be assessed a penalty.

6 to 10 innings will lose their 7^th round pick.

11 to 20 innings or 2 starts will lose their 5^th round pick.

21 or more innings or 3 starts will lose at least one of their remaining picks depending on how it affects their division and standing. The overuse committee will make a recommendation to the commissioner and he will make the final decision.

Pitchers that can only start:

1 start will not be assessed a penalty.

2 starts will lose their 5^th round pick.

3 or more starts will lose at least one of their remaining picks depending on how it affects their division and standing. The overuse committee will make a recommendation to the commissioner and he will make the final decision.

Batter/Pitcher Pick Loss Conflict

In the case of multiple players being overused and the same pick(s) being lost, the overuse committee will make a recommendation to the commissioner and he will make the final decision.

VIII. Trading

Trading officially starts with the completion of the current BIG League regular season and after overuse issues are taken care of.

You can trade any players on your roster and rookie draft picks for the current and next years’ draft.

After the current rookie draft you can trade draft picks 2 years down the road.

There will be a midseason trading period during the month of July (1-25). Trades will be reported to the league and will take effect the following month.

Report all trades via e-mail to: Commissioner and the league. The Commissioner will confirm receiving the trade. Once receiving confirmation the database will be changed at the end of the month.

IX. Waiver Wire Claims

The players on the waiver wire are those not on any BIG League team. These players can be found on the current BIG League database in the View>Organizer>Players department or Report>Standard>Batting Register or Pitching Register>Free Agents.

The waiver wire will be conducted like the draft, worst to first according to the current league standings. Ties will be broken according to the draft rules.

There is a limit of 4 draft transactions you can make in each waiver wire. You may send more than 4 players in the order you want to claim the players.

Waiver Drafts:

May, July and August

The waiver wire drafts deadline to send your cuts/claims list to the Database Manager is the 25^th of every month stated above, with the stipulation that all your home series have been played and reported.

The waiver wire cuts/claims results will be sent to everyone via e-mail along with the new Database.

XI. Rookie Draft Ground Rules & Dates

Players not on a BIG League team roster who receive a game rating by Diamond Mind Baseball are draft eligible in the rookie draft. No cuts can be made before the draft unless they are uncarded and didn’t play during the season. After the draft the rosters must be cut to 40 players.

The BIG League Rookie Draft will start on the 5^th of January. The commissioner will handle the draft.

The Rookie draft will not be timed unless it is taking an unusually long time for picks to be made. The draft will be held via email.

The BIG League uses the traditional order of regular season worst-to first winning percentage draft system. The tie Breaker Method is: 1. Head-to-Head results. 2. Most Runs Scored. 3. Least Runs Allowed, 4. Run Margin, 5. Coin toss.

The Rookie Draft results will be sent to everyone via e-mail in a new database after every round.

XII. Post-Season Play

The BIG League Post-Season will consist of 6 teams in each league, the 2 divisional winners and 4 other teams determined by the best records from each league no matter what division they are in. The tournament is played at the close of the regular season after overuse is determined. If there is tie, there will be a 1 game playoff to determine who moves on. The home team will be determined by best team vs team record, then by coin toss.

Overused players may not be used in the playoffs.

Roster size for all playoff series will be limited to 26 players.

The division winners will be seeded 1 & 2 and the other four teams with the best records in the league will be seeded 3, 4, 5 and 6.

Seed 5 will play seed 6 in a 3-game series 1-1-1.

The winner will play the 4^th seed in a 5-game series 2-2-1.

The winner will be the 4^th seed.

Seed 1 will play 4 and 2 will play 3. The two winners will play for their prospective league championship.

All remaining series will be played 2-3-2.

The winners of the LCS will then play in the World Series Best record has the home team advantage. If there is a tie, then the home team will be determined by odd even year. Odd year is AL, even year is NL.

XIII. Post-Season Play Position Players & Pitchers Usage

Position Players At Bat Limits:

All players with 25 or more AB will get 10% of their real-life AB rounded down. Players with less then 25 AB may not be used. EG: 235 real-life AB will be allowed to use 23 AB. (235 X .1 = 23.5 rounded down equals 23).

Pitcher Usage Limits:

All pitchers with 15 IP or more may be used, less than 15 IP may not be used.

Starting pitchers with a starter rating by DMB will be able to use 10% of the real-life starts rounded down. EG: 28 starts will be allowed 2 starts in the playoffs. (28 X .1 = 2.8 rounded down equals 2)

Relief pitchers will be able to use 10% of their real-life IP rounded down.

Starters will be able to relieve in the playoffs using the same constraints as relief pitchers.

Extra Innings Games: Any at bats or innings pitched used will not count against a player or pitchers playoff usage limits.

There will be a one travel day after games 2 and 5 [if necessary] for all 7 game playoff series.

There will be a one travel day after games 2 and 4 [if necessary] for all 5 game playoff series.

XIV. Rules Change Proposals

At the conclusion of the regular season the commissioner will send out an e-mail to everyone asking them if they have any rule change proposals. After receiving those proposals, the commissioner and the commissioner’s advisers will discuss to determine if any of the proposals are worth considering or putting up for a league vote.