Official SBML Rules

I.  League Setup

  1. Divisions
    1. The league will consist of 12 teams split into 3 divisions: the Eric Bondy Division, the Neyman-Pearson Division and the R. A. Fisher Division.
    2. The divisions will be reconfigured every year by the following rules:
      1. The first and third place teams in each division will remain in the same division.
      2. The second place teams in each division will change divisions as follows:
        Bondy to Neyman-Pearson
        Neyman-Pearson to Fisher
        Fisher to Bondy
      3. The fourth place teams in each division will change divisions as follows:
        Bondy to Fisher
        Neyman-Pearson to Bondy
        Fisher to Neyman-Pearson
      4. In the event of a tie, the season record between the two tied teams will be used with the winner of the head-to-head series placing higher in the standings. If the season series was tied, then the team with the higher Net Run Production for the season will take the higher place in the standings.
  2. Rosters
    1. Teams will nominally consist of 25 players. 26 players after the mid-season draft.
    2. Rosters of fewer or greater than 25 players are allowed as trades are made.

II.  Pre-Season

  1. Protected List
    1. Following the season (usually the end of January) each team will submit a list of (up to) 16 players to be retained for the next season.
    2. The number of retained/protected players is subtracted from 25 to determine the total number of draft picks allotted to each team.
  2. Restocking Draft
    1. The annual restocking draft will consist of two rounds. In each round, a team makes all of their allotted picks before the next team picks in that round. Any draft pick can be traded.
    2. In Round 1 each team will have two picks.
    3. The number of picks in round 2 for each team will be 25 minus the team's total number of first round picks and protected players.
    4. Once the number of 2nd round picks is fixed, subsequent trades may result in rosters of greater or fewer than 25 players.
    5. The drafting order will be in reverse order of the previous season’s standings. Ties will be broken by head to head record(s) followed by net run productions if needed. Worst team(s) get the choice of going earlier in round 1 or in round 2. A sequential application may be necessary if more than two teams are involved.

III. The Season

  1. Schedule of Games
    1. Regular season games can be played on any date on which at least 24 of the 30 major league teams are scheduled to play.
    2. The regular season will run from opening day to the end of August.
    3. Playoff dates will begin as soon as possible in September and can only be played on dates when all 32 major league teams are scheduled to play.
    4. If fewer than 12 major league games are played on a given date due to rain-outs or other cancellations, the SBML games are considered rained out and the games will be made up as a double header on the next available game date on which SBML teams are not scheduled to play the same team they were scheduled to play on the rained out date.
    5. The schedule should be constructed using these guidelines:
      1. The start of the season should be an 11 game round robin.
      2. The previous year's World Series teams should meet on opening day.
      3. The end of the regular season should be a 2-game round robin within the division.
      4. The rest of the regular season should consist of several 3-game round robins within division (avoid having all 3 games played on the same weekend if possible), a 2-game round robin outside the division, a 2-game 11 team round robin, and whatever else is needed to fill out the schedule.
      5. Play as many games as possible with roughly 45% of games played within the division.
      6. Try to "even out" the number of times each major league team is not scheduled to play on an SBML game date.
  2. Lineups
    1. Positions (C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, OF, DH) can be listed in any order of preference. DH should be listed last.
    2. Only one position is required for OF, there is no distinction between LF, CF, or RF.
    3. The first 2 players listed at a position (4 for OF) must have played at least 40 games at that position in the previous season or through the latest month of the current season. Any player can be listed at DH. A player may be listed first at only one position, but may back up as many position as eligible.
    4. Players listed after the first 2 players must have played at least one game at that position in the previous or through the latest month of current season.
    5. The * player: a player who does not meet the 40-game requirement may be listed 1st or 2nd at a position with an *. Such a player must play that position on the day of the game to be counted in the box score. One * player is allowed at each position (3 for OF). If an * player is listed, the required number of 40-game players must still be present before listing any other eligible players.
    6. The @ player: a player who does not meet the 1-game requirement may be listed anywhere starting at the 3rd position with an @. Such a player must also play that position to be counted in the box score. There is no limit to the number of @ players that may be listed.
    7. Any 40-game player or * player listed first at a position may not be used to satisfy one of the 40-game requirements at a subsequent position.

      Examples:

      Assume Smith, Jones are 40-game 1B; Smith, Jones, Wilson, White are 40 game 2B

      Legal:1B  Smith Jones2B  Wilson Jones
      Legal:1B  Smith Jones2B  Jones Wilson
      Not legal:1B  Smith Jones2B  Wilson Smith
      Legal:1B  *Wilson Smith Jones2B  Jones White
      Not legal:1B  *Wilson Smith Jones2B  Wilson Jones
      Not legal:1B  *Wilson Smith Jones2B  Smith Jones
      Legal:1B  Smith *Wilson Jones2B  Wilson Jones
      Legal:1B  Smith *Wilson Jones2B  Jones Wilson

      NOTE: All "Not legal" examples can be made "Legal" by adding a 40-game player at 2B in 3rd position.

    8. Position eligibility rules do not apply to any player listed at DH.
  3. The Box Score
    1. These box score statistics for each player are used to fill out a SBML box score: AB, 1B, 2B, 3B, HR, SB, SAC, SF, HBP, E and PB.
    2. Positions are filled in the order designated in the submitted lineup.
    3. Players withing a position are filled in the box score using the first player who is listed in a major league box score on the day of the game (applying all rules for * and @ players). If the player played in both games of a doubleheader, only the statistics from the first game are used. If the player played only in the second game of a doubleheader, then the statistics from the second game are used for that player.
    4. If none of the players listed at a position appear in a major league box score, the position is given 4 at bats and 0 in all other categories.
    5. Errors committed by the player filling the DH position are included in the box score.
    6. A player must be listed in the Batters section of the Box Score in order for his statistics to count.
  4. Computing Runs Scored
    1. Sum each statistic (AB, 1B, 2B, 3B, HR, SB, SAC, SF, HBP, E and PB) for all 9 players for each team.
    2. Runs=(20*1B+30*2B+47*3B+52*HR+7*(SB+SAC+SF+HBP))/AB+0.5*(OPP_E+OPP_PB)-3
    3. If the difference in runs is less than 0.25 runs, the the game will continue into “extra innings” by adding the next available player for each team from the DH column and recalculating the entire game score. If one team has exhausted all available players, then that team will be given 4 at bats and 0 in all the other categories. This process will continue until one team has won by at least 0.25 runs or both teams have used all of their available players.
    4. If, after both teams have exhausted all available players, the difference in runs between the two teams is still less than 0.25 runs the game is considered a tie and will be replayed in its entirety on the next available scheduled game day. In the event of a tie on the last scheduled regular season game, the start of the playoffs would be pushed back.
    5. Stats from major league games that are suspended will used for SBML games.
    6. MLB.com box scores are the final authority for game day stats.
    7. Scoring corrections may be made within one week of the game date or one day after the season ends, whichever is sooner.
  5. Trades
    1. Players and draft picks can be traded at any time. Trades during the season will take effect on the 1st of the following month.
    2. In order for a traded player to be used during the current season, the trade must be completed before August 1.
  6. Mid-Season Draft
    1. A one-player mid-season draft will be held in late May. The new players are added to the June lineups. The draft order will be in reverse order of the standings at a date in mid-May determined by the Commissioner.
    2. Ties in drafting order are broken by head to head W/L record or if more than two teams are involved, W/L record versus all other teams. If still tied, net run production is used - lower Net R.P. gets the earlier pick.
    3. Players selected in the mid-season draft may not be protected for the next season. they may be traded during the rest of the current season.

IV. Post-Season

  1. Playoffs
    1. Division winners and one wild card (best W/L record) make the playoffs.
    2. An extra game is used to break ties to determine which teams get into the playoffs or to determine division winners, but not to break ties in the playoff seeding.
    3. The four teams are seeded based only on W/L record. Ties are broken by head to head W/L record, then net run production. The better W/L record or net r.p. gets the higher seed.
    4. Round 1 has seed #1 vs #4, #2 vs #3. Winners advance to the World Series.
    5. All playoff series are best of 7 games.
  2. Awards
    1. A traveling trophy is presented to the winner of the World Series.
    2. The previous year's winner is responsible for updating the trophy and sending it to the new winner.

V. Administration

  1. Commissioner. Responsibilities:
    1. To make decisions in the best interest of the SBML.
    2. Be the focal point of league-wide communication.
    3. Manage the draft including obtaining protected lists, ensuring that the draft is proceeding along, sending out a summary after each round.
    4. Construct the schedule.
    5. Ensure that initial lineups have been submitted.
    6. Oversee the production of the annual yearbook
  2. Deputy Commissioner. Responsibilities:
    1. Assist the Commissioner when needed.
    2. Temporarily assume the duties of Commissioner if the Commissioner becomes incapacitated.
  3. Webmaster. Responsibilities:
    1. Develop and maintain the SBML web site.
    2. Ensure that the current month's lineups are active and available prior to the start of games for the month.
    3. Update yearly databases and web pages at the conclusion of each season.
  4. All decisions and rulings will be made in the best interest of SBML.

VI. Rule Changes

  1. Changes to SBML rules may be proposed by any owner and may be put up to vote by the Commissioner if there appears to be sufficient interest.
  2. A vote of 2/3 of the owners is needed to change an existing rule. A vote of a majority of the owners is necessary to add a new rule.
  3. An abstention is considered a vote in favor of any proposal put to a vote.