Chicago-Land Strat-o-matic Baseball League

I. Organization

1. The league will consist of 8 teams, with 4 of the teams playing in the “Long Division”, playing 162 games, and 4 of the teams playing in the “Short Division”, playing 132 games. 
2. The league office will consist of the following officers:
1. Commissioner- Tony Calabrese
2. Vice-Commissioner- Dave Shaw
3. WebMaster - Joe Ingraffia
4. Statisticians- Dave Shaw
5. Treasurer - Jim Calabrese
6. Trade Committee-
Representatives of all franchises EXCEPT those involved in trade or protestor.
 
3. The Commissioners Office will have the following duties:
1. Oversee league operation.
2. Decide on issues not specifically covered by the Constitution.
3. Send team statistics to the Managers at the 1/3 point, 2/3 point and final point of games played schedule.
4. Clear and announce all trades and option picks.
5. Conduct the end of season draft.
6. Prepare the schedule for each season.
7. Decide on protests and arrange replays, if necessary.
8. Decide questions regarding Constitution interpretation.
9. Update Website and monitor bulletin board.
10. Assess penalty points.
11. Keep league standings up to date.


4. The Trade Committee shall have the following duties:

Review all trades which have been protested by any league member - two teams involved in trade and protesting team will be recused form voting - balance of remaining teams will be surveyed by the commissioner (or designee) - majority vote decides YEAH or NAY on proposed trade.

 

5. The Statistician shall have the following duties:
1. Record the official league statistics.
2. Retain the league stat forms for each team for the season.
3. Send team statistics to the managers after 54, 108, and 162 games.
4. Assist managers in sending complete stats to other managers following trades.
5. Furnish league leaders to the Commissioner's office for publication in the newsletter.
6. Keep official League Roster up to date. 
7. Track penalty points (if any) assessed to each team.

 

6. The Treasurer shall have the following duties: Handle the League Budget, fees and the ordering of trophies.
    

II. Annual Fees

1. Annually league fees will be due and payable at the Draft. The amount of fees will be determined by the Treasurer. For 2013 the fees were $13 for Sole Manager Teams.

III. Awards

1. A Plaque will be purchased from league funds and will be awarded to the World Series winner.
2. Plaques will be awarded to the divisional winners.

IV. Schedules and Formats

1. Each team will play the number of games required of their division (Long – 162 games, Short 132 games) with the same number of home and away games.
2. A league schedule will be provided to all managers prior to the beginning of the season.
3. Each manager will be supplied with a full roster at the beginning of the season and will be responsible for keeping it up to date by noting all trades and roster changes detailed by mail or E-mail.
4. Each manager is responsible for playing games and reporting results by specific dates (see PENALTIES/REWARDS).
5. Each manager must advise the Commissioner of series results by the scheduled due dates. Stats for each team shall be submitted to the statistician three (3) times each season; at the 1/3 point, 2/3 point (trading deadline) and at the final point of games played schedule (end of season)
6. Managers will be responsible for making sure that their players are not overused (see PENALTIES).
7. A league stat form will be sent to each manager prior to the beginning of the season. All stats must be reported on this form (see PENALTIES). 

V. Rosters

1. Each team will be allowed to have a roster of 40 players during the playing season. If a trade or option claim causes a team to exceed this number, an appropriate number of players must be released in order to bring the total down to 40. This limitation does not apply to roster size during the off season.
2. The 40 players on the Roster shall be divided between the “Majors” and “Taxi Squad”.
3. The “Majors” shall consist of the required 26 players noted as “Active” to play in any series.
4. Players on the "Active List" can be interchanged from series to series, but the "Majors" must remain the same for both the Home and Away portions of a series, except in the case of an injury (see INJURIES). The "Majors" roster for each series must include a LEGAL backup (minimum 350 TABS/catcher 300 TABS) for each position, except for a player who, at the start of the season, can not be injured.
5. The Taxi Squad will consist of 5 players (or as modified by League action PENALTIES/REWARDS). Players on this list are automatically protected for the following year. The Taxi Squad will be declared at the 2/3 point of the season. (Trade deadline) No player who has ever been listed as being on the “Majors” may be taxied.
6. Taxi players may be traded for another taxi player or even for a non-taxied player but the player receiving a Taxi Player must conform to the number of Taxi Players as the league has announced at the time.

VI. Definitions

1. TAB, Total at Bats. This is the number of At Bats plus Walks which appear on the basic side of the cards. Adding these figures will determine a player's usage for the season. When compiling stats for games played during the season, a sacrifice or HBP does not count as a TAB.
2. SAVE, A relief pitcher will be credited with a Save when he meets the following conditions:
1. He is the finishing pitcher in a game won by his team and;
2. He is not the winning pitcher and;
3. He qualifies under one of the following conditions:
1. He enters the game with a lead of no more than three runs and pitches for at least one inning, or
2. He enters the game with the potential tying run either at bat or on deck. (The tying run could be scored by one of the first two batters the reliever faces), or
3. He pitches effectively for at least three innings.
3. CG - Complete Game. A pitcher will be credited with a CG if he is the only pitcher used by his team in a game even if he pitches more or less than 9 innings. A pitcher does not receive credit for a CG if he pitches 9 innings and then is replaced in an extra inning game.
4. UR - Unearned Run. A run which scores during an inning that would not have scored if an error-free (or passed ball-free) inning had been played. After an inning in which an error (or PB) occurred and a run scored is over, mentally substitute an out for the error (or place the runner back to the base he occupied before the PB) and see if the subsequent events would have caused the run to score. If the run would not have scored without the error (or PB), then the run is unearned. If it would have scored anyway, then the run is earned.

VII. Statistics

1. Each manager will be required to report the following statistics for his team (except those denoted as optional. All players must be listed in alphabetical order on the stat forms. Hitting and fielding statistics for pitchers must be combined under the name Pitchers and placed at the end of the stats for the players on the stat forms.
2. Hitting and Fielding statistics.
1. Games (optional)
2. At-Bats
3. Runs
4. Hits
5. RBIs
6. Doubles
7. Triples
8. Home Runs
9. Stolen Bases
10. Caught Stealing, includes pick-offs (optional)
11. Walks
12. Strikeouts (optional)
13. Errors (optional)
14. Injury Days
15. Hit By Pitch
3. Pitching statistics
1. Games
2. CG (optional)
3. Shutouts (optional)
4. Innings Pitched
5. Hits
6. Runs
7. Earned Runs
8. Strikeouts
9. Walks
10. Home Runs Allowed
11. Wins
12. Losses
13. Saves
4. A manager must list all 26 players that were in the majors for any series on his stat form. This will assist the League Office in determining the players who are eligible to be taxied. 

VIII. Trading

1. Trades will be allowed between managers and may involve players or draft choices subject to the following rules.
2. Trading will be divided into three trading blocks.
3. Block 1 is the traditional off season. It extends from the "Draft" until the season begins. Trades made during this block take effect immediately and players may play for their new teams at the beginning of the season.
4. Block 2 extends from the start of the season until the in season "trade deadline".  These trades take effect at the 109 game mark on the schedule.  the EXACT date of the "trade deadline" will be posted on the annual league schedule.
5. Block 3 begins the day after the in season "trade deadline".  These trades take effect at the conclusion of the current season. These players cannot be used by their managers until the following season.
6. Block 4 is from two(2) weeks prior to the draft, to the draft. No trades may occur during this time as the league office will be preparing for the end of season draft.
7. Exact dates will be announced each year and all managers will be provided ample notification.
8. No trade is considered official until it has been confirmed by the league office.
9. Draft choices may be traded, but only for the upcoming year. At the conclusion of the season (all games played by BOTH teams), draft picks may be traded for the following year.
10. No more than a net loss of two draft choices may be the result of trades until a manager has completed at least one full season.
11. No more than two of the first five draft choices may be traded, unless a team receives other first through fifth round draft choices.
12. A team cannot trade more than a net 5 draft choices in a given year.
13. No trade for "a player to be named later" will be allowed.
14. The Trade Committee may void any trade that is not in the best interest of the league.
15. No "loaning" of a player is allowed and the league office may void any trade construed to represent a loan.
16. A protected roster spot may not be traded.
17. If expansion is to take place, an expansion draft pick may not be traded.
18. Option Draft positions may be traded "one-for-one" prior to the option draft meeting.

IX. Pitcher's Usage

1. Pitchers are limited to the following usage:
• 45(+) Innings -Actual Innings on card
• Under 45 Innings -May not be used
• 35-44 Innings, may be drafted but cannot used
2. A Starter/Reliever must become the type of pitcher which is underlined on his card. If there is no underline, the manager must decide at the start of each series which type of pitcher he is and this decision cannot be changed during the series played.
3. We will be using a continual season rotation known as the Master Rotation Form. This form will be distributed to all managers prior to the beginning of the season.
4. Pure starters may not relieve, and pure relievers may not start.
5. Starting pitchers with an asterisk may pitch with three days rest. The league will allow an asterisk be given any starting pitcher who has pitched 200(+) innings and has started 30(+) games. All other pitchers need four days rest between each start.
6. A Starting pitcher must pitch at least four innings unless he allows three or more runs, or has become weak. A Starting pitcher must have at least 4 innings of usage left in order to start a game. Of course, a pitcher injured during the first 4 innings must be removed (see G., below).
7. Pitchers may be injured. If an injury occurs to a pitcher, consult the Injury Chart.
8. All pitchers become tired when they have pitched two (2) innings past their weakness inning listed on their cards, and are still on or take the mound to face the next batter. Example- A Starter (8) is weak after completing his 10th inning pitched if he takes the mound to start the 11th. A reliever (3) is weak after completing his 5th inning pitched if he stays in the game or takes the mound to face the next batter.
9. A pitcher can become weak before his normal endurance factor if he gives up 5 runs in any 1 inning, 6 runs in any 2 consecutive innings, or 7 runs in any 3 consecutive innings.  Once a pitcher has reached his endurance inning, it will take only three base runners in one inning or two base runners in each of two consecutive innings to make a pitcher weak.
10. A reliever who reaches his point of weakness (POW) is considered to be weak until he has had a complete game of rest, unless it is the last game of the series. For clarification, a relievers endurance shall be calculated by number of outs recorded. Example- a reliever (2) will reach his endurance level after recording 3 outs. All pitchers that have pitched three (3) innings past their weakness inning listed on their cards, and are still on or take the mound to face the next batter, will require two complete games of rest.
11. A HBP, or an error does not count towards the weakness of a pitcher.
12. An Intentional walk does not count toward the weakness of a pitcher.
13. Relief pitchers will be subjected to "weakness" under the Strat-O-Matic "closer rule". A closer situation occurs when the defensive team has the lead and the tying run is on base or at bat from the 9th inning on. When this situation occurs, use the relief pitcher's "Closer Endurance" to determine the number of outs he can record before he becomes weak upon the NEXT hit or walk allowed.

X. Hitter's Usage

1. Hitters are limited to the following usage:
• 250+ TABS -Actual TABS on card
• <250 TABS -May not be used
2. Any player issued a card and with 250(+) TABS is eligible to play, per the following chart.
• 350(+) TABS/Catchers 300 TABS may start any game
• 250(+) TABS may appear as a pinch hitter or pinch runner at any time. They may stay in the lineup or play the field after the 7th Inning.
3. A hitter with 50-250 TABS may be drafted but cannot be used.
4. Cards without a position listed on them may used as a 1B5e30.
5. Except as detailed above, or because of injuries, a player cannot play a position which is not listed on his card.
6. A player may not be pinch hit for if he is the last player available to play a given position. In other words, you cannot pinch hit for weak hitter unless you have a backup fielder to play the position. The same applies to pinch running. 

XI. Injuries

1. The Injury Chart will be used when an injury occurs. A copy of this chart will be supplied to each manager.
2. A player may be injured for a limited amount of games based on the actual TABS on his card. Refer to the Injury Chart for these limits.
3. "Rest of game" injuries do not count as a day of injury, unless the injury occurred prior to the start of the 5th inning. Once a player has reached his injury limit, the player cannot be injured, even for the "rest of game".
4. The game in which the player was injured will count as a day of injury if the player was injured prior to the 5th inning.
5. No injury will carry over from one series to the next. A players injury allotment will only be credited for the number of games missed because of injury.
6. If you have no backup for a position when an injury occurs, the following procedure should be followed:
1. A player who has not appeared in the game must replace the injured player. An infielder must replace an infielder, and an outfielder must replace an outfielder, whenever possible. Any position player may play catcher. A player with no position on his card can only be used if he is the last available player. If no position players are left a pitcher can be used.
2. The player will be rated a "5" with the highest "e" number for that position. The throwing arm of a "5" will be +5. A catcher "5" will have a "T" rating of 1-20.
3. A flyball B? hit to an outfield "5" will be a flyball B.
4. If a reliever is injured and there are no other relief pitchers available to enter the game, the injured pitcher will be considered weak and allowed to finish the game. However, he will be ineligible for the rest of the series. 

XII. Special Rules

1. We will be using all of SOM's advanced game rules with the following clarification's, modifications and/or additions.
2. Stealing
1. We will use SOM's supplementary stealing system, including the pitcher's holding ratings.
2. If you must steal during a squeeze, sacrifice, or hit and run attempt, use the following procedure. If you have already attempted to get a good lead, use that result. If not, roll for it at this point and use the result to determine the split number for the steal attempt.
3. Pitchers running speed will be rated 2-12 for a good lead, and (7-0), unless specified on the Strat-O-Matic Player Roster Listing which is provided with the cards each season.
4. If a runner is picked off, record it as a caught stealing for statistical purposes.,
5. Use SOM's system as printed for all situations not covered.
6. See Modification D (below) regarding the holding of runners.
7. The League will incorporate the super-advanced delayed steal of home option.
8. The defensive manager may elect not to throw on any steal attempt, thus conceding the stolen base, but avoiding the "T" rating error possibility.
3. If a bunt is anticipated but a DP is still desired, teams may play the "Corners-In". This allows a DP to be hit to the 2B or SS, while the runner on third scores. Refer to the Groundball Results Chart(s) - Infield "In" for balls hit to Third, First, or Pitcher - Infield "Back" for balls hit to Second or Short.
4. Holding cannot be used at the same time the infield is in. If the corners are "in", a runner can be held on first or third.
5. Infield-in or corners-in can be used at any time, not just when a runner is on third. Whenever there is a runner on third and a ground ball is hit to the pitcher, regardless of the defensive infield position - the pitcher is considered "In".
6. You may bunt for a hit using the Sacrifice Chart. If a bunt is attempted and the result is 1AND2, you cannot attempt to "Hit & Run".
7. If the offense elects to lay down a sacrifice bunt, the defensive manager CANNOT concede the sacrifice, thus avoiding the possibility of the batter beating out the "perfectly" placed bunt.
8. FlyballB? Add Two to the runner's rating for the tag up (regardless of number of outs), then figure in the outfielder's arm and roll the split.
9. Switch hitters must bat opposite of the way the pitcher throws.
10. Taking an extra base. If runners are on base and the batter gets a hit with no * after it, the following procedure will be used when the lead runner can attempt to score on the hit.
1. The offensive team decides if the lead runner is going. Remember the batter cannot try for an extra base unless another runner is going.
2. Running ratings for all base runners (batter included) are calculated including throwing arms and if there are two outs.
3. Add one (1) to the running rating if the runner IS NOT HELD; subtract one (1) from the running rating if the runner IS HELD. The batter does not benefit when attempting to advance with two outs. All trailing runners should be adjusted by (-5)
4. The defensive team can concede the lead base (or bases, if two runners on base are attempting to advance) and prevent the trailing runners from advancing another base.
5. If the defensive manager elects to throw he must announce that fact, but does not, at this point, indicate to which base he is throwing. At this point, the offensive manager must declare if the trailing runner(s) are attempting to advance.
6. The defensive team then declares to which base he is throwing (the runner attempting to score or the lead trailing runner), the split is calculated, and rolled to determine the outcome. If a runner scores at the same time another runner is out on the bases for the third out, it is assumed the run scored before the putout, and is counted on the scoreboard.
7. On throws to third - add (2) for throws from right field, and subtract (2) for throws from left field.
11. If the lead runner attempting to reach third base on a single and the defensive manager elects to throw rather than "cut", the batter will take second base automatically. In this instance there can be no throw to second base to attempt to stop the trailing runner (the batter) from advancing to second base.
12. On a fly(rf)B ONLY, a runner at second base may attempt to advance to third. To calculate safe chance, use baserunner's running rating +/- right fielder's arm, +2 for throws to third. The only OUT chance is a roll of 20, any roll between "safe chance" and 20, runner holds at 2nd base.
13. There is no DH.
14. A dice tube will be used for all games. Managers must agree on how to handle cocked rolls prior to start of series.
15. When the opposing team attempts a double steal, you must throw for the lead runner.
16. On a flyball B?, add two (2) to the running rating of all runners attempting to advance.
17. The offensive manager rolls all 20-sided die chances.
18. The defensive manager must declare any defensive maneuver prior to an offensive strategy being declared. NOTE; the offensive manager must allow the defensive manager sufficient time to declare his strategy.
19. The offensive manager must declare when his opponents pitcher is weak before any dots count as 1B**. If he does not notify his opponent before the dice roll, the out is still recorded.
20. The offensive manager shall declare the result when the roll is on the hitter's card. The defensive manager shall declare the result when the roll is on the pitcher's card.
21. If a runner attempts to get a good lead and fails, he cannot be removed for a pinch runner.
22. If a player is entered in the starting lineup, he must bat once and play the field for at least one inning before he can be replaced. The only exceptions are injuries and when a pitching change occurs.
23. A relief pitcher must pitch to at least one batter before he can be removed. If he faced at least one batter in a previous inning, he can be replaced before facing a batter the next inning.
24. If there are men on 1st and 3rd, a manager may attempt to steal 2nd without the runner on 3rd attempting to steal home. The offensive manager must state if the runner on 3rd is attempting to steal. If he is, refer to the Strat-O-Matic delayed steal of home provisions.
• Note: If you are holding the runner on 1st, the runner on 3rd is also considered to be held.
25. If the Hit & Run strategy is used with a runner on 2nd base, and the runner has failed to get the lead on an attempted steal, the runner is automatically "caught stealing".
26. If a manager requests his opponent's pitching rotation prior to their series, the manager must provide this information, even if the requesting manager has not set his "Majors" roster. This includes the playoffs.
27. The offensive team may elect to sacrifice with runners on 1st and 3rd, without the runner attempting to score from third. The offensive manager must declare this before the dice roll, and the runner on 3rd will not score, even if the batter beats out the bunt. If the result is DP, the runner on first is doubled-up - not the runner on third, who "holds" the base on the sacrifice attempt.
28. Two-carded player usage. In the event a Major League player is traded from one league to the other and is therefore issued a card for each league and a combo card, or one card for one league and a combo card - ONLY the combo card can be used.  In any case, a starting pitcher with 200 innings pitched and 30 starts, shall be classified a (*) Starter.
29. The defensive manager may elect to play the outfield in. On a flyB? the adjustment will be (-7) instead of the normal (+2). Any FlyA, or FlyB will be considered a single**. 

XIII. Penalties

1. OVERUSAGE
    
   1.      Player Overage – For 1st instance of overuse, loss of 8th round pick.  
   Each additional instance of overuse is a loss of the 7th round pick, then 6th…etc.  If any of those rounds selections are not available, the pick in the next earliest round applies.
   2.      If player is overused by 5% or more – player dropped from roster. This is in ADDITION to any pick loss listed in point #1 above.
   Any action felt to be detrimental to the league may result in the loss draft choices, cash, assessment of penalty points, or expulsion from the league at the discretion of the league office. 

XIV. Play-offs

1. The play-offs will involve the top two (2) teams of both divisions.
2. The top 2 teams in each division will compete in a 7 game series to determine championship.
3. The preliminary rounds of the division play-offs will be 5 game series. The second and third place finishing teams in each division will compete, with the winner facing the first place team,, which will be a 7 game series.
4. In the event teams within the division have identical records, head to head, and divisional records will act as tie-breakers. In the event two teams tie for first place in either division, there will be a 5 game play- off to determine the division champion. The above tie-breakers will be used to determine Home field advantage.
5. The World Series will be a 7 game series.
6. The following schedule will be used for pitching rotations during the play-offs.
1. Division Playoff & World Series:
Game 1, Game 2, Off Day, Game 3, Game 4, Game 5, Off Day, Game 6, Game 7
2. Play-off games will be 2-Home, 3-Away, 2-Home for the World Series.
7. Rosters will be 26 players in size and cannot change for the entire playoffs.
8. A team must have completed its' season and have provide all stats to the league office in order to be eligible for the playoffs
9. No player may injured during the playoffs.
10. Playoff roster qualifications rules are as follows:

XV. Protected List

1. On or around October 15, each Manager will submit a list of 14 “Major” Players., who in addition to the Taxi Squad will be protected.
2. To encourage Managers to both play games and submit stats on time, the following rewards are implemented
   
   1/3 of the year – game must be played and stats turned in.
   
   2/3 of year – if all games played current, and 2/3 stats turned in – the Manager is granted 1 additional Taxi Squad Player (the player chosen must conform to all Taxi requirements – never on “Majors”.
   
   Year end – if all games played, and all stats turned in – the Manager will be allowed an additional “Protect” Spot.
   
   Total Conformance Bonus – if the Manager was timely on the 1/3, 2/3 and year end games played and stats submitted the Manager will receive an additional Protect Spot.
   
   All told these bonuses will allow a team to keep (14) Regular + (5) Taxi + 2/3 stats/played (1) Taxi, + final stats/games played (+1) Protect and final Total Conformance (+1) Protect
   
   14 (P) + 5 (T) + 1 (T) + 1(P) +1(P)= 22 players