I. Each team must have the following players on it's active roster:
10
pitchers
5
outfielders
2
catchers
1
second baseman
1
shortstop
1
second baseman or shortstop
1
first baseman
1
third baseman
1
first baseman or third baseman
1
utility player
II. Players are eligible to play positions according to the following '3&5' game rules:
A. He played 5 or more games at the position last year in the Major Leagues.
B. He played 3 or more games at the position this year in the Major Leagues.
C. Players that do not qualify using the above 3&5 game rules at any position, except DH, are only eligible at the utility player spot.
D. Players that do not qualify using the above 3&5 game rules at any position, including DH, are eligible at utility player. They are also eligible at the most played position for which they would be qualified using a 3&5 game rule, in the most recent league that they have played enough games to obtain such a qualification. If that qualifying position is DH, the player is eligible at utility player only. If two or more qualifying positions were played equally, both/all qualify.
III.
The player auction will be held at a predetermined time before the start
of the Major League regular season. Last year's league winner will begin
the bids and the order will proceed clockwise after that. A
maximum
of $35.00 may be spent on players. All bids start at $0.25 and raises will
end in "5" or "0". A player will be named and bid upon by an owner and
will be auctioned off, going to the highest bidder. Owners will in turn
name and bid on players until all rosters are filled and no owners wish
to open bids anymore. An owner may not open a bid if he has less than the
minimum of $0.25 to spend.
IV. An 16 round "minor/reserve" draft will follow the player auction. Teams will have 20 minutes to submit a list to the auctioneers of their draft choices. The first names on the list must be of extra players purchased in the auction and kept. The first draft pick will be awarded to the highest non-money winning team from the previous year. Next, the lowest money winning team, the second highest non-money winning team, the second lowest money winning team, etc. The draft will serpentine back in the opposite order for round two, then continue to alternate the order until 16 rounds are finished or there are no names left on any of the team's lists. The lists submitted may be of any desired length. The top available name will be picked. Any player not purchased in the player auction or retained before the auction may be listed. Also, any player released before the draft begins may be listed. A player need not be on any Major League roster to be listed, but he must be identified completely by his present or past team or some other means to insure against confusion over similar names. Before the draft begins, extra players bought at the player auction may be released or designated as draft picks, corresponding with the first round, or second round if a #1 draft pick is retained, (see rule XXIII). A club's active roster may not be left unbalanced by the release or designation as draft picks of extra players. After the draft, an owner need not adhere to the 24-man position requirements until opening day. The remaining players owned may be optioned to the minor/reserve roster, recalled to the 24-man roster and then placed on the disabled list, traded or released outright. The cost to option a player to the minor/reserve will be $1.00.
V. If a club bought more than 40 players at the auction, enough players must be released to get down to 40 before the draft begins.
VI. All players purchased after the draft will be $1.50 each. A "free agent" player that the League Manager has decided to hold a special auction for, will be auctioned, with $1.50 being the lowest bid allowed. It will be a silent bid auction and the winner will pay $.25 more than the second highest bid. The player can be retained at the following year's auction, (rule XX), at whatever price is higher, $2.50 or the price he was purchased for at the special auction.
VII. During the season, players may be traded, sold, released, optioned, activated, recalled or put on the disabled list. The team will always have 24 players active. Additional players owned may be on the disabled list or on the minor/reserve roster.
A. Definition of "ACTIVATED"; Returned from disabled list.
B. Definition of "RELEASED"; Dropped from team roster to become a free agent.
C. Definition of "REPLACED"; Moving a player to the disabled list and putting another player in his place on the 24-man roster.
D. Definition of "OPTIONED"; Sent to minor/reserve roster.
E. Definition of "RECALLED"; Called up from minor/reserve roster and added to the 24-man roster.
VIII. The effective date of all transactions shall be the date the transaction was initiated.
IX. If a player goes on the Major League disabled list, an owner may choose to do nothing or he may put the player on River City League's disabled list. He may then purchase a player from the pool of free agents, (for $1.50), obtain a player from another owner or recall a minor/reserve player. When/if the player comes off the Major League disabled list, the owner may option the player to the minor/reserve roster for a period not to exceed 5 days as a rehabilitation assignment. The player will not be counted in any minor/reserve limits which may be in effect. At the end of the 5-day period the player must be recalled or released unless there is a current opening on the minor/reserve roster. In this case he may remain although his rehab assignment is over. When a player is placed on the disabled list, the owner may state at this time, the desire to have his player moved to a rehab assignment at the end of his disablement in the absence of a decision made on the day after activation.
X. The cost to recall a minor/reserve or activate a previously disabled player to the active roster will be $1.00.
XI. The season will be divided into 4 periods.
A. 1st period; From the end of the draft until May 31. During this period any players may be put on the minor/reserve roster, not to exceed 16 players. On May 31, an owner may protect 3 of his reserve players. Any other players on his minor/reserve roster that are currently on a Major League roster will be released at 10:30 PM to become free agents. There will be a 24-hour "waiver period" so all owners have an equal chance of buying these new free agents. The order in which players are first listed by the League Manager, shall be the order in which they will be awarded. A player claimed by two or more teams during a 24-hour waiver period, will be awarded to the team lowest in the standings as of the day waivers began. If the teams are tied, the standings of the next day will determine which team is awarded the player. A team will not be awarded two players in succession that are claimed by more than one team. The player will be priced at the regular free agent price of $1.50.
B. 2nd period; From June 1 to July 31. During this period, no more than 3 Major League players may be on the minor/reserve roster at the same time with the exception of players on rehab assignments. At 10:30 PM, July 31, all players on the minor/reserve roster that are on a Major League roster will be released. There will be another 24-hour "waiver period".
C. 3rd period; From August 1 to August 31. During this period, only players not on a Major League roster may be added to the minor/reserve roster. At 10:30 PM, August 31, any players on the minor/reserve roster that are on a Major League roster will be released. Players on rehab assignment may finish their 5-day stay. There will be another 24-hour "waiver period".
D. 4th period; From Sept 1 to the end of the season. After 10:30 PM, September 1, all rosters will be frozen with exception of certain disabled list moves, (see rules XV & XIX), and one special move per team which may be used any time after September 1 until the last day of the season. This optional move must be the release of one player and either a free agent purchase or a minor/reserve recall. Only players that are free agents on September 2nd are eligible to be purchased.
XII. A player on the Major League disabled list is considered to be on the Major League roster.
XIII. The cost to an owner making a trade will be $1.00 per team.
XIV. If a player retires or is released by the major league club, the team owner can hold that player on his team or release him and move another player to his spot, subject to the rules of the period at the time.
XV. Players eligible for the disabled list before September 1, must be put on the list before 10:30 PM, August 31 or not at all. Players who become eligible on or after September 1 may be put on the disabled list anytime up to and including the last day of the season.
XVI. Any trade or rule interpretation may be challenged by any team or combination or teams. The league will employ Roto Umpire, a neutral agency that will arbitrate all disputes. After a trade is made, owners will have 48 hours to dispute the trade. Multiple owners may combine to dispute the trade. If the trade is upheld by Roto Umpire, the team or teams disputing it will owe the league the cost of the arbitration plus $1.00 per team involved. The arbitration cost is $9.00 for the first 5 and $9.50 thereafter. If the trade is rejected by Roto Umpire, the trade will not go through and the two or more teams involved in the trade will owe the arbitration fee plus $1.00 per team involved. Our dump trade level set with Roto Umpire will be 4. All decisions by League Manager, Treasurer or Roto Umpire can be overridden by a 2/3 majority vote.
XVII. Owners will make all their own transactions online including trades. Rosters cannot be illegal when the new week begins or no statistics will count for that week. There are 26 weeks in the regular season, each beginning on Monday and ending after Sunday's last game. For transactions to count for the week, they must be made at least one hour before the first game of the week. If there are early season games that take place before the regular 26-week schedule, the same transaction deadline applies to that extra week, though the stats accumulated will be added to the regular first week stats. If the season is extended into another week by tiebreaker or make-up games, the same transaction deadline will apply to that extra week with respect to the normal period rules, though the stats accumulated will be added to the regular final week stats. If the season starts before the auction is held, the official auction 24-man roster will be the active roster for each team. Changes made will not be effective until the next week.
XVIII. All released players go into the pool of unpicked players to become free agents.
XIX. The deadline for player transactions will be 10:30 PM, September 1. This deadline concerns all transactions except the following:
A. The special September move. (rule XI D.).
B. It does not apply to disabled list player moves. A disabled player may be released or activated until the final day of the season.
C. A player may be replaced with a minor/reserve player if he becomes eligible for the disabled list on or after September 1.
D. On the final day of the season, all players on the disabled list must be released or activated.
XX. Owners who still hold rights to a team from the previous year will have the option of signing up to six players from their roster to new contracts. The cost to sign each player is determined by the acquisition price of that player the previous year plus $1.00. This cost is to be paid and deducted from their $35.00 of auction money. The players may be from the owners active roster or from his minor/reserve roster. The acquisition price of a player is the cost the player was purchased for at the auction or the cost that he was retained at prior to the auction. If the player was not purchased at the auction or retained and was later purchased as a standard free agent, the price to retain him will be $1.50 or if he was later purchased as a free agent in a special auction, the price to retain him will be the special auction price plus $1.00. If a player was obtained in the draft, the acquisition price will be defined as $0.25 for retaining purposes. A players retaining salary must stop at the $5.00 level for one year. Each proceeding year thereafter, the salary will increase at the rate of $0.25 per year. A player purchased at the auction for the price of $5.00 or more may be retained at the $5.00 level the following year. If an owner still has control of any minor/reserve players, he may keep control of up to five of them before the auction and draft begin. One player named will become his #1 draft pick. Two named will become his #1 and #5 draft picks. Three named will become his #1, #5 and #10 draft picks. A fourth and fifth player(s) kept would be draft picks #15 & #16. The elected League Manager and Treasurer must reveal both major league and minor league players they will retain to each other one week before the auction is held. The remaining league members must present the League Manager their retains 6 days before the auction. If the retains are not turned in on time they cannot be retained. The League Manager must post the retained players in a timely manner before the auction.
XXI. Owners will bring a minimum of $170.00 to the auction. This money will cover their $35.00 auction money, $10.00 for the auctioneers pay and $20.00 for the league fees. This will leave a balance to their team account of 105.00. Money owed to the league in excess of a team's account balance must be paid by the end of the regular season schedule. A team that does not pay it's funds on time will not receive credit beyond their paid up account balance in the following season. If a team has still not paid fees by the time of the Winter Meeting, the owner will lose control of his franchise. All players on that team will become free agents.
XXII. At the end of the Major League season, the points for each statistical category will be added up. First place will receive 50% of the pot money collected, second place will receive 25%, third place will get 15% and fourth place will get 10%. If the league has 10 or 11 teams, the money will be divided to include fifth place as follows: First 47%, second 23%, third 15%, fourth 10% and fifth 5%. If the league has 12 or 13 teams, the money will be divided to include sixth place as follows: First 47%, second 22%, third 14%, fourth 9%, fifth 5% and sixth 3%. If the league has 14 or 15 teams, the money will be divided to include seventh place as follows: First 46%, second 21%, third 14%, fourth 9%, fifth 5%, sixth 3%, and seventh 2%. If the league has 16 teams, the money will be divided to include eighth place as follows: First 45%, second 20%, third 13%, fourth 8%, fifth 5%, sixth 4%, seventh 3%, eighth 2%.
XXIII. There are 12 "point categories". Points awarded in these categories will be inverse to the team's ranking in that category. (Example: 8-team league, 1st place = 8 points, 2nd place = 7 points, etc.).
Batting
1.
Batting Average
2. Home Runs
3. Runs Batted In
4. Stolen Bases
5. Runs Scored
6. On Base Percentage plus Slugging Percentage (OPS)
Pitching
7. Earned Run Average
8. Pitching Percentage
9. Victories
10. Strikeouts
11. Hits Plus Walks Per Inning Pitched (WHIP)
12. Saves
XXIV. Statistics for a player will accumulate for a team only during the time that the player is on the active roster of that team.
XXV. Pitcher's batting records will not be used.
XXVI. In the event of a tie in any of the categories, the points for the rankings concerned will be added and divided by the number of teams tied.
XXVII. In the event of a tie in the amount of points for the money positions, (1st through 4th or through 5th, 6th, 7th or 8th), the money for the positions concerned will be added and divided by the number of teams tied.
XXVIII. World Series, Championship, Division Series, All Star or exhibition games will not be counted.
XXIX. In the event of a Major League strike, lockout, suspension or cancellation of the season, all rosters will be frozen. They will be unfrozen upon the resumption of the Major League season. Decisions concerning players on the disabled list can still be made during the strike, lockout, or suspension, (releasing, or activating them). No players may be purchased but minor/reserve players may be recalled to replace a disabled player. All stats up to the point play stops will count, plus any stats made after play resumes up to the end of the regular season.
XXX. A winter meeting will be held each year to vote on any proposed rule changes and/or discuss any pending matters. No owner may have a vote in these matters unless they are present at the meeting. A seven (7) day notice must be given to each owner as to the day, time and place of the winter meeting.
XXXI. A League Manager and a Treasurer will be elected at the Winter Meeting each year.
XXXII. A seven (7) day notice must be given to all owners as to the day, time and place of the auction/draft.
XXXIII. After the regular season has ended, total rosters must contain a minimum of 24 players. Position eligibility will be disregarded until the next year's auction. Trades will be allowed during the winter from the period of November 1st until February 1st, subject to the following qualifications:
A. All trades will be 'one for one'.
B. Each team is allowed a total of 5 trades during the winter.
C. A player cannot be traded to a team if the player was previously acquired from that same team in a regular season trade during the month of August or on September 1st.
D. Any player traded during the winter must be retained at his updated salary or he can be kept as a minor leaguer/draft pick, if eligible, at the next auction by the last team receiving him in the winter trading period.
E. Any winter trades involving an owner that does not participate in the upcoming auction and does not transfer the rights of his franchise to a new owner, will be deemed void as will any following trades involving players from the disbanded team.
F. If a minor leaguer is involved in a winter trade, he may be kept as a draft pick or retained at his updated salary.
XXXIV. The maximum number of teams allowed in the River City League will be 16. Any time that there are less then 16 teams in the league, a perspective owner may secure a franchise spot for the upcoming year by placing a $10.00 deposit with the league treasurer. This deposit is refundable up to the day before the next auction. On auction day it becomes property of the River City League but will be used to pay down the new owner's balance owed. If there are no openings for a new team, a deposit may still be made and the perspective owner will be put on a waiting list. All those put on the waiting list will be informed of the auction time and place and must be prepared to be present in the event of an unexpected opening. If an owner does not arrive, (or call announcing that they will be late), to the auction 30 minutes before the auction start time, the first name on the waiting list will be called and awarded the open spot. If they cannot be contacted or cannot be present their deposit will be forfeit and the spot awarded to the next on the waiting list. If no spot opens up on auction day, those with deposits on the waiting list may stay on the list or have their deposits returned.
XXXV. The auction date for the following year will be set at the current years auction. This date, once determined can only be changed by a 2/3 majority vote before Dec. 31st. The procedure for choosing the auction date will be:
A. Before February 1st, all weekend dates in March for the year of the auction will be in, will be listed online.
B. Each team will pick up to 3 acceptable dates for the auction and relay them to the League Manager. They must be sent at least by the date that the current year's retains are due to be turned in. The dates will be weighted. The first date getting 3 points, second, 2 points and third, 1 point.
C.
Date with the highest point total will be the auction date. If there is
a tie, there will be a vote between the tied dates at the current year's
auction.