Computer Assisted Baseball League

 

            I.                      Prelude

            II.                     League Fees

            III.                   League Commissioner

            IV.                   League Organization

            V.                    The Salary Cap

            VI.                   Seasonal Income

            VII.                  Contract Renewals

            VIII.                 Roster Requirements

            IX                    Game Play

            X.                    General Rules

            XI.                   Player Drafts and Free Agent Auction

            XII.                  Amendments to the Constitution

 

Section I -- Prelude

 

The Computer Assisted Baseball League (CABL) is an organization designed for the competitive enjoyment of its members.  Each League member is expected to adhere to certain standards of fairness that will be expressed in this document.  Each member is given equal representation in all decision-making and rule judgments.

 

Section II -- League Fees

 

There are no fees or dues associated with participation in this League. 

 

Section III -- League Commissioner

 

The League commissioner shall have the following responsibilities:

 

            1) Administer all drafts.

            2) Assess all fines concerning team credits.

            3) Maintain all league records and statistics.

            4) Approve and record all trades.

            5) Administer all changes to rules and regulations to league constitution.

            6) Make public all league activities in a timely manner.  This may be done via the league newsletter, by phone contact, or the league web page.

            7) Administer all games not played face-to-face by league franchises. This duty includes making any requested changes to team's profiles.

 

These responsibilities may be delegated to league members at the discretion of the Commissioner.

 

Section IV -- Organization

 

A) League and Divisional Alignment

 

20 teams will be divided into 2 leagues, the American and National.  Each league will be split into 2 divisions, east and west with 5 teams in each division. The League will expand to 22 teams after the 2000 season and 24 teams after the 2001 season.

 

Teams are allowed to change leagues during the offseason. Each owner may only change league once during his/her tenure as owner. In order to change leagues, a team in the opposite league must also be willing to change leagues. Under no circumstances will a team be forced to change leagues.

 

B) Regular Season Schedule

 

CABL uses an unbalanced, 162 game schedule utilizing interleague play. Teams play 18 games vs. teams in their own division, 10 games vs. teams in the opposite division, and 4 games vs. teams in the opposite league. After expansion, the particular configuration of games played may change, but the League will continue to use an unbalanced schedule.

 

 

C) Divisional Playoffs

 

After completion of the regular season schedule, the top 2 teams in each division and the next 2 teams with the next best record (wild-card teams) will be involved in the league playoffs.  The four teams will be ranked as follows: The two division winners will be ranked 1 and 2 based on their record.  The wild card teams will be ranked 3 and 4, also based on their records.  Team1 plays Team 4 and Team 2 plays Team 3 with the higher-ranking team getting home field advantage. Each series will be a best of 7 series (2-3-2) with the winner of the divisional series advancing to the league championship for the right to play in the World Series.

 

Any tiebreakers at the end of the season will be decided by a one game playoff between the teams.  Any tie involving more than 2 teams will require a double elimination round robin tournament between all teams involved. All tiebreaker games will occur immediately after the final day of the regular season (this means there will be no days off for the teams involved).

 

The first playoff game will take place on the 2nd day after the completion of the regular season.  Each team will get a day off after the 2nd and 5th game.

 

All playoff games may be played on a face-to-face basis.  Both parties involved must agree upon face-to-face play.  If one of the parties does not wish, or is unable to play face-to-face, the entire series will be computer generated.

 

D). CABL Championship

 

After the League Champion from each league has been determined, those two teams will play in a best of seven series (2-3-2) for the CABL Championship.  The CABL Championship will begin on the 2nd day after both league champions have been determined.  All applicable days off will be applied prior to the series.  In even numbered years the American League will hold the home field advantage.

 

E) Stadiums

 

Each team will draft a stadium with their team.  The team will be required to remain in that stadium for a minimum of two seasons.  If a team wishes to switch stadiums, they must have compiled a combined losing record in the previous two seasons in that stadium.  The team may select a new stadium at the cost of a $100,000, or may have one randomly selected for him at no cost.

 

In the event that your stadium in changed in real life, you will be given the options listed above regardless of your previous record. You may choose to go into that new stadium at no cost.

 

If you wish to change stadiums and have not posted consecutive losing seasons, you may trade a 3rd round minor league draft pick for the rights to change stadiums.  You must remain in that stadium for at least two seasons.

 

F) Formal Protests

 

A formal protest may be filed with the league board for any matter concerning fairness of rules or any action involving other franchises within CABL.  A formal protest must be filed with the league board in writing.  All protests will be decided within 2 weeks of receipt of written protest.  Action will then be decided based on a league vote of uninvolved parties.  Protest will require a 75% approval by existing league members, with the commissioner casting the final and deciding vote.  The league commissioner reserves the right to override any attempted protest.

 

G) Trades of Players

 

Any form of open market trading is permitted.  Trades may only include players, draft picks or cash.  The following provisions apply to making trades.

 

            1)             Trades of draft picks more than 1 year from the current draft. This means that only draft picks from the next draft can be traded. 

            2)            After the trade both teams involved must be under their available salary cap figures.

 

Players may be traded at any time, subject to calendar exclusions below.  Traded players take their existing contracts and salaries with them.  Because both parties must adhere to the structure of the salary cap, the result of any trade must leave both teams total salaries at or below the cap levels.

 

"Players to be named" cannot be on the 40-man roster of the trading team and must have CABL Years = 0.  This precludes the ability to trade players who have existing salaries as "players to be named."

 

Players traded after July 31 (or the appropriate trading deadline) must clear waivers through the league that the players are going to.  Any team may claim the traded players; if they are claimed the trading team can re-claim them and void the trade.

 

Players traded after August 31 (or the appropriate deadline) cannot appear on the playoff roster.

 

Note for after the 2000 season: Beginning with the conclusion of the 2000 season, there will be no trading until the League has processed resigning information for all teams.

 

 

Trading Calendar

 

Date

Provision

July 31

Open Trading deadline

August 1

Players traded must clear waivers first

August 31

Deadline to trade for post-season eligible players

End of regular season

Trading ends.

End of post-season

Owners announce signing decisions for players with expired contracts.

Nov. 15 (approx)

Open trading resumes after League processes resignings for all teams.

 

 

 

Section V -- The Salary Cap

 

Each team must adhere to a $30,000,000 dollar salary cap.  The cap will serve to maintain equity between all franchises in CABL.  The following items are facets of the salary cap:

 

A) Operating Under the Cap

Teams with average salary costs of less than $30,000,000 for the season will convert 25% of the difference between $30,000,000 and their average salary cost to available cash. This amount is not to exceed $1,000,000

 

B) The Soft Cap

Each team may use available cash to go over the cap for a CABL Season. 

 

For example, the Black Sox have available cash of  $1,540,000.  They may use their available cash to increase their salary cap to $31,540,000. Even if the Black Sox later make a trade which leaves them below $31,540,000 in salary, their salary cap stays at the increased amount. In other words, once available cash is used to increase the cap, it cannot be reclaimed.

 

The soft cap cannot exceed $33,000,000 using any combination of the two items stated above.

 

C) Cap Adjustments

The commissioner reserves the right to change the $30,000,000 cap figure by as much as $2,000,000 at the beginning of any season if league's needs suggest it is necessary.

 

D) CABL Years - The number of consecutive contracted years a player has been on a CABL 40-man roster.  This number resets to 0 each time a player's contract is not renewed. In addition, CABL Years does not start counting until a player is placed on a 40 man roster.  Once the count starts it continues until the player's contract is no longer valid.  This will be regardless of his 40-man roster status.

            Example 1 - Player A is an original draft selection.  He has been on a 40-man roster for 2 CABL Years under the same contract. Taking his two years played, plus the upcoming year makes his CABL Years = 3

            Example 2 - Player A is an original draft selection.  He has been on a 40-man roster for both CABL years.  After the last CABL season his contract was not renewed and he was selected in the Free Agent Auction.  CABL years = 1.

            Example 3 - Player A was drafted in the summer draft and has never been on a 40-man roster.  CABL Years = 0

            Example 4 - Player A was drafted in the 2nd CABL Draft.  He was never on a 40-man roster until this season.  CABL Years = 1

            Example 5 - Player A is an original draft selection.  He was on a 40-man roster for the first CABL season.  He was not on a 40-man roster during the 2nd CABL season (i.e., he was on the minor league roster).  He is still on his original contract or is on a renewed contract. CABL Years = 3.

 

All other situations can be explained by your commissioner if you don't see them in the above or understand the above.

 

E) Player Contracts

Each player in the league will be assigned a contract.  These contracts vary in length from 1 to 5 years. All contracts are considered guaranteed until the end of the final contract year.  Each team is responsible for players' salary until that contract expires. 

 

Any contract renewal must be placed, at least initially, on the 40-man roster.

 

There are two exceptions to the guaranteed contract clause:

 

1) Contracts of players who have retired from MLB can be voided. The owning team must submit written proof to the CABL Commissioner that the player has retired, along with a written request to void the player's contract.

 

2) Teams may use available cash to buy out the contracts of players they no longer want on their roster. In order to do so, a team must use available cash to buy out the contract. The cost of the buy out is 50% of the remaining value of the contract. After buy-out, the bought out player becomes a Free Agent. Example, Joey Cora is signed for two more years, at $500,000 per year. A buy out of the final two years of the contract would cost $500,000 in available cash. Joey Cora is now a Free Agent.

 

Note: automatic raises due to a player are counted in the remaining value of the contract.

 

 

F). Sliding Pay Scale

The following table lists minimum salaries for each level of service. 

 

CABL Years

Minimum Salary

1

$125,000

2

$225,000

3

$350,000

4

$500,000

5

$750,000

6

$1,250,000

7+

$2,000,000

 

 

The following chart lists salary increases due to a player when his contract is renewed by his club. Note: A player's CABL Years are determined *before* the contract is renewed. Thus a player who was in the league in 1998 and 1999 and is being resigned at the end of the 1999 season would be considered a CABL Years = 2 player. Note also that salary increase % is calculated *before* any automatic raises kick in. (NOTE: this is confusing, contradictory, and I would like to see it change!)

 

CABL Years

New salary

1

100% of current

2

125% of current

3

140% of current

4

150% of current

5

175% of current

6

200% of current

7+

250% of current

 

 

Base salary changes only if the players existing salary is lower than the applicable amount for the players CABL Years above.  If the player is still on an existing contract at a higher salary then the applicable amount for his CABL years his salary will be unchanged.  Consider the following examples (assuming that it's the end of the 1999 season):

 

Player Name

CABL Years

Contract Expires

1999 Salary

2000 Salary

Edgar Martinez

1

1999

$1,498,000

$1,498,000

Larry Walker

2

1999

$2,212,000

$2,675,000

Pedro J. Martinez

3

1999

$1,540,000

$2,156,000

Rick Ankiel

1

2000

$125,000

$225,000

Todd Hundley

5

2001

$3,125,000

$3,125,000

Nick Johnson

0

1999

$000,000

$125,000

 

 

Note: Nick Johnson was never on a 40-man roster.

 

G). Released Players

Teams may release players in order to stay below the maximum roster limits.  This does not release that team from the liability of that player's salary until the end of its contract.  If another team claims the player, the liability of that player's contract shifts to the claiming team.

 

Players may be released on a half-salary basis. If a player who was released on a half-salary basis is claimed by another team, the claiming team is only responsible for half of the player's contract, while the original team will continue to pay the other half.  If no team claims the player released on the half-salary basis, the original team is responsible for the entire contract for the duration of the contract period. Half-salary releases much must be declared at the time a player is released and cannot be handled retroactively.

 

A team can have no more than 3 players at half-salary at any time.

 

VI. Seasonal Income

 

Each team will receive the following seasonal income on January 1 of each year based on where it finished the previous season.  This is not based on division standings or even league standings, but on overall CABL standings ranked in order of winning percentage.

 

           

Place

Funds

Contract Yrs

1st

$ 950,000

10

2nd

  900,000

9

3rd

  850,000

7

4th

  800,000

6

5th

  750,000

5

6th

  700,000

4

7th

  650,000

2

8th

  500,000

1

 

 

Additional Awards for playoff teams:

AL/NL Champion            $ 100,000                       1 contract year

CABL Champion            $ 50,000             1 contract year

 

VII. Contract Renewals

 

At the end of the player's contract the franchise will have to decide one of 2 options on that player (exception below):

 

            Option 1)         Release him and make him available to be signed by another franchise in the annual free agent auction.

            Option 2)         Renew his contract for a 1 to 5 years.  Salary will increase at a proportionate rate.

 

Exception: A player (1) whose contract expires and (2) who has CABL Years = 0 and (3) who did not play during the most recently completed MLB season cannot be resigned.  For example, Felipe Crespo's contract expired in 1999, and he did not play in MLB during the 1999 season. In addition, his CABL Years = 0. Crespo cannot be resigned by his current club. Moises Alou's contract expired in 1999, and he did not play in MLB during the 1999 season. However, his CABL Years are > 0. Therefore, he can be resigned by his current club.

 

Each team will have an available number of contract years that may be dispersed in increments of up to 5 years on players whose contracts have expired.  For example, if a team has 20 available contract years it can renew 20 players for 1 year or 4 players for 5 years or any like combination.

 

Traded and released players carry their assigned contracts with them.  Once a player is assigned a contract he retains that contract until it expires.

 

Unassigned contract years are not transferable between franchises and cannot be sold or traded.

 

Unused contract years may be retained from year to year.  No new contract is allocated to a team when it releases a contracted player, as the contract remains with the released player.

 

B) Extending Contracts with Available Funds

A player with CABL Years of 1 or more who is being renewed may optionally have his new contract extended by using his teams funds rather than additional contract years.  It works as follows:

 

            The first year must come from available contract years.

            The first additional year costs 25% of the players renewed salary from the teams available funds.  This 25% is also added to the player's salary.  Each additional year adds and additional 10% to the players salary, but is not deducted from the teams available funds.

            Example- John Franco's contract expires after 1995, his salary is $903,000, and CABL yrs are 2.

            The first year is taken from the teams available contract years and Franco's salary is increased by 140% (the increase for CABL yrs 3) to $1,264,000.  The team decides to "buy" an additional 2 years for Franco.  This will give Franco a 3-year contract.

            The cost of yr. 1 is 25% or $316,000 and added to Franco's salary making it $1,580,000. The cost of the 2nd additional year is $126,000 and makes Franco's salary $1,706,000.

            The 25% cost of $316,000 is also deducted from the team's available funds.

            Franco's salary of $1,706,000 applies for all 3 years of his contract.

 

 

 

Section VIII -- Roster Requirements

 

Each franchise will be responsible for the management of its player roster.  Guidelines for this activity are stated in the next several paragraphs.

 

A) Major League Roster

 

Each team will maintain a Major League roster of 37-40 players (35-40 effective the 2002 season).  From this group a 25 man active roster will be used.  Players may be promoted and farmed at no risk within the 40-man roster.

 

A. Players Counted Against the Cap

 

Each team will be assessed salaries only on those players who are on or have been on a major league roster.  This would include any player whose CABL years is greater than 0.  The sum of these players will be the total of the team's salary cap.  Vacant spots on the major league roster will be charged $250,000 in salary for the 1st 3 spots, and $500,000 for each one after that.  

 

Those players in the minor leagues who have 0 CABL Years do not count against a team's salary cap.  As long as their CABL Years remains 0 they will never count towards the cap.  If a salaried player is on the major league roster and is sent to the minors, you will continue to be charged for his salary for the duration of the player's contract.

 

B) Minor Leagues

Teams will still be allowed up to a 20-man minor league roster.  These players will not count against the cap unless they have a CABL years greater than 0.  No player with a CABL Years greater than 3 may be on a minor league roster.  Those players must be placed on a 40-man roster or released.

 

            1) Player Options

 

            Players transferred from the Major League Roster to the Minor Leagues must be optioned.  Each player will be allowed two options.  An option will be used each time he is moved from the Major League Roster to the Minor Leagues.  Upon optioning a player for the 2nd time, he must first clear waivers before he can be moved from down to the minor leagues.  Player options are carried with that player for the duration of a player's career and never reset.

 

            2) Waivers

 

            Players that are out of options will be placed on waivers.  A different team, at the cost of $50,000, may claim a player on waivers.  The waived player will remain in limbo for 2 weeks.  During this time, any team may claim him by submitting a request in writing to the commissioner. The team with the worst record at the time of the player going on waivers that requests the player will receive him.  If nobody claims the player, the original team's roster move is then completed.

 

C) Player Usage

 

Batters will be allowed 110% of actual plate appearances.  Pitchers will be allowed 110% of actual batters faced. 

 

Players that exceed the 110% usage rule will be lost for the remainder of the season.  They may still play in the playoffs as long as they were part of the active 25 man roster during the time player rosters are determined.  Players who exceed their usage (burn out) will be removed from the 25-man roster by the Commissioner. Owners are responsible for making any other necessary roster and profile adjustments.

 

Any player with fewer than 200 at-bats will also be limited to 300% limitation versus LH or RH.  Once this 300% is exceeded the player will be considered ineligible.  For example, Scott Livingstone had 100 total at-bats (10 vs. LHP and 90 vs. RHP).  If he exceeds 300% versus LH he will be used up, despite not exceeding the 105% total playing time restriction.

 

Player usage for the playoffs will be 5% of his available playing time for each series during the playoffs. There are two exceptions to this rule: (1) Starting pitchers with at least 200 innings pitched are allowed to start up to three games per playoff round, and  (2) Relievers are allowed up to 8% usage per playoff round. Player usage resets at the beginning of each subsequent round.

 

Section IX -- Game Play

 

Games will be played in increments to be determined by the Commissioner. Typically, a series of three games will be played on Wednesdays and Sundays. However, series may be 2 or 4 games, or some different amount, depending on circumstances.

 

Each team will be required to provide a manager profile for each period of play.  The league commissioner will administrate the input of the profiles into the system and then play the games on that period's schedule.  Manager profiles will be accepted anytime before the start of game play.  However, the Commissioner is not responsible for profiles that were not received in time or were not processed due to error (on anybody's part).  The best policy is to get profiles in early. Failure to provide an updated manager profile will be taken as no change needed and games will commence play.  If a team has a player who has exceeded his usage and was not changed in the manager profile, the commissioner will remove that player from the 25-man roster.  If necessary, the Commissioner will replace the removed player using the player on the 40-man roster who has the most at bats at the player's position.  If such an instance occurs, the team will be fined $100,000 of available funds.

 

All games will be written to a disk file.  After completion of these games the file will be distributed to all league members who wish a copy of individual games played.  Because this is the only way to ensure that games were not played individually, you will receive all games played.

 

Results will be distributed via e-mail or ftp-sites as soon as possible following the period.

 

Section X -- General Rules

 

A) Player Positions

 

Players may be used only at the positions for which they are rated.  If a player played at a position for which they have not been rated, the team may request a rating at that position for that player, the league will then assign a POOR rating an error percentage of 500% of the league average at that position. This does not apply to pitchers.  Each 25-man roster must have at least 2 players rated at each position; players who appear at more than one position may be used to back up several positions.

 

B) Manager Profiles

 

            Rotations - Rotation may be 4 or 5 man rotations.<  The manager profile will allow you to set up a rotation the will automatically skip to your number 1 starter when he is rested.

 

            Bullpen - Pitchers not rated as relievers may noot be placed in the bullpen rotation, even though the DMB game will allow it. Exception: pitchers rated as starters only may pitch in relief in the playoffs, providing the pitcher pitched at least 100 innings during the previous major league season.

 

            Lineups - The following lineups are required by the DMB game  1) Vs. LHP            2). Vs. RHP.  The game uses these positions as defaults.

 

            Depth Charts - Players listed on depth charts are the first players used to replace injured players.  It is not necessary to fill in utility players unless you have a preference for injury replacements.  If you opt to let these items remain blank in the computer will use the player with the highest available batting average.

 

            Tendencies - May be set up any way desired.

 

If a franchise does not setup an initial manager profile, the league commissioner will do so for him. This will be done using the following criteria:

 

            Player at each position with the highest number of AB's will be selected as the starter (in order of C, 1b, 2b, 3b, SS, LF, CF, RF). A batting order will be determined based on highest number of AB's to lowest. The same lineup will be used vs. LHP and RHP.  Depth and  pitching will then be done using the AUTO function available in DMB Manager Profile.  This profile will remain in place until the franchise decides to change it.

 

C) League Awards

 

Post season awards will be selected at the conclusion of the regular season.  A ballot will be sent out with the last newsletter of the regular season and votes will be cast by each of the franchises in each league.  Managers may not vote for their own players.  Each player's team will be awarded $100,000 for receiving the award.  The awards are as follows:

 

            Most Valuable Player (position players only, one for each league)

            Cy Young or Most Valuable Pitcher (one for each league)

            Fireman of the Year (one for each league)

            General Manager of the Year (one for both leagues)

           

An additional award is the Les Expos Award, for the team with the best total salary / wins ratio in the league. The award is for $100,000.

 

D) Playoff Rosters

 

Players will be eligible for post season rosters if they were available for play or on your 25-man roster during the period specified  (prior to the regular season) as the "playoff roster period".  This period will coincide with the annual trading deadline set prior to each season.

 

 

XI. Player Drafts and Free Agent Auction

 

A) Initial Draft (Note: this was held in 1998. The processes described apply only to that draft).

 

The initial draft will be done as an open auction.  The minimum bid is 125,000 and there will be no maximum.  However, each franchise has to remain under its salary cap.  There also has to be enough money left over to fill out the entire 40-man roster with 125,000 players.  All bids must be made in 1,000 increments.  I will provide a program that will help each general manager with the mathematics involved.  If two or more franchises have submitted the same bid amount, the current highest bidder will go to the franchise who submitted the bid first. 

 

The order will go as follows.  Each team will make bids for up to 40 players minus the players he currently has under contract.  After receiving all of the bids, the current highest bid for all players will be announced to all owners.  Each player then will receive a status of GOING ONCE.  Once an owner has received the current status of all the players, he can made bids for NEW players or players that are currently being bid on.  If after the second round, a player has not received a higher bid, the status will move to GOING twice.  And after the third round of inactivity, the player will be SOLD to the franchise.  If a higher bid is received, then the status will go back to GOING ONCE and the process will begin over again. The draft will continue until all teams have completed their roster.

 

Once the draft as been completed, each franchise will then designate how many year to sign the player to.  Each player drafted must be signed to at least a 1 year contract. Each franchise will have a total of 95 contract years to use.

 

 

B) Spring Draft

 

Each year in February/March a draft will take place for unsigned players.  These will include any player not currently on a CABL team who had at least one plate appearance or faced one batter in the major leagues during the previous MLB season.  The draft will be 6 rounds in inverse order of the previous season's finish, with the exception of the 2 teams who were involved in the league championship.  They will select 19th and 20th respectively.

 

Prior to the draft all trades, exchanges of draft choices for contracts and other transactions will be applied to the draft order and a valid listing distributed to all league members.

 

Franchises will have the following contract years to assign newly drafted players:

 

Number of Draft Picks

Number of Additional Contract Years

Fewer than 5

15

5

17

6

18

7 +

19 + 1 for each additional draft pick

 

All drafted players will receive salaries of $125,000 except for 1st round picks who will receive $250,000 salaries.  The money to be paid these players must also fall under the terms of your salary cap limits.

 

 

C) Free Agent Auction

 

After all contract renewals for each season have been determined a listing of all "free agents" will be distributed to each franchise.  A "free agent" is defined as any player that was playing under a contract during the most recent season and was not renewed by its owning franchise.

 

The players listed on the free agent list will be the only players available for the free agent auction. Each team will be advised of its salary cap and may submit a sealed bid for any player on the list. The team bidding the highest for a player will receive that player.  The auction will start with the team with the lowest winning percentage in the league.  From that team's list the first player listed will be the first player up for bid.  Using that player and bid, the remaining teams bid sheets will be searched for a higher bid.  If no higher bid is found, the team is awarded that player and his moneys are reduced.  The next player on the worst team's list is then put through the same procedure, and so on until the list is complete or the team runs out of credits.  The next worst team will go through the same procedure and so on until all bids are completed or all moneys have been used.  The minimum bid for a free agent is $300,000 per year.  All awarded players salaries will count towards the team's salary cap, regardless of his placement on either the 40 or 20-man roster.  Available funds may be used as a "signing bonus" to increase a total bid.  This will not be applicable to the "franchise" bid.  If awarded the funds will be deducted from the team’s available funds and the contract assigned to the team.  For example, Team A bids 3 yrs $9m for Player X with a $750,00 bonus (making the total bid $9,750,000) team B bids 3 yrs at 9.5m. Team A wins the player.

 

Duplicate bids for a player will result in the team with the worst winning pct will receiving that player.  At that time the two teams will switch winning pct's in case of future ties.  This will balance the tie issue more evenly.

 

Prior to the auction each team will be allowed to declare up to 2 "franchise" players.  Designation of "franchise" will allow the owning team the ability to match the highest bid made on this player during the free agent auction.

 

Example, if player A is in the Auction and Team A bids $2,100,000 for 3 years and Team B bids $2,400,000 for 2 years, Team A wins player A based on the total value of $6,300,000 versus $4,200,000.  Team A would then be responsible for that salary for the duration of the 3 years.

 

If a player is a "franchise" player, the holding team still has the match option on that player.  If a team chooses to match a bid they will forfeit a 2nd round draft pick in the summer minor league draft to the team who made the offer.  If they have already matched a player and lost their 2nd round pick, the loss will escalate to a 1st round pick. Teams will still be required to match their own players (if they chose) before they are awarded any other player.

 

The available money each team has for the Free Agent Auction is the amount of money they are under the base salary cap of $30,000,000.  It does not include "soft cap" amounts.  The auction adheres to the actual salary cap.

 

All salary bids are averaged during the life of the contract and applied in equal amounts per year throughout the life of the contract.

 

Free Agent Auction Timeline

 

Approx. Date

What's Going On:

January 5

FA Auction I: Auction for Franchised Players only.

January 15

FA Auction II: Auction for the non-franchised Free Agents

January 25

FA Auction III: Auction for remaining Free Agents

 

 

 

D) Claimed Players Pool

 

The “Claimed Players Pool” is comprised of players with playing time during the most recent MLB season but who are not on a CABL roster at the conclusion of the Spring Draft.

 

After the Spring Draft but before the start of the regular season, owners may select as many claimed players as they need, subject to the following restrictions:

 

1.      Claimed players must be placed on the major league roster.

2.      Claimed players must have a minimum of 150 at-bats for hitters (100 for players rated at catcher), or 40 IP for pitchers.

 

These limits and placement rules are meant to discourage using claimed player transactions as a search for prospects. These transactions should be used to fill out roster requirements.

 

After the CABL season begins, there are two additional restrictions:

 

1.      Claimed player transactions cost $10,000 each

2.      The owner wishing to make a claimed player transaction and the Commissioner will work together to identify a positional need not currently met by the team’s major league roster. The team would receive the player with the most playing time available. The Commissioner reserves the right to select a player other than the eligible player with the most available playing time in order to preserve potentially valuable players for the next Spring Draft.

 

E) Summer Minor League Draft

 

At the All-Star break each season a 3 round Minor League draft will take place.  The draft will be from any player not currently on a major league roster or a CABL roster.  This draft will include players in A/AA/AAA baseball who are not on CABL franchises already.  The draft will take place in reverse order of the current standings (by winning percentage).  Ties will be settled first by head to head play and second by coin flip.  Players will receive contracts as follows:

 

            AAA player drafted                           3 years

            AA player drafted                           4 years

            A/Rookie player drafted             5 years

 

The draft slots or drafted players may not be traded until the completion of the current CABL season under any circumstances.

 

 

Section XII -- Amendments to the Constitution and other League-wide votes

 

A. The following amendments were considered prior to the 1999 season.

 

1.      Change Section II, League Fees, from "There will be no fees for the first few year[s] of League operation" to "There are no fees or dues associated with participation in this League."  Amendment PASSED

 

2. Change of Section IV, Part B, Regular Season Schedule. Currently, the type of schedule (balanced or unbalanced) is not specified. A balanced schedule consists of 13 games vs. teams in the same division, 12 games vs. teams in the opposite division, and 6 games vs. teams in the opposite league. An unbalanced schedule consists of 18 games vs. teams in the same division, 10 games vs. teams in the opposite division, and 4 games vs. teams in the opposite league. Both types of schedules are 162 games.  UNBALANCED PASSED

 

3.      Should teams be allowed to switch leagues during the offseason? Any given owner would be allowed to switch leagues only once. PASSED

 

3a. Regardless of how you voted in 3, if proposal 3 passes and teams are allowed to switch leagues during the offseason, should that switch require vote approval by the other League owners? FAILED

 

3b. Should the Commissioner realign the divisions during the offseason, based on team relocations, to maximize the geographic integrity of the divisions? FAILED

 

4. Should an offseason benefits package be established for new owners to improve overall League competitiveness? Any benefits package adopted would apply only to teams finishing under .500 during the previous season. FAILED

 

4a. If 4 passes and an offseason benefits package is established for new owners, what elements would you favor being in that package? (check all that apply):

 

A minor league draft pick, which must be exercised before CABL Opening Day (2 VOTES)

A "sandwich" draft pick (between the 1st & 2nd rounds) in the Spring Draft (FOUR VOTES)

A sandwich draft pick in the minor league draft (ONE VOTE)

Ability to nullify up to two contracts of players earning the league minimum salary and who have less than 30 ab or 15 IP for the previous major league season (FIVE VOTES)

 

5. Section IV, Part G, Trades of Players, eliminate the prohibition on trading "Contract renewals of any kind." Your Commish doesn't know what that's supposed to mean. PASSED

 

6. Currently, players do not begin to accrue CABL service time or earn salaries until they have appeared on a 40-man roster. This is regardless of the actual major league playing time of the player. Should players start to earn salaries and CABL service time once they have made an appearance in the major leagues? FAILED

 

7. The change proposal is as follows: (1) eliminate the sliding league minimum salary and raise scale, (2) upon contract expiration, all players become Free Agents, (3) increase the number of franchise players per year from 2 to 3, (4) allow a one-time restructuring of contract lengths to allow for adjustments due to this change. Should the proposed change in salary structure pass? FAILED

 

8. Change to Section V, Part A, Operating Under the Cap, which reads: "If a team operates an entire season under the cap, they will be rewarded with an increased cap the following season. The amount will be 10% of the average they spent under the cap during the season on a period by period basis. This amount is not to exceed $300,000." Change to read: "Teams with average salary costs of less than $30,000,000 for the season will convert 25% of the difference between $30,000,000 and their average salary cost to available cash. This amount is not to exceed $1,000,000." Should this change be accepted? PASSED

 

9. Currently, all players are limited to 5% of batters faced or plate appearances for each round of the playoffs. In effect, this means that no starting pitcher can have more than two starts in each round of the playoffs. Should an exception to this rule be given for starting pitchers with at least 200 IP? This would allow any pitcher with at least 200 IP to start up to 3 games in a seven game series. PASSED

 

10. Should pitchers rated as starters only, who have at least 100 IP, be allowed to be used as relievers in the playoffs? Currently, for both regular season and playoff games, pitchers rated as starters only may only be used in a starting role. PASSED

 

11. Currently, the Constitution provides for a cash award to the teams whose players win the following awards: MVP (both leagues), Cy Young (both leagues), and Owner/GM of the Year (just applies to CABL). Should Fireman of the Year be added to the list of post-season awards carrying a cash bonus? PASSED

 

12. Should the CABL contracts of players who have retired be voided, at no cost to the CABL team holding the contract? PASSED

 

13. Should teams have the option to buy out player contracts, using available funds, at a cost of 125% of the remaining value of the contract? PASSED

 

 

B. The following proposal was voted on after the conclusion of the 1999 CABL season (13 votes needed to pass):

 

Proposal for expansion: Expand to 22 teams after the 2000 season, and 24 teams after the 2001 season. After expanding to 24, we would change the player usage rule from 105% to 110%.

 

Start with an expansion draft that would work like it did the last time MLB expanded: teams protect 15 players, after one player gets selected from a team that team may pull back two more players. No more than three players may be selected from any team. Importantly, players with CABL years = 0 (that is, players who have never been on a CABL 40-man roster) would not be eligible for the expansion draft and therefore would not have to be protected by their current clubs.

 

Expansion teams would be allowed to participate in the free agent auction, and would be given some cash (probably an amount equal to the average available cash for teams currently in the league). Also, teams would be allowed two free minor league picks right after the expansion draft.

 

Proposal PASSED 17-1.

 

 

C. The following amendments were considered before the 2000 season (14 votes were required to pass a measure):

 

1. Require that players taken in rounds 1-3 of the Spring Draft be placed on the major league roster. FAILED 6-15 with 2 unsure.

 

2. Establish a full-time player rule. Batters with at least 600 plate appearances and pitchers with at least 225 innings pitched would be considered "full-time" players and therefore would not be subject to playing time limits. PASSED 16-5.

 

3. Allow owners one free switch of ball parks per ownership tenure. Currently, the Constitution allows a free switch only if the team has posted two consecutive losing seasons. Otherwise, there is a nominal charge. FAILED 9-12.

 

4. Modify the previously established expansion procedures, to allow expansion teams to participate in the 2000 Minor League Draft, and draft 1 and 2 in every round. PASSED 15-6.

 

5. Amend the player position rules (players may play only those positions for which DMB has rated them, otherwise they are assigned a rating of Poor and given an error rating of 500% of the league average) to one of four options: (1) allow players to play anywhere and trust DMB to handle the positional adjustments; (2) same as #1, except that to play at catcher, shortstop, and center field, the player must be rated there; (3) allow any player to play firstbase, left field, or right field; and (4) allow any centerfielder to play left and right field, and allow any outfielder rated at only one corner position to play the other. FAILED 12-9.

 

 

D. The following amendments were considered before the 2001 Season (2/3 majority of those expressing a preference needed to pass):

 

 

1.      Allow players rated at CF only to play either corner OF position: Failed 12-10.

2.      Reduce the Spring Draft from 10 to 6 rounds, and modify claimed player transaction rules: Passed 18-4.

3.      Increase reliever usage in the post-season from 5% to 8% per round: Passed 22-0.

4.      Increase regular season player usage from 105% to 110%: Passed 17-5.

5.      Create Les Expos Award, for the team with the best ratio of total salary to number of wins: Passed 16-6.

6.      Withdrawn

7.      Create an insurance system: Failed 11-11.

8.      Withdrawn

9.      Change contract buyout rules so that it costs 50% of the remaining contract value: Passed 15-4 with 3 abstentions.

10.  Change the number of players required to be on the 40-man roster to 37-40 effective the 2001 CABL season and 35-40 effective the 2002 CABL season: Passed 19-3.