Official Constitution of
the Hawk
Mountain Hot Stove
Baseball League
Foreword
This document is a largely modified version of the Official Constitution,
found in Rotisserie League Baseball, by Robert Sklar and Glen Waggoner. Most of
the text of this document has been "borrowed" from various Web Sites
on the Internet. Differences include the specifics on a great many topics.
Article I - Object
The object of the game is to assemble a lineup of 23 players whose
cumulative statistics during the regular Major League Baseball season, compiled
and measured by the methods described in this Constitution, exceed those of all
other teams in the League.
Article II - Active Roster
A team's Active Roster consists of two catchers, four outfielders, one
first baseman, one second baseman, one shortstop, one third baseman, one corner
man (either 1B or 3B), one middle infielder (2B or SS), a utility player (any
position except pitcher) and ten pitchers. Players may be added to or removed
from the Active Roster throughout the season. Any transaction that increases
the size of the Active Roster beyond 23 players (such as a trade, waiver claim,
etc.), must be accompanied by another transaction that returns the Active
Roster to its maximum 23 players. In addition, after the completion of these
simultaneous transactions, the roster must consist of 23 players who are
eligible to play the roster positions as outlined above (there must be two
catchers, four outfielders, etc.).
During the course
of the season, owners may elect to replace one of their pitchers with a batter
of any position (utility player). The batter may be assigned to position
pursuant to Article IX or used as a Utility Player. The position slot may be
switched between batter and pitcher weekly. However, the player activated into
this flexible position plot must stay active for two weeks.
Article III - Reserve Roster
A team's Reserve Roster consists of those players acquired through the
Reserve Draft, through trades, or through demotions from the Active Roster. Any
transaction that increases the size of the Reserve Roster beyond 13 players
must be accompanied by another transaction (such as a trade, promotion, waiver,
etc.) that simultaneously reduces the size of the Reserve Roster to its maximum
13 players. There is no minimum number of players that can be on the Reserve
Roster. The order of the Reserve Draft
is determined by the final standings from the previous season. This is a serpentine draft.
Article IV - Minor League Roster
A Rotisserie League team also controls a Minor League Roster of no more
than twelve players. To be eligible to be placed on a Minor League Roster: 1)
the player must have never a) had more than 75 at-bats in a Major League
season, or b) pitched more than 25 innings in a Major League season, 2) the
player did not appear on any Opening Day Major League roster in the year he was
drafted, nor has he appeared on any Opening Day roster during the year he was
drafted and 3) the player must never have been on any Rotisserie League team's
Active Roster or Reserve Roster. Once a
player on a team’s Minor League Roster reaches 75 AB or 25 IP, that player’s
owner has one week to announce whether or not he will activate or release that
player. If the owner chooses to
activate the player, that player must join the active roster effective at the
beginning of the next transaction period.
If the player
reaches the innings or at-bats limit after July 1st but prior to September
15th, that player is assigned an A0 contract status. This means
that, if the player is kept the following season, they will have an A1 contract
status. If a player does not reach the 75/25 plateaus before September 15, that
player is eligible to remain on a Minor League Roster for the start of the following
season. The order of the Reserve Draft
is listed in Article VI. Players who make a Major League team’s Opening Days
roster who were kept from a previous Minor League Draft do not have to be
activated until they reach the 75/25 plateaus.
Article V - Auction Draft
A Major League Player Auction Draft is conducted on a date to be determined
before the start of the regular season. Each team must acquire 23 players for
its Active Roster at a total cost not to exceed $26. A team need not spend the
maximum. The League by general agreement determines the order in which teams
may nominate players for acquisition. The team bidding first opens with a
minimum bid of $0.10 for any eligible player. The bidding then continues around
the room at minimum increments of $0.10 until only one bidder is left. That
bidder acquires the player for that amount and announces the roster position
the player will fill. The maximum bid allowed for any one player is $5.20. The
process is repeated, with successive League Members introducing players to be
bid on, until every team has a squad of 23 players, by requisite position. Only
players whose rights are owned by National League teams or their affiliates may
be selected in the Auction Draft. Players with multiple position eligibility
may be shifted from one position to another during the course of the Auction
Draft. No team may make a bid for a player who qualifies only at a position
that the team has already filled. For example, a team that has already acquired
two catchers and whose utility slot is occupied may not enter the bidding for
any player who qualifies only at catcher. No team may make a bid for a player
that it cannot afford. At least $0.10 must be kept available for every roster
slot that the team has remaining to fill. Each owner may pass his/her turn one
time. There is no draft day salary limit for keepers.
Each team may
designate one non-keeper as "topping bid" player. On draft day, the
owner would be able to retain these players by paying $0.10 more than the
winning bid. Owners announce their topper after the bidding has ended for that
player and before the next player is nominated for the auction process. For
example: Player X is one of my "topping bid" players. During the
draft, Player X is auctioned off to another team at $2.80. I have the
opportunity to retain him by paying $2.90. Players can be topped for $5.30.
Keepers from previous season are not subject to the $5.20 auction cap and can
kept kept regardless of salary.
Article VI - Reserve Draft
After the conclusion of the Minor League Draft, teams may successively
draft up to 5 additional players in 5 separate rounds of selection. This is
called the Reserve Draft because initially, players acquired in this fashion
comprise a team's Reserve Roster. Only players currently on National League
teams or their farm systems are eligible to be selected in the Reserve Draft.
The order of selection is determined by the previous season's standings (or by
lottery in the initial season). The cost of players taken during the Reserve
Draft is $0.50 each. These salaries do not count against the $26 Auction Draft
salary cap but do count against the team’s in-season salary cap. Teams may
decline their pick in any round if they choose.
Article VII - Minor League Draft
After the conclusion of the Auction Draft, teams may successively draft up
to three players with little or no Major League experience (as defined in
Article IV) to occupy their Minor League Roster. The cost of a player acquired
in the Minor League Draft is $0.50. These salaries do not count against the $26
Auction Draft salary cap or the regular-season salary cap. These players are
owned in rights only, and thus will not have a contract with their affiliated
Rotisserie League team until they are promoted to the Active Roster, at which
time they will receive a standard first-year contract. Teams may decline their
pick in any round if they choose. If a team has retained some Minor League
Players from the previous season, that team may only draft as many players as
they have openings for on their Minor League Roster. If the Draft is held before the Opening Day, player who is taken
in the Minor League Draft but makes his Major League team’s Opening Day Roster
in the same year he is drafted, must be activated within one week from the
start of the season. If that player is not activated, he becomes a Free Agent.
Minor leaguer players that make the opening day roster but were drafted in
previous seasons do not have to be activated until they reach the 75/25
plateaus. Only players currently on National League teams or their farm systems
are eligible to be selected in the Minor League Draft.
The best team finishing “out-of-the-money” will make the first pick in each
Minor League Draft. Draft order for the season after four teams are awarded a
monetary award would be as follows: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 4, 3, 2, and 1.
Each round would follow the same pattern. Expansion teams will receive one
extra (fourth) pick at the end of the final round.
Article VIII - Free Agents
Active National League players not
on any HMHS team's roster are free agents. An active player is any player
currently on a NL team’s active major league roster. Players on the disabled
list, suspended list, or in rehabilitation (drug or physical) are not active
and therefore cannot be signed.
·
From the first
Sunday after the start of the regular season until season end transaction
deadline, free agents may be signed, without limit in number, but within the
limitations of a HMHS team's roster limits, in-season salary cap, and Free
Agent Acquisition Budget rules:
Each team shall have, for the purpose of acquiring free agents during the
course of the season, a supplementary budget of $20.
·
At the deadline
established by the league for recording weekly transactions a team may submit a
bid for one or more free agents.
·
The minimum bid
for a player is $1 unless the player had been previously released by the
bidding HMHS team. In that case the minimum bid is his previous salary. Bids
will be done in 10-cent increments.
·
The maximum bid
is the remaining amount in the team's FAAB provided that the team stays below
the In-Season Salary Cap.
·
All free agents
must remain on the team’s active roster for a minimum of two weeks. The player
cannot be demoted, waived or traded.
·
A free agent so
selected goes to the highest bidder. The toteboard will be used to break any
ties. The toteboard will carry over from one season to the next.
·
The salary of a
free agent signed in this manner is his acquisition price. His contract status
is that of a first-year player. That player is eligible to be kept as a keeper
the following season.
·
For each free
agent that it signs, a team must at the same time demote an active player to
his reserves or release him.
·
If a HMHS team
loses a player to the American League in an inter-league trade, or that player
is killed, then that team's FAAB dollars are increased by an amount equal to
the lost player's salary. If the player traded is currently on a HMHS reserve
roster, the FAAB dollars recovered are equal to one-half his salary (round up).
The FAAB is increased only when that player is released.
·
A team may
trade FAAB dollars in a player trade. No FAAB dollars can be held over for the
following season.
If two or more owners attempt to acquire the same player in the same week, the player in question will be awarded to the Owner listed first on the toteboard. The toteboard will be created on Draft Day each season, and its positions can be included in a trade between owners. Once an owner receives a player based on his toteboard, that owner is moved to the bottom of the toteboard. No owner can acquire a free agent by bypassing use of the toteboard due to player injury or a player lost due to trade to the American League. Each teams toteboard position will be carried from season to season.
Only players currently on National League teams or their
farm systems are eligible to be selected as Free Agents.
During the regular
season, each team will be allowed to pick one minor league player (see minor
league qualifications) to add to his minor league roster. The owner must have
an open slot on his minor league roster. The player’s salary will be $0.50 but
will not count against the team’s salary cap until that player is activated.
The pick can be traded. No owner can accumulate more than four picks during any
given season. Players acquired in this manner must be in a National League
team’s minor league system and not on a team’s 25-man roster.
Article IX - Position Eligibility
A player may be assigned to any position at which he appeared in 20 or more
Major League games in the preceding season. A player may be eligible for any
number of positions by this measure. If a player did not appear in 20 games at
any one position, he may be assigned only to the position at which he appeared
most frequently. If a player appeared at two positions an equal number of
times, but at each less than 20 games, then the player is eligible at either
position. This measure is used to determine the position or positions at which
a player may be drafted. After the Reserve Draft, the player retains all
eligibility granted to him by the above rules for the remainder of the season,
and he becomes eligible for assignment to any position at which he has appeared
at least five times during the current season. Players selected for the utility
slot may qualify at any position. A rookie with no Major League experience will
be eligible for assignment to the position at which he is expected to play
during the upcoming season. The guiding philosophy shall be to give latitude to
rookies to qualify for any plausible position, by examining their planned usage
in the Majors, and the position they played the previous season in the minors.
If the rookie has not made five appearances at the position at which he was
drafted by the second transaction deadline after the Draft, he must either be
placed on the Reserve Roster, shifted to a position at which he has appeared at
least five times, or shifted to the position at which he has appeared most
frequently during the current season.
Article X - Trades
Trades involving players on Active Rosters, Reserve Rosters, Minor League
Rosters, FAAB money, toteboard positions, and the following seasons Reserve and
In-season Minor League draft picks are allowed. However, Reserve and Minor
League draft positions for seasons beyond the following season, "players
to be named later", "future considerations", money and gifts are
not allowed. Draft Day Minor League picks are not tradable.
Each regular
season, the trade deadline will be the first Sunday of September. Trades may also take place from the end of
the final game of the World Series until the announcement of keepers.
Each owner reserves the right to protest a trade he considers particularly
unfair. If an owner feels a trade is unfair; the owner may, within one week,
submit a formal protest to the Assistant Commissioner. The AC may overturn a
trade if he feels "the said transaction is working against the best
interests of the League."
Article XI - Statistics
The transaction-reporting deadline will be Sunday at 9:00 PM. The effective
date of any transaction in the National League is each Monday, before
commencement of play on that Monday. Performance stats of a player shall be
assigned to a Rotisserie League team's totals only while that player is on the
23-man Active Roster of the team, and while he is on the Active Roster of a
club in the National League. During any period in which a player is on a team's
Reserve Roster or Minors, and not on the Active Roster, any statistics he might
compile do not count for his Rotisserie League team. Pitcher's offensive stats
are not counted, nor are the pitching stats of the occasional positional player
called in to pitch in an emergency. If a player is a regular pitcher as well as
a regular positional player (i.e. Babe Ruth while with the Red Sox, who would
pitch one game and then play the outfield or first base for the next three
days), the Rotisserie team must choose one or the other. If assigned to a
pitching slot, only pitching stats are counted. If assigned to a batting slot,
only batting stats are counted. The player will be considered a pitcher if he
was a pitcher in the previous season, and vice versa, unless specific mention
is made by the drafting team that his assignment will change. This assignment
to pitching or batting may not be changed during the entire season. The
Rotisserie League season ends on the last day of the regular season. Each
season the League will agree which statistics service will constitute the
official database for the computation of standings. Stats Incorporated will
confirm disputed statistics.
Article XII - Standings
The following criteria are used to determine team performance.
Total Runs Scored, Batting Average, Total
Runs Batted In, Total Home Runs, Total Stolen Bases, Total Wins, Earned Run
Average, Base runners Allowed Per Inning (Hit+Technical Walks/Innings), Total
Saves & Total Strikeouts
Teams are ranked from first to last in each of the ten categories, and are
awarded points for each place. The first place team in each category receives
as many points as there are teams in the League. The second place team receives
one point less than the first place team; the third place team receives one
point less than the second place team, and so on down, so that the last place
team in the category receives one point. So, for example, in a seven-team
league, point values for each category would be: First place, seven points;
Second place, six points; Third place, five points; Fourth place, four points;
Fifth place, three points; Sixth place, two points; Seventh place, one point.
The points scored in all ten categories are then added together. The team with
the greatest total number of points at the end of the regular season wins the
League Championship. In cases of two or more teams tied in an individual
category, the tied teams are assigned points by totaling the points for the
rankings at issue and dividing the total by the number of teams tied. In cases of two or more teams tied in the
final standings the following criteria will be used to break the tie:
1. Most categories won when comparing the tied teams finishing places in each category.
2. Rank of Draft Day Team (see Article XX).
Article XIII - Movement Between Rosters
A team may demote a player from the Active Roster to the Reserve Roster, or
promote a player in the opposite direction at any time. Such promotions and
demotions will take effect for statistical purposes each Monday. However, at no
time may the Active Roster have more than 23 players, nor the Reserve Roster
has more than 13 players. There is no minimum number of players that must be on
the Active Roster, the Reserve Roster, or the Minor League Roster. A team may
promote a player from the Minor League Roster to the Active Roster at any time.
Once a player's first promotion out of the Minors occurs, however, he becomes
ineligible to ever again be placed back into the Minors. He receives a $0.50,
standard first-year contract starting at the time he was promoted (regardless
of how many years he was in the Minors before his promotion). If the team
decides to promote the minor leaguer in mid-season (anytime after Draft Day,
but before the postseason), that player must be placed on the Active Roster for
a minimum of two weeks and is frozen during this time (cannot be demoted,
waived, or traded, although he may be shifted from position to position on the
Active Roster). A player may not be promoted from the Minor League Roster
directly to the Reserve Roster. If the promotion increases the Active Roster
beyond 23 players, a current Active Roster player must be demoted to make room.
If this demotion increases the Reserve Roster beyond 13 players, the team must
waive a player to reduce the Reserve Roster back to 13 players. A player on the
Minor League Roster may be promoted to the Active Roster after August 31, but
only if there is a natural opening on the Active Roster or Reserve Roster. If
both are full, the player cannot be promoted. Statistics compiled by players
during a period in which they are on the Reserve Roster or in the Minors do not
count for their Rotisserie League team.
Transactions, except for free agent acquisitions, may be made starting
the Sunday before the opening game of the regular season, or one week after the
auction draft if it occurs during that time period.
Article XIV - Cost of Transactions
The cost of each transaction made by a team will cost $0.50 (except for
waiving players & acquiring Free Agents). This includes off-season trades. There
is no charge for waiving a player. For example:
1) If a team moves a player from its' Active Roster to its' Reserve Roster and
moves a player from its' Minor League Roster to its' Active Roster, the total
cost would be $0.50.
2) If a team adds a free agent through the FAAB (with a winning bid of $2.00)
to its' Active Roster, demotes a player from the Active Roster to the Reserve
Roster ($0.50) and waives a player on the Reserve Roster ($0), the total cost
would be $2.50.
Which team pays charges incurred during a trade transaction is subject to the
negotiations of the trade. In other words, as parts of the trade negotiations,
a team may pay all charges incurred, some of the charges or none of the
charges.
Article XV - Winter Rosters
Between the conclusion of the regular season and a date to be set at the
Winter Meeting, the players on Active & Reserve Rosters of each team will
be reduced to a maximum of 8 players. If the league decides to alter the number
of keepers, the number of keepers for every team for the following season must
be decided at the current winter meeting (i.e. at the 2001 Winter Meeting, the
league must decide on the final number of keepers for the 2002 season). No
players who have completed their third contract year may remain on a team’s
Winter Roster. There is no
minimum number of players that must be on the Winter Roster. At the following
years auction/draft each team must deduct the total salary of the players on
their Winter Roster from their $26 salary cap. For example:
If the total salary of a team's Winter Roster is $10, the team has $16 to fill the 17 open positions on the Active Roster.
The salary
of a player acquired in the Auction Draft is his auction price. The salary of a
player acquired in the Reserve Draft is $0.50. The salary of players acquired
in the Minor League Draft is $0.50.
In addition to the players
kept on their Active/Reserve Rosters each team may (but are not required to)
keep any or all of the players on their Minor League Roster. Once keepers are announced, those players
must be kept on the teams Draft Day Roster unless 1) the player is dead, or 2)
the player is traded to the American League.
Article XVI - Player Contracts
A player who has been under a standard contract during two consecutive
seasons and whose service has been uninterrupted must, following the conclusion
of his second season, be given his outright release or be signed for his option
year. (Uninterrupted service means that he has not been a free agent at any
point during that time. He may have been traded, or dropped to the reserve
roster.) If released, the player returns to the free agent pool and becomes
available for selection at the upcoming Auction Draft or Reserve Draft. If
signed for an option year the player's salary is increased by $0.50. The player
automatically becomes a free agent at the end of the upcoming (option) season.
If the player is traded to another team, that team must return the player to
the free agent pool at the end of the players’ original option year.
Article XVII - Salary Cap
The total salary for each team shall not exceed $40. If a trade or free
agent acquisition causes a team to exceed this Salary Cap, the team must
immediately adjust their roster to insure the total team salary is below the
maximum allowable team salary level. It is the sole responsibility of each
owner to insure that his team complies with this Article. The League will
sanction any team, which fails to comply with this Article. Sanctions will increase
with each violation.
First
Offense - verbal warning
Second Offense - $5 fine
Third Offense - $10 fine
Fourth Offense - $25 fine
Fifth Offense - $25 fine & loss of weekly statistics
The team must also immediately make the changes required to insure that his
team complies with the salary cap.
Article XVIII - Team Ownership
In order to maintain order in the League, the following rules apply to team
ownership:
- An owner may not transfer ownership of his team in the middle of the baseball
season.
- All primary owners must be present on draft day.
- An owner may only have an interest in one team, to prevent conflicts of
interest.
- The last day for an owner to announce their intention to join or drop out of
the League is January 30th of each year.
- If the number of teams drops below nine, the continuation of the League is
contingent upon a majority vote by the remaining owners.
- The ownership of a team may be transferred with the approval of at least half
the current owners, excluding the owner in question.
- The league may expand with the approval of at least half of the current
owners.
- Team owners can be expelled with a 4/5th majority vote of all other owners.
- Each owner can designate an alternate owner (who does not own his own team)
to handle his teams affairs during periods of unavoidable absence. The name and
phone number of the alternate owner must be presented on Draft Day along with a
complete list of "permissions" (e.g. Trades, roster moves,
acquisitions, etc.). It is suggested (but not mandated) that all alternate
owners be present on Draft Day.
- New owners will begin
their initial season with an extra $2.00 for the Auction Draft and one extra
minor league pick.
Article XIX - Governance
The League is governed by a Committee of the Whole consisting of all team
owners. The Committee of the Whole may designate as many League officials as
from time to time it deems appropriate. A quorum of 2/3 of the owners in good
standing must be present in order to make any rules changes. The League has four
official meetings each year: Player Acquisition Day, the Trade Deadline Meeting
(at the All-Star Break), the Gala Post-Season Banquet and Awards Ceremony and
the Winter Meeting. League Officers duties are as follows:
Commissioner
Interpret
and make rulings based on the Constitution with assistance from Constitution
Committee.
Receive and distribute all roster changes made by owners.
Award FA's to owners.
Administer Toteboard.
Approve roster changes. Insure compliance to Constitution.
Plan Draft Day Meeting.
Plan Winter Meeting.
Assistant Commissioner
Approve
all trades. Review disputed trades (primary).
Plan Summer Meeting.
Assume responsibilities of Commissioner as required.
Secretary (Statistician)
Approve
roster changes. Insure compliance with roster limits (per position, etc.).
Review disputed trades (secondary).
Plan Awards Ceremony.
Treasurer
Approve
roster changes. Insure compliance with Salary Cap and amounts owed.
Receive money for all acquisitions, trades, and roster moves.
Provide weekly report showing outstanding balances and Salary Cap compliance.
Publicly humiliate owners who owe more than $20.00.
Review disputed trades (tertiary).
Assume responsibilities of Assistant Commissioner as required.
In addition to these Officers, the league shall also designate a Constitution Committee. The committee is charged with assisting the Commissioner in ruling on all constitution related disputes. The committee should also note changes needed to clarify the Constitution and prepare these changes as proposals at the following Winter Meeting. This committee shall consist of the League Commissioner and two owners that do not hold any other League Office.
Article XX - Fees & Prize Money
All fees shall be promptly collected and wisely invested by the League Treasurer,
who is empowered to subject owners to public humiliation to insure that
payments are made to the League in a timely fashion. If the amount owed by any
owner exceeds $10, the owner in question must immediately pay the outstanding
amount to the League Treasurer or risk losing his teams statistics until the
money is paid. The interest income from this investment can be used to defray
the cost of the gala post-season awards ceremony and banquet (in other words:
buy the Yoo-Hoo). The principle shall be divided among the first four teams in
the final standings as follows:
|
First Place |
52% |
|
Second Place |
27% |
|
Third Place |
12% |
|
Fourth Place |
9% |
The team finishing in last
place must serve food and drink to all of the other owners at the Award
Ceremony.
On Draft Day, each team will designate 23 players (as per Article II), from their active, reserve and minor league rosters, as their Draft Day Roster. This Roster will be frozen the entire season. The team that finishes with the most points (using the usual 10 categories) will receive $1 extra for the Auction Draft the following season.
Article XXI - Yoo-Hoo
To consecrate the bond of friendship that unites all League owners in their
pursuit of the pennant, to symbolize the eternal verities and values of the
greatest game for baseball fans since baseball, and to soak the head of the
League champion with a sticky brown substance before colleagues and friends
duly assembled, the Yoo-Hoo ceremony is hereby ordained as the culminating
event of the baseball season. Each year, at the awards ceremony and banquet,
the owner of the championship team shall have a bottle of Yoo-Hoo poured over
his head by each of the year's team owners. The pouring shall commence with the
last place team and end with the pennant winner. The Yoo-Hoo Ceremony shall be
performed with the dignity and solemnity appropriate to the occasion.