Troyan Fantasy Baseball (2025) | League Rules (2012 Version)

League Rules (2012 Version)

2012 Modifications are indicated in red.

Previous Versions

I. Draft Day: Creating a Team & Roster

Bidding-style Draft
1. Nominating and Bidding
  1. Based on a random draw, an order is chosen to "nominate" players to be bid upon.
  2. Nominating team makes opening bid.
  3. Minimum bid per player is $0.10.
  4. Each bid must be divisible by $0.10.
  5. Bidding proceeds in sequence by each franchise until all franchises remove themselves from bidding, leaving one team with the winning bid.
2. Winning the Bidding on a Nominated Player
  1. A winning bid is equivalent to signing a guaranteed contract with the nominated player.
  2. A won bid gives the winning franchise the opportunity to do one of the following:
    - keep the player to fill a roster requirement
    - trade the player to a competing franchise
    - release the player. (See section C. Minor Leagues, Part 4)
  3. At the end of the draft, payment will be collected from the team possessing (or last possessing, in the case of release) each player won in bidding.
  4. Upon winning a bid, a team must immediately decide whether to utilize one or more of its available options for the signing (see 4. Contract Options).
3. Luxury Tax
  1. All teams are granted a $27 luxury tax abatement upon the start of the draft. Only teams present at the primary draft are granted the abatement.
  2. At the end of the primary draft, one of two situations will exist:
    - Teams who have a roster value less than or equal to the abatement they possess are assessed no luxury tax.
    - Teams who have a roster value exceeding the abatement they possess are assessed a tax (beyond the roster value) of 5 times the amount exceeding the abatement.
    - Luxury Tax Abatements are considered trading commodities (current draft or subsequent season). Trading may be carried out in full or in part.
    - Released players are not considered part of a roster, and, as such are not subject to Luxury Tax consideration.
4. Contract Options
  1. Each team is granted to opportunity to utilize 4 contract options each Draft Day.
  2. Each contract option costs $0.50. The cost of the options purchased apply to the current season's roster value and, thus, the Luxury Tax. The cost of the contract options do not apply to subsequent season(s) roster value; only the cost of the player would apply in the subsequent season(s).
  3. A contract option allows the player to be retained as one of a team's Franchise Players in the subsequent season(s) for the bidding value of the current season, allowing the team keeping said player to bypass the Collective Bargaining system for the player. Conversely, a player signed with contract options is not eligible for Collective Bargaining in the subsequent season(s). A player is also not eligible for Collective Bargaining in the season after the contract option(s) expires. In effect, once the options expire, the player is a free agent.
  4. A team may utilize contract options in any combination on 1 to 4 players or not at all. A single player can be signed with up to 4 contract options. Each contract option applies to one subsequent season. (for example, a player signed with 4 options would cost the same to keep as a Franchise Player for the next 4 seasons.)
  5. Contract options are attached to the player and are transferred with the player if the player is traded.
  6. If a player with contract options is not retained as a Franchise Player, the options expire and the player becomes a free agent.
    - Note: Contract options are not trading commodities.
Roster Requirements
1. Each team must fill the following positions in the quantity prescribed:
  1. Starting Lineup:
    - Catchers (C) - 1 player
    - First Basemen (1B) - 1 player
    - Second Basemen (2B) - 1 player
    - Third Basemen (3B) - 1 player
    - Short Stops (SS) - 1 player
    - Outfielders (OF) - 3 players
  2. Bench - 6 players (offensive statistics only) meeting the following requirements:
  3. Pitchers (P) - 11 players, pitching statistics only
  4. Minor Leagues:
    - Infielder (Catcher, First Base, Second Base, Third Base, Short Stop)
    - Outfielder (including Designated Hitter)
    - Utility (any Infielder or Outfielder)
    - Pitchers - 3 players
2. Pitching Staff Requirements
  1. A team's eleven person pitching staff must contain 5 starting pitchers and 5 relief pitchers. The remaining pitcher may be either a starting or relief pitcher.
  2. Definitions:
    - Starting Pitcher is defined as any player with pitching statistics who has appeared as a starting pitcher in at least half of his appearances.
    - Relief Pitcher is defined as any player with pitching statistics who has appeared in relief in at least half of his appearances.
    - A pitcher who has appeared in an equal number of games as a starting pitcher and as a relief pitcher is permitted to fill either role.
  3. Penalty - a team that does not meet these pitching staff requirements is assessed a scoring penalty. (see IV.E. Scoring Penalties)
Minor Leagues
1. Each team must begin the season with minor league players as described in B. Roster Requirements, which are "stored" in the team's minor league roster. Minor league statistics are not counted towards team totals.
2. After draft day, there are no position requirements for a team's minor leagues.
3. Player Limits:
  1. Until all teams' initial rosters are selected: 6 minor league players
  2. From initial roster selection to July Draft: 7 minor league batters and 7 minor league pitchers
4. In order to stay within minor league player limits, a team may release a player. The released player is considered available at the next drafting session (Draft or July Draft).
Source of Players/Statistics
- Each team may acquire professional baseball players from any professional league. However, only statistics achieved in the regular season of the National League of Major League Baseball will be valid for scoring and data purposes.
League Fees
- League fees are collected in the form of payment equivalent to the value players won in bidding as described in I.A.2.c.
Franchise Players
1. In subsequent years, a team is permitted to retain up to 7 players from:
  1. Players on their previous year roster whose ownership rights are not currently held by another team via Offseason Draft selection.
  2. Players selected in the Offseason Draft (see section VII. Offseason Draft) from other teams.
2. Collective Bargaining - Each franchise player is assigned new value based on the following criteria, dependent on Previous Season Value (PSV). Standard rounding rules apply:
  1. PSV $0.10 - $0.20: $0.50
  2. PSV $0.30 - $0.40: 2x PSV
  3. PSV $0.50 - $0.90: $1.00
  4. PSV $1.00 - $2.00: 1.5x PSV
  5. PSV >$2.00: greater of $3.00 or 1.25x PSV
3. See I. Section I. Franchise Continuation.
4. Franchise players must be announced and chosen using the finishing order in the previous season (1st place to last place).
5. Once a team has specified their franchise players, the team no longer hold the ownership rights to any players it selected in the Offseason Draft. The teams who owned those players in the previous season may choose to retain them as their own franchise players, if they have not yet specified their franchise players.
Absentee Team
1. A team may be created by an owner who was unable to attend the draft using the undrafted remaining players.
  1. Limited Roster: Absentee Teams are limited in original draft to 26 positions required plus 4 minor league players (if desired).
  2. Player Values: All Absentee drafts are assigned the value of $0.20.
2. Absentee draft picks are not trading commodities. Absentee Teams are not assigned a salary cap for bidding purposes (hence, these teams are not able to trade bidding money). Such a team is not eligible for "Thrifty Draft Bonus."
3. Potential owner should communicate desire to create an Absentee Team prior to Draft Day, if possible.
4. Absentee Teams should be selected by the end of the first week of the regular season.
5. Returning franchises may select franchise players as defined in 1F. The remainder of the team is then selected using absentee rules.
Position Requirements
1. A position player is eligible at any position in which he played at least 15 games in the previous season (American or National League).
2. A position player is eligible at any position in which he plays at least 10 games in the current season (American or National League).
3. If a position player does not meet either of the above criteria, that player is eligible at any position in which he either played in the previous season or in the current season (American or National League).
4. A major league rookie is eligible at any position he is expected to play or which he did play in the minor leagues (other teams may request verification of such claims).
5. Any player may be listed as a pitcher. However, without statistics, that position is considered empty. Note: only pitching statistics are accumulated for players in these positions.
Franchise Continuation
1. Each franchise from a season is available for purchase (via league fees) in the subsequent season. The right to purchase/ownership is given to the owner in the previous season.
2. Each player may only own one franchise.
3. An existing franchise that is not purchased by an owner from the previous season may be purchased by another player.
  1. Option to purchase will be given to lowest finishing team in previous season. If that owner declines, the option proceeds to the next lowest finishing team. The final option (if all teams decline) is given to a player who did not participate the previous season.
  2. A player who participated in any trades with the available franchise after the end of the previous season is not eligible to purchase the available franchise.
  3. Any disputes will be handled via the established dispute process.

II. July Draft: Enhancing the Rosters

Selection Style Draft
1. Each team is allocated 4 selections of any player meeting criteria specified in I. Section D, unless "Unofficial" July Draft rules are in effect.
2. Draft order is determined by a team's rank, in terms of scoring. (lowest rank to highest, then repeated) These draft picks are referred to as the normally ordered selections.
3. In the first round of the draft, a lottery will be held for the first two picks (overall) in the draft. The lottery procedure is:
  1. All teams who do not receive Mid Season Leader Bonus points (see IV. Scoring C. Bonus Points), are given one chance.
  2. From the pool of chances, a chance is drawn at random. The team who owns the drawn chance is granted the first pick in the July Draft. This lottery pick replaces the team's normally ordered selection in the first round.
  3. From the remaining pool of chances, a chance is drawn at random. The team who owns the drawn chance is granted the second pick in the July Draft. This lottery pick replaces the team's normally ordered selection in the first round.
  4. All remaining teams whose chances were not selected will draft in the first round with their normally ordered selections.
Date
1. The date of the July Draft will be determined by the teams in the Troyan Fantasy Baseball League, within a 10 day range before or after the Major League All-Star Break.
2. If 100% participation is not possible, a majority of the league must be present for an official July Draft. Teams that are unable to attend should submit a list of desired drafts, which will be drafted in good faith by the physical participants.
3. If an official July Draft is not possible, the league coordinator will conduct an "unofficial" July Draft.
"Unofficial" July Draft
1. Each team is contacted in the order of their team rank, based on scoring, starting with the last place team.
2. Upon being contacted, that team chooses 1 player.
3. Draft proceeds for two rounds until completed. Note: this may be fewer rounds than in a normal July Draft, as defined in these rules.
Player Value
1. First round draft picks are valued at $0.50.
2. Second round draft picks are valued at $0.40.
3. Third round draft picks are valued at $0.30.
4. Fourth round draft picks are valued at $0.20.
5. If an "unofficial" July Draft is held, all players picked are assigned a value of $0.50.
Trading
- July draft selections may be traded to other teams. Trades of this nature must be posted on the league web site. (See Section III. Trading)

III. Trading

Definition
1. Players/Commodities may be traded to other teams under mutually agreed upon terms.
2. There is no limitation to the quantity of trading; trading is an integral part of this league.
3. Players/Commodities may be traded for any of the legitimate "Trading Commodities."
Trading Commodities
1. Players
2. July Draft draft picks (current year only)
Trading Limitations
1. Through the end of the July Draft, all trading of Trading Commodities are held to a "Fair Exchange" requirement.
  - "Fair Exchange" is achieved if the difference in value between the Trading Commodities of each team involved in a trade proposal is within $0.50.
2. Restricted trading (by use of the Waiver system described in part E. Waivers) may occur after the July Draft and through the final Saturday in September. All players who are part of a restricted trade must be put on the 25 man roster (not placed in the minors or released) for the remainder of the season.
3. No trading may occur between teams after the Restricted trading deadline until franchise player lists are submitted and finalized for all teams involved in trading (this is expected to occur on the next season's draft day). This absolute trading deadline is intended to prevent the trading of players that a team has no intention of keeping and to alleviate the possibility of "unfair" offseason trades.
4. Winter Meeting Exception - If a formal Winter Meeting is agreed upon and a majority of the previous season's franchises attend; for the duration of the Winter Meeting, trading may occur where "fair exchange" requirements are met. "Fair Exchange" is achieved if the difference in value between the trading commodities of the participants is within $0.50.
Disputes
1. Any team may dispute a trade on the basis of "collusion"; no teams should work together for the benefit of one team under some organized/planned purpose. Process:
  1. File dispute with league coordinator.
  2. Coordinator randomly chooses 2-3 uninvolved teams to render a decision.
    - This decision should be based on "maintaining a competitive league."
    - A trade is fair if the random teams can see equity in the trade.
    - "Involved teams" will be defined as the team(s) directly involved in the trade and the team disputing the trade.
    - If 2 teams are chosen, decision must be unanimous to overturn trade. If 3 teams are chosen, a majority of these teams must favor overturning the trade.
    - Selected teams are requested to provide an explanation of the decision that gives the basic reason for decision. Responses may be referenced in future judgements to develop a history or consistency to rulings.
  3. Right of Appeal - If trade overturned, teams involved in trade may appeal to entire league to overturn "committee" ruling. 75% or more of all teams must agree to overturn "committee" ruling.
2. "Adamsky" Scenario (aka "the Lenny Dykstra and Andy Van Slyke for Barry Bonds affair"): Any team participating in a trade that does not believe the final transaction went as organized may approach the coordinator to request a nullification. Upon presenting the argument for and against such a nullification, the ENTIRE league is polled by the coordinator. The decision of the majority will be carried out.
Waivers (Restricted Trading)
1. Placing a Player on Waivers
  1. Any team may place a single member of their roster on the waivers wire by posting the player's name in a predetermined location accessible to all members of the league.
  2. The player will remain on the waivers wire until 7 full days have passed.
2. Bidding on a Player who has been Placed on Waivers
  1. Any team may choose to offer a bid of eligible trading commodities, meeting a "fair exchange" requirement.
  2. "Fair Exchange" is achieved if the difference in value between the player on waivers and the offered trading commodities of the participants is within $0.50.
  3. Eligible Trading Commodities for waivers are:
    - Waivers Eligible Players:
3. After the waivers period has ended, one of the following results occur:
  1. If two or more valid offers were made for the player (in the public forum), the team who placed the player on the waiver wire must either:
    - Accept the offer they deem most favorable within 3 days, completing a restricted trade. (Note the 25 man roster requirement for players exchanged in a restricted trade.)
    - Reject the offers and withdraw the waiver placement. The player does NOT become a Waivers Eligible Player. If a team does not accept or reject in the 3 day period, the team rejects all offers by default.
  2. If one valid offer was made for the player (in the public forum), the team who placed the player on the waiver wire may:
    - Accept the offer within 3 days, completing a restricted trade. (Note the 25 man roster requirement for players exchanged in a restricted trade.)
    - Reject the single offer, making the player a Waivers Eligible Player. If a team does not accept or reject in the 3 day period, the team rejects the single offer by default.
  3. If no valid offers were made for the player (in the public forum), the player has cleared waivers and is a Waivers Eligible Player.
4. Arbitrator - In order to facilitate orderly tracking of waivers transactions, Waivers Eligible Players, and the waivers time period; an individual may be designated as the league arbitrator. This person is responsible for working with the commissioner to insure that all trades and waivers designations are completed properly and reported accurately.

IV. Scoring

Players as Commodities - Players are viewed as owning statistics. The possession of a player is equivalent to the possession of that player's statistics.
Types of Categories:
1. Regular Categories
  1. The team with the most of a regular category is awarded (# of teams in league minus 2) points; second place is awarded (# of teams in league minus 3) points; third place is awarded (# of teams in league minus 4) points; and so on. The team losing a regular category has one point deducted from their total.
  2. Regular Categories are: R, H (batting), 23B, HR, RBI, SB, AVG, W, ERA, SV, SO, WHIP, Holds
  3. Save Rule: a team is not awarded more saves (SV) than wins (W), even if the player statistics result in such a situation.
  4. 23B = 2 x Doubles (2B) + 3 x Triples (3B) + Bases on Balls (BB)
  5. WHIP = (Walks (BB) + Hits (H)) / Innings Pitched (IP)
  6. Minimum Player Rule: a team automatically places last in AVG if more than one batting position possesses no statistics. A team automatically places last in ERA and WHIP if more than one pitching position possesses no statistics.
2. Bonus Categories
  1. The team with the most of a Bonus Category is awarded 4 points; second place is awarded 2 points; third place is awarded 1 point.
  2. Bonus Categories are: AB, IP
3. Negative Category
  1. The team(s) with the most of a Negative Category is awarded (2 minus # of teams in league) points; second place is awarded (3 minus # of teams in league) points; third place is awarded (4 minus # of teams in league) points; and so on. The team with the fewest of a Negative Category is awarded 1 point.
  2. Negative Categories are: Errors (E), Losses (L)
  3. Minimum Player Rule: a team scores as if it possesses the most errors if more than one batting position possesses no statistics. A team scores as if possesses the most losses if more than one pitching position possesses no statistics.
Bonus Points
1. Thrifty Draft Bonus: the team that spends the least money on draft day is eligible for a 1 point bonus at the end of the season IF that team wins 3 categories (Regular or Bonus)
2. Mid Season Leader Bonus: the team that is winning on the July Draft Date is awarded 3 points at the end of the season. The team in second place on the July Draft Date is awarded 2 points at the end of the season. The team in third place on the July Draft Date is awarded 1 point at the end of the season.
3. All Star Bonus: the team with the most players selected to be part of the National League All-Star team, as of the All-Star break, is awarded one point at the end of the season.
4. Individual Achievement Bonuses:
  1. Top Batter Awards (aka Highest OPS by Batting Position) - the teams possessing the owned players with the highest On-Base Percentage Plus Slugging Percentage (OPS) at each fielding position as of the end of the regular season is awarded 2 points to be added to the teams' final overall scores. The positions to be considered are: C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, OF, OF, and OF (the top 3 outfielders by OPS). Each position for which a player is eligible will be considered in the selection process; however, a player will only be considered once for all Top Batter awards (ie. a player can only win one Top Batter award). A player must have 400 at bats to be considered for a Top Batter Award.
  2. Top Starting Pitcher Awards - based on a uniform rating system, the team possessing the owned starting pitcher (see. I.B.2 Pitching Staff Requirements for definition) with the highest rating value is awarded 3 points to be added to the team's final overall score. The team team possessing the owned starting pitcher with the 2nd highest rating value is awarded 2 points to be added to the team's final overall score. The team possessing the owned starting pitcher with the 3rd highest rating value is awarded 1 point to be added to the team's final overall score. The team possessing the owned starting pitcher with the 4th highest rating value is awarded 1 point to be added to the team's final overall score. A pitcher is eligible for a Top Starting Pitcher Award if that player pitches at least 100 innings in the National League. The uniform starting pitcher rating is defined as:
    - Quality Starts + 20/(ERA + 1) + 20/(WHIP + 1)
  3. Top Relief Pitcher Awards - based on a uniform rating system, the team possessing the owned relief pitcher (see. I.B.2 Pitching Staff Requirements for definition) with the highest rating value is awarded 3 points to be added to the team's final overall score. The team possessing the owned relief pitcher with the 2nd highest rating value is awarded 2 points to be added to the team's final overall score. The team possessing the owned relief pitcher with the 3rd highest rating value is awarded 1 point to be added to the team's final overall score. The team possessing the owned relief pitcher with the 4th highest rating value is awarded 1 point to be added to the team's final overall score. A pitcher is eligible for a Top Relief Pitcher Award if that player pitches at least 30 innings in the National League. The uniform relief pitcher rating is defined as:
    - 20/(ERA + 1) + 20/(WHIP + 1) - Blown Saves
Ties
1. A tie in any category is tied at the "highest level," resulting in each team that is tied receiving points allocated to the highest position.
2. Ties result in the positions after being rolled into the higher position.
  - For example: if 3 teams tie for first place, 2nd and 3rd place are rolled into 1st place. The next team would be awarded 4th place.
Scoring Penalties
1. Pitching Staff Requirements: Any team that does not meet the pitching staff position requirements as defined in section "I.B.2 Pitching Staff Requirements" will be assessed an overall scoring reduction of 10 points.

V. Winning

Determine Winner - The team that scores the most points after combining all categories wins the league. Ranking proceeds downward from that point.
Tiebreaker - The team with most first place categories (regular and bonus) wins. If still tied, team with most second place categories (regular and bonus). Proceeds until winner determined.
Prize money breakdown:
1. First Place: 70% of League Fees collected
2. Second Place: 20% of League Fees collected
3. Third Place: 10% of League Fees collected

VI. Winter Meeting

Scheduling - Participating teams may wish to schedule a winter meeting date to discuss rules, future direction of the league, and trades. In order to formalize such a Winter Meeting, a meeting time should be selected and agreed upon by a majority of the league at least 30 days in advance.
Trading - If a "formal" Winter Meeting occurs, the Winter Meeting Exception to the Trade Deadline (see "Trading Limitations" under III. Trading) is applied.

VII. Changing League Rules

Types of Rule Changes:
1. Financial Rule Change - a change related to the payment of league fees or other real monetary assessments.
2. General Rule Change - changes to league rules that do not have a direct impact on the collection of league fees or other real monetary assessments. Rules changes related to drafting, scoring, trading, etc would fall under this category.
Proposals
1. Rule changes may be proposed by any franchise who participated in the league during the last full season and who has an understood intent to participate in the next season (in which rules will be implemented). Any team who meets this participation requirement is said to have "voting stakes" in the Troyan Fantasy Baseball League.
2. Proposals must be submitted and reviewable to all franchises who have "voting stakes" for review via accepted communication method (email, message board, league web site, face-to-face meeting).
3. Proposal must explicitly define how an existing rule should be modified or how a new rule should be worded. Rule changes should attempt to reference the specific section of the rules that are being addressed.
4. Proposal may be debated and modified until a final version is agreed upon.
Approval Process
1. Rule Change Proposals will be put to a vote by the franchises with "voting stakes." The voting period must be a minimum of 2 weeks.
2. The franchises cast one of the following votes:
  1. Yes - Rule Change Proposal is acceptable
  2. No - Rule Change Proposal is not acceptable
  3. Defer to Commissioner - franchise elects to vote in line with the League Commissioner.
  4. Defer to Remaining Majority (Abstain) - franchise elects to not cast a vote.
3. Approving/Rejecting Rule Change Proposals
  1. Financial Rule Change is approved if more than 75% of franchises that cast votes (including "Defer to Commissioner" votes) choose "Yes".
  2. General Rule Change is approved if more than 50% of franchises that cast votes (including "Defer to Commissioner" votes) choose "Yes".
4. Proposals that are rejected may be resubmitted for league approval.
5. Rapid Rule Change Approval - rules may be implemented without 2 week voting period if proposal is made and approved in a live setting (draft, meeting, etc).
Implementation
1. Change Period - League Rules may only officially be changed in the period following the completion of a baseball season and prior to the start of the following season. More specifically: from the end of the National League regular season to opening day the following season.
2. Finalization - League Rules (including all modifications and additions) are agreed upon and finalized prior to drafting teams on Draft Day.
Limited Right to Veto
1. League Coordinator has a limited right to alter (or block, in extreme cases) rule changes that:
  1. Create an unnecessary or excessive burden in the maintenance of the league (statistical compilation, website maintenance, etc).
  2. Threaten to destroy the basic "nature of the league." "Nature of the league" may be subjectively based on League Commissioner's values or may be tied to a league approved mission statement.
2. League Coordinator may not alter (or block) existing, finalized rules.

VIII. Offseason Draft

Description
- The Offseason Draft is a draft to enhance the pool of players from which a team may select their Franchise Players (see section I.F. Franchise Players) in the subsequent season. The players selected in the Offseason Draft come from the "unprotected" rosters of the other teams in the Troyan Fantasy Baseball League. The players selected in the Offseason Draft are not added to the selecting team's roster. Players selected in the Offseason Draft are not required to be kept as Franchise Players in the subsequent season; they are simply available to be kept as a Franchise Player to the team selecting them.
Draft Preparation
1. Following the completion of the Major League Baseball regular season, all teams will be able to designate 10 players as "protected." The players specified will not be included in the pool of available players for the Offseason Draft. The choice of "protected" players may be modified up to the commencement of the Offseason Draft.
2. The Offseason Draft begins on December 1st.
Draft Preparation
1. Each team is allocated 2 selections of any player not specified as "protected" from any other team in the league. A player drafted by another team in the Offseason Draft is considered "protected."
2. Each team selects one player at a time for two rounds.
3. Draft order in each round is determined by a team's rank in the preceding season, in terms of scoring. The team finishing 4th (or first team not collecting prize money) selects first. The team finishing 5th selects second. This proceeds until the last place team selects. Then, the 3rd place team selects, followed by the 2nd place team, followed by the 1st place team.
4. Each draft must occur within 3 days. A team that does not make their draft selection within the 3 day period will forfeit that Offseason draft pick.
Ownership Rights
1. The ownership rights to a player selected in the Offseason Draft are owned by the team who selects them.
2. The ownership rights to a player selected in the Offseason Draft are renounced on draft day if the player is not retained as a Franchise Player by the team who selected the player.

Previous Versions

2011 Version