HABLA - Constitution

(a) The Hardball League is a group of 28 people joined together for the common purpose of simulating a league of their own. All team owners are advised strongly to own their own copy of Sierra On-Line's Front Page Sports Baseball '96, or Baseball 98 and patch files as they become available.

Article 2: The Commissioner

(a) The Commissioner is responsible running the league, which includes resolving each day's games, performing off-season activities and making descisions regarding league policies that will effect the league in the present and future. The commissioner must always act in a manner that best benefits The Hardball League, should always be an owner or former owner, and should always attempt to have all 28 teams owned by humans and not computer controlled.

(b) The Commissioner is entitled to split duties with another for the benefit of the league, with each of the parties involved considered a Commissioner.

(c) Should the Commissioner step down, he or she shall appoint a successor. Any appointee must be approved by two thirds of the active Owners. If he or she does not do so, current Owners will volunteer for the position and a vote will be taken, with the Owner receiving the majority of the votes being declared Commissioner. If there is no majority, enough votes will be taken until a majority has been established.

(d) The Commissioner shall serve for a term of three Hardball seasons. After that term he/she may be renominated for another term. Any challenger may upon nomination run for office of Commissioner. Voting shall follow the same rules as Article 2 Item c.

Article 3: The Owners

(a) Simply put, any person who is in charge of the day-to-day activities of a team will be considered an Owner. In order to be part of the Hardball Leauge, an Owner must endorse and accept the terms of the By-Laws and is the sole person responsible for all transactions involving his/her team, which will be discussed further below. It is highly recommended that each Owner possess his/her own personal copy of Front Page Sports Baseball Pro '96/98, for the purpose of having experience with how the game works and using league files.

(b) An Owner may not switch teams at any time. An Owner may only rename his/her team if the team moves in real life, in which case it would be at the option of the owner. No Owner may own more than one team, nor may the Owner collude with any other Owner or group of Owners to unjustly enrich any team. Any Owner found guilty of collusion will be expelled from the Hardball League for life.

(c) A six-member Executive Board will be formed to assist and advise the Commissioner on policy if the commissioner feels it is necessary. This group will consist of the Commssioner and the most senior members of the league. If there is a tie in seniority, the Commissioner will decide who is on the E-Board.

(d) Each Owner is expected to participate in the daily operation of his/her team. If the Commissioner does not hear from them in 10 days, the Owner will be sent a note to check his/her presence. If this not does not get a response within 5 days the Owner will lose control of his/her team.

(e) If an Owner is going to be without access for an extended period of time, he or she may authorize another owner to act as Custodian for his/her team. The should do the best he/she can to follow the instructions of the unavailable Owner. Under no circumstances will a Custodian trade his/her players for the unavailable Owners players.

(f) If an Owner quits or is relieved of his/her duties, a new Owner shall be enlisted as soon as possible. It is important to keep all 32 teams owned and not operated by the computer.

(g) Owners are encouraged to be active participants in the league. Above all it is to be remembered that while competitive this league is for recreation. Civil behavior is expected at all times. Spam mailing, harassment are not at all a part of recreation and will not be tolerated.

Article 4: Daily Activities

(a) Each day, the Commissioner will be responsible for simming the days games and sending the results to each Owner. The Commissioner must also make the league files available and update a World Wide Web page on a weekly basis. The Email each owner will receive will consist scores of the days games, the schedule for the next days games with starting pitchers, updated standings a summary of the days roster moves and updated injury information. Playoff games are played every other day in order to give teams ample time to prepare. Simulations shall run three days per week on the average. No more than five games shall be simmed at one setting. Live sims will be attempted once per week but only one day of games. This will be done on an irc or chat channel. Playoffs will
be simmed live. Owners are encouraged to attend.

(b) Each Owner is responsible for making changes to his/her teams lineup. In order for a move to be entered into a days games, they must be into the Commissioner no later than 11am Eastern Standard time. The Owner must send
these changes to each owner in his/her league. (eg. Clevelands owner will only submit to the American League) Lineup changes my only be sent one day in advance.

(c) Due to the game allowing pitchers to work on three days rest for an entire season without any adverse effects, letting a pitcher pitch on 3 days rest is illegal until 8-15 of a given season.

Article 5: Roster Moves

(a) The trading deadline is July 31, but trades may be made at any time.Trades made from the first day of the season until July 31 will go into effect immediately. Trades made after August will be processed after the World Series ends. Should any team be computer owned for any length of time, all trades it attempts to make will be void,
due to poor Artificial Intelligence. Draft picks may be traded up to 3 seasons in advance.

(b) All trades are subject to the approval of the Trademaster.

(c)
1. Both parties must submit a short note to the Trademaster about the deal.
2. he looks it over, approves/disapproves it, and send confirmation to both parties as well as the commissioner.
3. Both parties must then send out a notice to the league about the deal.

A trade will be considered official when both teams have mailed their trade to all teams in both leagues and the Commissioner. If an Owner can not utilize a distribution list, a request can be made through the Commissioner for this to be done. Once a trade is declared official by it will be posted on the "Transactions" page on the website. Once a trade has been accepted by both teams, it cannot be reversed unless both teams agree.

(d) Until September 1 roster expansion, no team will have more than 25 players on the active roster, 15 players on the AAA/DL level and 10 players at Low Minors. From September 1 on, no team will have more than 40 players at the Active/AAA/DL Level and 10 players at the Low Minors level. Players may move between the active and AAA rosters freely, but in order for a player to be placed in the teams Low Minors level, he must be under 27 and claimed off waivers or received in a trade from another teams Low Minors roster.

(e) Waivers: Any player traded from one team's LOW minors to another team's LOW minors must clear waivers. The duration of Waivers starts at the time the player is placed on the wire, and lasts through the following session of games up to the deadline of the next set. (Example) If you place a player on waivers before Tuesday's games, he does not clear waivers until 11am EST Thursday.

Any team can claim a player before he clears waivers, BUT the team that places him on waivers reserves the right to pull the player off of the waiver wire anytime before he clears without explanation.

Players may be placed on waivers after the trade deadline, regardless of what roster they are on, (ML, AAA, LOW).

(f) Playoff rosters are due by August 31 each year. At this time, each team still in contention must send rosters of 25 players for the playoffs. Disabled players are automatically included and do not need to be designated. Changes to the playoff roster may be made if one of the designated players becomes injured, or a disabled player heals. The playoff roster for each playoff series may be changed only prior to the playoff series starting.

Article 6: Yearly Activities

(a) The Amateur draft will be heald after 40% of the season has been completed. All drafts will be held in the same manner as the league conferences, either on Powwow, or IRC. Owners are STRONGLY encourgaed to participate in the draft LIVE. However, it is understandable that circumstances will arise that can prevent this from happening. Therfore, at the time of the draft, all team owners will have the option of either participating LIVE, or submit a list of players in preferential order, that they wish to draft. The length of this list will depend on where your team picks in the draft. This process will be repeated until the draft is complete.

(b) Retirement occurs immedialtely after the World series and the awarding of the Landis Trophy.

(c) The Supplemental draft will take place immediately following retirement.This draft will be performed in the same manner as the Amateur draft.

(d) Spring training occurs immediately following the supplemental draft.Once league files are ready, each team has 10 days to submit training percentages for each player. If nothing is submitted by 11am EST on the day of the announced deadline, the computer will perform spring training for the given team.

Article 7:Free Agency

(a) All players who are over the age of 25 at the BEGINNING of the season, and who have 4, 8, 12, 16 years experience will be considered FREE AGENTS at the conclusion of the season.

(b) There will be a maximum of 4 players that each team can lose via the free agent draft.

(c) Each team can designate four players "franchise" players.Franchise players are protected outright before the draft even begins.

(d ) The free agent drafts will be held LIVE on IRC. It is strongly suggested that all who can, attend the draft LIVE. Those who cannot, will submit 2 lists. The first will be their DRAFT LIST. This will list the players - in order of preference - that the owner wishes to draft.

(e) The second list, the PROTECTION list, will list - in order of preference - the players that the owner wished to protect.

(f) Free agent drafts will run until all teams quit the draft up to three rounds.

Article 8: Conflicts and Resolution

(a) If there is a dispute between two or more Owners, it will be referred to the Commissioner, who will render his decision. If one or more of the involved owners feel that decision is unfair, he/she may appeal to the E-Board. If any involved party is on the E-board, the Owner will be replaced by the Owner with the most seniority by the Commissioner. Should a conflict involve the Commissioner, he/she will immediately defer to the E-board.

Article 9:Amendments

(a) Amendments to the By - Laws may be made at any time. Each Amendment must be approved by a 2 thirds margin of the Hardball League Ownership. Amendments must be placed in writing to the Commissioner who will then forward the motion to the league mailing list. Motions will be voted on live or by email at the beginning of a new season.

Article 10: Initial Season

The first internet season will be voted on by the league membership. The options are:

1) Owners will take the current rosters as they appear. All teams will go through Free Agent procedures and the Free Agent draft will then take place based on the assignments of the computer.

Owners will be able to take teams as currently comprised, however all but 20 players designated by the owner will be placed into a Free Agent Pool. Teams will draft in an alternating snake method with the first overall order being determined randomly.

All players will be placed in an initial Free Agent Draft Pool and an alternating snake method will be used to draft rosters. First overall pick will be determined randomly.

After the initial draft all team will have a period of five days from conclusion of FA draft to assign Spring Training Allocations and make any roster moves. Trading is allowed PRIOR to Spring Training. The off-season period will be considered our "Winter Meetings". If no Spring Training Allocations are sent computer will conduct training. Computer owned teams will not be eligible to participate in the draft until all human owned teams have had their first 2 rounds of the draft. Draft will run until all teams are finished.

Amendment 1: AMENDMENT
"A player may play out of a qualified position with the following understandings.
1. No left handed player may play any IF posn other than 1b.
2. A player may change his primary posn if he is qualified by the PC for a secondary posn.
3. Secondary posns are to be awarded by the PC which it will do IF a certain % of games in a season are played in that position, after which time a player may have his Primary Position changed.
Amendment Adopted 10/31/98

Amendment 2: Change of Ownership.
Any HABLA owner may change a team ONCE in his career under the following conditions:
A team must be open due to the resigning/removal of an owner. All owners with one FULL season may apply for the vacant team prior to the team being placed on the open market. Teams would recieve a number of "balls" based on time in HABLA, record of current team. There would be other qualifications:

1. You must have served ONE FULL season as an owner. That's fair. Our seasons run about 3 months.
2. You may not make ANY trades etc, or other moves while this is ongoing.
3. Your trade history with the CLUB IN MENTION is subject to review, and TRADECHAIR may VETO the move if trade history is dubious.
4. Move may be VETOED by the league President of the prospective league, or by EITHER if the move is from one League to another.
5. EBoard membership will review VETOES and may override.
Amendment Adopted 5/1/99

Amendment 3: Trade Deadline Extension to 8/31
The trading deadline will be extended without exception to 8-31 date of sim. All trades are to be processed as
any other trade.
Adopted 5/1/99

Amendment 4: Four Man Pitching Rotations Mandatory through 9-1 of regular season.
The date allowing teams to switch to a four man rotation will be switched from 8-15 to 9-1 of game play. Upon observing real major league teams' trends it was found that few, if any teams, used a four man staff until September.

Elimination of Pullbacks Adopted after 2000 Season.

Amendment 5 To Free Agent Eligibility:
Any Player who is over 27 years of age on OPENING DAY, and has 0 experience will be a Potential Free Agent. The player will be put into the Free Agent Pool at the end of the season unless the player has:

A. Met statiscal Requirements to qualify as a non rookie these are the standards that qualify a Player as a "Non Rookie"

1. 150 At Bats
2. 50 Innings Pitched
3. 8 Games Pitched as a STARTING Pitcher
4. 20 Appearances as a RELIEF Pitcher
5. 25 Appearances as a Pitcher

These players who MAKE the requirements will gain one years of experience and return to the normal roster. Those who do not qualify will be placed into the Free Agent Pool at the end of the season.

B. These "Rookie Free Agents" MAY be PROTECTED

Elimination of Pullbacks was Adopted after 2000 Season.

Amendment 6 : Changing the age of eligibility from 25 to 27 (inclusive) for all players. The Four year interval will be maintained. Rather than Age for Free Agency being determined on opening day it will be determined IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING the Free Agent Draft Changing the number of protected players for FINAL FOUR PLAYOFF QUALIFIERS ONLY from Four to Three. Non Qualifiers stay at Four. Number of Free Agents that can be LOST will change from the current number of Three to FIVE

Amendment 7: Elimination of the amateur draft. There will be one draft consisting of six rounds where amateurs and veteran players will be drafted. This will take place at the start of the season, prior to Spring Training.

Amendment 8: Adoption of a new system for Free Agency, Drafting, and signing plays.

HABLA Free Agent and Draft System

The Basics

1. All teams must have full rosters by the start of Spring Training.
2. Teams will be able to RESTRICT any free agent of any age.
3. At the end of the season there will be an open bidding period (3 days). Owning teams may match and resign thier Free Agents. After the bidding is done the remaining Free Agents will be put into the pool for the open draft.
4. Each Round of the draft costs money to participate in a descending order.
5. Any mistakes made by a team will be overridden by the Commissioner or a representative.

The Particulars
All current timing rules age/experience, prop five apply
Each team gets $50 at the start of a season.
Bidding will be done online and be posted at 11pm daily over three days. Teams may send in instructions to match bids, make bids up to a certain dollar amount etc. (Sign Drysdale, pay whatever you have to up to $25) if they feel they don't have time to participate.
Minimum bid for a Free Agent will be $5, and ALL bids must be in whole dollar amounts.
Owning team will have 24 Hours to match highest offer.
In the event of a tied bid that is not matched, the lower record team will get Free Agent.
Free Agents that are NOT bid upon, may be resigned by parent club for $3. If not claimed they will go into the regular pool.
Draft will proceed (Teams can use the four day bid period to make lists)
Draft picks will cost money to sign. You may opt out of a round, but must have dollars to participate or you will be skipped.

Rd 1 costs $10
Rd 2 costs $8
Rd 3 costs $6
Rd 4 costs $4
Rd 5 costs $2
Rd 6 costs $1

All other pickups (including any resignings of left over FA's you want back cost $1
All in season claims cost $1 per player.
I will add players for teams that are short and deduct the money.
Teams that overspend will be penalized by 2X that amount the next season
You may trade players for Cash.
Restricted Free Agents All Free Agents are restricted. The offer may be matched by the owning club.

Franachise Player A club may also choose to designate one player that is exempt from the draft for the duration of their career. This play will keep this designation for his entire career, and is EXEMPT from Free Agency. This designation may not be changed until the player retires or is traded.

Scaled Protection ALL teams could resign one player PRIOR to the FA process at a scaled cost dependant upon record. This would allow the rebuilding teams to keep some of their better talent, as well as the strong teams, but it would make it easier for the weakest teams. The effect is that these players would be EXEMPT from the draft.

Under .400 would be @ $10
Under .500 would be @ $13
Under .600 would be @ $16
Over .600 would be @ $20

Open bidding is the heart and soul of the off-season. This is the chance for teams to make or break their season. To make their dynasty dreams come true, or to be one upped by their competition. Prepare for a friendly war during these days! Once a player receives a bid and then doesn't receive anymore bids for 48 hours then the bid is closed for that player and no more may be placed. If two teams send in the same bid for 1 update the team with the lower record will be the bid for that update.

Overbidding during auctions will not be tolerated. Any team bidding over their $50 limit will be fined $10 for the next season.

The reason I have these fines is because I cannot police everything, and I don't want anyone abusing the system. This will force you to watch what you are doing. If you get caught, you can rest assured your competitors will appreciate the fact you have less money to use.

Other Aspects that will be reviewed in upcoming years
Lottery Draft Order: Starting in 2007 all teams with a winning percentage under .400 will be randomly assigned by lottery thier draft order for the upcoming season. Teams with worse records will have a higher chance of winning the lottery. This will prevent teams from purposely blowing seasons.
Blind Drafts At a time after the 2007 season, and prior to 2010 season the potential ratings for incoming players will NOT be able to be viewed. A scouting report will be furnished to the league.
Supplemental Players Starting in 2007 supplemental players will be given to all teams who finish with a winning percentage under .400. The reverse order of the draft lottery will be used. These players will all have 0 experience and will vary in age and ability. They will be RANDOMLY assigned, but at no cost to the club that gains them.
Commisioner's Override Clause If we get an owner that didn't quite know what he was doing and bid $50 on 3 players and has no room to sign anybody else, leaving his team with only 21 players or something we may invoke the commissioner over-ride rule. Thus, the team becomes property of the league until it can be stra ightened out. The league may choose to release players despite their contract and put them into the free-agent market. Any owner that forces the league into this decision may be removed. Teams will also be fined two times the amount they overspend. I'll give you a warning if I catch it easily. If you got one over on me, the penalties will be real.

Reduction in the cost to PRE Sign Free Agents by 25% across the board. The new costs are:
Under .400 would be @ $8
Under .500 would be @ $10
Under .600 would be @ $12
Over .600 would be @ $15

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