GOVERNMENT

COMPOSITION

·  The UDAL will consist of six teams all in one division

·  Each team in the RCMBA will be managed by one person although the commissioner may allow otherwise.

MEMBERSHIP

·  All managers are expected to be honest, honorable and credible.

·  Any manager within this league may be replaced at the commissioners discreation.

Teams

            Each team will have a city, team nickname, and a logo. These are to be chosen before the season and cannot change during any season.

LEADERSHIP

·  The UDAL will be run under the direction of one/two person(s), the commissioner. His decision on any matter will be final.

·  The commissioner may judge a proposal to be so important, that a 2/3 affirmative vote is required.

COMMISSIONER

·  The commissioner (or his delegate) will be responsible for administering all items relating to the league.

·  This will include publishing all materials necessary for the success of the association.

EXPANSION

·  Upon a 3/4 affirmative vote by the league, expansion will be permitted to the size approved.

·  All existing teams will protect 15 players.

·  The new team(s) will select one player from each existing team.

·  At the conclusion of the round, all existing teams will protect three additional players.

·  Steps three and four will continue until the expansion team(s) have reached the designated roster size.

Franchise Draft

      To start the league, the 6 teams will draft a team composed of 34 players. The maximum roster size is 36 on opening day. To start though, teams will only draft 34 players from the 8 teams being used.

            The order will be randomly selected out of a hat and run in a snake style.

PLAYERS & LIMITS

ELIGIBLE PLAYERS

·  Any player from the selected teams of that year, including XB's, that receive an APBA card for the current year.

FOR THE INAGURAL SEASON, THE FOLLOWING NL TEAMS WILL BE USED. (PHILADELPHIA, NEW YORK, ST. LOUIS, LOS ANGELES, ATLANTA,  HOUSTON, SAN DIEGO, FLORIDA)

·  Non-carded players may not be carried on the roster of a team, if the player remained on any roster, since last carded.

LIMITS <> Offense

·  Position player game limits are calculated as follows:

MLB AB per game *50 + (0.05 * AB) = MAX NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE AB

IF ANY PLAYERS EXCEEDS ITS USAGE, DRAFT PICKS IN THE INCOMING PLAYERS DRAFT WILL BE TAKEN AWAY AS FOLLOWS:

            IF A PLAYER IS 1-15 PA OVER MAX, 4^TH ROUND PICK LOST

            IF A PLAYER IS 16-30 PA OVER MAX, 3^RD ROUND PICK LOST

            IF A PLAYER IS 31-50 PA OVER MAX, 2^ND ROUND PICK LOST

            IF A PLAYER IS 51 OR MORE PA OVER MAX, 1^ST ROUND PICK LOST

LIMITS <> Defense

PLAYERS MAY ONLY APPEAR IN THE FIELD AT A CERTAIN DEFENSIVE POSITION IF THAT POSITION IT LISTED ON THEIR CARD.

·  Players not qualifying may be used only as an injury/ejection replacement to complete a game in progress by the following method:

approved players will be used first

if none are available, then any APBA rated player for that position will be used

if no player as noted above is available, any player may be used to finish the game.

LIMITS <> Pitchers  

ALL PITCHERS MAY ONLY PITCH A CERTAIN NUMBER OF INNINGS THROUGHOUT A SEASON. PITCHERS ARE LIMITED AS FOLLOWS:

MLB IP/162 *50 + (.08 * IP)

IF ANY PITCHER EXCEEDS ITS USAGE LIMITS, DRAFT PICKS FROM THE INCOMING PLAYERS DRAFT WILL BE TAKEN AWAY AS FOLLOWS:

            IF A PLAYER IS 1-10 IP OVER MAX, 4^TH ROUND PICK LOST

            IF A PLAYER IS 11-20 PA OVER MAX, 3^RD ROUND PICK LOST

            IF A PLAYER IS 21-30 PA OVER MAX, 2^ND ROUND PICK LOST

            IF A PLAYER IS 31 OR MORE PA OVER MAX, 1^ST ROUND PICK LOST

ALL MANAGERS MUST COMPLETE AND SUMMIT A LIST OF ALL PLAYER LIMITATIONS TO THE COMISSIONER PRIOR TO THE START OF EACH SEASON.

MLB SEASON

• In the case of an abbreviated MLB season all limitation factors will be adjusted to reflect a 50 game season.
•  

OVERUSE- THESE REGULATIONS WILL ALSO BE TAKEN IF ANY PLAYER IS OVERUSED.

·  Any player exceeding his published limit, will be placed in the next free agent draft unless other action is specified by the commissioner.

·  Any player who is overused in the regular season is NOT eligible for post-season play.

SCHEDULE

The schedule will consist of 50 games, divided into 5 stages of 10 games each.

Each stage will be divided into 2 half stages. Between each half stage, managers must communicate and exchange rosters, lineups, and cards so the home manager can play the next series of games before the date when the half stage ends.

Each team plays each other 10 times, (5 Home, and 5 Away)

A schedule will be published before the start of the season.

There will be no All Star Game due to the lack of teams in the league.

TEAM ROSTERS

SIZE

·  Off-season - unlimited roster size.

• Regular season - all teams will have a maximum of 36 players

ACTIVE ROSTER - REGULAR SEASON

• Maximum of 25 players may be carried on the active roster during the season. All others are inactive.

Active rosters must have players qualified for all defensive starting positions.

Active rosters must have at least one qualified backup at C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS and two OF’s.

• Players who are eligible to play multiple positions count as the backup for any and all eligible positions.
• Transactions during the season such as trades, dropping players, adding players, and call ups from the non active roster must be reported to the commissioner before the next half stage is played.
• Unless there is an injury, transactions in season may not be made during a half stage.
• Active & inactive players may be exchanged, without limitation, at the beginning of each stage.
• All carded players on your roster are active for the final stage of the season.

UNAFFILIATED PLAYERS

• Any carded player not on a roster, will be placed in the next free agent draft.

TRADES

GENERAL RULES

• All trades shall be reported promptly, to the commissioner or other person designated to record such.
• The commissioner will rule on any disputed trade.
• The commissioner may declare any trade void, in the best interest of the association.

OFF-SEASON RULES

• Trading will be allowed after the completion of either the MLB World Series or our World Series, whichever is first.
• Trading in the week prior to the free agent draft is restricted to equal player amounts from both teams.
• Trades may involve any player, in any quanity, without restriction other than posted above.
• Trades may include draft picks, for the upcoming free agent draft but are restricted to the following:

The commissioner will publish a list of the draft order and trading of picks will not be allowed until such listing.

Only current year draft picks may be traded

Each team must always retain five picks.

IN-SEASON RULES

• A trading period will be permitted after the 4^th stage point of the schedule.
• Trades made during this time must be for equal player amounts and restricted to all of the following:

Maximum of three players from one team to another team

Maximum of three trades per team during this period.

Rookie/Incoming Player Draft

      Players who leave the 8 specified teams being used, retire, or are not carded once the new set comes out are released from the league.  These are known as outgoing players.

            However, Every teams may protect as many as TWO players from being released prior to the releasing of outgoing players.

            The Players in the draft are rookies, players who were not carded in the previous year, and players who were signed in real life from by one of the eight specified teams. The commissioner will publish a list of all the available players in the draft.

            If a player in real life switches teams within the 8 specified teams being used, then that UDAL team will not be forced to release him.

In the draft, each team is given three picks. After the first 2 rounds, a team will receive one additional compensation pick for every player it was forced to release.

The order of the compensation picks is by worst winning percentage to best winning percentage, with the Champions picking last.

FREE AGENT DRAFT

TIME

• The draft will be held on the internet, in a Chat Room or by telephone. After the World Series.

PRE-FREE AGENT DRAFT

• At a date designated by the commissioner, all teams will protect 20 players for the first round, 25 in the second round, and 30 until the end of the draft.
• Players who were taken in the incoming players draft are allowed to be unprotected.
• Players who not picked in the Rookies/Incoming Draft are automatically Free Agents, and may be selected in the Free Agent Draft.

FREE AGENTS

• All carded players, not on an UDAL roster, are eligible to be drafted.
• Any unprotected players are also available to be drafted.

DRAFT ORDER

• Teams will pick in the inverse order of the previous seasons winning percentage, unless a penalty is assessed.
• Teams who lost picks due to overusing players will simply be skipped over for that pick.

TIEBREAKERS

• Ties for draft pick seeding will be broken in the following manner & order:

record vs each other (team with more losses & worst pct is awarded the better pick)

away pct vs all teams (team with best pct is awarded the better pick)

division standing (team with lower position is awarded the better pick)

coin flip (winner receives the better pick in odd numbered rounds)

LENGTH

• The draft will consist of six scheduled rounds

PITCHING

ROTATION

• Each team must set a starting rotation consisting of 4 starters.
• In each half stage, since there is 5 games, a manager must not start the same started two times in every series, due to the pitching limitations. Therefore, managers are cautioned to be very careful when selecting the starters for every series

REST DAYS & APPEARANCES

• Starting pitchers must have at least three games rest between starts.
• Any starter who can also relieve, must have 3 games rest between starting and a relief appearance or vice versa
• At the break between stages of the schedule, the rotation may be reset
• Byes do NOT count as 3 games rest.

INNINGS PITCHED PER GAME

• No pitcher may exceed 11 innings in one game.

GRADE REDUCTION & ADVANCEMENT

• The current APBA rules for advancement & reduction, of starting pitchers will be used.

GRADE ADVANCEMENT - RELIEF

• If a reliever is in their second inning of work, then for every ER allowed after the first inning pitched will result in one grade reduction.
• The reliever will advance one grade only if he enters the game in mid-inning and:

He will be advanced one grade ONLY IF he throws from the same side as the batter hits.

He will retain the advancement until he faces a batter hitting from the opposite side or the inning ends.

This does not apply to an "A" or higher

BATTING

DESIGNATED HITTER

The DH WILL NOT BE USED. All games are to be managed under National League rules in order to increase competitiveness

PITCHERS HITTING or RUNNING

• Pitchers are further restricted to their actual plate appearances.
• Pitchers may never be used as a pinch hitter unless there is no other option but can pinch run.

SERIES PLAY

INSTRUCTIONS

• The visiting manager may mail his instructions to the opposing manager, by the 5th day of each stage for all games scheduled within that stage.
• The instructions will include:

active roster

lineups, pitching rotation, relief pitchers, injury replacements and strategy.

GAME PLAY & RESULTS

• The home manager shall play all games scheduled for a stage & have results compiled and mailed to the visiting manager by the last day of the scheduled stage.
• The manager shall indicate on each game scoresheet when the following items occurred:

substitution was made.

other noteworthy occurrences.

• After completing the series the home manger must:

compile stats for both teams

update his own team statistics

mail a copy of each game scoresheet and series stats to the visiting manager, if requested.

mail a series stat report and game scores with highlights to the commissioner.

• After receiving results of the series the manager should check the scoresheets and stats for errors & update his stats.

STATS

• The following statistics will be kept:

BATTING (G-AB-R-HT-RBI-2B-3B-HR-BB-K-SB-CS-HBP-SAC-DP-E)

PITCHING (G-GS-CG-SIP-RIP-HT-R-ER-HR-BB-K-HBP-W-L-SV-ShO-)

PENALTIES

• If any manager fails to send instructions or results as outlined above, the other manager involved will notify the commissioner. He may then receive permission to play the games, with any competitive lineup & pitching rotation of his choice. He will ignore any results or instructions received in violation of the above stated rules.
• Any manager falling more than one month behind, without extenuating circumstances, may be replaced or otherwise penalized by the commissioner.

PROTESTS

METHOD

• If the visiting manager believes he has valid grounds for protesting, he should notify the opposing manager and attempt to reach an agreement.
• If the two managers cannot reach agreement the commissioner will arbitrate a settlement or issue a ruling.
• If the protest is upheld, the home manager will replay the game from the point of protest, issue revised stats and notify the commissioner of the replay result.

PLAYOFFS

TIME FRAME & PARTICIPANTS

• Immediately following the regular schedule.
• The playoffs will include the top 2 teams in the league by winning percentage.
• The playoffs will have one championship round, a best of 7 series.
• In the case of a tie a one game playoff will determine the participant (see tie breaker for home team).

SEEDING/SCHEDULE

• The team having the best winning percentage, will be home for games 1, 2 and if necessary 6, 7.
• Teams will be seeded based on W/L% pct.

SEEDING-TIEBREAKER RULES

• Post-season seeding for home team in game one, will be assigned as follows:

best W/L% - then record vs each other - then away pct vs all teams - then coin flip

ACTIVE ROSTER

• All teams will be restricted to the same 25 active players in all playoff games.
• No player who was overused in the regular season will be eligible for any post-season play.

INJURIES/ DH USE

• All injuries will be enforced as per our regular season rules. That is the J-factor will apply.
• No injury will carry over from one series to the next.

LIMITS PER SERIES

• Position Player limits for each round are as follows:

No limit for PA

• Starting pitchers, for each round (those permitted to start per regular season rules):

A pitcher must have at least 3 days of rest before starting again. A pitcher may not start more than 3 games in the World Series

• Relief pitchers, for each round (those permitted to relieve per regular season rules):

Limited to 10% of the regular season limit (not rounded up), with a seven inning maximum.

• One starting pitcher, not allowed to relieve in regular season and not starting in playoffs, may be used once per round, as a reliever.

ROTATION

• The starting rotation will be prior to the beginning of the playoffs.
• The starting rotation will continue in sequence through each round.
• Rest days - There is a scheduled rest day between each round of the playoffs.
• Bonus rest days - Any series ending prior to maximum games will count as rest days equal to the number of unplayed games.

APBA FORMAT

GAME

• Master Game use is NOT allowed.
• APBA's "Optional Base Coaching" (ie; "playing safe") or "Official Scorer's Optional Rule" (Error category) will be used.
• Game Boards > APBA Basic Game (v2006) boards will be used.
• Hit & Run or Sacrifice > APBA H&R and Sacrifice (v2006) results will be used.
• The APBA "ZZ", "K", "R" ratings will be used.  

UDAL MODIFICATIONS

All of the following alterations will be used for any RCMBA game.

RAIN OUTS

• There will be no rainouts. It will be recorded as a rain delay and completed. Any pitcher continuing after the delay will be reduced one grade.

INJURIES

• No injury will carry over to the next series.
• After game 30, all injuries will be for that game only.
• Pitchers injuries will be for that game only.
• Position players

--- J0= remainder of that game.

--- J1= remainder of that game + 1 game.

--- J2= remainder of that game + 2 games.

--- J3= remainder of that game + 3 games.

--- J4= remainder of the series.

PITCHING UPGRADES/ DOWNGRADES/ LIMITS

• See the section six regarding pitchers and section two regarding limits.

Z & ZZ RATINGS & RELIEVERS

RELIEF

• The APBA relief pitcher upgrade will be used plus he will hold that grade until he faces a hitter of the opposite side or the inning ends.

Z- BALL

• Any result of 14 (ball) and the pitcher has a Z, the result is changed to 14 (two balls).

ZZ- BALL

• The APBA "ZZ= Ball" modification is in use.
• That is: Bases empty, any result of 14 becomes two balls, when the pitcher has a ZZ rating.

SCORING AIDS

SAVES

• Credit a save when his team wins and he is the finishing pitcher and he is not the winning pitcher and he has accomplished at least one of the following:

entered the game with a lead of 3 runs or less and completes at least one full inning.

entered game with the potential tying run either on base or at bat or on deck.

he pitches effectively for at least 3 innings and maintains the lead.

RBI

• Credit a run batted in for each run that scores when the batter records a hit, base on balls, hit by pitcher, interference, sacrifice, sacrifice fly or fielders choice.
• Do not credit a run batted in if the run scores during a "force" double play or an error or passed ball occurs except that when the error or passed ball occurs before two are out and the runner would have scored without the aid of the error or passed ball.

STOLEN BASE/ CAUGHT STEALING

• Do not credit a stolen base if during a multiple player steal attempt, any runner is thrown out or picked off.
• Record a caught stealing for runners "picked off".

EARNED RUNS

• In determining earned runs, the inning should be recreated and the pitcher shall be charged for runs that scored without benefit of an error or passed ball. That is, would the run have scored without the miscue? Relief pitchers entering during an inning are treated as though the miscue has not occurred unless another occurs while they are pitching.