Comment on Rules Changes for Lineups
Updated 12/8/15
Note in December 2015: This is carried over from a
possible 2015 Rule Change and I will try to test this winter.
Equipment problems in January 2015 prevented me from even
looking at this in time to try some changes.
Over the years there have been requests for rule changes
on game lineups with respect to:
- Allowing a bench player to fill in the lineup for a
starter who just appears in their MLB game and doesn't
have any ABs (or only 1 for many requesters)
- Allowing a multiposition player in the starting
lineup OTHER than the DH fill in at other positions
beyond the listed position in the order to prevent a
Benchwarmer Batter
I'm looking into the feasibility of these things - as
well as fixing the "Call up" rule in Weeks 23-25 to allow
for treating minor leaguers as normal bench players and not
just filling in the leftover gaps after the bench process is
done.
This is a significant rewrite of program code to set
lineups and I can't go into the season announcing some sort
of change and not sure that I can change and test the
lineup-setting code. So, here's what I'll do -
- I will try to fit in time in January and February to
rewrite and test the code (I've already marked up what
needs to change and how I think it can work)
- I need to keep the game running normally otherwise -
running Redistribution and Startup Drafts, trying to fix
the bouncing email problems, and making other site
improvements and fixes.
- If I'm not ready by March 1 (unless REALLY close)
then we'll shelve the changes for 2016 and check into it
for 2017
- I reserve the right to not implement changes even if
it is technically feasible. Again, March 1 is the
intended decision point.
My ideas of the possible changes:
- The lineup slot of a starting player with zero
official AB and no other positive offensive contribution
(walk, HBP, run, RBI) will be treated as an open lineup
spot. The player will be moved to the bottom of
the bench, so can be put back in to prevent a
Benchwarmer Batter if the spot can't be filled.
Right now I'm leaning toward keeping a player with no
official AB but commits an error in the lineup.
- For multipostion players, if after normal
lineup/bench processes a position is filled by a
Benchwarmer Batter and a starter could switch positions
and the bench rearranged to prevent the Benchwarmer,
we'll make the switch - but won't consider those extra
positions for starters if all 9 spots can be filled via
the existing bench process.
1.0 Basics
1.1 Leagues and Teams
Added 12/8/15
See the full rule
In trying to figure out a particular rule situation, I
realized there was no formal listing of league setup,
continuity between seasons, or the term "orphan team."
This section lays out some basics.
Additionally, some information about orphan status and
cash distributed to orphan teams are both codified and
adjusted from past practice. See
Finances and
Off Season for details.
1.3 Entry Fee and Prizes
Modified 12/8/15
See the
full rule
There are changes in the prize distribution for
performance (starting with 2016 results):
- Prize for division
champions increase from $20 discount in next season's fee to
getting the team for free in the next season.
- Conference champs, along with the free entry next
season as a division winner, will get $10 off all teams
the owner has in other leagues in the next season.
- League champs will get the benefits of division and
conference winners, plus an additional free season.
Winning a division is tough enough to do and playoffs can
be a bit variable due to the random games selected for game
scoring - so bumping up the reward for the title seemed in
order.
Referral bonus increased again as a 2016 Special from $10 to a
free team.
2.0 Season Schedule
2.2.2 Game Selection (for Playoffs)
Modified 12/10/15
See the full rule
In order to accommodate the rule change below for
starting pitchers below, the game selection for hitters will
change from MLB games 81-160 to 81-155. This will also
help out for situations where regular players sit out or
have reduced time in the final few games of the season.
2.2.3 Selecting Starting Pitching Performances (for
Playoffs)
Modified 12/10/15
See the full rule
Picking the starting pitching performance for any playoff
game has in the past needed to have been within 20 games of
the MLB game picked for the hitters. Starting in 2016,
this now must be within 7
games. 20 games was too forgiving and
allowed (perhaps) some teams to utilize pitchers with only a
handful of starts in the second half of the season with
little consequence.
Hitters and relief pitchers have always been held to a
tighter standard for appearing in the playoffs - the hitters
must have played in the exact MLB game used and relief
pitching performances are counted from the 6-game range
ending with the MLB game picked for the hitters. This
gets the pitchers closer in line - and in some cases, since
rotations may be stretched out or starts skipped at the end
of a season, 7 games were picked rather than 5.
What about a rare, but possible, instance where the
random game picked for series game #6 or #7 is close enough
to the game picked for #1 or #2 and the only start available
for a pitcher in that range for game #6 or #7 has already
been used up?
We'll actually use MLB games 76-162 to pick starting
pitching stats. We were already going to game #162 for
SP stats and making the back end of games used for hitters
to be MLB game #155 will fix the possible issue of needing
to use the same game twice. And on the front end,
we've actually already been using relief pitching
performances as early as game #76 if needed.
8.0 Finances
8.2.1 Player Salaries - Preseason
Modified 2/25/16
See the full rule
The preseason salary rebate is increased from 50% to 80%
for the entire preseason, instead of just for week zero.
This used to be a zero rebate until Week Zero, and then was
allowed to be 50%. The original intent had been to
insert a certain amount of risk into free agent signings and
perhaps pay a cost for wild speculations and a cycle of
cuts/drops. However, that's less of a worry now and
the practical effect over the last few years is that
everyone saves all their cuts until Week Zero whenever
possible. This will allow teams to fix roster problems
earlier in the preseason.
8.2.3 Player Salaries - Exceptions to prorated salary
assumption/rebate
Modified 2/25/16
See the full rule
Corrected a typo or mistake in the written rules -
previously the rule read that a team would pay no less than
30% of a player's salary when signing as a free agent.
That has always been 40%. From Week 15 onward, when
picking up a free agent, a team will pay 40% of the salary.
8.4 Orphan Cash
Added 12/8/15
See the full rule
Providing extra cash to owners who take over orphan teams
was a practice from the beginning, but had never been listed
officially in the rules. This section codified that.
Added 2/25/16
In situations where a team remains an orphan and in
control of the BWB Office as of July 1 of
the season, the extra 4 million Benchwarmer Bucks will be
added to the team balance at the next transaction
processing. If another owner takes over the team
before the regular season is over, no additional cash will
be awarded. Once the off season arrives, the clock
resets and any new owner for the following season will be
awarded the cash.
12.0 Off Season Procedures
12.8.3 Redistribution Draft - Multi-week results and weekly adjustment of draft list
Added 12/15/15
See the full rule
In 2015, BWB modified the draft to allow teams to
readjust lists after each round. That
process will be modified slightly for 2016:
Benchwarmer Baseball will do three posting of results for
the draft, instead of five:
- Round 1. Teams may then update their draft
lists for Rounds 2-5
- Round 2. Teams may then update their draft
lists for Rounds 3-5
- Rounds 3-5
Comment - the breaking up of the draft produced the
desired results for BWB in that it seemed teams were better
able to use the Redistribution Draft for rebuilding rosters
- allowing for targeted positions and salary levels and so
that teams were better able to utilize most of their picks
throughout the entire draft. However, it was a bit of
overkill and the later rounds weren't all that vital.
In fact, for teams that kept their full allotment of 28
players, most reached the 40-man limit in Round 4, making
Round 5 pointless. In addition during a time of the
year when things should be a little more "relaxed," it
required teams to get in and update every week - whereas the
previous incantation of the Redistribution Draft allowed
teams to submit lists and then sit back for 3-4 weeks.
This was particularly hard for those owners in 10+ leagues.
Finally, the process cut into meaningful trade and free
agency time.
Owners should have two weeks between each submission
which will help provide time enough to adjust the lists plus
bring back a little of the winter downtime.
|
