Mid Coast Fantasy Baseball League Rules
Section One
1) Danny Ross has been named Commissioner for life and will stay commissioner until he chooses to step down. If Danny decides to step down, he will appoint a new commissioner. The term of Commissioner will last one year, after which Danny may choose to reinstate himself as the Commissioner or forfeit that right and reinstate the old commissioner or appoint another. This will continue until Danny severs from the league or death. There is no limit to the number of terms a league manager can be elected to the office.
2) The Commissioner will decide on any issues not covered herein in these by-laws. His decision are final.
3) The Commissioner may appoint a Deputy Commissioner, Statistician ( currently CBS Sportsline), and/or any other positions deemed necessary.
4) Rule changes will be made by the Commissioner. He reserves the right change and/or activate a rule at any time.
The Deputy Commissioner (Subsection B)
1) The Commissioner will appoint a Deputy Commissioner. The term of this appointment will continue unless he is removed by the Commissioner. The Deputy Commissioner will act as the Commissioner in his absence.
2) The Deputy Commissioners primary job is to review and approve/reject all trades submitted to him. Trades need to be submitted via email. He will also be responsible to edit the team rosters as changes need to be made, the transaction page and the leagues stat page on CBS.
3) All suggestions, grievances, disputes or any league matters not contained within these rules, will be directed to the Deputy Commissioner. He will in conjunction with the League Rules deliberate and/or decide on such issues as deemed necessary. All decisions made by the Deputy Commissioner are final but may be subject to review by the Commissioner.
Assistant Deputy Commissioner (Subsection C)
1) The Commissioner may appoint a assistant Deputy Commissioner, His duties are to approve trades between the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner. He will also be responsible to perform the duties of the Deputy Commissioners in such cases where the Deputy Commissioner is absent for any reason or has taken on the role as Commissioner. The term of this appointment will continue unless he is removed by the Commissioner.
Section Two
League Description (Subsection A)
1) This fantasy league will be known as the Mid Coast Fantasy Baseball League (MCFBL). This league
will consist of no more than 16 teams.
Section Three
1) The annual draft will be held no later than two weeks prior to Major League Baseballs Opening Day. In the event of a strike, the meeting will be rescheduled.
2) During the annual draft, owners will be required to do one of two things, Attend the draft to fill their roster as they see fit OR type up a draft list and email it to the Commissioner of the League and the Commissioner will designate someone to draft for the absent owner.
3) In order to attend the annual draft a team must be present via League chatroom or telephone.
4) During the draft, team managers may draft any unprotected player. An unprotected player is a player not listed on any MCFBL team roster. A list of each teams current roster can be found on CBS/Sortsline.
5) New owners who are left without draft picks by the teams previous owner, will receive a supplemental pick between rounds that they do not have picks during the new owner's inaugural draft. Supplemental picks cannot be traded.
6) The league draft will consist of three rounds. A draft order will be established every year based on last seasons Win/Loss/Head To Head record for the first six picks for non playoff teams. Teams who enter the playoffs will be positioned in the draft (picks 7 thru 12) according to where they finish in the playoffs, (ie the League Champion will draft last in each round and so on according to how they do in the playoffs). Refer to the complete rules @ http://midcoast.tripod.com/draft.html)
7) Teams will only be allow to trade draft picks, two years in advance. Another year will be added February 1st of each year and at this time owners will be allowed to trade those picks.
8) After the annual draft is complete, players will be allowed to conduct any business they wish with the commissioner, deputy commissioner and/or other team managers.
9) Owners will have until ten days prior to MLB opening day in which to sign or release any players selected in the draft by notifying the commissioner/deputy commissioner. Failure to notify the commissioner/deputy commissioner within those ten days of the owners intensions for each drafted player, will result in an automatic signing of those drafted players.
Section Four
1) Every MCFBL team roster will consists of no more than 50 total spots of MLB players (Note: Players which are under contract of any Major League Baseball (MLB) team.) Any player who is not signed by MLB must be released before the MCFB opening day. Teams will be required to pay 1/3 salary to these players as they will have first refusal should player return to the MLB. Teams cannot carry such player on their roster throughout the regular or playoff season. Any violation of this rule a team will be penalized as described in Section Four, Subsection H. During the regular season each team must maintain a 40 player roster and if necessary an optional 10 player injured reserve squad.
2) If a player is sent to the minors by his MLB team, he may be maintained on the ten player minor league squad or the MCFBL team's thirty man roster. Minor League players shall be determined by CBS. When a minor league player has been activated by MLB, then they must be removed from a teams minor league squad. That open spot must be filled by a qualified minor leaguer. Ten players must always be maintained on a teams 10 player minor league squad.
3) Any player who is under suspension or on team leave (maternity leave, bereavement leave etc.) cannot be in a teams line up for the week or period of his absence.
4) Rosters and lineups are the responsibility of the owners and any violation or discrepancy of the roster will fall upon that owner and the team may be penalized by the Commissioner deemed necessary.
5) Any rule that has been overlooked and is not contained herein, shall be decided by past precedence or ruled by the Commissioner of the league.
Weekly Lineups (Subsection B)
1) Weekly lineup changes must be made prior to each teams MLB first game of the period of any given week.
2) This roster will be used to fill the 17 player weekly lineup. The weekly lineup will be used to play head to head with other teams. It will consist of the following:
3) One Catcher, First Baseman, Second Baseman, Third Baseman, Shortstop, Three Outfielders, Two Utility Players, and Seven Pitchers
4) Only seven pitchers can be used in a teams lineup each week. Must be 5 starters and 2 relievers, (2025)
5) Any reliever who has started in a game (1 game) for that giving season will not be allowed to qualify as a reliever for the rest of that season.
5 a) (Exception) Opener Definition An "opener" is a pitcher -- normally a reliever -- who starts a game for purposes of matching up against the top of the opponent's lineup in the first inning, which has traditionally been the highest-scoring inning, before being relieved by a pitcher who would otherwise function as a starter. This allows for a team to counter its opponent's first three batters with the pitcher it feels has the best chance for success against them. The second pitcher (often called the headliner) usually pitches the bulk of the game, potentially relieved in the later innings due to high-leverage situations or high pitch count.
Thirteen Player Reserve Squad (Subsection C)
The 13 Reserve players can be any combination of any players and position, which can include MLB major and minor league players.
Injured Reserves (Subsection D)
1) The league will establish an injured reserve (IR) list. No fantasy team can carry more than ten players on that list at one time. Players cannot remain in the teams line up if they are listed on the DL list by CBS. There are two types of injured list, short term and long term. Eight players can remain on the short term list as long as they are indicated as being listed on the disable list (DL) on the CBS rosters page. At least Two of the ten players must be maintained on the long term IR list as long as they are listed as out for the season for that year. A player listed as probable or questionable on CBS does not qualify for the DL. Minor League players must be listed as Disabled on MILB.com. Owners will not receive a forfeit for a violation of this rule, however will be penalized in accordance Section Four, Subsection H. Once a player has been discovered as not qualifying for the injured reserve squad they must be removed within 24 hours of notification by CBS. Continued failure to correct this problem, owners can receive further penalty by the Commissioner such as the loss of draft picks and possible suspension or forfeiture of team.
2) If an MLB team places a player on the disable list, then that injured player may stay on a MCFBL teams regular roster, be placed on the injured reserve list or released.
Roster And Lineup Restrictions (Subsection E)
1) If a MCFBL team adds a player(s) to their roster which exceeds the total MCFBL team's roster of 40 players and ten injured reserve players (50), that MCFBL team must release any player(s) immediately upon notification to bring their roster within the limits allowed. Section Four, Subsection H, Part 1 applies for any violation of this rule.
Off Season Roster Restrictions (Subsection F)
During the off season, rosters will be allowed to have any combination of injured and non injured players not to exceed 49 total players. During the draft teams must open up enough spots on their rosters to allow them to draft the amount of picks that they have available. Not allowing enough roster spots could cause the team to forfeit draft pick(s). Due to the fact that rosters are locked once the draft begins, there will be no trading of picks during the draft, unless it is pick for pick. (Example: Team 1 trades a player and 3rd round pick to Team 2 for a 1st round pick.)
Waiver Pick Ups And Restrictions (Subsection G)
1)Teams will only be allowed to add up to a maximum of 3 free agent players per week during the regular season. There will be no limit on how many players a team can drop from their rosters.
2) Any player that is released by a team will be placed on a three day waiver wire. At the end of the three day waiver period CBS Sportsline will set up the waiver order in accordance to record and waiver pick up record should more than one team wish to pick up the same player who is on waivers. Exception: Teams who are paying for a player who has not singed with a MLB team by opening day will have the right to claim said player once that player signs with a MLB team. This player must be released until such time and his team will be responsible for 1/3 of his salary unless this team forfeit's their rights to player. Should this team forfeit their right to said player than this player becomes a free agent subject to rules written herein.
3) All free agent players become frozen and players cannot be picked up from the period starting at the conclusion of the Mid Coast Fantasy Baseball regular season and until after the MCFBL annual draft. All other rules pertaining to free agents shall apply as written elsewhere in these rules.
Roster And Lineup Penalties (Subsection H)
1) A Mid Coast Fantasy baseball team who has a player listed as disabled or has been sent back to the minors on the www.cbssportsline.com website, will not be forced to forfeit for that given week. Should it be discovered that a team has an inactive player (s) in their lineup, or other violation they will be assessed a $5 salary cap penalty for each occurrence. This cap penalty will be assessed on the following years salary cap limit for the owner in violation. It is the responsibility of the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner to record the violations. Should the Commissioner detect unfair play and feel a team is throwing a game to gain a better position in the draft or help a fellow owner to advance to the playoffs or, habitually failing to field a proper lineup or roster, that owner will be penalized as deemed necessary by the Commissioner. Such as the loss of draft picks and suspension or forfeiture of team. The Commissioner can issue warnings for such violations, however is not obligated to warn an owner depending on the severity of said violation. It is ultimately the responsibility of the owner to make sure that they have active player(s) in their lineup each week.
Roster Leniency (Subsection I)
When a team is over the player limit, but has a player on their regular roster who is eligible for the DL or listed as questionable to play, upon notification that owner will have 24 hours to correct their roster discrepancy and will not be penalize for the infraction. However after the 24 hour period if the teams roster is not corrected, then they will be fined $5 each day towards their for the following year's salary cap until their roster has been corrected.
Amateur And International Players Restrictions (Subsection J)
1) International players who have not signed with a Major League Baseball (MLB) team by the Mid Coast Fantasy Baseball (MCFB) Annual Draft, must wait for until the following MCFB annual draft before these players can be claimed by a MCFB team.
2) MLB players who enter the MLB Amateur draft cannot be picked up by a MCFB team until the following years MCFB Annual Draft.
Section Five
Player Eligibility (Subsection A)
1) An offensive player will qualify for a position for the first week of the MLB season provided he played at least 20 games at that position during the prior MLB season and/or the players Primary Position as determined by CBS.
2) After the first week of the season all players must appear in one MLB game at a position to qualify for the position in question, and/or the players Primary Position as determined by CBS..
3) After the MCFB league's tenth week, an offensive player must have played at least 20 MLB games to qualify for a position. Example: if an offensive player has played only 9 games as of the lineup deadline, he will not qualify until the following week, and/or the players Primary Position as determined by CBS.
4) Players who start out the year on a MLB disabled list and players who start out the year in the minors will be able to be used in active lineups at the players Primary Position as determined by CBS.
5) Any team found in violation of this rule, Section Four, Subsection H, Part 1 will apply.
Section Six
1) MCFBL teams will be free to trade anytime except from the end of period seventeen to the end of the MCFBL playoffs. All trades must be completed no later than 5 PM EDT Sunday of period seventeen
2) All trades must be reasonable and kept with the league's best interest.
Trading Players Regulations (Subsection B)
1)All trades will be initiated by using the Sportsline trading function. An owner can propose a trade by using this function to other owner(s) and once owner(s) except trade proposal, then trade will be reviewed by the Deputy Commissioner for approval. Any unreasonable trades may be vetoed by the Deputy Commissioner. The Commissioner reserves the right to reverse the decision made by the Deputy Commissioner. If the Deputy Commissioner fails to process trades within 36 hours then the Commissioner can process the trade in the Deputy Commissioners place.
2) All trades must be reported to the commissioner by the deputy commissioner so that the trade can be recorded and published on the MCFBL website.
Trading Restrictions Between Commissioner And Deputy Commissioner (Subsection C)
1) In the event a trade involves the deputy commissioner, the trade will be reviewed by the Commissioner.
Player To Be Named Later Trades (Subsection D)
1) No Player to be Named Later trades will be allowed.
Trading Weekly Deadlines (Subsection E)
1) All trades must be submitted 24 hours prior to the league's lineup turn-in deadline to be eligible for that scheduled week.
2) Owners will have 24 hours once a trade has been completed to correct any discrepancies with their rosters. Failure to correct rosters during the 24 hour period teams will be penalized in accordance to Section Four, Subsection H, Part 1.
Contract Responsibilities On Traded Players (Subsection F)
1) When a player is traded to a new team, his new team will be the responsibility to pay his contract until that contract expires or he is traded to another team. If a player is dropped the owner will be responsible to pay 1/3 of that players salary until his contract expires or he is picked up after clearing waivers.
Trading Draft Picks (Subsection G)
1) Teams will be allowed to trade draft picks. At no time will more than two draft years be available for trade except for February 1 of said year when a third year is added.
Section Seven
1) The MCFB league will establish a salary cap to determined by part two of this section per team for the 2017 season and seasons beyond 2017 until league votes to change section two. Teams must not exceed this limit except from free agency signing period to that signing period which is ten days after the annual draft. Each player will be assessed a salary in accordance to these rules. All teams will be required to offer players a contract, ten days after the player has been drafted or that player becomes a free agent.
2) The MCFBL will establish an annual salary cap per team and adjust every January. Once the new contracts have been entered at CBS, the top two teams and bottom two teams will be removed from the equation. The remaining teams salary cap will be totaled and divided by the number of teams in the equation. The Salary Cap then will be calculated at 100% rounded to nearest dollar.
3) The commissioner will appoint someone to tabulate each team's salary cap.
3) The Commissioner/Deputy Commissioner will use Street & Smith's magazine as a guide for the MCFB league's salary cap.
Player Contracts (Subsection B)
1) MCFBL player that is worth one dollar to eight dollars must be signed to a one year contract. A player who is worth nine dollars to sixteen dollars must be signed to a two year contract. A player who is worth seventeen dollars to twenty four dollars must be signed to a three year contract, a player who is worth twenty five dollars to thirty two dollars must be signed to a four year contract, all players thirty three dollars or more must be signed to a five year contract.
2) No later than ten days prior to the league draft of each year once a contract of a MCFBL player expires, that team may resign that player to a new contract in accordance to these rules. If that team does not wish to retain a player then that player becomes a free agent and available to any fantasy team during and after the draft.
3) If a MCFBL team releases a player from a contract before it expires, then that team must pay one-third of that player's salary until either the contract expires, the player is picked up by another MCFBL team, he dies or he retires from MLB. Exception, $1 and $2 players if released will not be assessed a penalty. Partial dollars will be rounded up to the nearest dollar. Once a player is released, that player becomes a free agent. If this player is signed by another MCFBL team, all prior contract obligations by that players former team will end. However his new team will become obligated for that contract.
Penalties (Subsection C)
1) If any MCFBL team exceeds the salary cap limit, they will be required to release a player or players. Teams in violation, will be penalize $5 to the current years cap level per day until their team is under the cap levels. This applies from the period of ten days after the annual draft until the leagues playoffs are complete.
Section Eight
The rank of each MCFBL team is tabulated by using seven offensive categories and six pitching categories. Each category will be worth 1 point, the exception is Fielding Percentage, which will be worth 1.25 points.
The offensive categories used are as follows:
1) Batting Average (AVG)
2) Home Runs (HR)
3) Runs Batted In (RBI)
4) Runs Scored (R)
5) Stolen Bases (SB)
6) Production Pct.
7) Fielding Percentage
The pitching categories used are as follows:
1) Earned Run Average (ERA)
2) Strikeouts (K)
3) Wins (W)
4) Saves (S)
5) Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched (WHIP)
6) Quality Starts
MCFBL teams will play head to head each week for a total of twenty weeks. Statistics will be tabulated for each week. For the team that wins the most categories will receive a win for that week. The other MCFBL team will receive a loss. In the event the MCFBL teams end up in a tie a defensive category (Team Errors) will be used to break a tie. A true tie may occur if both teams are tied even after the tie breaker has been used.
The statistics may be taken from www.cbssportsline.com or another stat service approved by the commissioner.
Section Nine
Playoff Regulations (Subsection A)
At the end of week twenty one, the follow rule will determine who will advance to the playoffs.
Best record from each division will advance to the playoffs and receive a bye. The next two teams with the best record from their division will advance as wildcard teams and face off against each other. In the second round the wildcard winners will face the division winners in their respective division. The winners of the division will face off in the league championship.
During the MCFBL playoffs the team that wins the most categories will receive a win for that playoff period and will advance to the next round. The losing team will be eliminated. This will continue until a Champion has ben crowned in the final round. In the event the MCFBL teams end up in a tie a defensive category (Team Errors) will be used to break a tie. Should there still be a tie after the defensive category has been used then the teams involved will play off the following week to break the tie.
Regular season tie breaker (Subsection B)
At the end of the regular season should a tie occur, the following will determine who advances to the playoffs:
1) Head to head record
2) Highest total breakdown between teams involved in tie
3) A one game playoff
If tied after all the above tie breakers are used a flip of a coin will be used to decide the draft order
Playoff Free Agent Regulations (Subsection C)
During the playoffs teams can only pick up a free agent if that team cannot fill a position by using that teams 40 player roster. (For Example: If a team has one eligible first basemen and that player is placed on the disable list by his MLB team, that MCFBL team can sign a free agent to fill that position.
Section Ten
Team Ownership (Subsection A)
If a current MCFBL team loses their owner for any reason, then all players on that team's roster will become frozen and no other MCFBL team can claim those players until another fantasy team owner can be found to run that team.
If an existing MCFBL team loses their owner than that team can be sold to any owner provided they have the approval of the league's commissioner. No owner in this league can own, operate, or manage more than one MCFBL team.
Team Ownership Pertaining To The Draft (Subsection B)
Any time a new owner takes over a team, they will be given the first pick in the round (unless it is the first round) where the former owner traded away the pick. In cases where a first rounder was traded, they will get two picks at the end of that round.
Section Eleven
MCFBL teams in this league may be divided/realigned if the Commissioner deems it necessary.
The Mid Coast Fantasy Baseball League will consist of two Leagues called American and National Leagues. All teams will be divided between the two leagues in accordance to Section Eleven Subsection B.
Section Twelve
The league commissioner will decide if league expansion is necessary. Only two teams can expand in any given year.
Existing teams will be allowed to protect, 13 players from their 30 player roster and 4 players from their minor league squad. No owner will lose more than five players (5 from each teams 30 player roster and 1 for each teams 10 player development squad) from their team during the draft. No pullbacks, which means, the existing owners cannot pull back players during the expansion draft. At the end of the draft all un-drafted players will return to their original teams.
During the draft, the two expansion teams will draft first and second during the annual draft, rotating each round. During the expansion draft, expansion teams will rotate the drafting order. The draft order will be decided by the flip of a coin. The team that wins the flip of the coin will decide which draft (expansion or annual draft) that they will draft first in. The coin flip losing expansion owner will be awarded the first pick in the opposite draft.
Expansion owners must attend the expansion draft. Alternate means of drafting, will be to draft via the internet (yahoo messenger, other chat program, or email) should the expansion owner be unable to attend in person. Sending a representative to draft in the expansion owners place will be an acceptable substitution. Existing owners may attend the expansion draft.
Expansion teams may pick up free agent players prior to the season's ends. These players do not need to be singed so they are not under salary cap restrictions. However, Expansion teams will not be allowed to carry more players than allowed under the leagues roster rules, listed above.
The commissioner will decide any exceptions to this rule, before the draft is to take place.
Section Thirteen
MCFBL dues will be collected by February 1 of each year. Failure to pay by this date could result in the loss of an owners team. The dues will be used to run the day to day operation of the league or will be used for what ever the league deems necessary. Any entry fee amount change will be voted on by a 2/3 majority of the leagues owners.
Once the no trading deadline passes, owners will be required to pay their league dues before they are allowed to trade. The Commissioner reserves the right to replace an owner, should a team not pay their dues by the date set by the Commissioner.
If for some reason dues are not paid by the deadline chosen by the league's commissioner, the team in violation will become frozen and the commissioner can penalize the team in violation as deemed necessary. Failure to pay after sufficient warning will result in that owner losing their team. All monies collected will only be used for the purpose of entertainment. League dues are non refundable.
Section Fourteen
Note: These by-laws were designed to fit the needs of the MCFB league. They have been adopted and amended for the Mid Coast Fantasy Baseball League. Anyone may use any or all of these by-laws contained herein. The MCFB league is a non-profit entertainment fantasy baseball league.
The name "Mid Coast Fantasy Baseball League (MCFBL)" is copy written, the use of the name is strictly prohibited
Copyright, 1992-2026 Mid Coast Fantasy Baseball League