Fight Club Baseball Rules
Changes noted in Red
Leadership
The Commissioner will manage the daily operation of FCB, simulating games in a timely manner, maintaining league files and participating in GM discussions. He will respond to questions about the league and facilitate the recruitment and development of new members. The Commissioner will act in the best interest of the league at all times!
Leadership Committee
The leadership committee will consist of experienced OOTP GMs and former commissioners. These GMs will aid the Commissioner in league matters, provide opinion in sensitive issues, and be part of big decisions. They will be a point of contact for other GMs with questions or concerns about the league.
General Managers
GM’s will own a copy of OOTP and expect to update to each new version, be active and responsive online and export regularly. They should also post prior to any absence. Should a GM decide to leave the league, for any reason, I ask that he or she send a brief note to the Commissioner so that we may find a replacement as quickly as possible.
During the offseason, GMs are expected to remove players from the IL.
The Commissioner reserves the right to take action should a GM fail to export or communicate in a timely manner or conduct him/herself in a way deemed detrimental to the league. Remember, we are here to compete, but have fun!
Contracts and Extensions
Players under team control must have completed three years of major league service to sign a multi-year contract extension, free agents excepted.
No contract length limit.
For any contract, free agent or extension, with any annual value of 10-Million or more, no contract year will be twice that of the lowest.
In any contract with two option years, both options must be the same.
Team Options
Each team option year must have a 25% buyout. Violations will result in the year becoming guaranteed.
Vesting Options & Incentives
Vesting Option years and Incentives must be reasonable:
– PA (plate appearances) 550 or less
– For any pitcher with a bullpen role of ANY kind (per OSA--FCB future/suggested) IP not to exceed 60 innings
– For all other pitchers IP not to exceed 160 innings
– GF (games finished) for closers not to exceed their highest previous year
Violations of vesting options will result in the year becoming guaranteed.
The maximum combined total incentives offered in a contract must not exceed 25% of the lowest guaranteed contract year.
Trading Players
Trades must be posted and confirmed in the forum by both GM’s before being processed.
The Trade Deadline is July 31st in-game, after which no trades (of any kind) will be processed until the Off-Season.
Trades processed PRE-SIM. Instruct the Commissioner in the forum trade post, otherwise players will be DFA.
No PTBNL.
Free agent signings may not be traded until June 15th.
Draftees are eligible to be traded after they have signed with drafting team.
Disallowed OOTP trades will be noted by the Commissioner and that trade voided (for example, teams may not trade further into the red, per OOTP).
Draft pick trading is OFF
Trade Vetoes
Trade vetoes will be extremely rare and I hope they never happen. A veto is only appropriate when either condition is met:
1) a GM is purposefully trying to get fired
2) collusion
If one of these conditions are met, the leadership committee must vote unanimously to put the trade up for a veto vote within 24 hours of posting. The trade will be put on hold, and 16 votes to veto will result in the trade being cancelled.
In either case, additional penalties such as removal from the league may occur.
Amateur Draft
Free Agent Compensation
Compensation rules will follow the updated rules with OOTP-XX. For more information on these CBA rules, read the following article: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=323
COMP tags will be removed Opening Day.
Competitive Balance Picks
The league has voted to install competitive balance picks beginning in 2023. The process for determining picks will be as follows:
1) bottom 10 revenues from the previous year
2) bottom 10 markets from the previous year
Tiebreakers (in order): budget, winning percentage
* Teams are only allowed 1 pick
* Total picks are then divided up between Rounds 1 and 2 and placed at the end of the respective rounds.
Picks are assigned on the first day of the postseason and locked on Opening Day.
Picks may be traded. They are tracked in the forums.
Changing Teams
Upon entering the league, GMs will be granted ONE switch, which they can use to change teams during an offseason.
If a team has “used” their switch, winning a World Series will grant them another.
No team changes in-season.
Getting Fired or Quitting
Owner moods will be checked by the commish at the end of each season.
If an owner's mood at these points is considered UPSET or ANGRY, the GM will be put on the "hot seat"
Once a GM is on the "hot seat", they will be fired if either of the two criteria is met:
- Owner is (or remains) ANGRY at next EOS check-in
- Owner remains UPSET at next two EOS check-ins
In order to be removed from the "hot seat", owner mood must improve by another check-in point. This includes a "progress report" point mid-season. If an owner is no longer Upset or Angry mid-season, a hot seat GM will be removed from the hot seat.
Finally, if a GM gets fired by the game (outside of the aforementioned rules), the firing will stand and be immediate.
If an owner fires a GM, they will automatically be placed at the back of the waiting list. If the waiting list is empty, other GMs will be offered the chance to switch teams before a fired GM is allowed back.
A GM may also chose to “quit”. This will not cost the GM their one switch. However, GMs who have quit will be given last priority for new teams.
If multiple GMs are fired/quit at the same time, GMs who have been with their former team the longest will be given first priority.
Coaching and Scouting
Coaching is OFF.
Scouting is ON (normal accuracy).
Financial and General Settings
Attendance baseline 31,000
Ticket price $30.00 (NOT exceed $60)
Visiting team gate share is 20%
Draft compensation ON (2017 CBA rules)
National media contract is $40,000,000 – Fixed for all teams
Owners decide team budget
Luxury Tax - 25% Tax Rate on all overage of payrolls 125% over league average
Cash max $20,000,000
IAFA - Soft Cap of $5-Million dollars
DH in both leagues
26-man active rosters
30-man September rosters
Playoff Rosters use 40-Man roster (as of September 1st)
10/5 Veto Trade Rule OFF
Player Actual, Potential, Other ratings 20-80 scale
OVR and POT Stars
Injured List 15-Day; 60-Day
Waivers 9 days
DFA 13 days
Injuries MLB MODERN
Delayed diagnosis NEVER
Suspensions OFF
Storylines ON
Owner goals ON
Development for hitters and pitchers will be at 1.050
Aging for hitters and pitchers will be set at 0.900
SIM Schedule
FCB will simulate daily, a half-week at a time (Mon-Thu, Fri-Sun)
Sim schedule is as follows (ET):
Mon-Thu 7pm, Sat-Sun 10am
Offseason 9am daily
Changes will be announced by commissioner in advance.
The Post-Season schedule will simulate the "play-in" games, then the first "half" of each series (games 1-3 of 5 or 1-4 of 7) and then complete the series with a second sim. Off-season will simulate every day per Commissioner's posted schedule.