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FABL Rules

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Category: Baseball

Figment League Baseball Rules

Mission Statement: Figment League Baseball aims to ensure fun for all participants, relying on collaboration between GMs and the commissioner. These rules provide a flexible framework to support enjoyable play.

Simulation Engine:

  • Out of the Park Baseball (OOTP) is used for simulations.
  • All GMs must own the current OOTP version.
  • League upgrades to new OOTP versions at season-end when a new version is available.

General Rules

GM Participation:

  • GMs are expected to submit exports regularly, stay active on Slack and the forum, and respond to trade discussions.
  • The commissioner may replace absentee GMs or those who fail to treat others fairly.

Sim Schedule

  • Simulations occur Monday through Friday, with exports due by 5:30 am Eastern time.

Sim Period:

  • Each simulation covers one week of time, year-round, with the exception of the postseason as detailed below.
  • Postseason simulations are split into two games per period with the seventh game (if necessary) getting its own sim.

Collective Bargaining:

  • No work stoppages; the Reserve Clause remains until free agency's historical introduction in the 1970s.

Finances:

  • Finances impact signing draftees and free agents, purchasing players from independent leagues, and managing staff, development budgets, and payroll.

Trading:

  • Trades are processed at the end of each simulation period, except for the trade deadline simulation.

Independent League Player Acquisition:

  • Major league teams can trade with an independent team once per calendar year.
  • Offers must be made via DM to the commissioner.
  • Only one player can be acquired per transaction, with a maximum of two offers per year.
  • Trades can involve players or cash but not draft picks.

Free Agency

Introduction of Free Agency:

  • Free agency will begin in the 1970s.
  • Specifics will be provided closer to the start date.

GM Firing System

Conditions for Firing:

  • GMs can be fired based on team performance and AI owner's mood.
  • Conditions include consecutive seasons of poor finishes and owner's anger.
  • Winning championships or pennants grants grace periods and resets firing clocks.
  • Fired GMs can move to other teams or independent/Japanese teams if available.

Amateur Draft

Draft Phases:

  • First 10 rounds occur in January before the players generate their latest statistics.
  • Rounds 11-20 occur in June with updated statistics from the latest College & HS season.
  • Draft order for first two rounds is lottery-based; subsequent rounds follow performance-based order.
  • Order is also based on association with the picks alternating; Federal Association picks first (and third, fifth, etc.) in even-numbered years, the Continental in odd-numbered years.

Draft Lottery:

  • Chances for lottery are based on improvement season-over-season in the just completed season and the one prior to it.
  • Each association's two most-improved teams (by won-lost record) will receive three "Lottery balls" (or chances).
  • Third and fourth-most improved receive two chances; other teams receive one each except the pennant winner who receives no chances and picks last in their association.

Draft Execution:

  • January phase is conducted via StatsPlus, with a time-slotted draft followed by in-game completion.
  • June phase is completed in-game; GMs may submit lists via export in OOTP.
  • Drafted players must be signed; unsigned players return to the pool without compensatory picks.

Trading

Trading Rules:

  • Permitted between the end of the World Series and July 31st.
  • Trades can involve players and cash, but not draft picks. Finances must not be illegal following the trade.
  • Both GMs must confirm trades on Slack, detailing players involved.
  • Waived players cannot be traded. DFA players can.
  • Drafted players cannot be traded within their first calendar year.

Multi-Sport Stars (The "Charlie Barrell Rule")

As FABL is part of a multi-sport universe there will occasionally be athletes who have the ability and option to play multiple sports. There are special rules, some of them morale-based, for dealing with these players.

  • Players who do not consider baseball to be their primary sport will have contracts that allow them to miss portions of the FABL season (they will be listed as "injured" during these times). This is also true for the basketball, hockey and football leagues.
  • In FABL, if a player's morale is "Unhappy" or lower he may elect to exercise the clause to go to another sport. Conversely, if the player's morale is good, he is more likely to remain with his FABL club.
  • If a player's morale reaches "Angry" he may retire from baseball to concentrate on his other sport(s).

 

Subcategories

Baseball Recaps