2012 PROPOSALS
PROPOSAL #1 – STARTING PITCHER USAGE – *This proposal Failed by a 13 – 11 vote.
All pitchers who have the ability to start a game will be limited to 120% of their actual MLB game starts (rounded up) and pitchers may not start more than 36 games in a season – unless their actual MLB games started exceeded 36 games. In that case, they may make their actual MLB game starts.
In order to make 36 starts, you must have started at least 30 games in MLB. The only exception to this will be with pitchers rated a 5 grade or lower – they can start as much as the game will allow.
Examples: Pitcher “A” had 16 real-life starts. He would be allowed to pitch up to 20 starts in the MWBL with this rule (16 x 1.2 = 19.2, which rounds up to 20).
Penalty System: Any violation will result in the pitcher be ineligible to pitch in their 1st round of the team’s playoff (WC or DS).
Reason: Someone who started 20 games in real-life would now be limited to 24 starts in MWBL. Some teams in this league stretch starts by using the quirks within the APBA game to take pitchers who started 33 games in real life and converting this to 40 games in the MWBL. This is just not realistic and should not be represented in the MWBL. By enacting this rule, I suspect we will also likely to see batting averages go back up and win totals come down slightly for the best teams (again, adding more realism to the league). There is no penalty for a non-playoff team because in reality they are not trying to gain the upper hand. We’ll just disable the pitcher for the remainder of the season.
Proposed by – Jason Kerns – Camarillo Quest. REVISED BY COMMISSIONERS OFFICE – STEVE CUTLER & STRAY CORRADO
PROPOSAL #2 – PROSPECT RELIEF – NON PLAYOFF TEAMS – *This proposal Failed by a 18 – 8 vote.
Each NON PLAYOFF Franchise from the previous year would be allowed ONE un-carded prospect (whom they drafted) to be dropped from the roster after being carried for two years rather than the usual three in exchange for its last two draft picks in the next draft if all of the following apply:
– the prospect cannot have been traded from its originally drafted franchise
– the draft picks given up cannot have been acquired from another franchise (for the sole purpose of being given up to drop the prospect)
– the franchise dropping the player CANNOT re-acquire the player through the next season draft (prevents the artificial extension of the 3-year prospect rule)
– the franchise must announce the intent to release the player by the All-Star Break during their 2nd year of being a prospect.
Proposed by – Nik Malatestinic – Bethesda Bandicoots & Jarl Jackson – Dallas Cougars.
PROPOSAL #3 – The “ASS-PICK” – *This proposal Passed by a 18 – 8 vote.
The 3-minute window for making a pick in the Annual Draft would not change as a result of making an “ass pick” (selecting a previously drafted or already affiliated player). At the expiration of the allotted time window to make a pick, the draft would move onto the next owner. At the conclusion of the next pick, the owner making the “ass-pick” will have one minute to revise his pick with an eligible player. If an “ass-pick” is made again, the process repeats a second time. A third “ass-pick” on the same pick would result in forfeiture of the pick (a swinging strike rather than a foul tip as we could otherwise risk having 30 minutes added to the draft by one owner as a result of a string off ass-picks). Draft Coordinator Stacy Corrado will have all FINAL SAY when an ASS-PICK is made and when a pick is skipped.
Rationale – an owner should not be able to extend his window for making a pick by making a mistake. The consequence for making the “ass pick” under this rule would be no worse than someone who simply wasn’t prepared (which is basically the cause of making an “ass pick”) so the penalty is really a non-penalty, but rather the elimination of someone benefiting by screwing up
Proposed by – Nik Malatestinic – Bethesda Bandicoots.
PROPOSAL #4 – FLEX PROSPECT – *This proposal Failed by a 17 – 9 vote.
Teams would have the option of designating players with minimal major league experience as Un-Cared Prospects even if they are carded. Minimal major league experience would be considered fewer than 50 career plate appearances or 25 innings pitched at the major league level. This would not re-set the 3-year clock on the prospect so would be possible only with players who had used up only one or two years of Un-Cared eligibility. A carded player designated as a prospect would be lost to the draft if in the following major league season the player’s 3-year prospect eligibility expired and the player did not get carded.
Example: Assume Matt Moore was an Un-Cared prospect (’10) in the MWBL at the end of last season. He appeared in the majors in 2011 with a small sniff of innings. Needing the 38-man active roster spot in the MWBL more than the 12-man Un-Cared slot, his team could opt to extend his Un-Cared status rather than occupy a roster spot and use the 9+ innings he pitched. Moore would not change from being a (’10) prospect and his team would run the risk of losing him to the draft if he wound up not getting carded again in 2012.
Rationale – provides greater flexibility in roster management for teams struggling with adequate positional coverage.
Proposed by – Nik Malatestinic – Bethesda Bandicoots.
PROPOSAL #5 – NON-CONTENDERS ALLOWED TO RESIGN ONE MINOR LEAGUE PROSPECT – *This proposal Failed by a 13 – 13 vote.
Teams that do not make the playoffs (18 of 28 Teams) will be allowed to re-sign one minor leaguer for an additional three years if they forfeit their franchise’s number one draft pick. They can NOT surrender another teams 1st Rounder.
Reason for the Proposal: Provide a little assistance to teams that are rebuilding and are more prone to losing future talent due to the three year limit. Only 64% of the league would have this option each year so most franchises should only plan on using the resign for unplanned injuries that delay a promotion to MLB.
Proposed by – Chris Douglass – Tempe Tempers.
PROPOSAL #6 – CHANGE ROLAIDS RELIEF AWARD VOTING – *This proposal Passed by a 14 – 12 vote.
Eliminate the “Except RR” provision from Rule XI(A)(1), which states that “all awards (except RR) will be voted by Owners for only their respective league …” and eliminate Rule XI(A)(5)(a)(i) and (ii), which states:
(i) The player in each league with the most Relief Points will be the Rolaids reliever of the year.
(ii) Tiebreakers for this award are: number of saves, ERA, Win %, Wins, Opponents Batting Average.
Instead, the rule will require league managers to vote on the Rolaids Relief Award annually.
Proposed by – George Skiles – Sacramento Capitals.
PROPOSAL #7 – CHANGE TO RULES REGARDING STARTING PITCHERS IN THE PLAYOFFS – *This proposal Passed by a 22 – 4 vote.
Post Season: All teams must have a minimum of 9 pitchers on their 27 man Post Season roster. Of the 9 pitchers, there must be a minimum 4 starting pitchers who meet the Post Season Pitching restrictions. The exception rule will be removed (X>E>2>b>iii). If a team finds that it has no available starters due to injury, they are allowed to bring up a qualified starter from their farm for the next start, or start a fatigued starter. You may not be allowed to bring up a qualified starter from the Farm to replace a starter who is fatigued.
Reasoning: This prevents any loophole from a team trying to use a high rated reliever to start a game. Also, this will force teams to carry at least 4 starters instead of 3 plus 6 relievers, only to take out a pitcher early to get to their pen. Also, if they abuse their pen and are forced to throw a starter in relief, they will feel the repercussions by having to start a pitcher who is fatigued.
Proposed by – George Skiles – Sacramento Capitals.
PROPOSAL #8 – QUICK PLAY – *This proposal Failed by a 13 – 13 vote.
All home managers are prohibited from quick-playing their series without first asking whether the “away” manager prefers to manage the series. For many teams, series are too important to allow managers to just quick-play series without regard to how the series plays out. If a manager doesn’t have interest in a particular series, the manager should be required to relinquish management of the series to the opposing manager.
Proposed by – George Skiles – Sacramento Capitals