Sugar Magnolia Fantasy Baseball
Rules
This is not necissarily a complete list of all of the rules,
but should cover everything important and out of the ordinary.
Rosters
Team rosters consist of the following:
  • 1 First Baseman
  • 1 Second Baseman
  • 1 Third Baseman
  • 1 Shortstop
  • 1 Catcher
  • 3 Outfielders
  • 1 Designated Hitter
  • 5 Utility HItters
  • 7 Starting Pitchers
  • 2 Closers
  • 2 Teams
  • For all batting position except Utility, the player muist have eligibility at that position.
  • Utility Hitters can be batters witth any hitting position eligibilty.
  • Starters and Closers just have to be listed as pitchers (or Two Way Players)
Schedule
  • The reuglar season consists of 40 games. Eight games against divisionj rivals and 4 each against non-division rivals. All split eveny between home and road games.
  • One fantasy game will typically span either Tuesday-Friday or Saturday-Monday, so there will be two games per week. (the All-Star Break will mess with this regular schedule a little)
  • Lineups are due by noon on the first day of the game (usually Tuesdays and Saturdays), but can be turned in any time in advance. (They are very difficulty to change later, so be carefrul not to tuirn them in tyoo early.)
  • Lineups that have still not been turned in after the MLB games have started on the due date will be turned in automatically by the Commisioner (reffered to as a 'ghost' lineup. They will consist of the same players ion the previous lineup  and the sselected days will be the first and second day that each player plays.
Position Eligibility
  • Hitters gain eligibility at a position one of three wyas...
    1. By playing at least 20 games at the position in the previous season.
    2. By starting at least 5 games at the position during the current season
    3. By playing at least 10 games in the current season.
  • In addition, all players eligible at any hitting position is also eligible at DH
  • Players will not lose eligibilty mid-season, but all position eligibility is recalculated every off season and players can lose eligibility then.
  • No specific eligibilty is needed for either Starters or Closers as long as MLB lists them as a pitcher.
Lineups
Lineups consist of the following:
  • 1 First Baseman
  • 1 Second Baseman
  • 1 Third Baseman
  • 1 Shortstop
  • 1 Catcher
  • 3 Outfielders
  • 1 Designated Hitter
  • 7 Starting Pitchers
  • 1 Closer
  • 1 Team (for designated Home Team Only)
  • For all players other than Starters, two MLB games will be selected. The first game is the only one that will be scored, unless the player does not start that game for any reason (rain out, benched, pinch hit, etc.)
  • Double Headers are listed as two seperate games in the Lineup Submittal form.
  • Batters available for selection in each spot will be determined by their position eligibilty (see below).
  • Starters and Relievers will be listed by their place on the roster.
  • **Ohtani Rule - Two way players such as Shohei Ohtani will be eligible to bat at any position they have eligibilty for, but must take a Starting Pitcher roster position to be selected as a starter. Such a player can be played as both a Hitter and a Starter in the same game. The days he plays at each position do not necessarily have to be the same.
  • Only the first Starting Pitcher listed that plays during the game period will count for scoring
  • When a Starting Pitcher plays (officially scores) in a game. he will; be ineligble to start in the next game. (He can be listed anywhere in the lineup, but will not count in the scoring)
Scoring
  • Hitters score as follows...
    • Hits + Doubles + 2*Triples + 3*Homers + Runs + RBIs + Walks + 2*Stolen Bases
  • Or more simply stated as...
    • Total Bases + Runs + RBIs + Walks + 2*Stolen Bases
  • Starters score as follows...
    • 6*Wins + 2*Innings Pitched + Strikeouts - Earned Runs - Walks - Hits (Minimum of 0 points)
  • Closers score as follows...
    • 6*Saves + 2*Wins + Strikeouts - Walks (Minimum of 0 points)
  • Teams score as follows...
    • Runs For - Runs Against (minimum 0 points)
  • For Hitters, Closers and Teams, only the MLB game selected as the Primary Game will be scored, unless the player does not start (or play) in that game. In that case, the Secondary Game will be scored.
  • For Starters, the first listed (and eligible) pitcher who play during the game will be scored. For example, in a Tuesday-Friday game, Pitcher 1 plays on Friday and Pitcher 2 plays on Tuesday.  Pitcher 1 will be the one that scores since he is the first listed pitcher who pitchedd.
  • In the rare case that a Starting Pitcher pitches twice during one game, the first game he pitches willo be scored.
Tie Breakers
  • In the case a game ends in a tie, the following will be used one at a time until a winner is deteermiobned...
    1. Total points scored by the Closers in the lineup during all MLB games played during the game
    2. Total strikeouts scored by official Starter.
    3. Total Home Runs hits by players in the lineup (during their official game).
Disabled List
  • Any player who is officially on the Major League Diabled List (I think they call it the Injured Reserve now), are eligible to be put on our Fantasy Disabled List (FDL).
  • The move will not count as a charged transaction, and there are no limits to how many players a team can have on the FDL.
  • Once a player has been activated  from the Major League Disabled List, an ownder has 7 days to activate them to their fantasy roster or they will be automatically dropped and made a free agent.
  • This transaction will also not be a charged one, and any player can be dropped to make room for hjim as long as the rosters positions all remain properly filled.
  • A list of players on the Major League DL can be found here.
Minor League Rosters
  • Each team can maintain up to 5 prospects pn their "Minor League" roster.
  • To be eligible, a player cannot have lost their MLB rookie status. (Players do not lose rookie status mid-season, only after the MLB season is over).
  • Transaction to place a free agant player on a teams Minor League roster will not be charged, neither is the transaction to promote a minor league player to primary roster.
  • However, if a new free agant player is picked up for the primary roster and an eligible player is demoted to the minors to make room for him, this will be considered a charged transaction.
  • MLB Players with a rookie status can be found here.
Post-Season
  • Final standing ties will be determined by most runs scored and then by fewest runs allowed.
  • The Playoff Round will be played by the top two teams in each division in a best of three series, with the top ranked team getting home field advantage.
  • The Championship Round will be played by the two winners of the playoffs inb a best of five series. Home field aadvatage goes to the team with the best regular season record.
Transactions
New Seasons and Drafting
  • After the season is over Team ID's and divisions will be reassigned by overall rankings of the teams (see above for staandings tie breaakers).
  • Teams ranking 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th will be assigned to the Eastern Division and be assigned as T4, T3, T2 and T1 accordingly.
  • Teams ranking 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th will be assigned to the Westerrn Division and be assigned as TD, TC, TB and TA accordingly.
  • Prior to the draft, each team will 'freeze' players from their roster at the following positions to carry over to the new season...
    • 2 Infielders
    • 2 Outfielders
    • 1 Extra Hitter
    • 2 Starters
    • 1 Closer
    • 1 Team
  • Players can only be frozen for 3 consecutive years before they must be let go back into the draft.
  • Minor league players will be kept on the roster until after the draft. At this time, any player who has lost his rookie status will be dropoped from the team.
  • Minor league players can be promoted at any time (as long as it is your pick) during the draft to the primary roster.
  • The new seasons Draft order go by the reverse order of the above standings.  The 8th place team will get first pick and the 1st place team will pick last (in the first round)
  • Each round of the draft will switch directs of the draft order.  Odd numbered rounds pick 8th place through 1st place and even rounds pick 1st through 8th.