RULES and REGULATIONS for KOD2

1. Let's have fun, please respect your opponents and the time they have set aside to play their games online.
2. Fatigue / Injuries is in place - check it out in the rules section (of the software).  Any "bit player" who exceeds his regular season usage will not be eligible for the post season.  An example of this would be a player with 12 AB's in real life and 13 AB's in our league or a pitcher with 5 innings pitched in real life and 5.2 IP in our league.
3. 28 game season - so you need to use the Status tab in the roster screen for your team. The column to watch is the %. The magic number is 125%. If ANY player hits 125%, you will IMMEDIATELY incur a 10% usage penalty. This penalty goes to 20% when you hit 135%, and so on. Again look at the rules and my fatigue choices within.
4. Roster limits: 25 (11 pitchers max) for regular season, until 9/1 (or the series following 9/1), when it expands to 40 (traditional).  25 man (11 pitchers max) for post season eligible teams)
5. Each team must have a MINIMUM of a 4 man rotation.  We will have 1 off day between each series to facilitate the 4 man rotation having the correct EPC.  Teams that did employ 5 starters in real life would best be served to use their 5th starter every so often as to avoid fatigue to the other 4 starters.
6. Rain Outs will be part of the league rule.  If a game is rained shortened and is official the result will stand.  If it is rained out and not official it will be scheduled for the off/travel day that is built into the schedule.  If an additional game during the series gets rained out a double header will be played on the travel day.
7. DH:  The AL will use the DH in any game featuring DH era teams (1973-Pres).  The DH will NOT be used in games featuring AL teams pre-1973.  In the World Series the DH will be used in the AL team's home park
8. DH:  Non DH AL teams would not use the DH when playing h2h.  Fatigue will be adjusted, so that Non-DH teams will have enough AB's for them to use their bench to bat as DH's.  They also have the option of using good hitting pitchers as DH's
9. The Warm Up in Bullpen Rule is in affect and should be setup as part of the league settings.
10. Playoffs: Each division winner & 2 Wild Card teams will qualify for the post season.  The Divisional playoff will feature the top division winner vs the WC team with the worst record and the Division winner with the second best record vs the best WC team.
11. The 1st round will be a best of 5 (2-2-1); 2nd round (LCS) best of 7 (2-3-2) and the world series best of 7 (2-3-2) . Remember, we are playing a short, 36 game season, and, to facilitate this, I scheduled your 2 home and 2 away vs each opp in ONE 4-game set that you can play as you see fit. In example: 4 games in one evening or 2 and 2. Whatever works! The games should only take about 10-15 minutes +/- 5 or so. So, 4 games would take less than an hour !
12. You will play each team in your league 4 times (2 home/2 road)
13. Upon Completion of games please do a short series write-up for the blog, which can be done online by clicking here.
14. email the league your results, and stats will be update on this website.
15. Also, email me your manager files with your lineups and manager tendencies -- just in case someone can't play, we can always sim it.
16. Contact your opponent to play via e-mail as soon as the new league file is released.  cc: the league on all correspondence.  E-mail the league if your opponent has not responded to your e-mail in 2 days, so we can mediate.
17. Contact the league if you expect to be busy or away that week, so we can arrange for a sub to cover for your team or have your opponent play vs the computer in a supervised environment (see below playing vs computer option).
18. Deadlines:  The goal is to play each series over a 5 day period.  Try to schedule your series early, because things do pop up in real life that might cause you to miss your preset playing time.  If your series is set on deadline day you will not have an opportunity to reschedule.  All games not played by the announced deadline will be "simmed".  If someone is a no-show or has to cancel their opponent has the following options:

1. Reschedule (provided it isn't deadline day).
2. Play vs a league appointed sub
3. Play vs the computer (see below).

Playing vs the Computer option:

1. You must first e-mail the league and get approval to do this.
2. You must e-mail the league at the start and e-mail the league at the end of the 4 game series.
3. You have 60 minutes from the time the e-mail is sent until the end of the series for the results to count.
4. If time limit has elapsed the league will sim the series.

Post-season fatigue and Home Field Advantage:

1. The regular season fatigue Pace of 42 will be bumped up to 52 as the initial threshold for fatigue for the post season.

Addendum #1:  All players must set their PREFERENCES to reflect the following:

• UNCHECK MANAGER OPTIONS:  Bullpen Warm up Rule
• UNCHECK MANAGER OPTIONS:  Computer Base Coach
• UNCHECK MANAGER OPTIONS:  Computer Base Stealing
• UNCHECK MANAGER OPTIONS:  All Human Subs for Computer Managers

Addendum #2:  Playoff Tie-breakers (1st place):

• Team with best h2h record wins division
• Team with best intra-division record wins division
• Team with best run differential wins division
• Rules apply to 3 or more teams.
• Top two teams in each Div make post season with Div winner getting HFA

Addendum #3:  Playoff Tie-breakers (Wild Card):

• Two teams tied:  Play in game during off day between end of season and start of playoffs
• 3 or more teams will see the best team win div and the other two play for the wild card play in
• If div is not in the mix the 3 teams will draw random #'s to be seeded.  The team that is seeded #1 gets a by and 2 plays 3, then winner plays one in a double play in game scenario
• If 4 teams are tied the it will be 2 one game play in's and the winners will advance.
• Coin flip will determine who has home field for play in game.

Addendum #4:  Team Retirement:

• Teams used in previous KOD's that made the post season are not eligible to be used in future KOD's unless they are the only available option to satisfy the current theme in use.
• All teams that have won a KOD championship are ineligible and are considered retired and entered into the KOD HOF !

Addendum #5:  Franchise Ownership:

• In the essence of continuity, each manager will have the option to keep their present franchise for subsequent KOD's
• Returning managers can challenge for an existing franchise, even if protected.
• A weighted dice roll will determine if the present owner continues on as manager of that franchise or if the challenger assumes control

Addendum #6:  Franchise Ownership Challenge rules:

• Roll of 100 sided die will determine if present owner or challenger gains possession of the franchise.
• World Series winners automatically have the right to their franchise.  No challenge is allowed
• The dice roll is based on team winning %.  If the present owner finishes at .500 he has a 50/50 chance of retaining ownership.  If his winning % is .623, he has a 62% chance of retaining ownership.
• All teams that make the playoffs, but do not progress past the 1st round receive an extra 10% added to their retention #.  Using the above example with their team's winning % at .623 and making the playoffs, the incumbent will have a 72% chance of retention (rolls 1-72).
• All teams that make the LCS will have and additional 10% added to their retention #.  Using the above example they would have a 82% chance of retaining their franchise.
• The World Series runner up will have and additional 10% added to their retention #.  Using the above example they would have a 92% chance of retaining their franchise.
• Bottom line is:  The better your team performs the more you increase your chances of retention, just like a real life manager.

Addendum #7:  Franchise Ownership Challenges (additional rules):

• If more than 2 teams wish to challenge for a franchise they will have to go into a random lottery to decide, which one will be the challenger to follow the procedure of Addendum #6.
• If a manager misses more than 8 games (2 series) during the season they forfeit any right to team retention and the franchise will be available via random lottery to anyone interested.
• If a manager's franchise does not have a team eligible for a current theme they will have to choose another franchise, but have continuation rights to regain their previous franchise.  All challenge rules will apply and they will be considered the incumbent.